Sodom and Gomorrah #4 (Genesis 18:25)
Students often ask, “what is this chapter about?” My answer is always the same, βany chapter of the Bible is never about a thing. It is always about many things.β Some would go as far as to claim that each chapter of the Bible is about everything.
I do not know if βeverythingβ is true. But among the many things this chapter tells us about is collateral damage. That is, is it justified to punish the innocent together with the guilty?
In the previous post, Abraham started his defence: βWill you exterminate the righteous together with the wicked?β Now, as a good lawyer, he builds up on this emotional plea and adds a logical argument.
Isnβt that the way we all operate? Once we are emotionally convinced, we need logic to justify our conviction? This is what every good lawyer does. First, they convince you, and then they give you the reason so you can justify your conviction to yourself and to others. This is the method Abraham is teaching us as the defence in the trial in front of God.
ΧΧ ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ°ΦΌΧΦΈ ΧΦ΅Χ’Φ²Χ©ΦΉΧΧͺ ΧΦ·ΦΌΧΦΈΦΌΧΦΈΧ¨ ΧΦ·ΧΦΆΦΌΧ, ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΧͺ Χ¦Φ·ΧΦ΄ΦΌΧΧ§ Χ’Φ΄Χ-Χ¨ΦΈΧ©ΦΈΧΧ’, ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ·Χ¦Φ·ΦΌΧΦ΄ΦΌΧΧ§, ΧΦΈΦΌΧ¨ΦΈΧ©ΦΈΧΧ’; ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΦΈΧ ΧΦΈΦΌΧΦ°–ΧΦ²Χ©ΦΉΧΧ€Φ΅Χ ΧΦΈΦΌΧ-ΧΦΈΧΦΈΧ¨ΦΆΧ₯, ΧΦΉΧ ΧΦ·Χ’Φ²Χ©ΦΆΧΧ ΧΦ΄Χ©Φ°ΧΧ€ΦΈΦΌΧ.ΧΧ ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ°ΦΌΧΦΈ ΧΦ΅Χ’Φ²Χ©ΦΉΧΧͺ ΧΦ·ΦΌΧΦΈΦΌΧΦΈΧ¨ ΧΦ·ΧΦΆΦΌΧ, ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΧͺ Χ¦Φ·ΧΦ΄ΦΌΧΧ§ Χ’Φ΄Χ-Χ¨ΦΈΧ©ΦΈΧΧ’, ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ·Χ¦Φ·ΦΌΧΦ΄ΦΌΧΧ§, ΧΦΈΦΌΧ¨ΦΈΧ©ΦΈΧΧ’; ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΦΈΧ ΧΦΈΦΌΧΦ°–ΧΦ²Χ©ΦΉΧΧ€Φ΅Χ ΧΦΈΦΌΧ-ΧΦΈΧΦΈΧ¨ΦΆΧ₯, ΧΦΉΧ ΧΦ·Χ’Φ²Χ©ΦΆΧΧ ΧΦ΄Χ©Φ°ΧΧ€ΦΈΦΌΧ. | |
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It would be desecration (not a literal translation) | ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ°ΦΌΧΦΈ |
chalila lecha | |
If you did such a thing | ΧΦ΅Χ’Φ²Χ©ΦΉΧΧͺ ΧΦ·ΦΌΧΦΈΦΌΧΦΈΧ¨ ΧΦ·ΧΦΆΦΌΧ |
meβasot kadavar haze | |
to kill the righteous together with the wicked | ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΧͺ Χ¦Φ·ΧΦ΄ΦΌΧΧ§ Χ’Φ΄Χ–Χ¨ΦΈΧ©ΦΈΧΧ’ |
lehamit tsadik eim rasha | |
That will make the righteous the same as the wicked | ΧΦ°ΧΦΈΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ·Χ¦Φ·ΦΌΧΦ΄ΦΌΧΧ§, ΧΦΈΦΌΧ¨ΦΈΧ©ΦΈΧΧ’ |
vehaya chatsadik karasha | |
It would be desecration (not a literal translation | ΧΦΈΧΦ΄ΧΦΈΧ ΧΦ°ΦΌΧΦΈ |
chalila lecha | |
25. It would be desecration if you did such a thing, to kill the righteous together with the wicked. That will make the righteous the same as the wicked. It would be desecration if you that judges the entire earth would not do justice. |