they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (also called Zoar). All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea). They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness. They returned, and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar. The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to the hills.
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Genesis 14:2-10 sits inside this longer paragraph.
In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim, they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (also called Zoar). All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea). They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness. They returned, and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar. The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to the hills. They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went their way. They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Parallel Translations
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they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (also called Zoar).
All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea).
They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness.
They returned, and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar.
The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to the hills.
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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.
All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
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 in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
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;
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.
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.
Show all 3 translations
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that they 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 — the same is Zoar.
All these came as allies unto the vale of Siddim — the same is the Salt Sea.
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
And they turned back, and came to En-mishpat — the same is Kadesh — and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazazon-tamar.
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 set the battle in array against them in the vale of Siddim;
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
Now the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain.
Cross-references (82)
- Genesis 13:10 (vv2, 8) Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and…
- Deuteronomy 2:22 (v6) as he did for the children of Esau who dwell in Seir, when he destroyed the Horites from before them; and they succeeded them, and lived in…
- Deuteronomy 29:23 (v2) that all of its land is sulfur, salt, and burning, that it is not sown, doesn’t produce, nor does any grass grow in it, like the overthrow…
- 2 Chronicles 20:2 (v7) Then some came who told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold, they are in…
- Genesis 10:19 (v2) The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon—as you go toward Gerar—to Gaza—as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim—to Lasha.
Show all 81 cross-references
- Genesis 21:21 (v6) He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
- Numbers 34:12 (v3) The border shall go down to the Jordan, and end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders around it.’ ”
- Deuteronomy 2:12 (v6) The Horites also lived in Seir in the past, but the children of Esau succeeded them. They destroyed them from before them, and lived in…
- Deuteronomy 3:17 (v3) the Arabah also, and the Jordan and its border, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah…
- Joshua 3:16 (v3) the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those…
- Genesis 15:20 (v5) the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
- Genesis 19:17 (v10) It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the…
- Deuteronomy 1:4 (v5) after he had struck Sihon the king of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth, at Edrei.
- Deuteronomy 2:10-11 (v5) (The Emim lived there before, a great and numerous people, and tall as the Anakim. These also are considered to be Rephaim, as the Anakim;…
- Deuteronomy 3:11 (v5) (For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the…
- Genesis 9:25-26 (v4) He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.” He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be…
- Genesis 11:3 (v10) They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
- Genesis 16:14 (v7) Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
- Genesis 19:20 (v8) See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.”
- Genesis 19:22 (v8) Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
- Genesis 19:24 (v3) Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky.
- Genesis 19:30 (v10) Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave…
- Genesis 20:1 (v7) Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.
- Numbers 12:16 (v6) Afterward the people traveled from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.
- Numbers 13:3 (v6) Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran according to the commandment of Yahweh. All of them were men who were heads of the children of…
- Deuteronomy 3:22 (v5) You shall not fear them; for Yahweh your God himself fights for you.”
- Isaiah 1:9-10 (v2) Unless Yahweh of Armies had left to us a very small remnant, we would have been as Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah. Hear Yahweh’s…
- Isaiah 24:18 (v10) It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the middle of the pit will…
- Jeremiah 48:44 (v10) “He who flees from the terror will fall into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare: for I will bring on…
- Ezekiel 17:15 (v4) But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will…
- Hosea 11:8 (v2) “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart…
- Genesis 14:2-3 (v8) they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela…
- Genesis 14:10 (v8) Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to…
- Genesis 16:7 (v6) Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.
- Genesis 19:20-30 (v2) See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.” He…
- Genesis 36:8 (v6) Esau lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom.
- Genesis 36:12 (v7) Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau’s son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the descendants of Adah, Esau’s wife.
- Genesis 36:16 (v7) chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the sons of Adah.
- Genesis 36:20-30 (v6) These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These are the…
- Exodus 17:8-16 (v7) Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I…
- Numbers 10:12 (v6) The children of Israel went forward on their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud stayed in the wilderness of Paran.
