Genesis 14:2

Genesis 14:2

 

That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

 

a. 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). [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

 

b. ASV: That they 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 (the same is Zoar). [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

c. Young’s Literal Translation: they have made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

d. Amplified Bible: They made war on the kings Bera of Sodom, Birsha of Gomorrah, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Septugint: made war with Balla king of Sodom, and with Barsa king of Gomorrha, and with Sennaar, king of Adama, and with Symobor king of Seboim and the king of Balac, this is Segor.

 

f.  Stone Edition THE CHUMASH, Rabbinic Commentary: That these made war on 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 Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

 

1. “That these made war with Bera king of Sodom…”

 

a. these made [Strong: 6213 `asah aw-saw': a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.]

 

b. war [Strong: 4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw': from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle, fight(-ing), war((-rior)).]

 

c. with [Strong: 854 'eth ayth probably: from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.]

 

d. Bera [Strong: [Gesenius: “gift”.] 1298 Bera` beh'-rah of uncertain derivation; Bera, a Sodomitish king:--Bera.

 

e. king [Strong: 4428 melek meh'-lek from 4427; a king:--king, royal.]

f. Sodom [Strong: 5467 Cdom sed-ome'; from an unused root meaning to scorch; burnt (i.e. volcanic or bituminous) district; Sedom, a place near the Dead Sea:-- Sodom.

 

2. “…and with Birsha king of Gomorrah…”

 

a. [and] with [Strong: 854 'eth ayth probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.]

 

b. Birsha [Strong: 1306 Birsha` beer-shah';  probably from 7562 with a prepositional prefix; with wickedness; Birsha, a king of Gomorrah:--Birsha.] [Unger’s: “with wickedness”.] [Gesenius: “son of wickedness.”]

 

c. king [Strong: 4428 melek meh'-lek from 4427; a king:--king, royal.]

 

d. [of] Gomorrah [Strong: 6017 `Amorah am-o-raw': from 6014; a (ruined) heap; Amorah, a place in Palestine:--Gomorrah.]

 

3. “…Shinab king of Admah…”

 

a. Shinab [Strong: 8134 Shin'ab shin-awb' probably from 8132 and 1; “a father has turned”.] [Gesenius: “fathers tooth”.]

 

1). Could this refer to a father turning to homosexuality? Admah, the city this man was King of, was one of the cities destroyed later in Genesis 19 because of same sex lust.

 

b. king [Strong: 4428 melek meh'-lek;  from 4427; a king:--king, royal.]

 

c. Admah [Strong: 126 'Admah ad-maw': contracted for 127; earthy; Admah, a place near the Dead Sea:--Admah.]

 

4. “…and Shemeber king of Zeboim…”

 

a. Shem ‘eber [Strong: 8038 Shem'eber shem-ay'-ber apparently from 8034 and 83; name of pinion, i.e. illustrious; Shemeber, a king of Zeboim:--Shemeber. [which means] position, appellation, honour, authority, character” or “name”, [Strong’s also says it is the same as the name for Shem, Noah’s son, which is 8035, and means “shame”], ‘eber, a pinion, [hence] “name of pinion i. e., illustrious”.]  [Gesenius: “soaring on high”.]

 

1). There is a possibility that Shem’eber could have an association with Chedorlaomer, in that Chedorlaomer was the king of the Elamites who were the direct descendants of Elam the son of Shem.

 

a). Genesis 10:21, 22 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

 

2). These are the five kings of the cities of the plain; four are named and one is not. Interesting name similarities.