English Standard Version
Genesis 14:2
2these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
Genesis 14:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).
- New King James Version (NKJV)that 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 (that is, Zoar).
- New Living Translation (NLT)fought against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar).
Context of Genesis 14:2
1In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
Read all of Genesis 14Genesis 14:2 word by word
עָשׂ֣וּ מִלְחָמָ֗ה אֶת־בֶּ֙רַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֔ם וְאֶת־בִּרְשַׁ֖ע מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמֹרָ֑ה שִׁנְאָ֣ב׀ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַדְמָ֗ה וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ צְבוֹיִ֔ם וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִיא־צֹֽעַר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- withאֵת'êth · withH854
- Beraבֶּ֫רַעbera‛ · BeraH1298
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Sodomסְדֹםsedôm · SodomH5467
- and with Birshaבִּרְשַׁעbirsha‛ · BirshaH1306
- of Gomorrahעֲמֹרָה‛ămôrâh · GomorrahH6017
- Shinabשִׁנְאָבshin'âb · ShinabH8134
- of Admahאַדְמָה'admâh · AdmahH126
- and Shemeberשֶׁמְאֵ֫בֶרshem'êber · ShemeberH8038
- of Zeboiimצְבֹיִיםtsebô'îym tsebîyîym tsebîyim · ZeboiimH6636
- of Belaבֶּ֫לַעbela‛ · BelaH1106
- which isהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
- Zoarצֹ֫עַרtsô‛ar · ZoarH6820
Cross-references for Genesis 14:2
- Genesis 10:19And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
- Genesis 13:10And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
- Genesis 19:24Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven.
- Isaiah 1:9If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.
- Deuteronomy 29:23the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger and wrath—
- Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
- 1 Samuel 13:18another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
- Nehemiah 11:34Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
- Genesis 19:20Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!"
- Deuteronomy 34:3the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.
- Isaiah 15:5My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of destruction;
- Jeremiah 48:34"From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate.
Commentaries on Genesis 14:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2These made war with Bera, etc. - It appears, from Genesis 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-24Verses 1-24 - Abram Rescues Lot 1. אמרפל 'amrāpel Amraphel; related: unknown. אלריוך 'aryôk Ariok, “leonine?” related: ארי 'arı̂y “a lion:” a name re-appearing in the time of Daniel Daniel 2:14. אלסר 'elāsār Ellasar (related: unknown) is identified with Larsa or Larancha, the ́ Larissa or ́ Larachōn of the Greeks, now Senkereh, a town of lower Babylonia, between Mugheir (Ur) and Warka (Erek) on the left bank of the Frat. כדרלעמר kedārlā‛omer…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2Archaeology has not identified these kings. But ancient texts include similar names, which supports the report’s reliability. The Mesopotamian kings were allies under one leading ruler, likely Amraphel, who is named first.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-241. And it came to pass--This chapter presents Abram in the unexpected character of a warrior. The occasion was this: The king of Sodom and the kings of the adjoining cities, after having been tributaries for twelve years to the king of Elam, combined to throw off his yoke. To chastise their rebellion, as he deemed it, Chedorlaomer, with the aid of three allies, invaded the territories of the refractory princes, defeated them in a pitched battle where the…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 14:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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