Four powerful kings from the east head an assault against five minor Palestinian kings (14:1–13). It is impossible to identify the four kings with certainty. Amraphel means “the mouth of god has spoken,” and he is the king of Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Arioch matches the name Arriyuk and is a good Hurrian name. Kedorlaomer means “servant of Lagamar” (an Elamite god). Tidal is the Hebrew equivalent of the Hittite regnal name Tudhalia, borne by several Hittite kings. These four kings engage the five petty kings in battle near the Valley of Siddim, where the Dead Sea now is. Verse 4 suggests that the battle is instigated by an attempt of the minor kings to establish independence. To quell the revolt, these kings march, according to place names in verses 5–7, from Syria to the Gulf of Aqaba, t…