- Numbers 13:26 (v7) They went and came to Moses, to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and…
- Numbers 14:43 (v7) For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you will fall by the sword because you turned back from following Yahweh;…
- Numbers 14:45 (v7) Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.
- Numbers 20:1 (v7) The children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month. The people stayed in Kadesh.…
- Numbers 24:20 (v7) He looked at Amalek, and took up his parable, and said, “Amalek was the first of the nations, But his latter end shall come to destruction.”
- Deuteronomy 1:19 (v7) We traveled from Horeb and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw, by the way to the hill country of the…
- Deuteronomy 1:46 (v7) So you stayed in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you remained.
- Deuteronomy 2:20-23 (v5) (That also is considered a land of Rephaim. Rephaim lived there in the past, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, a great people, many,…
- Deuteronomy 3:20 (v5) until Yahweh gives rest to your brothers, as to you, and they also possess the land which Yahweh your God gives them beyond the Jordan.…
- Deuteronomy 34:3 (v2) and the south, and the Plain of the valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, to Zoar.
- Joshua 12:4 (v5) and the border of Og king of Bashan, of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
- Joshua 13:12 (v5) all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (who was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); for Moses attacked…
- Joshua 13:19 (v5) Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar in the mount of the valley,
- Joshua 13:31 (v5) Half Gilead, Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even for…
- Joshua 15:62 (v7) Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En Gedi; six cities with their villages.
- 1 Samuel 13:18 (v2) another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim…
- 1 Samuel 15:1-35 (v7) Samuel said to Saul, “Yahweh sent me to anoint you to be king over his people, over Israel. Now therefore listen to the voice of Yahweh’s…
- 1 Samuel 27:1-12 (v7) David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the…
- 1 Samuel 30:1-31 (v7) When David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck…
- 2 Samuel 5:18 (v5) Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
- 2 Samuel 5:22 (v5) The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
- 2 Samuel 23:13 (v5) Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was…
- 1 Chronicles 1:38-42 (v6) The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam; and Timna was Lotan’s sister.…
- 1 Chronicles 4:40 (v5) They found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceful; for those who lived there before were descended from Ham.
- 1 Chronicles 11:15 (v5) Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in…
- 1 Chronicles 14:9 (v5) Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.
- Nehemiah 11:34 (v2) Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
- Psalms 78:51 (v5) and struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the chief of their strength in the tents of Ham.
- Psalms 105:23 (v5) Israel also came into Egypt. Jacob lived in the land of Ham.
- Psalms 105:27 (v5) They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
- Psalms 106:22 (v5) wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.
- Psalms 107:34 (v3) and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
- Isaiah 15:5 (v2) My heart cries out for Moab! Her nobles flee to Zoar, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for they go up by the ascent of Luhith with weeping; for on…
- Isaiah 17:5 (v5) It will be like when the harvester gathers the wheat, and his arm reaps the grain. Yes, it will be like when one gleans grain in the valley…
- Jeremiah 48:1 (v5) Of Moab. Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo! For it is laid waste. Kiriathaim is disappointed. It is taken. Misgab is…
- Jeremiah 48:23 (v5) on Kiriathaim, on Beth Gamul, on Beth Meon,
- Habakkuk 3:3 (v6) God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.
- Joshua 8:24 (v10) When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they had all…
- Psalms 83:10 (v10) who perished at Endor, who became as dung for the earth.
- Jeremiah 48:34 (v2) From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz they have uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, to Eglath Shelishiyah;…
81 distinct cross-references across this passage (82 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On v10 10. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled.…
10. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled. Some expound that they had fallen into pits: but this is not probable, since they were by no means ignorant of the neighboring places: such an event would rather have happened to foreign enemies. Others say, that they went down into them for the sake of preserving their lives. I, however, understand them to have exchanged one kind of death for another, as is common in the moment of desperation; as if Moses had said, the swords of the enemy were so formidable to them, that, without hesitation, they threw themselves headlong into the pits. For he immediately afterwards subjoins, that they who escaped fled to the mountains. Whence we infer, that they who had rushed into the pits had perished. Only let us know, that they fell, not so much deceived through ignorance of the place, as disheartened by fear.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv3, 5, 7, 10 Ambition is the chief cause of wars among princes.
