Genesis 19:24
19:24 Then the Lord rained down 1 sulfur and fire 2 on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord. 3
Genesis 26:2
26:2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; 4 settle down in the land that I will point out to you. 5
1 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.
2 tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).
3 tn Heb “from the Lord from the heavens.” The words “It was sent down” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
sn The text explicitly states that the sulfur and fire that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah was sent down from the sky by the Lord. What exactly this was, and how it happened, can only be left to intelligent speculation, but see J. P. Harland, “The Destruction of the Cities of the Plain,” BA 6 (1943): 41-54.
4 sn Do not go down to Egypt. The words echo Gen 12:10, which reports that “Abram went down to Egypt,” but state the opposite.
5 tn Heb “say to you.”