Person Old Testament
Chedorlaomer
Also known as Chedorlaomer =ESV, KJV; Kedorlaomer =NIV
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, led a coalition of kings against Sodom and Gomorrah and was later defeated by Abraham. Mentioned in 5 verses across 1 book, first at Genesis 14:1.
Why it matters. King of Elam, led coalition against Sodom and Gomorrah
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Chedorlaomer
Chedorlaomer was the king of Elam, a powerful nation located east of Mesopotamia, during the time of Abraham (Gen.14.1, 4, 5, 9, 17). He formed a coalition with three other kings: Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, and Tidal king of Goiim. For twelve years, the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, and others in the region served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year, they rebelled. In response, Chedorlaomer and his allies waged war against the rebellious cities, defeating them and taking captives, including Abraham's nephew Lot. When Abraham learned of Lot's capture, he gathered his 318 trained men and pursued Chedorlaomer's army. With God's help, Abraham defeated Chedorlaomer and his allies, rescuing Lot and recovering the stolen goods. This event showcases Abraham's military prowess and his loyalty to his family, as well as God's faithfulness in granting victory to Abraham and his small force against a powerful coalition of kings.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 5 verses across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.