the “cities of the plain” (see commentary on chapter 19). For the moment it is enough to note that Lot elected to go down into the valley and that he eventually ended up at Sodom. Abraham was left with the highlands, not by any means a barren area but certainly at first glance not nearly so attractive as the area chosen by Lot. (iii) But at first glance are the operative words, and the fatal consequences which were to flow from Lot’s choice are cunningly foreshadowed in the story. The Jordan valley,