Who was Birsha in the Bible?

Birsha was a king of the city of Gomorrah during the time of Abraham. He is mentioned only once as one of the five rebellious kings defeated by Chedorlaomer and his allies in the Valley of Siddim (Genesis 14:2, 8-10).

What is the significance of King Birsha?

Birsha's significance is primarily historical, representing the leadership of the wicked city of Gomorrah before its divine destruction. His defeat by eastern kings sets the stage for Abraham's rescue of his nephew Lot, who was captured from Sodom (Genesis 14:12-16).

What happened to Birsha, king of Gomorrah?

During the Battle of Siddim, Birsha and the other kings of the Cities of the Plain were defeated and fled, with some falling into tar pits. He later ruled Gomorrah until the city was destroyed by God for its extreme wickedness (Genesis 19:24-25).

Birsha

Old TestamentPatriarchsMaleKing

Birsha was the king of Gomorrah when Chedorlaomer and his allies invaded the region.

Birsha

Biography

Birsha was the king of Gomorrah who appears in the dramatic narrative of Genesis 14, one of the most ancient military accounts in the Bible. He was among the five kings of the Jordan plain, including Bera of Sodom, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the unnamed king of Bela (Zoar), who joined forces against a coalition of four eastern kings led by Chedorlaomer of Elam. After twelve years of subjugation, the five kings rebelled, triggering an invasion that resulted in their defeat and the plundering of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 14:8-11). This led directly to the capture of Lot, Abram's nephew, and Abram's remarkable counter-campaign to rescue him. Birsha's role thus sets in motion events that display Abram's faith and military prowess.

Significance

Birsha's appearance in Genesis 14, while brief, serves an important narrative and theological function. As king of Gomorrah, a city that would become the very byword for divine judgment (Genesis 19; Jude 7), Birsha represents the corrupt political order of the ancient world whose violence and moral degradation stood in stark contrast to the covenant community Abraham was establishing. His defeat and the plundering of his city create the circumstances for Abram's demonstration of military courage, generous loyalty, and remarkable spiritual integrity in refusing the king of Sodom's reward (Genesis 14:22-23). Birsha thus functions as a foil that illuminates the character of the covenant patriarch, highlighting the distinction between worldly power and divinely sustained faith.

Verse Appearances (1)

Genesis

Genesis 14:2

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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