Bibliophiles of the world, today we bring you a story that combines all our vices: ancient texts, dubious interpretations, and a retraction worthy of the Council of Trent.
It all began when modern science—with its obsession with putting miracles into equations—decided to offer a “rational” explanation for the biblical destruction of Sodom: a meteorite exploded in the air above what is now Jordan, causing such spectacular devastation that it would have been engraved in the collective memory… and then in the Bible. Thus, the fire and brimstone described in Genesis were reinterpreted as cosmic rain: courtesy of physics, not a moralizing sky.
The article, published by Scientific Reports in 2021, provided archaeological evidence: molten metals, charred soil, oceanic quantities of salt, and a toxic cloud that would have depopulated the entire Jordan Valley. It was basically a final judgment, but with more geology and fewer avenging angels. The theory excited both scientists and readers who dream of explaining the Scriptures… with footnotes and APA bibliographies.
But as often happens in long sagas, the final chapter was disappointing: on Thursday, the journal withdrew the study due to “clear errors.” In other words, chapters 18 and 19 of Genesis are canceled due to a lack of methodological rigor.
What are we left with, then? A manuscript that does not stand up to textual criticism. A Sodom that may never have burned because of a meteorite, but because of the feverish imagination of authors who knew how to generate narrative impact. Here’s a lesson for devotees of the printed page: not everything that shines like heavenly fire is peer-reviewed.
At Bookish & Co., we recommend caution when interpreting ancient texts and recent studies. Keep reading. And remember: even divine punishment needs a solid bibliography.
