בִּרְשַׁע
Birsha, a king of Gomorrah
Definition
Birsha is the name of a king of Gomorrah who ruled during the time of Abraham. He is mentioned specifically as one of the five kings of the Cities of the Plain who rebelled against Chedorlaomer and his allies (Genesis 14:2). His name, likely meaning 'with wickedness' or 'son of wickedness,' is fitting for a ruler of Gomorrah, a city synonymous with profound sin and divine judgment. As a historical figure, Birsha represents the corrupt leadership that characterized the doomed cities of Sodom and Gomorrah before their destruction.
Biblical Usage
The word 'Birsha' is used only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 14:2, within a historical list of kings. It appears in the context of a military alliance and rebellion, identifying him specifically as the king of Gomorrah. This singular usage is purely as a proper name for identification, with no narrative or dialogue attached to the character himself.
Etymology
The name Birsha (בִּרְשַׁע) is generally understood to be a compound word. It likely consists of the preposition 'בְּ' (in, with) prefixed to the noun 'רֶשַׁע' (resha', H7562), meaning 'wickedness,' 'injustice,' or 'wrongdoing.' Thus, the name can be interpreted as 'with wickedness' or 'son of wickedness.' This etymology thematically connects the king to the notorious moral character of his city.
Semantic Range
While Birsha himself is a minor figure, his name and city carry significant theological weight. His name's meaning ('with wickedness') underscores the deep corruption that defined Gomorrah, highlighting the theme of divine justice against systemic evil. Understanding this name enriches the reading of Genesis 14 and 19, as it reinforces that the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24-25) was a response to entrenched, leadership-sanctioned wickedness, a key concept in biblical narratives of God's holiness and justice.
In the ancient Near East, personal names often carried descriptive or aspirational meanings, sometimes relating to deities or character traits. A name like Birsha ('with wickedness') may seem negative to modern readers, but it likely served as an accurate identifier or even, in the context of a city opposed to God's order, a point of pride or defiance. It reflects the cultural practice of using meaningful names, even if the meaning is pejorative from a biblical perspective.
Bera (בֶּרַע, H1298) — King of Sodom, another ruler from the same sinful alliance in Genesis 14:2. Resha (רֶשַׁע, H7562) — The common noun for 'wickedness,' which is the root element of Birsha's name.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →