Did Lot's wife die when she was turned into a pillar of salt?

Question

I'm wondering because I think that is my favorite death sequence in the Bible, but I guess she may not have necessarily "died". I just wanted to make sure I wasn't assuming too much. It seems obvious, but I'd hate to misrepresent the situation.

Answer 1

I guess it would be wise to assume that she stopped living

Answer 2

Archaeology has revealed some fascinating details about this area. It was evident that the residents of that area built their homes with tar for mortar and to stop the chinks. There is also strong evidence of a volcanic eruption which buried the cities of the plain, including Sodom and Gomorrah. What is also interesting is that strong concentrations of sulfur are present; in fact, it still can be ignited all these centuries later. Lastly, there are concentrations of salts just under the ash all over the plains.

Here is what likely happened: God sent the angels to warn Lot who eventually fled with his wife. The volcano then erupted under orders and influence of God (brimstone=sulfur). The houses of the city went up in intense heat since they were mortared with tar and incinerated the inhabitants. Lot's wife turned back and was also incinerated. Prolonged intense heat in the presence of sulfur eventually burned away all combustible material and left behind only mineral salts. The word n'etseeb in Hebrew could just have easily been translated memorial rather than pillar since it is also used for statue elsewhere which indicates a possible value for remembering. Jesus validated this centuries later when he taught, "REMEMBER Lot's wife."

Tom

Answer 3

Dear Phoenix,

God always uses salt to indicate judgment in the Bible. "salt" may be a preservative in the American lifestyle but it always means God's fierce judgment in the Bible.

In Colossians 4:6 we read, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." This verse is telling Christians that we need to tell people of God's wonderful grace but we must also tell of God's terrible wrath against sinners. If we delete either of these, we have not presented the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Answer 4

Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Luke 17:32-33 Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to gain his life shall lose it: but whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

In Genesis it is not absolutely clear whether Lot's wife died but most people presume that if someone turned to a pillar of salt then they would be dead.

But in Luke, we have more information. Jesus himself uses Lot's wife's death as a warning to other people not to try and save their life by looking back or return into the house when Jesus returns because if they try to save it they will lose their lives.

So to simplify it, Lot's wife died. On principle if we rely on God to rescue us we need to continue believing in him. If we stop, forget what God has done and try to live for ourselves again, we will lose our life (salvation).

Answer 5

It is usually assumed that she died since you only existed as a pillar of salt.

Answer 6

Well, technically, I guess that would be cardiac arrest, because the heart can't work with too much sodium saturation in the blood.

But, maybe there was no heart anymore.

We should commission a scientific study to figure this out.

Answer 7

No, she did not. You should read your Apocrypha more carefully. According to Tomas The Happy's Book of Leivintine, she lived happily for years until one surprisingly sudden spring storm.

Just and wise is the Lord. I hope I am able to live by the example of Mrs Lot's pure, if somewhat salty, nature.

Answer 8

I think it's fair to say that she died. If she went from flesh to salt, all that remained was a statue of her image. That's leaving all the philosophical implications of what it means to live out of the picture of course.

Answer 9

It is safe to assume that the replacement of any human's anatomy with salt causes immediate death. This is the beleif of all mainstream Christian, Muslim, and Jewish sects and denominations.

Answer 10

And I thought I thought strange at times. Of course she died. Her disobedience brought about the result. Now compare how that humongous area was, before God executed the people the way he did, to how it is and looks now. Like night and day.

Answer 11

Yes, God promised death to any who looked back. It was, like you say, an interesting death, but a death none the less.