Genesis 14:2 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.
Genesis 14:2 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).
Genesis 14:2 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).
Genesis 14:2 esv
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).
Genesis 14:2 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).
Genesis 14 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 13:13 | But the men of Sodom were wicked and great sinners... | Wickedness of Sodom's people. |
| Gen 18:20-21 | The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous. | God's judgment pronounced. |
| Gen 19:1-29 | ...the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire... | The cities' destruction. |
| Gen 19:20-22 | Look, this town is near enough to flee to... it is a little one (Zoar)... | Zoar's role as Lot's refuge. |
| Deut 29:23 | ...Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew... | Confirmation of Admah and Zeboiim's judgment. |
| Deut 32:32 | For their vine is from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah... | Symbol of their corrupt fruit. |
| Isa 1:9-10 | ...we would have become like Sodom, we would have been made like Gomorrah. | Sodom/Gomorrah as archetype of judgment. |
| Jer 23:14 | ...I have seen in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing... they have become to me like Sodom, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah. | Israel's spiritual corruption likened to Sodom. |
| Jer 49:18 | ...as when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbor cities were overthrown... | General reference to widespread destruction. |
| Jer 50:40 | As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbor cities... | Further example of God's overthrow. |
| Lam 4:6 | For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom... | Sodom's sin as a benchmark. |
| Ezek 16:46-56 | Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells... your younger sister, who dwells... is Sodom... | Details Sodom's specific sins (pride, gluttony). |
| Amos 4:11 | I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah... | Sodom/Gomorrah as an example of divine wrath. |
| Mt 10:15 | Truly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah... | Judgment of Sodom as a measure for others. |
| Mt 11:23-24 | ...it will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom... | Condemnation of unbelieving cities vs. Sodom. |
| Lk 17:28-29 | ...just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking... but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. | Sodom's destruction as a sign of coming judgment. |
| Rom 9:29 | If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom... | Remnant principle against judgment like Sodom's. |
| 2 Pet 2:6 | ...condemning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes and making them an example... | Sodom/Gomorrah as an example for future ungodly. |
| Jude 1:7 | ...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example... | Moral reason for their destruction as a warning. |
| Rev 11:8 | And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that prophetically is called Sodom and Egypt... | Jerusalem metaphorically identified with Sodom. |
Genesis 14 verses
Genesis 14 2 Meaning
This verse specifies the five kings of the Cities of the Plain who allied to make war against the invading eastern kings. It names Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, also known as Zoar, establishing the parties involved in this pivotal early biblical conflict.Genesis 14 2 Context
Genesis chapter 14 describes the first military conflict extensively recounted in the Bible, known as the "War of the Kings." The cities of the Jordan Plain, including Sodom and Gomorrah, had been vassals to Kedorlaomer, King of Elam, for twelve years. In the thirteenth year, these five kings rebelled, leading to the conflict mentioned in verse 2. This war forms the direct backdrop for Lot's capture and Abram's subsequent military intervention, highlighting Abram's faith and leadership, and preparing the narrative stage for the eventual divine judgment upon the deeply corrupted cities of the plain. Historically, this account fits within the geopolitical landscape of the early Bronze Age, involving alliances, rebellions, and military expeditions across significant distances, typical of regional powers.Genesis 14 2 Word analysis
- made war (עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה, *asu milchamah*): This idiomatic expression literally means "they did war" or "they carried out war." It describes active engagement in military conflict, indicating that these kings were the ones initiating the confrontation or responding to an impending one against their former overlords.
- Bera king of Sodom:
- Bera (בֶּרַע, *Bera*): This name is widely interpreted as meaning "in wickedness," "with evil," or "son of evil." The name is pejorative and reflects the depraved nature of the king and his city. Such thematic naming is common in biblical literature, foreshadowing moral character or destiny.
- Sodom (סְדֹם, *Sedom*): A city whose name became synonymous with extreme depravity, particularly regarding sexual immorality and arrogance, and a powerful symbol of divine judgment throughout the Bible. Its wickedness is a recurring theme in prophetic literature.
- Birsha king of Gomorrah:
- Birsha (בִּרְשַׁע, *Birsha*): Similarly interpreted as "in wickedness," "son of wickedness," or "evil gift." Like Bera, this name signifies the moral state of the city he rules.
- Gomorrah (עֲמֹרָה, *Amorah*): Closely associated with Sodom, Gomorrah shares its reputation for profound sinfulness and met the same devastating fate by divine judgment.
- Shinab king of Admah:
- Shinab (שִׁנְאָב, *Shinab*): The meaning is less certain, possibly "father's tooth" or "father of change." Its primary significance lies in identifying another participant in the confederation of the Jordan plain.
- Admah (אַדְמָה, *Admah*): One of the four "cities of the plain" mentioned with Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zeboiim that were overthrown by God's wrath, though less frequently highlighted in later biblical texts than Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Shemeber king of Zeboiim:
- Shemeber (שֶׁמְאֵבֶר, *Shemeber*): Possibly "name of flight" or "high-flying name." Like Shinab, the significance here is primarily identificatory for the alliance.
- Zeboiim (צְבֹיִים, *Tzeboyim*): Another city of the plain destined for destruction. Along with Admah, it highlights the widespread wickedness in the region and the comprehensive nature of the future divine judgment.
- king of Bela (which is Zoar):
- Bela (בֶּלַע, *Bela*): The original name of the city, meaning "swallowing," "consumption," or "destruction." This name, ironically, points to its initial status as a city subject to the same judgment as the others.
- which is Zoar (הִיא צֹעַר, *hi Tzo'ar*): This parenthetical clarification indicates the city's alternative or later name. "Zoar" (צֹעַר) means "little" or "insignificant." This name change or identification is highly significant, as it is to Zoar that Lot pleads to flee, and it is spared from the widespread destruction of the other cities, becoming a place of limited refuge due to Lot's plea (Gen 19:20-22). This detail demonstrates God's mercy alongside His judgment.
- Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah: The deliberate choice of pejorative names for the kings of the two most notorious cities serves as an early indicator of their moral standing and foreshadows the profound wickedness that will lead to their later destruction. Their prominent pairing emphasizes their combined infamy.
- Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim: The inclusion of these two pairs shows a confederacy of all the major cities in the plain, illustrating the widespread rebellion and their unified opposition to Kedorlaomer. These cities also shared the fate of divine judgment with Sodom and Gomorrah.
- king of Bela (which is Zoar): The explicit re-naming or identification of Bela as Zoar carries a deep theological nuance. Bela ("destruction") marks it as part of the condemned; Zoar ("little," "insignificant") signifies its sparing, revealing that even in widespread judgment, there can be specific instances of divine grace for those whom God wills to preserve, even at the fervent request of a flawed individual like Lot. This foreshadows the selective nature of God's judgments and mercies.