Genesis 14:4 kjv

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Genesis 14:4 nkjv

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Genesis 14:4 niv

For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Genesis 14:4 esv

Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

Genesis 14:4 nlt

For twelve years they had been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him.

Genesis 14 verses

Genesis 14 4 Meaning

Genesis 14:4 details a significant historical event preceding a major conflict: for twelve years, the five city-states of the Jordan Plain (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela/Zoar) had been under the oppressive dominion of King Kedorlaomer of Elam, likely paying tribute. However, in the thirteenth year, these subjugated kings broke their allegiance and initiated an active rebellion against Kedorlaomer's authority, thereby setting the stage for the retaliatory military campaign described later in the chapter.

Genesis 14 4 Context

Genesis 14 opens with an unusual and vivid account of ancient Near Eastern geopolitics, providing a stark departure from the primarily familial narratives concerning Abraham. Verse 4 serves as the critical turning point that explains the military conflict (often called the "War of the Kings" or "Four Kings against Five Kings") described in the following verses. For twelve years, the kings of the Jordan Valley had been forced to pay tribute to King Kedorlaomer of Elam, an eastern power. This arrangement imposed significant economic and political burdens. The verse succinctly states that after this long period of forced subjugation, in the thirteenth year, these local kings mustered the courage to declare their independence by refusing to pay the expected tribute. This act of defiance by the five kings was a direct challenge to Kedorlaomer's hegemony and acted as the casus belli, initiating his military reprisal against them. This subsequent conflict then unexpectedly draws Abraham into the narrative when Lot, Abraham's nephew, is captured, leading to Abraham's miraculous rescue operation.

Genesis 14 4 Word analysis

• "Twelve years" (שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, shtêm ʿeśrê shānâ):

  • This precise numerical detail emphasizes the significant and prolonged duration of servitude, highlighting the weariness and accumulated resentment of the subjugated kings.
  • It points to a sustained period of economic and political strain imposed by the conquering power.
  • The specificity grounds the narrative in historical realism.

• "they had served" (עָבְדוּ, ʿāvədû):

  • Derived from the Hebrew root ʿāvaḏ, which means "to work," "to serve," or "to be enslaved."
  • In this context, it implies a condition of forced political and economic servitude, primarily through tribute payments and potentially military vassalage. It signifies their subordinate status.

• "Kedorlaomer" (כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר, Kəḏorlāʿōmer):

  • King of Elam, a powerful ancient kingdom located east of Mesopotamia (modern-day southwestern Iran).
  • His name is Elamite, historically fitting for the period, indicating his prominent status as an imperial power exerting influence far to the west.
  • His leadership over a coalition of eastern kings signifies a broader regional conflict driven by powerful rulers.

• "in the thirteenth year" (שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, shəloš ʿeśrê shānâ):

  • This specific time marker indicates the immediate follow-up to the period of servitude.
  • It pinpoints the moment of active defiance, highlighting the turning point when patience or strategic maneuvering ran out, leading to overt action.

• "they rebelled" (מָרָדוּ, mārāḏû):

  • From the Hebrew root mārad, meaning "to revolt," "to defy," or "to cast off allegiance."
  • This word describes a deliberate and decisive act of insubordination against an established authority, signifying a complete break from their previous state of submission.
  • It is the catalyst for the conflict described in the subsequent verses, marking a shift from passive subjugation to active confrontation.

Words-group analysis:

• "Twelve years they had served Kedorlaomer": This phrase establishes the historical antecedent to the conflict, depicting a sustained period of foreign dominance and oppression. It provides the background understanding of the five kings' motive for their subsequent actions, rooted in long-standing grievance.
• "and in the thirteenth year they rebelled": This second phrase represents the dramatic turning point, the decisive act of defiance that directly triggers the war. The sequential nature of the two clauses highlights cause and effect, where accumulated burden leads to an overt act of resistance, initiating retaliation from the superior power.

Genesis 14 4 Bonus section

• The specificity of "twelve years" and "thirteenth year" is unusual in such early biblical narratives for describing events involving foreign nations, suggesting access to detailed historical records or strong oral traditions regarding these conflicts.
• This act of rebellion would have been a significant political risk for the five kings, indicating either a severe inability to continue paying tribute or a desperate resolve to reclaim their autonomy, perhaps due to internal pressures or a misjudgment of Kedorlaomer's military reach.
• Elamite power was cyclical in Mesopotamia. The account suggests a period of Elamite ascendancy over some Mesopotamian city-states and regions westwards, consistent with broader ancient Near Eastern history, lending the narrative further historical grounding.

Genesis 14 4 Commentary

Genesis 14:4 is a succinct but profound verse that establishes the specific political and temporal catalyst for the pivotal "War of the Kings." It describes the Jordan Valley kings' long-suffering under Kedorlaomer's heavy hand for a significant twelve-year period, painting a picture of subjugation through tribute. The immediate transition to "the thirteenth year" and their rebellion marks not just a chronological shift, but a decisive act of defiance against a superior power. This verse lays the groundwork for understanding the geopolitics of the time, revealing the harsh realities of ancient Near Eastern suzerainty and the precariousness of local kingdoms. It explains why these kings of the Plain were eventually subject to an invasion, as rebellion carried severe consequences in that era. The exact chronology adds a layer of historicity to the account, demonstrating that the writer was dealing with specific, remembered events. Spiritually, it subtly prefigures themes of liberation from oppression and the struggle against tyrannical powers, which resonate throughout biblical history. It also underscores human agency in triggering events that align, or perhaps are providentially incorporated into, God's larger narrative of Abraham and his lineage.