The Battle of the Kings

During the era of the Patriarchs, a conflict arose involving four kings from the east: Amraphel of Shinar, Arioch of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer of Elam, and Tidal of Goiim. These rulers went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. The five local kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim, which the passage identifies as the Salt Sea (Genesis 14:1-3). The text states that the local rulers had served Chedorlaomer for twelve years but rebelled in the thirteenth year.

In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and his allied kings arrived and defeated the Rephaites, Zuzites, Emites, Horites, Amalekites, and Amorites. The battle then converged at the Valley of Siddim, which was full of tar pits. As the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of their men fell into these pits, while others fled to the mountains (Genesis 14:5-10). The victors seized all the goods and food of Sodom and Gomorrah. Among those taken captive was Lot, the nephew of Abram, who was living in Sodom at the time (Genesis 14:11-12).

A survivor reached Abram the Hebrew, who was living near the oaks of Mamre, and reported the capture of his relative. Upon hearing this, Abram mobilized 318 trained men born in his household. He pursued the Mesopotamian forces as far as Dan. During the night, Abram divided his men to attack, pursuing the enemy as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. The text does not say exactly how the combat was conducted, but Abram successfully recovered all the goods, his relative Lot, the women, and the other people who had been taken (Genesis 14:13-16).