14:8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and prepared for battle. In the Valley of Siddim they met 3
14:17 After Abram 4 returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram 5 in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). 6
14:21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.”
1 tn Heb “made war.”
sn Went to war. The conflict here reflects international warfare in the Early and Middle Bronze periods. The countries operated with overlords and vassals. Kings ruled over city states, or sometimes a number of city states (i.e., nations). Due to their treaties, when one went to war, those confederate with him joined him in battle. It appears here that it is Kedorlaomer’s war, because the western city states have rebelled against him (meaning they did not send products as tribute to keep him from invading them).
2 sn On the geographical background of vv. 1-2 see J. P. Harland, “Sodom and Gomorrah,” The Biblical Archaeologist Reader, 1:41-75; and D. N. Freedman, “The Real Story of the Ebla Tablets, Ebla and the Cities of the Plain,” BA 41 (1978): 143-64.
3 tn Heb “against.”
4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 sn The King’s Valley is possibly a reference to what came to be known later as the Kidron Valley.