Lexical Summary Shemeber: Shemeber Original Word: שֶׁמְאֵבֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shemeber Apparently from shem and 'eber; name of pinion, i.e. Illustrious; Shemeber, a king of Zeboim -- Shemeber. see HEBREW shem see HEBREW 'eber NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originappar. from shem and eber Definition "name of pinion," king of Zeboiim NASB Translation Shemeber (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שֶׁמְאֵ֫בֶר proper name, masculine king of Sebôm; — Genesis 14:2, συμοβορ, ᵐ5 σνμορ. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context Shemeber appears once in the Old Testament, in the coalition list of Genesis 14:2: “They were allied with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)”. His only recorded act is joining the five-king alliance that rebelled against Chedorlaomer and his eastern confederates. Historical Setting Genesis 14 preserves one of Scripture’s earliest international conflicts. Four powerful kings from Mesopotamia had exercised dominion over the lower Jordan Valley for twelve years (Genesis 14:4). In the thirteenth year the five Canaanite kings—among them Shemeber—refused further tribute. The ensuing campaign demonstrates the reach of Elamite influence, the vulnerability of Canaanite city-states, and the strategic value of the fertile valley that would later become the Dead Sea region. Geographical Considerations Zeboiim lay among the “cities of the valley” (Genesis 13:12) near Sodom and Gomorrah, at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Its location within the Valley of Siddim (“Salt Sea” in Genesis 14:3) placed it on lucrative trade routes linking Transjordan to Egypt. Control of asphalt and salt deposits likely heightened imperial interest in the area. Role in the Genesis 14 Narrative 1. Catalyst for Abram’s intervention: The defeat of Zeboiim and its allies led to Lot’s capture, prompting Abram to marshal 318 trained men and pursue the raiders to Dan (Genesis 14:14). Theological and Ministry Implications • Divine sovereignty over nations: The narrative places even obscure rulers like Shemeber within God’s providential plan to protect Abram and fulfill covenant promises (Genesis 12:1–3). Lessons for Faith and Practice 1. Rebellion without righteousness invites ruin. Related Passages and Themes • Deuteronomy 29:23 – Zeboiim listed among the judged cities, confirming the eventual fate hinted in Genesis. Later Jewish and Christian Traditions Rabbinic literature groups Zeboiim with the other “cities of the plain,” portraying their kings, including Shemeber, as paradigms of moral decadence. Early Christian commentators use the five defeated kings to symbolize worldly powers subdued by faith, reinforcing the theme that victory belongs to those aligned with the purposes of God. Forms and Transliterations וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙ ושמאבר veshemEver wə·šem·’ê·ḇer wəšem’êḇerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 14:2 HEB: מֶ֣לֶךְ אַדְמָ֗ה וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ [צְבֹיִים NAS: of Admah, and Shemeber king KJV: of Admah, and Shemeber king INT: king of Admah and Shemeber king Zeboiim 1 Occurrence |
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