Sodomites in the Bible

(The inhabitants of Sodom, many of whom openly practiced homosexuality) Wickedness of

• Genesis 19:4-14 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. ...

⇒Bible Encyclopedia for SODOMITE.

Destroyed by fire as a judgement

• Genesis 19:24-25 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

⇒Definition of sodomite

To be judged according to opportunity

• Matthew 11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
• Luke 10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

⇒See also McClintock and Strong Cyclopedia for Sodomite.

A proverbial term of reproach applied to those who practiced sodomy (ritual homosexuality)

• Deuteronomy 23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
• 1 Kings 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
• 1 Kings 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
• 1 Kings 22:46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
• 2 Kings 23:7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
• Job 36:14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

The word "harlot" ("shrine prostitute" (N. I. V.)) appears in

• Genesis 38:21-22 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. 22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.

And is applied to males

• Deuteronomy 23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.

And is the translation of a Hebrew feminine form of the word translated elsewhere "sodomite"

• Hosea 4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

See SODOMY