A town in the southern Jericho Valley, on the south bank of the Wadi Zered in Edomite territory.
About Zoar
One of the “cities of the plain” confederate with Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim (Gn 14:2, 8). Zoar, also known by its earlier name Bela, is best known as the town that served as a temporary refuge for Lot and his daughters during the destruction of Sodom and the other cities of the plain (19:22–23, 30). Despite the fact that Zoar was evidently a small town (v 22; Zoar means “little”), this place was evidently considered a significant geographical landmark in ancient times. When Abraham and Lot divided the land, Lot selected the land close to Zoar (13:10). When Moses surveyed the Promised Land from Mt Pisgah, Zoar was reckoned as the southern terminus of the plain of the valley of Jericho (Dt 34:3). During the prophetic period, Zoar was evidently considered to be on the southern boundary of Moab (Is 15:5; Jer 48:4, 34).
See also Cities of the Plain.
Key References
My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith; they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim.
Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.
All Scripture References (10)
Genesis (6)
And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Valley of Siddim
Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.
And by the time the sun had risen over the land, Lot had reached Zoar.
Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains—for he was afraid to stay in Zoar—where they lived in a cave.
Deuteronomy (1)
the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar.
2 Kings (1)
So Jehoram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. When the Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, he rose up and attacked by night. His troops, however, fled to their homes.
Isaiah (1)
My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith; they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim.
Jeremiah (1)
There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.