Dr. Dylan Johnson

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.

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.

It's certainly possible. It's hard to exactly tell because there is some kind of a judgmental tone in even some of these earlier ones. They talk a lot about the overthrow of these cities. And so whether or not that judgmental tone is there in the original narrative – We just have Genesis 14. In the prophetic texts, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, there is that judgmental tone.

It's certainly possible. It's hard to exactly tell because there is some kind of a judgmental tone in even some of these earlier ones. They talk a lot about the overthrow of these cities. And so whether or not that judgmental tone is there in the original narrative – We just have Genesis 14. In the prophetic texts, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, there is that judgmental tone.

It's certainly possible. It's hard to exactly tell because there is some kind of a judgmental tone in even some of these earlier ones. They talk a lot about the overthrow of these cities. And so whether or not that judgmental tone is there in the original narrative – We just have Genesis 14. In the prophetic texts, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, there is that judgmental tone.

So they do somewhat associate it, which makes sense because then there's room for extrapolation in chapters 18 and 19 then to really build on this. So there is a sense even in this early stage that these places got what they deserved, But I should also add that after we leave verse 11 and go into verse 12, Abram shows back up. He musters an army.

So they do somewhat associate it, which makes sense because then there's room for extrapolation in chapters 18 and 19 then to really build on this. So there is a sense even in this early stage that these places got what they deserved, But I should also add that after we leave verse 11 and go into verse 12, Abram shows back up. He musters an army.

So they do somewhat associate it, which makes sense because then there's room for extrapolation in chapters 18 and 19 then to really build on this. So there is a sense even in this early stage that these places got what they deserved, But I should also add that after we leave verse 11 and go into verse 12, Abram shows back up. He musters an army.

He goes to war with Erdola Omar, and he is victorious. So there's also this kind of redemption through the figure of Abram, who's for the only time in the entire book of Genesis acting like a king here. So it's really hard to tell, I would say, if all of this sin and sanction emerges only in those chapters, but it's certainly much less prominent in chapter 14.

He goes to war with Erdola Omar, and he is victorious. So there's also this kind of redemption through the figure of Abram, who's for the only time in the entire book of Genesis acting like a king here. So it's really hard to tell, I would say, if all of this sin and sanction emerges only in those chapters, but it's certainly much less prominent in chapter 14.

He goes to war with Erdola Omar, and he is victorious. So there's also this kind of redemption through the figure of Abram, who's for the only time in the entire book of Genesis acting like a king here. So it's really hard to tell, I would say, if all of this sin and sanction emerges only in those chapters, but it's certainly much less prominent in chapter 14.

Yeah, so it seems almost definitive that the imagined landscape of both these stories is probably just south of the Dead Sea because of, well, for reasons I'm about to get to. So let's start with the oldest story, at least what we think looks like the oldest story, which is Genesis 14. Now, there's some references just to the geology of the region, the city of the plain.

Yeah, so it seems almost definitive that the imagined landscape of both these stories is probably just south of the Dead Sea because of, well, for reasons I'm about to get to. So let's start with the oldest story, at least what we think looks like the oldest story, which is Genesis 14. Now, there's some references just to the geology of the region, the city of the plain.

Yeah, so it seems almost definitive that the imagined landscape of both these stories is probably just south of the Dead Sea because of, well, for reasons I'm about to get to. So let's start with the oldest story, at least what we think looks like the oldest story, which is Genesis 14. Now, there's some references just to the geology of the region, the city of the plain.

It's taken to be the plain of Jordan. Now, where exactly the plain of Jordan is, that can be a lot of different places. But usually, if they're going to refer to, let's say, just the region east of the Jordan River, that's usually the plateau or the highlands. The plain is usually associated with this area just to the south of the Dead Sea.

It's taken to be the plain of Jordan. Now, where exactly the plain of Jordan is, that can be a lot of different places. But usually, if they're going to refer to, let's say, just the region east of the Jordan River, that's usually the plateau or the highlands. The plain is usually associated with this area just to the south of the Dead Sea.

It's taken to be the plain of Jordan. Now, where exactly the plain of Jordan is, that can be a lot of different places. But usually, if they're going to refer to, let's say, just the region east of the Jordan River, that's usually the plateau or the highlands. The plain is usually associated with this area just to the south of the Dead Sea.

Again, we're not 100% sure this is historical geography, but we get a little bit of clarification that the battle happens in a place called the Valley of Sidim, and then it says explicitly that is the Salt Sea. So we're fairly certain, at least in the biblical writer's imaginations, these cities were located down there.

Again, we're not 100% sure this is historical geography, but we get a little bit of clarification that the battle happens in a place called the Valley of Sidim, and then it says explicitly that is the Salt Sea. So we're fairly certain, at least in the biblical writer's imaginations, these cities were located down there.

Again, we're not 100% sure this is historical geography, but we get a little bit of clarification that the battle happens in a place called the Valley of Sidim, and then it says explicitly that is the Salt Sea. So we're fairly certain, at least in the biblical writer's imaginations, these cities were located down there.