Bible Word Study
כְּדׇרְלָעֹמֶר
Kᵉdorlâʻômer · Kedorlaomer, an early Persian king
כְּדׇרְלָעֹמֶר
Kedorlaomer, an early Persian king
Definition
Kedorlaomer was a king of Elam who led a coalition of four kings against five rebellious Canaanite city-states in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:1-9). His name is recorded as that of a powerful foreign ruler who subjugated the region for twelve years before being defeated by Abraham. The biblical narrative presents him as a significant political and military figure whose actions directly set the stage for Abraham's rescue of Lot and his subsequent blessing by Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17-20).
Biblical Usage
The name Kedorlaomer is used exclusively in Genesis 14, appearing five times. It is used to identify the leader of the eastern coalition (Genesis 14:1, 4, 5, 9) and is the king whom Abraham pursued after the capture of Lot (Genesis 14:17). Its usage is strictly historical, serving to anchor the narrative of Abraham's military intervention in a specific geopolitical conflict.
Etymology
The name is of foreign (likely Elamite) origin, not derived from Hebrew roots. Scholars suggest it may combine Elamite elements, possibly meaning 'servant of (the god) Lagamar'. Its transcription into Hebrew reflects how foreign royal names were adapted into the biblical text.
Semantic Range
Kedorlaomer's role is theologically significant as the catalyst for a key event demonstrating God's faithfulness. His victory and capture of Lot provided the circumstance for Abraham to act in faith and power, leading directly to his encounter with Melchizedek and the reaffirmation of God's blessing (Genesis 14:18-20). The narrative shows God using international conflicts to fulfill His promises to protect Abraham's family. As an Elamite king from ancient Persia (modern Iran), Kedorlaomer represents the reach of powerful eastern empires into the Levant during the patriarchal period. His coalition with kings from Shinar, Ellasar, and Goiim reflects the political alliances and military campaigns typical of the era. Understanding him as a historical foreign overlord highlights the vulnerable position of the Canaanite city-states and the seminomadic Hebrews like Abraham.
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]