Ambition is the chief cause of wars among princes.
Or, of the labored fields.
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Called also the dead sea, or the lake Asphaltite, near unto Sodom and Gomorrah.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–10 Gen 14:2 [That these] made war with Bera king…
Gen 14:2 [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.
Ver. 2. That these made war.] War is the slaughter house of mankind, and the hell of this present world. It hews itself a way through a wood of men, and lays "heaps upon heaps" (as Samson did, Jdg 15:16), not with "a jaw-bone of an ass," and one after another, but in a minute of time, and by the mouth of a murdering piece. Alphonsus D. of Ferrara had two of these cannons {a} of a wonderful size; the one whereof he called Archidiabolo, the other, the Earthquake. The Turks battered the walls of Rhodes, with twelve basilisks, so aptly named of the serpent, basiliscus , who, as Pliny writes, killeth man or beast with his very sight. But before these bloody instruments of death were heard of in the world, men could find means to slaughter one another in war; witness these five kings, that came with Chedorlaomer, and smote the Rephaims or giants, the Zuzims or Zamzummims, {Deu 2:20} and the Emims or terrible ones, as their name imports. These they slew by the way, besides what they did in the vale of Siddim, where they joined battle with the five kings, and cut off many. If we may judge one battle by another, hear what was done in a bloody fight between Amurath III, king of the Turks, and Lazarus, despot of Servia. Many thousands fell on both sides; the brightness of the armour and weapons was as like the lightning; the multitude of lances and other horsemen’s staves shadowed the light of the sun. Arrows and darts fell so fast, that a man would have thought they had poured down from heaven. The noise of the instruments of war, with the neighing of horses, and outcries of men, was so terrible and great, that the wild beasts in the mountains stood astonished therewith; and the Turkish histories, {b} to express the terror of the day, vainly say, that the angels in heaven, amazed with that hideous noise, for that time, forgot the heavenly hymns wherewith they always glorify God. In conclusion, Lazarus was slain, and Amurath had the victory, but a very bloody one, and such as he had no great joy of. For he lost many of his Turks; as did likewise Adrian the Emperor of the Romans, when he fought against the Jews and had the better: but with such a loss of his own men, that when he wrote of his victory to the Senate, he forbore to use that common exordium, that the emperors in like ease were wont to use, Si vos liberique vestri valeatis, bene est: Ego quidem et exercitus valemus. {c} There was no such thing, believe it, nor but seldom is there. But as the dragon sucks out the blood of the elephant, and the weight of the falling elephant crushes the dragon, and both usually perish together; {d} so doth it many times fall out with those that undertake war. These four kings beat the five; but, when they got home, became a prey to Abram and his confederates. The Low-countrymen are said to grow rich - whereas {e} all other nations grow poor - with war. But they may thank a good queen, under God (Queen Elizabeth, I mean), who first undertook their protection against the Spaniard. For the which act of hers, all princes admired her fortitude: and the King of Sweden said, that she had now taken the diadem from her head, and set it upon the doubtful chance of war. {f} Dubia sane est Martis alea, nec raro utrique parti noxia , saith Bucholcerus. {g} And I cannot but - as the case stands with us, especially at this present, by reason of these unnatural uncivil wars stirred up amongst us - go on, and give my vote with him. Ideo pons aureus (ut vulgato proverbio dicitur) hosti fugienti extruendus est et magno precio, precibus, patientia ac prudentia alma pax redimenda, ne infoelicitatis portas, pacis tempore clausas, infaustum bellum aperiat . War is sweet, they say, to them that never made trial of it. {h} But I cannot sufficiently wonder at Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, of whom Justin witnesseth, that he took as much pleasure in war, as others do in supreme government. {i} He might have better learned of his own prophets; so St Paul calleth their poets. {Tit 1:12} Homer, the prince of them, ever brings in Mars, as most hated of Jupiter above any other god, as born for a common mischief, and being right of his