Who was Bera in the Bible?

Bera was the king of Sodom during the time of Abraham. He is primarily known for leading a coalition of five kings in rebellion against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, which led to a major war (Genesis 14:1-2).

What happened to King Bera of Sodom?

After his coalition was defeated, Bera fled and fell into tar pits. Abraham later rescued him and recovered the captives and goods of Sodom. Bera then offered Abraham the recovered goods, which Abraham refused (Genesis 14:10, 17, 21-23).

Why is Bera significant in the Bible?

Bera's story sets the stage for Abraham's military rescue and his demonstration of faith by refusing reward from the wicked king of Sodom. This event highlights the contrast between Abraham's righteousness and the corruption of Sodom, which God later judges (Genesis 14:21-24, Genesis 19).

Bera

Old TestamentPatriarchsMaleKing

Bera was the king of Sodom who allied with other kings against Chedorlaomer.

Bera

Biography

Bera was the king of Sodom during the time of Abraham, identified in Genesis 14:2 as one of five Canaanite kings who formed a coalition against Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and his allied monarchs. After twelve years of subjugation to Chedorlaomer, Bera and the confederate kings rebelled, precipitating the famous "Battle of the Vale of Siddim." The coalition was defeated, and Sodom was sacked, with Abraham's nephew Lot taken captive. Abraham's subsequent rescue of Lot led to the celebrated encounter between Abraham and Melchizedek, king of Salem. Bera then attempted to negotiate with Abraham over the recovered spoils, but Abraham refused to accept anything from the king of Sodom, a refusal laden with moral and theological weight.

Significance

Bera's interaction with Abraham in Genesis 14 is theologically significant not so much for what Bera does but for what Abraham refuses to do. By declining Bera's offer of the recovered goods, Abraham demonstrated complete dependence on God alone for his prosperity, refusing to allow the king of the morally corrupt city of Sodom to claim any credit for his wealth (Genesis 14:23). This contrast, between Bera of Sodom and Melchizedek of Salem, between worldly entanglement and priestly blessing, illuminates a fundamental biblical theme: the people of God are called to remain untainted by the world's systems of power and provision, trusting God as their sole benefactor.

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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