Shemeber was the king of Zeboiim, one of the five cities on the Jordan Plain. He was among the kings who rebelled against King Chedorlaomer of Elam after serving as his vassals for twelve years. He took part in the battle in the Valley of Siddim, where he and his allies were defeated.
Key events
Vassal under Chedorlaomer
Shemeber and the other kings on the Jordan Plain served King Chedorlaomer of Elam for twelve years before rebelling in the thirteenth year.
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.
Shemeber formed an alliance with Bera (king of Sodom), Birsha (king of Gomorrah), Shinab (king of Admah) and the king of Bela (Zoar) to fight against Kedorlaomer and his allies.
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.
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—
After the defeat, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell into the asphalt pits in the Valley of Siddim, while the survivors escaped to the mountains. The cities were plundered.
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 the defeat, Abram (Abraham) rescued Lot and the other captives taken by Kedorlaomer, and brought back all the goods that had been plundered from the cities of the plain.
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.