King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the vale of Siddim [was full of] slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Now the Siddim Valley was full of clay pits; and when the kings of S'dom and 'Amora fled, some fell into them; while the rest fled to the hills.
Berean Standard Bible:
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some men fell into the pits, but the survivors fled to the hill country.
American Standard Version:
Now the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the vale{H6010} of Siddim{H7708} was full of{H875} slimepits{H875}{H2564}; and the kings{H4428} of Sodom{H5467} and Gomorrah{H6017} fled{H5127}, and fell{H5307} there; and they that remained{H7604} fled{H5127} to the mountain{H2022}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 19:17
- And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
Genesis 19:30
- ¶ And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
Jeremiah 48:44
- He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, [even] upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
Genesis 11:3
- And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
Isaiah 24:18
- And it shall come to pass, [that] he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
Psalms 83:10
- [Which] perished at Endor: they became [as] dung for the earth.
Joshua 8:24
- And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 14:10
1. Themes:
- Judgment and Consequence: The verse reflects the theme of divine retribution, as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah suffer defeat and death, possibly hinting at the future destruction of these cities due to their wickedness.
- Human Vulnerability: The flight and fall of the kings demonstrate human frailty and the inability to escape divine judgment or the consequences of one's actions.
- Divine Providence: The presence of slimepits in the valley suggests an environment that aids in the downfall of the wicked, indicating that the land itself may be an instrument of divine will.
2. Historical Context:
- The verse is set during the time of the War of the Kings, an ancient conflict involving regional rulers. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, along with other cities in the Jordan plain, were defeated by a coalition of invaders led by Chedorlaomer, king of Elam.
- The Vale of Siddim, later associated with the Dead Sea region, is described as having slimepits, which could imply tar pits or natural asphalt deposits. These geographical features contributed to the downfall of the fleeing armies, causing them to fall and perish.
- This event occurs early in the biblical narrative, during the time of Abram (later named Abraham), who is a central figure in the establishment of the Israelite people. The defeat of the kings and Abram's subsequent interaction with Melchizedek, king of Salem, and the king of Sodom, set the stage for the development of Abram's covenant with God.
The verse captures a moment of crisis and divine intervention, emphasizing the vulnerability of human power in the face of God's judgment and the natural world's hazards. It also serves as a prelude to the more famous narrative of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which further illustrates the themes of sin and punishment.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H6010
There are 64 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵמֶק
Transliteration: ʻêmeq
Pronunciation: ay'-mek
Description: from עָמַק; a vale (i.e. broad depression); dale, vale, valley (often used as a part of proper names). See also בֵּית הָעֵמֶק. - Strong's Number: H7708
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שִׂדִּים
Transliteration: Siddîym
Pronunciation: sid-deem'
Description: plural from the same as שָׂדֶה; flats; Siddim, a valley in Palestine; Siddim. - Strong's Number: H875
There are 255 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בְּאֵר
Transliteration: bᵉʼêr
Pronunciation: be-ayr'
Description: from בָּאַר; a pit; especially a well; pit, well. - Strong's Number: H2564
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֵמָר
Transliteration: chêmâr
Pronunciation: khay-mawr'
Description: from חָמַר; bitumen (as rising to the surface); slime(-pit). - Strong's Number: H4428
There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: melek
Pronunciation: meh'-lek
Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. - Strong's Number: H5467
There are 38 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: סְדֹם
Transliteration: Çᵉdôm
Pronunciation: sed-ome'
Description: from an unused root meaning to scorch; burnt (i.e. volcanic or bituminous) district; Sedom, a place near the Dead Sea; Sodom. - Strong's Number: H6017
There are 19 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֲמֹרָה
Transliteration: ʻĂmôrâh
Pronunciation: am-o-raw'
Description: from עָמַר; a (ruined) heap; Amorah, a place in Palestine; Gomorrah. - Strong's Number: H5127
There are 143 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נוּס
Transliteration: nûwç
Pronunciation: noos
Description: a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver); [idiom] abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, [idiom] hide, lift up a standard. - Strong's Number: H5307
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָפַל
Transliteration: nâphal
Pronunciation: naw-fal'
Description: a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative); be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for פָּלַל), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be ([idiom] hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, [idiom] surely, throw down. - Strong's Number: H7604
There are 123 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁאַר
Transliteration: shâʼar
Pronunciation: shaw-ar'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to swell up, i.e. be (causatively, make) redundant; leave, (be) left, let, remain, remnant, reserve, the rest. - Strong's Number: H2022
There are 485 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הַר
Transliteration: har
Pronunciation: har
Description: a shortened form of הָרָר; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively); hill (country), mount(-ain), [idiom] promotion.