Hebrew
Siddim = "field" or "plain"
1) valley where the Dead Sea is located
7708 Siddiym sid-deem'
plural from the same as 7704; flats; Siddim, a valley in
Palestine:-Siddim.
see HEBREW for
07704
SIDDIM [SMITH]
(
field, plain), The vale of, a place named only in one passage of Genesis-- (
Genesis 14:3,8,10) It was one of that class of valleys which the Hebrews designated by the word
emek . This term appears to have been assigned to a broad, flattish tract, sometimes of considerable width, enclosed on each side by a definite range of hills. It has so far a suitable spot for the combat between the four and five kings, ver. 8; but it contained a multitude of bitumen-pits sufficient materially to affect the issue of the battle. In this valley the kings of the five allied cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim and Bela seem to, have awaited the approach of the invaders. It is therefore probable that it was in the neighborhood of the "plain or circle of Jordan" in which those cities stood. If we could venture, as some have done, to interpret the latter clause of ver. 3 "which is near," or "which is at, or by, the Salt Sea," then we might agree with Dr. Robinson and others in identifying the valley of Siddim with the enclosed plain which intervenes between the south end of the lake and the range of heights which terminate the
Ghor and commence the
Wady Arabah . But the original of the passage seems to imply that the Salt Sea covers the actual space formerly occupied by the vale of Siddim. [
SEA, THE SALT, THE SALT]