Interesting Facts

• Sharkad is identified as one of the four judges of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, specifically residing in Gomorrah.
• Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, refers to Sharkad by the altered name Shakrura.
• As a judge in Gomorrah, Sharkad would have been instrumental in enforcing the wicked customs and laws of the city.
• The practices enforced by Sharkad and the other judges included measuring strangers by the length of beds and subjecting them to torture if they did not fit.
• By the desire of Sharkad and the other judges, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah erected beds in the streets for this cruel purpose.

Genealogy

• The provided sources do not contain any information about the genealogy of Sharkad or Shakrura. There is no mention of their ancestry, birth, marital status, or offspring within these texts.

Historical Context

Sharkad’s judgeship in Gomorrah places him firmly within the historical context of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, renowned for their exceeding wickedness and sinfulness before the Lord. The culture of these cities, influenced by judges like Sharkad, was characterized by extreme inhospitality and cruelty towards strangers. The sources detail specific abominable practices such as the torture of travelers who did not fit their beds and the denial of food to the poor, leading to their death by starvation, followed by the retrieval of any gifts given to them. The judges, including Sharkad, were the authorities upholding these depraved customs, contributing to the overall moral corruption that ultimately led to the cities’ destruction.

Narrative

Sharkad’s personal narrative within the provided texts is not detailed through specific interactions or dialogues. Instead, his character is primarily revealed through his role as a judge in Gomorrah and the description of the inhumane laws and customs that he and the other judges of the five cities enforced. The erection of beds in the streets to torture travelers exemplifies the cruelty sanctioned by Sharkad’s judicial authority in Gomorrah. This practice, along with the systemic mistreatment and exploitation of the poor and strangers, paints a picture of Sharkad as an integral part of the deeply wicked societal structure of Gomorrah. While he does not have individual scenes like Serak’s encounters with the traveler and Eliezer, Sharkad’s position as a ruling judge directly implies his active participation in and endorsement of the vileness that defined Gomorrah and led to its divine condemnation. His existence and authority as a judge are central to understanding the pervasive injustice within these cities.