The Meaning of Genesis 14:2 Explained

Genesis 14:2

KJV: That these 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, which is Zoar.

YLT: 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.

Darby: that they made war with Bera the king of Sodom, and with Birsha the king of Gomorrah, Shinab the king of Admah, and Shemeber the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

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).

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[That these] 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,  which is  Zoar. 

What does Genesis 14:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 14:1-12 - Abram At Hebron Lot Taken Captive
Lot lifted up his eyes for himself, but when the last of Lot's followers had streamed out of the camp, God bade Abram lift up his eyes, not to choose, but to behold what God had chosen for him. He must first estimate his possessions, and then enjoy them. Let us count up our treasures in Christ, and use them. Lot grasped at and lost his all. Abram left and inherited all. Notice how prodigal God's provision is: "All the land"¦ for ever"¦ as the dust"¦ the length and breadth." It was a far cry from the valley of the Euphrates to Sodom, and the little confederate kings dared to rebel against Chedorlaomer, who swept over their lands like a sirocco, and marched up the valley of the Jordan, laden with booty, and carrying Lot. You cannot have the sweets of the world and miss its bitters. The path of separation is the only way of safety and peace! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 14

1  The battle of four kings against the king of Sodom and his allies
12  Lot is taken prisoner
14  Abram rescues him
17  Melchizedek blesses Abram, who gives him tithes
21  Abram restores the rest of the spoil to the king of Sodom

What do the individual words in Genesis 14:2 mean?

[that] they made war with Bera king of Sodom and Birsha of Gomorrah Shinab of Admah and Shemeber - of Zeboiim and the king of Bela that [is] Zoar
עָשׂ֣וּ מִלְחָמָ֗ה אֶת־ בֶּ֙רַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֔ם וְאֶת־ בִּרְשַׁ֖ע עֲמֹרָ֑ה שִׁנְאָ֣ב ׀ אַדְמָ֗ה וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙ [צביים] (צְבוֹיִ֔ים‪‬) וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִיא־ צֹֽעַר

עָשׂ֣וּ  [that]  they  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִלְחָמָ֗ה  war 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
בֶּ֙רַע֙  Bera 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּרַע  
Sense: a king of Sodom.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
סְדֹ֔ם  of  Sodom 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְדֹם  
Sense: a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment.
בִּרְשַׁ֖ע  Birsha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּרְשַׁע  
Sense: a king of Gomorrah.
עֲמֹרָ֑ה  of  Gomorrah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲמֹרָה  
Sense: the twin-city in evil with Sodom, both destroyed in judgment by God with fire from heaven.
שִׁנְאָ֣ב ׀  Shinab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁנְאָב  
Sense: the king of Admah in the time of Abraham.
אַדְמָ֗ה  of  Admah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַדְמָה  
Sense: city in the Siddim valley.
וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙  and  Shemeber 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁמְאֵבֶר  
Sense: king of Zeboim and an ally of the king of Sodom.
[צביים]  - 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
(צְבוֹיִ֔ים‪‬)  of  Zeboiim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְבֹאִים 
Sense: one of the 5 cities in the plain which included Sodom and Gomorrah.
וּמֶ֥לֶךְ  and  the  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בֶּ֖לַע  of  Bela 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בֶּלַע 
Sense: a king of Edom.
הִיא־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
צֹֽעַר  [is]  Zoar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צָעֹור 
Sense: a city at the southeast end of the Dead Sea grouped with Sodom and Gomorrah as being one of the 5 cities slated for destruction by God; spared at Lot’s plea as his place of refuge.