Lots Wife in Cedeberg?
- Ntandoyenkosi
- Jun 10
- 8 min read
Who has not heard the story of Lots Wife. Mentioned in Genesis 19, she became a pillar of salt after she looked back at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra. This to us is another hint. Another possible location. Now we realise from the offset, that this one could be wrong, but we will entertain it nonetheless. Because well, it makes for a great story we can vividly imagine as Lots wife was going and walking further away from the destruction zone of the Most High. Then, maybe as she considered it safe, she turned back, likely at the last moment just before she reached home. This article also tickles us on account of the surrounding areas and topography in these areas, and they are simply breathtaking and hold many other central Biblical locations. And not far from this little known location of Lots wife (as a mountain formation), in the Cypress Valley (known to Cape Townians), we can with a little research find the small city called Zoar (can mean small or safe haven in Hebrew). Remember this city, was also said to be one of the cities of the plains.
Now this city, named after Zoar lay on the Red Sea, if we read Genesis 14,1-10:
At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2 these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.
8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.
A lot to uncover there. Now, here is another piece of information that strengthens the belief that Zoar, which was also called Bela, would be up in the Gauteng areas (as we have said before). Bela, Bela is off course well known to South Africans, mostly because of the current President. But this is another story. We will stick to Zoar maybe being down by The Garden Route Municipality in the Western Cape. Historically, in modern times, it was named Zoar on account of the residents /modern settlers) being persecuted, they called it Zoar by the Red Sea (After Genesis 14,2-8). The word seems to mean refuge, as that is what Lot sought when fleeing Sodom (Zoar "Haven").
Having the Red Sea close in another problem in calling modern Zoar a Biblical location, because there are no large seas or big waters close to these locations now. But, like we have said before there could have been. Now hear us out, this is a wee bit further from the smokey areas of Gauteng and the cities of the plains purported there like Alexandra, however, we know that Lots wife turned back to look and turned into a Pillar of Salt. That is what we have to go on, and this what we have is a Rock Formation, not a Salt Pillar, and it is quite far from the thought 5 Big cities of the plains. However, we do not know for how long she had been walking before she turned around. Maybe she was almost there, and Mamre (Areas of Malmesbury - were Abraham already had settled) being very close to the Cederbergs, this is not that far fetched. Lot would have been headed to Abraham after the Meteorites had come down with fire and real destruction for the Sodomites with only wicked intents in their hearts. A two-3 day walk is perhaps to long, then the walk from Gauten is certainly much longer as Lots wife
So the so-called Cederberg mountains lies in the Western Cape, among some of the most peculiar and beautiful mountain formations in the whole world. Named after Clamwilliam Cypress (a tree that would grow in abundance, see our article on (Giant Trees of Mamre) which cold be the remnants of the Giant Trees that were said to Grown at Mamre were Abraham settled. The Bible also calls them Cypress trees, and the Widdringtonia whytei likely the Biblical Cypress (or Cedars Widdringtonia Cedarbergensis). This tree comes in 4 endemic species meaning its only found here in South Africa).
These trees span for 50kms towards the northeast and another 20kms towards both the east and west. They border at the Sanveld in the west and Pakhuismountains in the north. The Springbok areas in the east and the Kouebokkveld and Skurweberg mountains in the south. The Garden Route wall of mountains you see when driving that route (N7). You can go stay in Citrusdal or Clanwilliam, but these areas are sparsely populated. Do not expect to see a lot of people. Highest peaks close by are Sneeuberg and Tafelberg (Biblical mountains), give hints of some of these majestic mountains. Cave paintings by the San are plenty. Cederberg Wilderness Area will attest to this being a Biblical site, SoNiNi has made sure that these areas are protected. There is not even mining activity in these areas.
