The Bible provides little information about Lot’s wife. The first mention of her is when the angels came to stay at their house in Sodom and in the early morning, they told Lot to take his wife and daughters out of the city so they wouldn’t be consumed in the destruction.

Genesis 19:16 tells us Lot lingered, “So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.” (ESV)

The angels gave explicit instruction for them to run for their lives, to not look back, and to not stop until they reached the mountain, lest they be destroyed. Lot pleaded to be able to stop in the city of Zoar rather than going all the way to the mountain, and the angels gave in, but again stressed the importance of hurrying to safety.

They reached Zoar as the sun rose in the sky. As promised, God rained fire and brimstone on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. And then one of the saddest verses in the Bible.

“But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” (v. 26)

Though we have no reason to believe Lot’s wife was a righteous woman, still God felt compassion for her and provided rescue for her. Unfortunately, her longing for the past prevented her from experiencing a brighter future.

God is always watching out for us and will lead us to where we need to be, but we must let go of our sinful past in order to reach the fulfilling destiny he has in store for us.

Won’t you today take hold of his hand and follow him into the glorious unknown?

Lot’s Wife in Scripture: Genesis 19:12-26, Luke 17:29-33

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