mother Juno’s disposition, which was fierce, vast, contumacious, and malignant. We that are Christians, as we cannot but, with the prophet Isaiah, count and call war a singular evil; so we must acknowledge with him, that it is an evil of God’s own creating. {Isa 45:7} "I make peace, and create evil," {j} that is, war. I, is emphatic and exclusive, as who should say, I, and I alone. Whencesoever the sword comes, it is bathed in heaven. {Isa 34:5} God is pleased for this to style himself, "A man of war". {Exo 15:3} The Chaldee expresseth it thus, "the Lord and victor of wars". {Gen 17:1} God elsewhere calleth himself, El Shaddai. Aben-Ezra interpreteth Shaddai a conqueror. And indeed the Hebrew word Shadad signifieth to dissipate and destroy: both which he must needs do that becomes a conqueror. {k} God seems to glory much in his workings about warlike affairs. Hence, - "Who {Psa 24:8} is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle." He is in Scripture said to "send the sword"; {Eze 14:17} to "muster" the men; {Isa 13:4} to order the ammunition; {Jer 50:25} to bring up both van and rear; {Isa 52:12} to give wisdom, valour, and victory. {Psa 144:1 Eze 30:24 Ecc 9:11} The whole battle is his. {1Sa 17:47} And he oft thereby "revengeth the quarrel of his covenant". {Lev 26:25} So he hath done already upon the Jews and Germans: so he is now doing, alas, upon Ireland and England. And here I cannot but insert that which I find observed by a prime preacher of our kingdom. The late battle at Edgehill was fought in a place called "the Vale of the Red Horse," as if God had said, "I have now sent you the red horse, to avenge the quarrel of the white"; {Rev 6:2; Rev 6:4} the blood spilt at Edgehill the same day of the month in which the rebellion broke out in Ireland, the year before, October 23. Yea, and upon the self-same day, if our intelligence be true, in which that bloody battle was fought near Leipsic, in Germany. This conjuncture is a sad presage, that England is to drink deep in Germany’s and Ireland’s cup. "Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from us." "A cup of trembling" it is, surely, to myself, among many others; such as maketh my pen almost to fall out of my fingers, while I write these things; and affects me no otherwise - when I consider of the many fearful convulsions of our kingdom, tending doubtless to a deadly consumption-than the siege of Rome did St Jerome. For hearing that that city was besieged, at such time as he was writing a Commentary upon Ezekiel, {l} and that many of his godly acquaintance there were slain, he was so astonished at the news, that for many nights and days he could think of nothing. When I think {m} of what should move the Lord to make this breach upon us, and notwithstanding that he hath been so earnestly besought; yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still; that of Cajetan comes before me; who, then commenting upon Matthew when the French soldiers having broken into Rome, offered all manner of abuse and violence to the clergy, inserts this passage into his Notes on Mat 5:13 - "Ye are the salt of the earth," - as my former author {n} allegeth, and rendereth him: - "We, the prelates of Rome, do now find the truth of this by woeful experience, being become a scorn and a prey, not to infidels but Christians, by the most righteous judgment of God, because we, who by our places should have been ‘the salt of the earth,’ had ‘lost our savour,’ and were good for little else but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church. {o} Hence it is, that together with us, this city comes to be trodden under foot, this sixth of May 1527." That city, till it became idolatrous, was ever victorious: but since it hath been the nest of Antichrist, it was never besieged but it was taken and sacked. The God of heaven purge out of our Church, daily more and more, that land desolating sin of idolatry, and make good his promise, "That there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts," {Zec 14:21} no evil spirit left in the land. Fiat, fiat . For of England we may now well say, as he once did of Rome: Nunquam magis iustis iudiciis approbatum est, non esse curae Deo securitatem nostrum, esse vindictam. {p}
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{a} Peacham’s Valley of Varieties. {Rev 9:17} "Fire, smoke, and brimstone," seem to note out the Turks’ guns and ordnance. For the drawing of that gun that Mohammed used in besieging Constantinople, seventy yokes of oxen and two thousand men were employed.
