Genesis 19:22-30
Zoar (Heb. Tsôar, “small/or”). City, also known as Bela, apparently the smallest of the 5 cities in the valley of Siddim (Gen 13:10; 14:2, 8; 19:20, 22). When Sodom and the surrounding cities were destroyed, Lot interceded for Zoar and fled to her, living with her daughters in a cave near the city (19:20-23, 30). In Moses’ description of the land of Canaan on Mount Nebo, Zoar apparently was the southernmost city in the land, while Dan, to the north, was the northernmost (Deu 34:1 -3). On the basis of Isa 15:5 and Jer 48:34 it is reasonable to assume that he was in the land of Moab. Josephus places it in Arabia, and Eusebius places it in the Dead Sea, between “Zoara” and Jericho. On the map of Palestine found in the Medeba mosaic from the 6th century AD, Zoar appears at the southern end of the Dead Sea. An Arab author of the Middle Ages places it in the land of Edom, and another at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Most authors now assume that it lies beneath the waters of the southern end of the Dead Sea. Map VI, F-3 presents us with Zoar in a place known as Zoara in the days of Josephus; the name would have been transferred to a city founded later in the vicinity of the place where the original Zoar is believed to have been. See Bela 1. Bib.: FJ-GJ iv.8.4; EC-OBO 261.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
(Heb., tso†™ar, small). Ancient Canaanite city, today probably under the waters of the bay in the southeastern part of the Dead Sea. Previously called Bela (Gen 14:2) it was saved from immediate destruction with Sodom and Gomorrah in answer to Lot’s prayer (Gen 19:20-22).
When Moses stood on Mount Pisgah to see the Promised Land, Zoar was at the southern limit of his sight (Deu 34:3). At the judgment of Moab (Isaiah 15) the Moabite fugitives were to go to Zoar (Deu 15:5). In Jer 48:34 we read of their later ruin.
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(Small). Formerly called †¢Bela. Companion city of †¢Sodom and †¢Gomorrah. Together with these and † ¢ Admah and † ¢ Zeboim he rebelled against † ¢ Chedorlaomer (Gen 14: 2-8). She was given the name of Z., (small), after the incident in which Lot asked God not to destroy her and allow him to take refuge in her (Gen 19: 22-30). Upon reaching Z. the destruction of the cities began and Lot’s wife “became a pillar of salt.” In the face of disaster, Lot †œwas afraid to stay in Z.† and went to the mountain (Gen 19:18-30). When Moses went “up to the top of Pisgah” to take a look at the Promised Land, God showed him “the plain of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Z.” (Deu 34:3). It was known in the times of Isaiah and Jeremiah, who mention it (Isa 15:5; Jer 48:34). Its exact location is unknown, but it must have been somewhere near the S end of the Dead Sea, if it was not covered by it.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
type, CITY
see, SODOM, GOMORRAH
sit, a3, 443, 440
vet, = “littleness”. One of the cities of the plain, and apparently the smallest of the five (Gen. 19:20, 22). From the heights of Nebo the plain could be seen as far as Zoar (Deut. 34:3). Zoar’s old name had been Bela. One of their kings was among the captives of Chedorlaomer (Gen. 13:10; 14:2, 8). When judgment fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, Zoar was spared at the request of Lot, who took refuge in her (Gen. 19:20-23). Beyond the city was a mountain and a cave, where Lot and his two daughters settled (Gen. 19:30). Zoar still existed in the times of Isaiah and Jeremiah (Is. 15:5; Jer. 48:34; cf. Gen. 19:37). Moab and Zoar are mentioned together, which suggests that Zoar was on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. At the time of the Maccabees, Zoar was part of an Arabian kingdom whose capital was Petra (Ant. 13:15, 4; 14:1, 4). According to Wars 4:8, 4, Zoar was at the southern end of the Dead Sea. In the Middle Ages it was an important point on the route from Elat to Jerusalem. Identification: about 3 km from the southern end of the sea, in the ruins of el-Keryeh, near the place where the wadi el’Ahsy begins to cross the mountains of Moab to reach the plain. It is there that the last colony of Zoar was. (See SODOM, GOMORRAH.)
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Zoar was the only one of the confederate cities on this plain that was not destroyed, formerly called Bela (Genesis 13:10; 14:2, 8), but after Lot went there it was called Zoar, which means “little” and it was probably a place of commercial importance. It is not known where it was located. Genesis 19:19-30 places it in the part of the plain and tradition places it in the northern part of the Dead Sea, between it and Jericho, where there still remains, near the mountains of Moab, a fertile and well-watered valley of 3 to 5 km wide and several kilometers long, which is probably a part of the original plain.
According to another theory, it was situated at the foot of the mountains of Moab at 11 or
13 km northeast of where the Jordan River enters the Dead Sea. This view identifies him with Shaghur, which is probably the Christian name Segor; that according to those who carried out the crusades was located between palm trees. It is also thought that this was the place that Moses saw from the top of Pisgah
(Deuteronomy 34:13).
It is a well-watered place, Genesis 13:10.
The kings of the north fought against her, Genesis 14:2, 8.
Lot fled there from the destruction of Sodom, Genesis 19:19-23. Lot and his sons dwelt on the mountain near there, Genesis 19:22, 30. God showed her to Moses from Pisgah, Deuteronomy 34:3.
The Moabites fled there after God’s curse, Isaiah 15:5;
Jeremiah 48:34.
Source: Geographic Dictionary of the Bible
(Smallness).
City of the “District” that was located at the end of a fertile plain. (Ge 13:10-12; see JORDI N, DISTRICT OF.) It seems that it was previously called Bela. In the days of Abraham, this city was ruled by a king who, after twelve years of vassalage to Chedorlaomer, rebelled together with the other four kings of the District, but the Elamite monarch and his three allies defeated them. (Ge 14:1-11) When Jehovah was about to destroy Sodom, Lot requested and received permission to flee from there to Zoar, and this city was spared from destruction. (Ge 19: 18-25) Later, he and his two daughters left Zoar out of fear, and began to dwell in a cave in the nearby mountainous region. (Ge 19:30.)
It was foretold that when the catastrophe befell Moab, its fugitives would flee to Zoar, and that the cry for the devastation of the nation would be heard “from Zoar to Horonaim itself, to Eglath-selisiyah,” perhaps indicating that at that time Zoar was a Moabite city. (Isa 15:5; Jer 48:34) The Greek Septuagint and some modern versions (NC, SA, VP, etc.) mention Zoar (Segor; Soar; Zogora) at Jeremiah 48:4 (31:4, LXX ), but the Hebrew Masoretic Text says in this passage †œhis little ones† (DK, Mod, NM, etc.). Zoar marked the southern end of the land that Moses saw from Mount Nebo. (De 34:1-3) Apparently, the city was in or near Moab, close to the Moabite hill country and to the SE. of the Dead Sea. (Compare Ge 19:17-22, 30, 37.) Some scholars place the Zoar to the N of the Dead Sea, while others choose to place it on the El-Lisan peninsula, or to the W or S of the Dead Sea. southern limit of the sea. Yohanan Aharoni identifies it with es-Safi, located in the delta of the torrential valley of Zered (Wadi el-Hesa). During the Middle Ages the name Zoar was linked to an important place located between Jerusalem and Elath. However, several scholars are of the opinion that both the original Zoar and the other “cities of the District” lie under the waters of the southern part of the Dead Sea. (Ge 13:12.)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible