The Babylonian Talmud On Sodom - What Ancient Jews Believed About Sodom From Sanhedrin 109

The Babylonian Talmud On Sodom. The following comments from the Talmud reflect ancient Jewish understanding of the Sodom story hundreds of years before it was reinterpreted by Philo, around the time of Christ.

Jewish oral law written in the Babylonian Talmud, represents the tradition of the Pharisees, which we read about in our New Testament.

"The Talmud is, then, the written form of that which in the time of Jesus, was called the Traditions of the Elders." - Rabbi Michael L. Rodkinson

"The Jewish religion as it is today traces its descent, without a break, through all the centuries, from the Pharisees." - Universal Jewish Encyclopedia

The Torah is Jewish scripture, the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses around 1450 BC.

The Talmud is Jewish oral tradition and commentary on the scriptures, written down as a collection of Jewish literature, around the time of Christ.

The following quotations are from The Babylonian Talmud, 1961 Soncino Edition, which was published without copyright reservation. The Babylonian Talmud on Sodom.

“Our Rabbis taught: The men of Sodom have no portion in the future world, as it is written, But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly: wicked - in this world, and sinners - in respect of the world to come.

Rab Judah said: [They were] wicked - with their bodies [signifying sexual immorality]

and sinners - with their money [meaning greedy, stingy, uncharitable].

'Wicked - with their bodies,' as it is written, How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9).

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Torah scroll

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According to the ancient rabbis, one of the problems in Sodom was heterosexual adultery not homosexuality.

That's clear, isn't it?

The Babylonian Talmud On Sodom is absolutely, unmistakably clear about the sin of Sodom. According to our Jewish spiritual ancestors, the sin of Sodom was not homosexuality.

'Before the Lord' refers to blasphemy;

'exceedingly' - indicates they intentionally sinned.

This intentional sin may have included shrine prostitution in worship of the Canaanite fertility goddess but shrine prostitution is not even remotely similar to homosexuality.

"A Tanna taught: Wicked - with their money; and sinners - with their bodies. 'Wicked - with their money,' as it is written, And thine eye be wicked against thy poor brother...

Our Rabbis taught: The men of Sodom waxed haughty only on account of the good which the Holy One, blessed be He, had lavished upon them.

What is written concerning them [the men of Sodom]... They said: Since there cometh forth bread out of [our] earth, and it hath the dust of gold, why should we suffer wayfarers, who come to us only to deplete our wealth. Come, let us abolish the practice of travelling in our land..."

According to ancient Jewish thought, the Babylonian Talmud On Sodom, one of the sins of Sodom was greed. The inhabitants of Sodom lived in a rich, prosperous land. They did not want to share the blessings of God with travellers through their land.

This explains their Inhospitable treatment of strangers and their attempt to gang rape the angel visitors.

"There were four judges in Sodom, [named] Shakrai, Shakurai, Zayyafi, and Mazle Dina.

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Hebrew scrolls

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Now, if a man [of Sodom] assaulted his neighbour's wife and bruised her, they would say [to the husband], 'Give her to him, that she may become pregnant for thee.'"

The men of Sodom were sexually assaulting their neighbor's wives, according to ancient Jewish understanding.

"If one cut off the ear of his neighbour's ass, they would order, 'Give it [the ass] to him until it grows again...’

Now, they had beds upon which travelers slept. If he [the traveler] was too long, they shortened him [by lopping off his feet]; if too short, they stretched him out..."

This is Inhospitality, not homosexuality.

"A certain maiden gave some bread to a poor man, [hiding it] in a pitcher. On the matter becoming known, they (the men of Sodom) daubed her with honey and placed her on the parapet of the wall, and the bees came and consumed her.

Thus it is written, And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it is great.”

These sins indicate the immoral condition of Sodom but no mention is made of homosexuality. The ancient Jewish rabbis were crystal clear about Sodom. The sins they listed did not include homosexuality.

Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, our ancient Jewish ancestors viewed the Sodom story as dealing with greed and inhospitality to strangers.

1. “Wicked with their bodies” is interpreted by the ancient Rabbis to mean heterosexual adultery - a heterosexual man sexually assaulting his neighbor’s wife.

   The Rabbis even quote Genesis 39:9, about Joseph resisting the invitation of Potiphar's wife to commit heterosexual adultery, to support their understanding.

2. “Sinners with their money” indicates Inhospitality, a refusal to help the poor and needy.

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   Man riding donkey

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   Inhospitality is the same sin the Biblical prophet Ezekiel points out in Ezekiel 16:49 - "neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."

3. “Come, let us abolish the practice of travelling in our land” demonstrates the lack of hospitality of the men of Sodom, toward wayfaring travelers.

4. “Now, if a man assaulted his neighbor’s wife” indicates the men of Sodom were not homosexuals.

   The men of Sodom, according to the ancient Rabbis, were heterosexually married, having sex with their wives and producing offspring.

   Genesis 19:4 says there were "both old and young, all the people from every quarter" of Sodom.

   The sexual activity in Sodom, according to the understanding of the ancient Jewish Rabbis, as recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, was heterosexual adultery.

5. “A certain maid gave some bread to a poor man” is a milleniums old Jewish moral story, which illustrates the ancient Jewish view of Sodom.

Traditionalists sometimes argue that the Inhospitality interpretation is a recent invention of modern gays, to justify ‘their sin.’ The Babylonian Talmud On Sodom, Sanhedrin 109, makes it clear that viewing Inhospitality as the sin of Sodom did not come from modern gays.

The Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 109. This Link will open in a new page.

Jesus never mentioned Homosexuality as the sin of Sodom.

The Babylonian Talmud On Sodom provides clear testimony about Jewish views of the Sodom story long before the birth of Christ.

During the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, the only sin of Sodom Jesus mentioned was Inhospitality or lack of Hospitality.

The Babylonian Talmud On Sodom, from Sanhedrin 109 is something every gay Christian should know.

The Babylonian Talmud on Sodom provides clear, precise, historical evidence that many of our Jewish ancestors did not believe the modern, antigay interpretation of Sodom.

Hospitality to travelers was the glue that held ancient near eastern society together.

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Since Inhospitality is the predominant viewpoint of the Sodom story throughout scripture and Jewish history, twenty first century Christians, Conservatives, Catholics, Evangelicals and Bible believing fundamentalists, need to align their understanding of scripture with what scripture actually says and not merely, what it is presumed to teach.

Inhospitality As The Sin of Sodom.

Hospitality Means Loving Strangers.

History And Scripture Are Clear About The Sin Of Sodom.

In The Bible, sodomites were shrine prostitutes, not homosexuals.

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