{b} Turk. Hist., fol. 200.
{c} Dio in Adriano.
{d} Plin.
{e} Heylin’s Geog., p. 253.
{f} Anno 1585. Camden’s Elisab.
{g} Bucholc. Chron., p. 583.
{h} Dulce bellum inexpertis.
{i} Nulli maiorem ex imperio quam Pyrrho ex bello voluptatem fuisse.
{j} Malum per αντονομασιαν ut bellum, quia minime bellum per antiphrasin .
{k} Eundem victorem et vastatorem esse oportet .
{l} Hieron. com. in Ezekiel. - Proem.
{m} Haec scripsi cordiciuts dolens . - August 21, 1643
{n} Mr Arrowsmith, ubi supra, Ep.
{o} Evanuimus, ac ad nihilum utiles, nisi ad externas caeremonias, externaque bona ,& c. - Heylin’s Geog.
{p} Tacit. Hist., lib. i. cap. 1.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 Once for all, observe that the name of kings…
Once for all, observe that the name of kings is here and elsewhere given by Moses to the chief governors of cities or little provinces. Compare Jos 12:9, &c.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–10 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom,....…
That these made war with Bera king of Sodom,.... A city in the plain of Jordan, which with the four following made the Pentapolis, or five cities of the plain. Strabo (y) says, in this place formerly were thirteen cities, the metropolis of which was Sodom, and which yet had remaining a compass of sixty furlongs; according to Dr. Lightfoot (z), it should be placed in the southern extremity of the lake Asphaltites, whereas it is usually set in the maps in the northern bounds of it:
and with Birsha king of Gomorrah; another city in the plain of Jordan, called by Solinus (a) Gomorrum:
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Shinab king of Admah; a third city situated in the same plain:
and Shemeber king of Zeboiim; a fourth city of the plain, which seems to have its name from the pleasantness of its situation:
and the king of Bela, which is Zoar; so it was afterwards called by Lot, being a little city, Gen 19:20; but before, Bela; the name of its king is not mentioned, being a person of no great note and importance, and his city small.
(y) Geograph. l. 16. p. 526. (z) Works, vol. 2. p. 6. Vid. Reland. Palestina illustrata, tom. 2. p. 1020. (a) Polyhistor. c. 48.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Twelve years they served him - The Sodomites were…
Twelve years they served him - The Sodomites were the posterity of Canaan, whom Noah had pronounced a servant to Shem, from whom Elam descended. Thus soon did that prophecy begin to be fulfilled. In the thirteenth year, beginning to be weary of their subjection, they rebelled - Denied their tribute, and attempted to shake off the yoke.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 Verse 2. These made war with Bera, c.] It…
Verse 2. These made war with Bera, c.] It appears, from Ge 14:4, that these five Canaanitish kings had been subdued by Chedorlaomer, and were obliged to pay him tribute and that, having been enslaved by him twelve years, wishing to recover their liberty, they revolted in the thirteenth; in consequence of which Chedorlaomer, the following year, summoned to his assistance three of his vassals, invaded Canaan, fought with and discomfited the kings of the Pentapolis or five cities - Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboiim, Zoar, and Admab, which were situated in the fruitful plain of Siddim, having previously overrun the whole land.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv4–5 Gen 14:4. Twelve years they served him — The…
Gen 14:4. Twelve years they served him — The Sodomites were the posterity of Canaan, whom Noah had pronounced a servant to Shem, from whom Elam descended. Thus soon did that prophecy begin to be fulfilled. In the thirteenth year (beginning to be weary of their subjection) they rebelled — Denied their tribute, and attempted to shake off the yoke.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 Now, in the days of Moses. --- Salt sea;…
Now, in the days of Moses. --- Salt sea; called also the vale of salts, and the dead sea.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 2. Bera… Birsha — The names of the kings…
2. Bera… Birsha — The names of the kings of the pentapolis of this Jordan plain live only in this record. Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim are said in Gen_10:19, to have been settled by the sons of Ham. Bela, more commonly known as Zoar, is generally supposed to have been situated at the southern end of the Dead Sea. But Grove, in Smith’s Bib. Dict., places it at the northern, as also Sodom and Gomorrah.
