Genesis 14 · Verse 4

Genesis 14:4

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
Genesis 14:4, King James Version

Genesis 14:4 in other translations

BSBFor twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
WEBThey served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
ASVTwelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
YLTtwelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and the thirteenth year they rebelled.
DARBYTwelve years had they served Chedorlaomer; and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
BBEFor twelve years they were under the rule of Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they put off his control.
WebsterTwelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

What does Genesis 14:4 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 14:1-12

The wars of nations make great figure in history, but we should not have had the record of this war if Abram and Lot had not been concerned. Out of covetousness, Lot had settled in fruitful, but wicked Sodom. Its inhabitants were the most ripe for vengeance of all the descendants of Canaan. The invaders were from Chaldea and Persia, then only small kingdoms. They took Lot among the rest, and his goods. Though he was…

Read the full comment on Genesis 14:1-12 →

Genesis 14:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שְׁתֵּ֤יםshe.Teimtwo [plus]H8147
עֶשְׂרֵה֙'es.RehtenH6240
שָׁנָ֔הsha.Nahyear[s]H8141
עָבְד֖וּ'a.ve.Duthey had servedH5647
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כְּדָרְלָעֹ֑מֶרke.da.re.la.'O.merKedorlaomerH3540
וּשְׁלֹשׁ\־u.she.losh-and thir-H7969
עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה'es.RehteenH6240
שָׁנָ֖הsha.NahyearH8141
מָרָֽדוּ\׃ma.Ra.duthey rebelledH4775

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 14:4

  • Ezekiel 17:15

    But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

  • Genesis 9:25-26

    And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they served.
9:25,26
they rebelled.
Eze 17:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 14:3

    All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

  • Genesis 14:4

    Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

  • Genesis 14:5

    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,

Read all of Genesis 14

Genesis 14:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Doce años habían servido á Chêdorlaomer, y al décimotercio año se rebelaron.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Douze ans, ils avaient été asservis à Kedor-Laomer, mais, la treizième année, ils se révoltèrent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Zwölf Jahre hatten sie Kedorlaomer gedient, und im dreizehnten Jahre empörten sie sich.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Duodecim enim annis servierunt Chodorlahomor, et tertiodecimo anno recesserunt ab eo.