Why have traditional Jewish and Christian interpretations connected Sodom and Gomorrah with homosexual acts?

Traditional Jewish and Christian interpretations have historically associated Sodom and Gomorrah with homosexual acts primarily due to the narrative in Genesis 19:5. In this account, a mob of men surrounds Lot’s house and demands that he bring out his angelic guests so that they may "know them," a phrase long interpreted as "carnal knowledge".1

This perspective was further reinforced by other biblical passages, such as Jude 1:7, which references "sexual immorality" and "unnatural lust," and Ezekiel 16:50, which mentions "abominable things". Over time, Christian theologians developed the concept of sodomy as a specific category of sexual sin derived from these interpretations.12

However, it is important to note that modern scholarship in both Judaism and certain branches of Christianity often emphasizes that the cities' destruction was a consequence of their profound inhospitality, violence, and failure to care for the poor, rather than homosexuality. These scholars point to the contrast between the mob's predatory behavior and the gracious hospitality shown by Abraham and Lot as the central moral lesson of the story.1