This new theory of Grove is controverted, and the older view ably defended by Wolcott in Bib. Sacra, for 1868, vol. xxv, p. 112, ff.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 2. that they made war] This anticipates and summarizes…
2. that they made war] This anticipates and summarizes the contents of Gen_14:5-10. As Hammurabi, the conqueror of Elam and founder of the Babylonian kingdom, terms himself king of Amurru = Amorites, or northern Palestine, there is nothing unhistorical in the representation of an invasion of this region by the Elamite suzerain.
Bera … Birsha] The kings of the cities of the Plain mentioned in this verse are not otherwise known. Identifications with the Arabic Bari and Birshi, and with the Babylonian Sinabu, have been conjectured. The five cities here named, sometimes (e.g. Wis_10:6) called the Pentapolis, were, according to the tradition, situated at the southern end of the Dead Sea, and, with the exception of Zoar, were overwhelmed in the catastrophe of chap. 19. Each city has its king, as was the case with the cities of Canaan, according to the Book of Joshua and the Tel-el-Amarna tablets.
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It is noteworthy that Bera and Birsha can, in the Hebrew letters, denote “with evil” and “with wickedness” respectively.
The LXX (Cod. A) reads “Balla” for “Bera,” and “Sennaar” for “Shinab.”
Admah, and … Zeboiim] These towns are mentioned in Deu_29:23 and Hos_11:8 as having been overthrown in the great catastrophe described in chap. 19.
the king of Bela] The only king whose name is not given. The omission favours the accuracy of the list. The name “Bela,” meaning “destruction,” conceivably contains a local allusion. It has been suggested that we should read “Bela, king of Zoar.” The reader, in reviewing these two verses, will be struck with the fact that Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, whose name is mentioned first in the list of Gen_14:9, and who is evidently the supreme sovereign in Gen_14:4-5, stands third in the list in Gen_14:1. It is not easy to find an explanation. Some scholars suggest that the names are arranged in the order of their nearness to Palestine! Others, by a slight emendation of the text, reading the final “1” in “Amraphel” as a preposition, render as follows: “in the days of Amraph, when Arioch king of Ellasar was king over Shinar, then Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim made war with, &c.” But the mention of the four kings in Gen_14:9, where their order is different, does not favour the conjecture.
A relief on the upper part of the basalt stele on which is inscribed in cuneiform characters the famous Code of Laws.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 (2) Bera king of Sodom.—The failure of the attempt…
(2) Bera king of Sodom.—The failure of the attempt to explain the names of these five kings, and of the cities over which they ruled (with one or two exceptions), by the help of the Hebrew language makes it probable that the inhabitants of the Ciccar were either Canaanites who had come from the sea-coast, or men of some Hamite stock who had colonised this region from the east. The latter is the more probable view, as they do not seem to have had much affinity either with the Amorites or with the Jebusites, their neighbours.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 That these made war. The LXX connect the present…
That these made war. The LXX connect the present with the preceding verse by reading "that Arioch," &c. Ewald interpolates "of Abram," before "that Amraphel." ;With Bera. "Gift rA (Gesenius).
