Tidal
Tidal, king of Goiim, was one of the four kings allied with Chedorlaomer in the battle against the five kings of the plain.
Biography
Tidal, identified as king of Goiim, a title meaning "king of nations", appears in Genesis 14 as one of the four kings led by Chedorlaomer of Elam in their punitive campaign against the five kings of the plain, including the rulers of Sodom and Gomorrah. This coalition had subjected the region around the Dead Sea for twelve years before the vassal kings revolted. Tidal and his allies defeated their opponents at the Valley of Siddim, taking captives and plunder, among them Lot, Abraham's nephew. Scholars have debated the historical identity of Tidal, with some connecting the name to Hittite royal nomenclature. His role in the narrative is primarily military, serving as one of the dominant powers of the ancient Near East during the Patriarchal period.
Significance
Tidal's appearance in Genesis 14 anchors the Abrahamic narrative within the geopolitical realities of the ancient world, demonstrating that the Patriarchs did not live in isolation but amid the conflicts of powerful kingdoms. His alliance's capture of Lot provides the occasion for Abraham's remarkable military rescue mission, a moment that reveals both Abraham's courage and his covenant loyalty. The episode culminates in Abraham's encounter with Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17–20), a theologically profound meeting that prefigures the priestly ministry of Christ. Tidal thus functions as an unlikely catalyst for one of Scripture's most theologically significant encounters.
Verse Appearances (2)
Genesis
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]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]