Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The original text emphasizes that the valley was full of bitumen pits, not just that there were a few. This detail suggests the very terrain itself became an unintended trap, swallowing those fleeing as they desperately sought escape, highlighting how even the land can conspire against those caught in desperate circumstances.
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the allied kings defeated the local rulers in battle, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah attempted to flee the valley. However, the valley itself proved treacherous, being riddled with bitumen pits, into which some of the fleeing soldiers fell, while the rest desperately sought refuge in the nearby hills.
This battlefield wasn't just dirt and rocks – it was a natural death trap!
The "slimepits" mentioned in Genesis 14:10 were more than just muddy puddles. They were natural wells or fountains of bitumen, a thick, tar-like substance.
When the battle turned, the kings and their armies didn't just run – they plunged into disaster.
The verse describes a complete rout of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their armies. It’s a stark picture of defeat and its immediate consequences.
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Understand the original words
chemar · Hebrew Noun
A sticky, tar-like substance (asphalt) used in antiquity for waterproofing and mortar, here serving as a natural obstacle in the terrain of the Valley of Siddim.
c. 2000 BC
Chedorlaomer's Campaign
Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, leads an alliance of kings against rebellious kingdoms in the Levant, including those in the Vale of Siddim.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Battle in the Vale of Siddim
The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, allied with other cities, battle Chedorlaomer's forces in the bitumen-rich Vale of Siddim.
c. 2000 BC
Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah Flee
The armies of Sodom and Gomorrah are routed, with many falling into the bitumen pits or fleeing to the mountains.
c. 2000 BC
Lot Captured
Lot, who was dwelling in Sodom, is taken captive by Chedorlaomer's forces during the campaign.
c. 2000 BC
Abram Pursues and Rescues Lot
Abram gathers his forces and pursues Chedorlaomer's army, successfully rescuing Lot and recovering the captured goods and people.
c. 2000 BC
Meeting with Melchizedek
After the victory, Abram meets Melchizedek, King of Salem, who blesses him and offers bread and wine.
This passage also describes a valley filled with water (representing a strategic advantage or a hazard), highlighting how geographical features can play a decisive role in battles and escape routes.
Ezekiel 42:12This verse uses a similar Hebrew construction ('chambers, chambers') to emphasize an abundance of something, mirroring the 'pits, pits' used to describe the numerous bitumen pits in the Valley of Siddim.
Jeremiah 51:36This prophecy likens Babylon's destruction to boiling seas and drying up its watery depths, with 'slimepits' mentioned as part of its demise, connecting the concept of bitumen pits to judgment and devastation.
Psalm 11:6This psalm speaks of the wicked being ensnared by God's judgment, with 'burning coals and sulfur' rained upon them, echoing the dangerous, fiery nature of bitumen and the judgment that befell the kings in the pits.
gillGenesis 14:10: "And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain."
And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits,.... Or "wells" or "fountains of slime" or bitumen (s); a liquid of a pitchy nature, cast out of fountains, and which was used for a cement in buildings; such fountains were near Babylon; see Gill on Genesis 11:3 ; so that this place was naturally prepared for what it was designed to be,…
calvinGenesis 14:1-24: "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;"
And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
Et egressus est rex Sedom, et rex Hamorah, et rex Admah, et rex Seboim, et rex Belah, ipsa est Sohar, et ordinaverunt cum eis…
The original text emphasizes that the valley was full of bitumen pits, not just that there were a few. This detail suggests the very terrain itself became an unintended trap, swallowing those fleeing as they desperately sought escape, highlighting how even the land can conspire against those caught in desperate circumstances.
After the allied kings defeated the local rulers in battle, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah attempted to flee the valley. However, the valley itself proved treacherous, being riddled with bitumen pits, into which some of the fleeing soldiers fell, while the rest desperately sought refuge in the nearby hills.
After the allied kings defeated the local rulers in battle, the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah attempted to flee the valley. However, the valley itself proved treacherous, being riddled with bitumen pits, into which some of the fleeing soldiers fell, while the rest desperately sought refuge in the nearby hills.
"Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country." — The original text emphasizes that the valley was full of bitumen pits, not just that there were a few. This detail suggests the very terrain itself became an unintended trap, swallowing those fleei…
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Last reviewed October 2026