The Oak and the Gate

The stories of Mamre and Sodom, in Gen 18-19, have fascinated scholars since ancient times. In this study, the two tales will be considered unified and finished narratives, despite their composite nature that bears witness to a diachronic editing process. By a synchronic approach, the analysis will focus on the literary elements of the text, highlighting the narrative techniques that give dynamism to the story. Thus, Mamre, an ordered world in which God reveals Himself in person to proclaim new life, is contrasted with Sodom, an upside-down world in which God's only manifestation is a destructive rain of brimstone and fire.