Genesis 14:1-12

Genesis 14:1-12

[1] And it came to pass in the days  of Amraphel  king  of Shinar,  Arioch  king  of Ellasar,  Chedorlaomer  king  of Elam,  and Tidal  king  of nations;  [2] That these made  war  with  Bera  king  of Sodom,  and with Birsha  king  of Gomorrah,  Shinab  king  of Admah,  and Shemeber  king  of Zeboiim,  and the king  of Bela,  which is  Zoar.  [3] All these were joined together  in the vale  of Siddim,  which  is the salt  sea.  [4] Twelve  years  they served  Chedorlaomer,  and in the thirteenth  year  they rebelled.  [5] And in the fourteenth  year  came  Chedorlaomer,  and the kings  that were with him, and smote  the Rephaims  in Ashteroth Karnaim,  and the Zuzims  in Ham,  and the Emims  [6] And the Horites  Seir,  unto Elparan,  which is by  the wilderness.  [7] And they returned,  and came  to  Enmishpat,  which is Kadesh,  and smote  all the country  of the Amalekites,  and also the Amorites,  that dwelt  in Hazezontamar.  [8] And there went out  the king  of Sodom,  and the king  of Gomorrah,  and the king  of Admah,  and the king  of Zeboiim,  and the king  of Bela  (the same  is Zoar;)  and they joined  battle  with them in the vale  of Siddim;  [9] With Chedorlaomer  the king  of Elam,  and with Tidal  king  of nations,  and Amraphel  king  of Shinar,  and Arioch  king  of Ellasar;  four  kings  with five.  [10] And the vale  of Siddim  was full of slimepits;  and the kings  of Sodom  and Gomorrah  fled,  and fell  there; and they that remained  fled  to the mountain.  [11] And they took  all the goods  of Sodom  and Gomorrah,  and all their victuals,  [12] And they took  Lot,  Abram's  brother's  son,  who dwelt  in Sodom,  and his goods, 

What does Genesis 14:1-12 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The four kings ( Genesis 14:1) resided in the eastern part of the Fertile Crescent. They sought to dominate the land of Canaan by subjugating five kings ( Genesis 14:2) who lived there. They probably wanted to keep the trade routes between Mesopotamia and Egypt open and under their control. It is interesting that people living around Babylon initiated this first war mentioned in the Bible ( Genesis 14:2).
Scholars have debated the identity of the Rephaim ( Genesis 14:5; cf. Genesis 15:20; literally "ghosts" or "spirits of the dead"). Some believe they were gods, others that they were the deified dead, and still others the promoters of fertility. [1] Most likely they were one of the early tribal groups that inhabited Canaan when Abram entered the land. They appear to have been very powerful, and apparently some of their neighbors regarded them as superhuman before and or after their heyday. [2]
The scene of the battle of the nine kings was the Valley of Siddim ( Genesis 14:3; Genesis 14:8). This valley probably lay in the southern "bay" of the modern Dead Sea south of the Lissan Peninsula. The Old Testament calls this body of water the "Salt Sea" because its average32percent saline content is about ten times more than the three percent average of the oceans.