7. Sodom Is Destroyed

Soon it was time for the visitors to go on their way to the city of Sodom. Abraham walked with them to start them on their way. God began to tell Abraham what he was planning to do.

"The people of Sodom and Gomorrah are very bad people," God said. "They have turned away from me and I am going to destroy the cities."

Abraham was worried because Lot and his family still lived in Sodom.

But God had sent his angels ahead to warn Lot and his family. The angels found Lot at the city gates. They told him that God was planning to destroy the city and he must get out quickly.

Lot went home to tell his family. His wife and daughters began packing their things, but they were taking their time. The angels grabbed their arms and hurried them onto the road.

"Run, run, and don't look back," cried the angels.

Lot and his family ran toward the hills. They tried to keep their eyes on the road ahead of them. Suddenly, Lot's wife could stand it no longer. She turned around to look at Sodom and when she did she became a pillar of salt.

Lot and his daughters kept on running. The sky behind them was turning red. As the sun began to rise over Sodom, God sent fire down on the city. Everything in Sodom and Gomorrah was set ablaze and destroyed.

The whole sky looked as if it were on fire. Lot was thankful that he had obeyed God. He took his daughters up into the mountains to live in a cave where they would be safe.

Abraham saw the smoke and fire from his tent, and he knew that God had carried out his plan. He was very sad on that day. God had not turned his back on him, though.

Abraham would soon have a son and later he would have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who would come to be known as the Jews. They would live in God's Promised Land, called Israel.

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