← H5466 H5468 →

סְדֹם

𐤎𐤃𐤌

Sedom

H5467 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; possibly to scorch, burn, destroy (speculative)

Definition

Sedom (Sodom) is a toponym referring to an ancient city located in the southern region of the plain near the Dead Sea. The name is generally associated with one of the five so-called 'Cities of the Plain' in biblical tradition. While the precise etymology is debated, the lexical meaning points to a place identified with destruction or burning, potentially reflecting geographic or legendary associations with catastrophic events. In context, Sedom is primarily known as a site of wickedness and divine destruction, but in earlier mentions it also functions as a geographical marker in narratives of Abraham and Lot.

Semantic Range

ancient city name, geographic district near the Dead Sea, paradigmatic location of destruction and divine judgment, symbol of devastation

Root / Etymology

The nominal form סְדֹם is of uncertain etymology. While Strong's associates it with an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to scorch' or 'to burn,' such a verb root does not occur in surviving biblical Hebrew. Some have compared it with the Akkadian sadū (mountain) or with Semitic roots relating to burning or desolation, but this remains speculative. Cognates in neighboring languages are uncertain, and thus the original meaning of the name is ambiguous—possibly referencing burning, desolation, or a specific local feature, but etymology remains uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Sedom (Sodom) is most prominently featured in Genesis 13–19 as the city associated with the patriarch Lot and its destruction by YHWH due to its inhabitants' wickedness. In ancient Israelite narrative, Sedom represents both an actual geographic location and a paradigm of ruin resulting from moral failure. Later Israelite and Second Temple period literature employ 'Sedom' as a metaphor for utter devastation. The standard English 'Sodom' is based on the Greek and Latin transliterations, but does not capture potential geographic or etymological nuance in the Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible, Sedom is situated with other cities of the plain (Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, Bela/Zoar) and serves as both a historical and moral reference point throughout prophetic and wisdom literature. In post-biblical and Greek/Jewish literature, inhabitants are termed 'Sodomites,' but this does not correspond directly to ethnic or national identities in the biblical periods. There is no evidence that Sedom refers to a permanent ethnic or political group; it is exclusively toponymic.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to scorch; burnt (i.e. volcanic or bituminous) district; Sedom, a place near the Dead Sea; Sodom.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

סדם (uncertain) (s-d-m (uncertain)) — uncertain; possibly burning, desolation, destruction

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5467-03 סְדֹם֙ sedom HNp Sodom Sedom 30
H5467-02 כִּ/סְדֹ֣ם kisedom HR/Np like Sodom like Sedom 4
H5467-04 סְדֹ֧מָ/ה sedomah HNp/Sd to Sodom toward Sedom 3
H5467-01 בִּ/סְדֹֽם bisedom HR/Np in Sodom in Sedom 1
H5467-05 בִ/סְדֹ֛ם visedom HR/Np in Sodom in Sedom 1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5467-04 Genesis 10:19 סְדֹ֧מָ/ה sedomah HNp/Sd to Sodom toward Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 13:10 סְדֹם֙ sedom HNp Sodom Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 13:12 סְדֹֽם sedom HNp Sodom Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 13:13 סְדֹ֔ם sedom HNp Sodom Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 14:2 סְדֹ֔ם sedom HNp Sodom Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 14:8 סְדֹ֜ם sedom HNp of Sodom Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 14:10 סְדֹ֥ם sedom HNp of Sodom Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 14:11 סְדֹ֧ם sedom HNp Sodom Sedom
H5467-01 Genesis 14:12 בִּ/סְדֹֽם bisedom HR/Np in Sodom in Sedom
H5467-03 Genesis 14:17 סְדֹם֮ sedom HNp of Sodom Sedom
← H5466 Hebrew Lexicon H5468 →