Bible Word Study
בֶּרַע
Beraʻ · Bera, a Sodomitish king
בֶּרַע
Bera, a Sodomitish king
Definition
Bera is the name of a king of Sodom mentioned in Genesis 14:2. He is identified as one of the five kings of the Cities of the Plain who rebelled against Chedorlaomer and his allies, leading to the War of the Kings. His sole biblical appearance is in the context of this battle, where he is defeated, and his city is plundered. After the battle, Abraham rescues Bera and the other kings, but Bera notably offers Abraham the recovered goods, which Abraham refuses to accept (Genesis 14:21-24).
Biblical Usage
This proper noun is used only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 14:2. It functions solely to identify the king of Sodom during the time of Abraham. The context is the historical narrative of the War of the Kings, where Bera is listed among the rebellious vassal kings. His subsequent interaction with Abraham after the battle provides a contrast between the king's offer of material wealth and Abraham's refusal, sworn in the name of 'the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth' (Genesis 14:22).
Etymology
The etymology of the name Bera (בֶּרַע) is uncertain. Some scholars suggest it may be related to the Hebrew root רָעַע (ra‘a‘, H7489), meaning 'to be bad' or 'evil,' which would fittingly describe a king from the notoriously wicked city of Sodom. However, this connection is speculative, and the name's origin and precise meaning remain unknown.
Semantic Range
While the name Bera itself holds little direct theological weight, his narrative role is significant. He represents the corrupt Canaanite city-states and serves as a foil to Abraham's faith and integrity. Abraham's refusal of Bera's offer (Genesis 14:22-23) demonstrates a radical trust in God's provision, not the wealth of wicked kings, setting a foundational precedent for the patriarch's covenant relationship. The story highlights the contrast between the ways of Sodom and the way of blessing through faithful obedience to God. As a king of Sodom, Bera would have been understood by the original audience as a ruler from a city synonymous with profound wickedness and moral depravity (Genesis 13:13, 18:20). His name appearing in a list of allied kings reflects the common political structures of the ancient Near East, where city-states formed coalitions for rebellion or defense. His offer to Abraham follows typical ancient customs of dividing spoils after a victory, making Abraham's refusal a culturally striking act of principle. Birsha (בִּרְשַׁע, H1306) — King of Gomorrah, another of the five rebellious kings listed alongside Bera in Genesis 14:2.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]