GENESIS 14
In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.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 they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.
– Genesis 14:1-12
GENESIS 14 LOT’S CAPTIVITY IN THE WAR AT SODOM
When Lot separated from Abram and chose to go towards the Jordan Valley near the cities, he got caught up in the war happening at Sodom. The kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam and Goiim made war with the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela (also called Zoar). Four kings fighting with five kings at the Valley of Siddim which is the Salt Sea. During this war, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled to the hill country and some of them fell in the bitumen pits that were in the Siddim valley. As these two kings fled, the enemy took all the possession of Sodom and Gomorrah, including Lot’s who was then living in Sodom. He was held captive in this war. Lot chose the Jordan Valley and it’s surrounding cities as his area when Abram gave him the choice. He thought that he will be more prosperous in this area, only to be caught up in the middle of this war.
REFLECTION
- What can we learn from Lot’s predicament in this war?