King of Sodom. "Burning, conflagration," as being built on bituminous soil, and therefore subject to volcanic eruptions; from conjectured to mean to burn (Gesenius). "Lime place," or "enclosed place;" from hd; s; to surround (Furst). A mountain with fossil salt at the present day is called Hagv Usdum; and Galen also knew of a Sodom mountain. And with Birsha = Vr,ab, "son of wickedness" (Gesenius); "long and thick" (Murphy); "strong, thick" (Furst). King of Gomorrah. GomarjRJa (LXX); perhaps "culture, habitation" (Gesenius); "rent, fissure" (Furst). Shinab. Father"s tooth" (Gesenius); "splendor of Ab" (Furst); "coolness" (Murphy). King of Admah. Fruit region, farm city (Furst). And Shemeber. "Soaring aloft" (Gesenius). King of Zeboiim. Place of hyenas (Gesenius); gazelles (Murphy); a wild place (Furst). And the king of Bela. "Devoured," or "devouring" (Gesenius). Which is Zoar. "The small," a name afterwards given to the city, (Gen_19:22) and here introduced as being better known than the more ancient one.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v8 The Capture of Lot
The Capture of Lot
v. 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;
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v. 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. Flushed with their recent conquests, by which they had eliminated all the possible confederates of the southern confederacy, the kings of the north poured their victorious hordes into the vale of Siddim, near the beautiful Sea of the Plain.
v. 10. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. This was the outcome of the battle: the five southern kings were routed by the armies of the north and sought to save their lives. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were familiar with the country and fell into one of the asphalt-pits which abounded in the neighborhood, that is, they quickly hid themselves there, while their allies fled to the secluded canyons of what was afterward the country of Moab, where the many hiding-places prevented their being found by the enemy.
v. 11. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their victuals, and went their way. Even in those days the spoils belonged to the victors; they plundered the cities of the conquered armies, down to the last remnant of food, and then marched on.
v. 12. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. Thus Lot was obliged to suffer with the godless people among whom he lived, whose city he had chosen for his home, This was to prove an excellent chastisement and correction for him.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv3, 7, 10 These latter five kings joined together
These latter five kings joined together
The information that their armies were with them can be made explicit. AT: "These latter five kings and their armies joined together" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
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Twelve years they had served
The events in verses 4-7 happened before verse 3. Your language may have a way of showing this.
they had served Kedorlaomer
They probably had to pay him taxes and serve in his army. AT: "they had been under the control of Kedorlaomer" (See: How to Translate Names)
they rebelled
"they refused to serve him" or "they stopped serving him"
came and attacked
They did this because the other kings rebelled.
the Rephaim ... the Zuzites ... the Emites ... the Horites
These are the names of people groups. (See: How to Translate Names)
Ashteroth Karnaim ... Ham ... Shaveh Kiriathaim ... Seir ... El Paran
These are the names of places. (See: How to Translate Names)
Ham
This name in Hebrew is different from the name of Noah's son, which is spelled the same way in English.
El Paran, which is near the desert
This phrase helps readers understand where El Paran was. It can be translated as a separate sentence if necessary. AT: "El Paran. El Paran is near the desert" (See: Distinguishing versus Informing or Reminding)
translationWords
king
desert
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv4, 5, 8 14:4-5 This was Kedorlaomer’sChedorlaomer’s war. Under the feudal system…
14:4-5 This was Kedorlaomer’sChedorlaomer’s war. Under the feudal system of tribal affiliations, those in covenant with him had to fight. It was also Abram’s battle to rescue Lot, and those under treaty with him had to accompany him.
14:4 King Kedorlaomer apparently defeated the Siddim Valley kings at an earlier time and put them under tribute for asphalt, olive oil, and copper. In the thirteenth year they refused to send it; in the fourteenth year (14:5), the invaders returned to subjugate them again.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.