Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Genesis 18:20 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 20. 20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
The LORD says that the outcry concerning Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is extremely grave. The outcry presents a serious accusation of harm, but this verse does not yet identify every victim or offense.
Read It With
- Genesis 18:16–33
Read verses 20–21 and Genesis 19:1–13. The accusation prompts investigation; the following scene supplies narrative evidence rather than allowing readers to fill the gap from assumptions.
Why This Verse Appears Here
With Abraham's justice vocation established, the LORD names the outcry and grave sin that require judgment.
Read Genesis 18:20–22 together
Why these verses belong together: Outcry, grave sin, investigation, the men's departure, and Abraham's remaining stance form the justice-case setup.
Verse 20. 20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Verse 21. 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Verse 22. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Follow the Context
- The men rise, look toward Sodom, and leave with Abraham accompanying them (18:16).
- The LORD deliberates about disclosing the plan because Abraham will become a great nation, bless the nations, and teach his household righteousness and justice (18:17–19).
- The LORD names Sodom and Gomorrah's great outcry and grave sin and resolves to go down, see, and know whether the accusation is confirmed (18:20–21).
- The men go toward Sodom while Abraham remains before the LORD, draws near, and asks whether righteous and wicked will be swept away together (18:22–23).
- Abraham first asks whether fifty righteous people can preserve the whole place and appeals to the justice of the Judge of all the earth; the LORD agrees (18:24–26).
- Calling himself dust and ashes, Abraham continues through forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and ten; the LORD agrees each time, then ends the conversation and Abraham returns home (18:27–33).
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah”
In plain language: A grave outcry or accusation arising from the cities.
It reaches the LORD and prompts direct inquiry.
Why it matters: The narrative centers reported harm rather than arbitrary wrath.
How certain? strong“their sin is very grievous”
In plain language: Their wrongdoing is extremely weighty or serious.
The moral charge is severe before the investigation unfolds.
Why it matters: Seriousness and careful inquiry belong together.
How certain? very strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The outcry does not mean that God was irritated by ordinary city noise.
Genesis 18:20 does not give a complete catalogue of Sodom's sins or identify the people whose cries have risen.
The verse does not authorize labeling a modern group 'Sodom' to justify hatred or violence.
What Remains True
Serious reports of harm deserve attention without turning accusation alone into an unexamined verdict.
How It Can Shape Life
- Take cries of harm seriously, protect possible victims, preserve evidence, and pursue a fair investigation before making claims beyond what is known.
Teach It Back
Explain Genesis 18:20's contribution to Genesis 18:16–33. Include why the nearby verses are required, what the verse clearly says, and one conclusion it does not justify.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 18:16–33 — Abraham Pleads for Righteous JudgmentSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
Where care is needed
The complainants and the full range of offenses are not specified in this verse.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, unit movement, vocation, outcry, investigation, intercession, numbers, and canonical links.
Exact location: Genesis 18:16–33 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 13:10–13; 14:1–24; 19:1–29; 20:7; Exodus 32:7–14; Jeremiah 15:1
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Yada, purpose clauses, righteousness and justice, outcry, cohortative investigation sequence, standing, sweep away, spare, far-be-it, Judge, dust and ashes, conditional proposals, and closure.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 18:16–33
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Know/choose, syntax, outcry, investigation wording, spare, rhetorical force, and translation alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 18:16–33 and translator notes, especially verses 17, 19, 20–25, 27, and 32
Open NET Genesis 18 ↗open access masters thesis literary Hebrew and comparative study
Characterization in the Triangle of Intercession: A Literary and Theological Study of Genesis 18:16–33
Peter Tin Yan Chu
Tyndale Seminary, 2008
Supports: Translation and syntax, literary form, yada, outcry, investigation, verse 22 tradition, six dialogue rounds, justice, intercession, and the unexplained stopping point at ten.
Exact location: Characterization in the Triangle of Intercession, especially pp. 69–78, 127–166, 203–212, and conclusion
Open source ↗peer reviewed specialist Hebrew and literary study
Outcry, Knowledge, and Judgment in Genesis 18–19
Ellen J. van Wolde
Society of Biblical Literature, in Universalism and Particularism at Sodom and Gomorrah, 2012
Supports: The debated identity and force of the outcry and its relation to knowledge and judgment; use limited to accessible metadata.
Exact location: Outcry, Knowledge, and Judgment in Genesis 18–19, pp. 71–100; official SBL/JSTOR chapter metadata and description
Open source ↗