But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
All Commentaries on Genesis 13:13 Go To Genesis 13
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Do you observe Lot having regard only for the nature of the land and not considering the wickedness of the inhabitants? What good, after all, is fertility of land and abundance of produce when the inhabitants are evil in their ways? By contrast, what harm could come from solitude and a simple lifestyle when the inhabitants are more restrained? The summit of blessings, you see, is the uprightness of those who dwell in a place. Lot, however, had eyes for one thing only, the richness of the countryside. Hence Scripture desires to indicate to us the wickedness of those who dwelt there in the words “Now the people of Sodom were very wicked sinners in God’s sight.” They were not merely “wicked” but also “sinners,” and not simply “sinners” but also “in God’s sight.” That is, the extent of their sins was extreme, and their wickedness superabounded—hence it added as well, “very wicked in God’s sight.” Do you see the extremity of the evil? Do you see how great an evil it is to usurp pride of place and not to consider what is for the common good? Do you see what a great thing is deference, ceding pride of place, taking second place? Take note, in fact: As the instruction develops we shall see that the one who took the pick of the best places gained no advantage from it, whereas he who chose the lesser became more resplendent day by day, and, with his wealth increasing, he became the attraction of all eyes.
