Amrafel was king of Shinar, the biblical name for Babylonia, and one of four allied kings who, under Kedorlaomer's leadership, carried out a major military campaign in the Canaan region. The coalition defeated several peoples in Transjordan before overcoming five rebellious vassal kings in the Valley of Siddim and plundering Sodom and Gomorrah. During the plundering, Lot, Abraham's nephew, was taken captive. This prompted Abraham's bold counterattack with 318 men, which resulted in Lot's rescue and then the remarkable meeting with Melchizedek, priest and king of Salem. Amrafel appears only in Genesis 14, a chapter that is unique among the patriarchal narratives for placing Abraham in an international, military-political context, thereby highlighting his role as a powerful leader, not merely a nomadic shepherd.
Key events
The Coalition of Four Kings
Amraphel was part of a military coalition together with Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, Tidal, king of Goiim, and Arioch, king of Ellasar. Chedorlaomer was the leading king, since it was his dominion that the vassal kings in the Valley of Siddim had rebelled against.
The War Against the Five Kings in the Valley of Siddim
The four allied kings, including Amraphel, went to war against five kings: Bera of Sodom, Birsha of Gomorrah, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (Zoar).
2these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar.
On their way to the Valley of Siddim, the coalition defeated several peoples, including the Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, and the Horites, in an extensive military campaign through Transjordan.
5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came with the kings who were allied with him, and they defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim at Shaveh-kiriathaim,
7Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat, that is, Kadesh, and they struck down all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
Amraphel and his allies defeated the five kings in the Valley of Siddim, which was full of tar pits. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell into the pits while fleeing, while the rest escaped to the mountains. However, the king of Sodom survived and met Abraham after the victory.
8Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar, marched out and drew up their battle lines against them in the Valley of Siddim—
10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, while the rest escaped to the hills.
After their victory, the four kings plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, taking all possessions and food supplies, as well as Lot, Abraham's nephew, and his belongings.
When Abraham heard that Lot had been taken captive, he mustered 318 trained men from his household, pursued the coalition all the way to Dan and further to Hobah north of Damascus, defeated them, and rescued Lot along with all his possessions. This marked the end of Amraphel's campaign.
13One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner; these were allies of Abram.
14When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his trained men, born in his household, three hundred eighteen of them, and pursued as far as Dan.