Genesis 14:2

2 Dat zij krijg voerden met Bera, koning van Sodom, en met Birsa, koning van Gomorra, Sinab, koning van Adama, en Semeber, koning van Zeboim, en de koning van Bela, dat is Zoar.

Genesis 14:2 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 14:2

[That these] made war with Bera king of Sodom
A city in the plain of Jordan, which with the four following made the Pentapolis, or five cities of the plain. Strabo ^F25 says, in this place formerly were thirteen cities, the metropolis of which was Sodom, and which yet had remaining a compass of sixty furlongs; according to Dr. Lightfoot {z}, it should be placed in the southern extremity of the lake Asphaltites, whereas it is usually set in the maps in the northern bounds of it: and with Birsha king of Gomorrah;
another city in the plain of Jordan, called by Solinus ^F1 Gomorrum: Shinab king of Admah;
a third city situated in the same plain: and Shemeber king of Zeboiim;
a fourth city of the plain, which seems to have its name from the pleasantness of its situation: and the king of Bela, which is Zoar;
so it was afterwards called by Lot, being a little city, ( Genesis 19:20 Genesis 19:22 ) ; but before, Bela; the name of its king is not mentioned, being a person of no great note and importance, and his city small.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Geograph. l. 16. p. 526.
F26 Works, vol. 2. p. 6. Vid. Reland. Palestina illustrata, tom. 2. p. 1020.
F1 Polyhistor. c. 48.

Genesis 14:2 In-Context

1 En het geschiedde in de dagen van Amrafel, de koning van Sinear, van Arioch, de koning van Ellasar, van Kedor-Laomer, de koning van Elam, en van Tideal, den koning der volken;

2 Dat zij krijg voerden met Bera, koning van Sodom, en met Birsa, koning van Gomorra, Sinab, koning van Adama, en Semeber, koning van Zeboim, en de koning van Bela, dat is Zoar.

3 Deze allen voegden zich samen in het dal Siddim, dat is de Zoutzee.

4 Twaalf jaren hadden zij Kedor-Laomer gediend; maar in het dertiende jaar vielen zij af.

5 Zo kwam Kedor-Laomer in het veertiende jaar, en de koningen, die met hem waren, en sloegen de Refaiten in Asteroth-Karnaim, en de Zuzieten in Ham, en de Emieten in Schave-Kiriathaim;