Chedorlaomer
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, led a coalition of kings against Sodom and Gomorrah and was later defeated by Abraham.
Biography
Chedorlaomer was the king of Elam who appears as the dominant figure in a coalition of four Mesopotamian kings during the era of the Patriarchs (Genesis 14). He had imposed tribute upon five Canaanite city-kings, including the rulers of Sodom and Gomorrah, for twelve years before they revolted in the thirteenth year. In response, Chedorlaomer and his allied kings swept through Transjordan and the Negev, defeating various peoples, before crushing the five Canaanite kings in the Valley of Siddim. During this campaign, Lot, Abram's nephew, was taken captive. Abram then marshaled 318 trained men, pursued the coalition, and routed Chedorlaomer's forces near Damascus, rescuing Lot and recovering the plunder. The episode concludes with Abram's enigmatic encounter with Melchizedek.
Significance
Chedorlaomer's defeat at the hands of Abram (Genesis 14) is a pivotal episode that reveals Abram's role as a warrior-patriarch capable of confronting and defeating the greatest military powers of his day. Theologically, the victory is credited not to Abram's military prowess but to "God Most High" (El Elyon), as affirmed by Melchizedek's blessing (Genesis 14:19-20). The encounter frames Abram as a royal figure, foreshadowing the kingly dimensions of his descendants. The episode also introduces Melchizedek, whose priestly-kingly role became one of the most theologically rich types in the Old Testament, later applied to Christ himself in Psalm 110 and the book of Hebrews.
Verse Appearances (5)
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]