Genesis 14:1-9·~1 min

The War of the Kings

The chapter names two coalitions of kings and explains the cause of their war: five rulers who had long served Chedorlaomer rise in rebellion after twelve years of subjection.

I¹n those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim ²went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ³The latter five came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴For twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Chedorlaomer and his allies move through the region defeating one people after another, sweeping across territories before turning back through still more lands.

⁵In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert. ⁷Then they turned back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

The five local kings march out and draw up for battle in the Valley of Siddim against the four invading kings. The contest is framed plainly as four kings against five.

⁸Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Valley of Siddim ⁹against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar— four kings against five.

Section summaryA long-standing rebellion draws a coalition of kings into battle, and the chapter carefully sets out the scale of the conflict before the clash begins. The scene makes Lot’s later capture part of a larger political upheaval rather than a private misfortune.

Role in the chapterThis opening section establishes the military and political frame of the chapter. It prepares for Abram’s intervention by showing the size of the conflict and the power of the kings he will later pursue.