Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Genesis 14:5 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 5. 5And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and his allies begin a wide campaign by defeating the Rephaim, Zuzim, and Emim in named locations. The repeated victories establish the force Abram will later pursue.
Read It With
- Genesis 14:1–16
Read verses 4–7 together. Rebellion in the thirteenth year leads to invasion in the fourteenth, and the campaign defeats a succession of peoples before turning toward the Jordan cities.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The fourteenth-year invasion follows immediately from the rebellion and begins with victories beyond Sodom. The campaign list establishes the coalition's momentum before the central battle.
Read Genesis 14:5–7 together
Why these verses belong together: The three verses form one punitive-campaign itinerary of repeated victories and a return toward the Jordan region.
Verse 5. 5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
Verse 6. 6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
Verse 7. 7 And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
The Rephaim, Zuzim, and Emim are not described here in enough detail to support a complete speculative giant, racial, or demonic system.
What Remains True
A sequence of victories can reveal overwhelming power without establishing the moral worth of the victors or the identity of every defeated people.
How It Can Shape Life
- Do not turn difficult ancient people names into dehumanizing racial, giant, or demonic speculation; stay with what the passage actually says.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 14:1–16 — Abram Rescues LotSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, narrative sequence, capture, kinship rescue, recovery, immediate aftermath, and canonical safeguards.
Exact location: Genesis 14:1–16 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 13:8–18; 14:17–24; 18–19; Judges 18:29; and later biblical war, rescue, and enemy texts
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Royal lists, service and rebellion, repeated strike verb, campaign itinerary, bitumen-pit repetition, fall wording, Lot's residence, Hebrew label, treaty-alliance phrase, rare mobilization verb, trained household-born men, kinship term, directions, and repeated recovery language.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 14:1–16
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Shinar, Goiim, coalition structure, vassal sequence, campaign route, strike verb, bitumen wording, fall ambiguity, Hebrew label, treaty allies, rare mobilization verb, Dan, night syntax, and north of Damascus.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 14 and translator notes 1–52, especially notes on verses 1–16
Open NET Genesis 14 ↗