Discovery BoxGenesis 14:2 
Context14:2 went to war 1 against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 2
Genesis 14:9
Context14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, 3 Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against 4 five.
Genesis 14:15
Context14:15 Then, during the night, 5 Abram 6 divided his forces 7 against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north 8 of Damascus.
Genesis 19:13
Context19:13 because we are about to destroy 9 it. The outcry against this place 10 is so great before the Lord that he 11 has sent us to destroy it.”
Genesis 27:13
Context27:13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me, 12 my son! Just obey me! 13 Go and get them for me!”
Genesis 42:36
Context42:36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. 14 Simeon is gone. 15 And now you want to take 16 Benjamin! Everything is against me.”
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 Or “Goyim.” See the note on the word “nations” in 14:1.
4 tn The Hebrew text has simply “against.” The word “fought” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
5 tn The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.
6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn Heb “he divided himself…he and his servants.”
8 tn Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.
9 tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.
10 tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “about this place” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
11 tn Heb “the
12 tn Heb “upon me your curse.”
13 tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”
14 tn Heb “is not.”
15 tn Heb “is not.”
16 tn The nuance of the imperfect verbal form is desiderative here.
