19:24 the Lord rained . . . sulfur and fire. A detailed explanation of the inferno that engulfed the cities remains difficult; the Bible is concerned with the final divine Cause, rather than secondary causes. Deposits of sulfur are found near the Dead Sea. Some suggest that an earthquake caused a mixture of sulfur, asphalt (also abundant in this area, 14:10), and gasses from the earth to ignite (cf. Is. 34:9, 10).