Dr. Dylan Johnson

And finally, we get to the cities of the plain. So we have Bera, king of Sodom, one of the targets. Bersha, king of Gomorrah. And then we get the other cities of the plains. We have a king of a place called Adma named Shinab, a king of a place called Zeboim named Shemeber, and then a king or the king of Bela.

We don't know if that's the name of the king or the name of the town, which is associated with this Zoar. Zoar was the place where Lot and his family fled at the destruction of Sodom. So these are the enemies of these eastern kings. And long story short, they lose the fight. And the instigator of all of this, Herola Omar, king of Elam, he takes prisoner Lot. So this is the kinsman of Abram.

We don't know if that's the name of the king or the name of the town, which is associated with this Zoar. Zoar was the place where Lot and his family fled at the destruction of Sodom. So these are the enemies of these eastern kings. And long story short, they lose the fight. And the instigator of all of this, Herola Omar, king of Elam, he takes prisoner Lot. So this is the kinsman of Abram.

We don't know if that's the name of the king or the name of the town, which is associated with this Zoar. Zoar was the place where Lot and his family fled at the destruction of Sodom. So these are the enemies of these eastern kings. And long story short, they lose the fight. And the instigator of all of this, Herola Omar, king of Elam, he takes prisoner Lot. So this is the kinsman of Abram.

But only after 11 verses, I should say, does Abram suddenly appear in the story. And then it goes in strange directions. So it really seems like this whole chapter is a bit of a patchwork, but that first 11 verses... that looks like some kind of a core old story, at least as far as it's represented in other texts. Because in other texts, we have these other cities named.

But only after 11 verses, I should say, does Abram suddenly appear in the story. And then it goes in strange directions. So it really seems like this whole chapter is a bit of a patchwork, but that first 11 verses... that looks like some kind of a core old story, at least as far as it's represented in other texts. Because in other texts, we have these other cities named.

But only after 11 verses, I should say, does Abram suddenly appear in the story. And then it goes in strange directions. So it really seems like this whole chapter is a bit of a patchwork, but that first 11 verses... that looks like some kind of a core old story, at least as far as it's represented in other texts. Because in other texts, we have these other cities named.

So Zeboim and Adma are named in other biblical texts. So they know these places. And in fact, those places are sometimes named without Sodom and Gomorrah. So exactly what the association is with these cities and this story is not entirely clear. But at least we know that biblical writers are aware of it outside of the book of Genesis.

So Zeboim and Adma are named in other biblical texts. So they know these places. And in fact, those places are sometimes named without Sodom and Gomorrah. So exactly what the association is with these cities and this story is not entirely clear. But at least we know that biblical writers are aware of it outside of the book of Genesis.

So Zeboim and Adma are named in other biblical texts. So they know these places. And in fact, those places are sometimes named without Sodom and Gomorrah. So exactly what the association is with these cities and this story is not entirely clear. But at least we know that biblical writers are aware of it outside of the book of Genesis.

Yeah, I hadn't actually thought of that or made that connection. That's a great connection. I'm sure somebody has somewhere in the literature. But I mean, it's important then too, because of course, the Pentapolis becomes kind of the fixation of the enemy in the early history of Israel, at least as it's depicted. So there may be a connection there.

Yeah, I hadn't actually thought of that or made that connection. That's a great connection. I'm sure somebody has somewhere in the literature. But I mean, it's important then too, because of course, the Pentapolis becomes kind of the fixation of the enemy in the early history of Israel, at least as it's depicted. So there may be a connection there.

Yeah, I hadn't actually thought of that or made that connection. That's a great connection. I'm sure somebody has somewhere in the literature. But I mean, it's important then too, because of course, the Pentapolis becomes kind of the fixation of the enemy in the early history of Israel, at least as it's depicted. So there may be a connection there.

Now, the question is just how fixed were these five cities of the plain, because eventually they start to get paired off and Sodom and Gomorrah kind of stand on their own. Adma and Zeboim are mentioned on their own as well. But at least, I guess, when we think about bringing all of these diverse traditions together, it becomes five and that could be significant.

Now, the question is just how fixed were these five cities of the plain, because eventually they start to get paired off and Sodom and Gomorrah kind of stand on their own. Adma and Zeboim are mentioned on their own as well. But at least, I guess, when we think about bringing all of these diverse traditions together, it becomes five and that could be significant.

Now, the question is just how fixed were these five cities of the plain, because eventually they start to get paired off and Sodom and Gomorrah kind of stand on their own. Adma and Zeboim are mentioned on their own as well. But at least, I guess, when we think about bringing all of these diverse traditions together, it becomes five and that could be significant.

Just as significant as well as the four eastern kings, because the places that they're associated with, Sumer, Elam, maybe something in the north and maybe something in the west, these might fall into a basic cognitive map of the ancient Near Eastern world, which usually makes its appearance in royal inscriptions as the four quarters of the world, which is

Just as significant as well as the four eastern kings, because the places that they're associated with, Sumer, Elam, maybe something in the north and maybe something in the west, these might fall into a basic cognitive map of the ancient Near Eastern world, which usually makes its appearance in royal inscriptions as the four quarters of the world, which is

Just as significant as well as the four eastern kings, because the places that they're associated with, Sumer, Elam, maybe something in the north and maybe something in the west, these might fall into a basic cognitive map of the ancient Near Eastern world, which usually makes its appearance in royal inscriptions as the four quarters of the world, which is

much like the cardinal directions, northeast, southwest. They describe these in terms of cultures, and certainly Sumer and Elam are two cardinal directions. The other two places, we have no clue where they are, so we can't really decide. But some scholars tend to think that that's what's being evoked here, that these are the kings of the whole world coming to bring war to the Dead Sea region.