Interesting Facts

• Shinab was the king of Admah.
• He was one of the five kings who made war with Chedorlaomer king of Elam and his allies in the vale of Siddim.
• His forces were smitten before the kings of Elam.
• He went out to join the other four kings in the vale of Siddim to do battle against the four kings led by Chedorlaomer.
• He was among the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah who fled during the battle in the vale of Siddim.

Genealogy

• The sources do not provide any information regarding Shinab’s ancestry, birth, marital connections, or offspring.

Historical Context

Shinab’s reign as king of Admah occurred during a period of significant military and political upheaval in the region encompassing the plain of Siddim, later known as the Salt Sea. Admah was one of five city-states, including Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar), that had been under the dominion of Chedorlaomer, the king of Elam, for a period of twelve years. In the thirteenth year, these five kings collectively rebelled against Chedorlaomer’s authority. This act of defiance precipitated a major military confrontation in the fourteenth year, as Chedorlaomer, along with his allies Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, and Tidal king of nations, marched to quell the rebellion. The vale of Siddim, noted for its abundance of slimepits (or lime pits), became the battlefield where these nine kings clashed, highlighting the ever-present potential for conflict and shifting power dynamics among the city-states of the region.

Narrative

Shinab’s primary role in the narrative is as the king of Admah, one of the five rulers who formed a coalition to challenge the authority of Chedorlaomer of Elam. Driven by a desire to break free from twelve years of servitude, Shinab led the forces of Admah into the vale of Siddim to engage in battle with Chedorlaomer and his three allied kings. The ensuing conflict involved a total of nine kings. However, the military efforts of Shinab and his allies were ultimately unsuccessful, as they were defeated by the more powerful Elamite coalition. The narrative indicates that during the battle, Shinab, along with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, fled from the advancing forces of Chedorlaomer, and in their retreat, they fell into the numerous slimepits that characterized the vale of Siddim. While the sources detail the subsequent actions of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah in their interaction with Abram after Chedorlaomer’s defeat, Shinab’s specific involvement after the battle and his encounter with Abram are not further elaborated upon in the provided texts. His participation in the rebellion and the battle in the vale of Siddim constitute the main elements of his narrative within these sources, illustrating his role in the political and military events of the time.