That however, did not mean the area was not ravaged during colonial times. When European settlers came, they brought with them techniques of farming and mass scale forestry. Thousands of local Cedar trees was brought down to be made into telephone poles, furniture and for housing. If you venture north the old Mission station at Wuppertal is still there. These are all recent features we can analyse. If we take into consideration that Lots wife was here or the very least in the area, things get interesting. We see that this story starts in Genesis 19, two Angels arrive in Sodom close to nightfall, Lot asks them to spend the night at his home. Sodoms men saw them and wanted to sleep with and or rape them, tells you a lot of the state these people where in. And some Township in these times you will find men exactly like that. Totally overpowered by their carnal desires. Not even blindness would curb their desires. Lot offered up his daughters, but they said no. They wanted the Angels. As dawn was breaking, the Angels told him to get himself and his family out of there, as not to get destroyed along with the city. And it is here the command was given from one of the Angels (Genesis 19,17):
17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”
And it was while fleeing and arriving at Zoar the safe place), that Lots wife turned into a Pillar of Salt. The Hebrew words here are different. When Lots wife looked back tabet (תבט), Abraham looked toward saqap (שקף) Sodom. We can see the difference in words here. The Talmud and Mishna (later Hebrew texts) have some deeper interpretations of this, in the sense that maybe Lots wife longed for something or someone in the cities destroyed by SoNiNi. Her heart was not with Lot nor with SoNiNi. And according to Josephus notes, she looked back towards the evil cities with longing. There are deeper takes, on accepting the Angels the night before, she was to told to prepare something for Lots guests, she needed salt. She went around the city asking her neighbours for salt. Her actions that night resulted in the attack on Lots family. This is neither here nor there really, but surely makes one think about the setting that night.
More interesting, Josephus the historian said he had seen this pillar of salt himself (Antiquities of the Jews Chapter 11, verse 4):
4. But God was much displeased at their impudent behaviour, so that he both smote those men with blindness, and condemned the Sodomites to universal destruction. But Lot, upon God's informing him of the future destruction of the Sodomites, went away, taking with him his wife and daughters, who were two, and still virgins; for those that were betrothed (21) to them were above the thoughts of going, and deemed that Lot's words were trifling. God then cast a thunderbolt upon the city, and set it on fire, with its inhabitants; and laid waste the country with the like burning, as I formerly said when I wrote the Jewish War. (22) But Lot's wife continually turning back to view the city as she went from it, and being too nicely inquisitive what would become of it, although God had forbidden her so to do, was changed into a pillar of salt; (23) for I have seen it, and it remains at this day. Now he and his daughters fled to a certain small place, encompassed with the fire, and settled in it: it is to this day called Zoar, for that is the word which the Hebrews use for a small thing. There it was that he lived a miserable life, on account of his having no company, and his want of provisions.
We can see further from the notes (23) that the Pillar of salt was seen standing in the days of Josephus. As attested by Clement of Rome, and further into the years by Irenaeus. Given as the most southern point of the Sea of Sodom (another Lake or Sea watered area), with the wild and dangerous Arabian Desert, which made it difficult for travellers.
In closing, we can see that Lots wife is mentioned in Luke 17,30-32:
30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife!
Do not look back. Its like when uMsindisi told his Disciples, one by one, Come follow me. They dropped everything they had in their hand or hearts. They left it all to come and follow Him. They did not turn back. So Do not waver, or even worse as it says in Wisdom of Solomon (10,6-8)
Wisdom rescued a righteous man when the ungodly were perishing; he escaped the fire that descended on the Five Cities. 7 Evidence of their wickedness still remains: a continually smoking waste-land, plants bearing fruit that does not ripen, and a pillar of salt standing as a monument to an unbelieving soul. 8 For because they passed wisdom by, they not only were hindered from recognising the good, but also left for humankind a reminder of their folly, so that their failures could never go unnoticed.
Taste those words, a monument to an unbelieving soul. This rock is still standing today. Let us take heed not become unbelieving and doubting souls. SoNiNi is our guide, He holds our right hand, then telling the left hand when to give and when to receive. Speaking to you in your sleep, whispering in your ear, using the imagery of your dreams and speaking to you as you move more and more into prayer. He is the one that with a spoken word can tell the deaf to hear, and the blind to see. Even the very dead will rise.
Ungesabi lutho,