Analysis of Lot In Sodom

John Newton 1725 (Wapping, London) – 1807 (London)



How hurtful was the choice of Lot,
Who took up his abode
Because it was a fruitful spot
With them who feared not God!

A pris'ner he was quickly made,
Bereaved of all his store;
And, but for Abraham's timely aid,
He had returned no more.

Yet still he seemed resolved to stay
As if it were his rest;
Although their sins from day to day
His righteous soul distressed.

Awhile he stayed with anxious mind,
Exposed to scorn and strife;
At last he left his all behind,
And fled to save his life.

In vain his sons-in-law he warned,
They thought he told his dreams;
His daughters too, of them had learned,
And perished in the flames.

His wife escaped a little way,
But died for looking back:
Does not her case to pilgrims say,
Beware of growing slack?

Yea; Lot himself could ling'ring stand,
Though vengeance was in view;
'Twas mercy plucked him by the hand,
Or he had perished too.

The doom of Sodom wilt be ours
If to the earth we cleave;
Lord quicken all our drowsy pow'rs,
To flee to thee and live.


Scheme AXAX BCBC DEDE FGFG XHXX DIDI JKJK XXHX
Poetic Form Quatrain  (63%)
Metre 11010111 111101 01110101 111111 0111101 011111 0111101 110111 11110111 111011 1111111 110101 01111101 011101 11111101 011111 01110111 111111 11011111 010001 11010101 111101 11011101 011101 11011111 110101 11011101 111101 011101110 110111 110110101 111101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 977
Words 190
Sentences 9
Stanzas 8
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 32
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 96
Words per stanza (avg) 24
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

58 sec read
70

John Newton

Rev Dr John A Newton CBE is a prominent Methodist minister, author, historian and former President of the Methodist Conference. more…

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