Chedorlaomer, also spelled Kedorlaomer (; Hebrew: כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר, Tiberian: Kəḏorlā'ōmer; Vat. Χοδολλογομορ), is a king of Elam mentioned in Genesis 14. Genesis portrays him as allied with three other kings, campaigning against five Canaanite city-states in response to an uprising in the days of Abraham. Etymology The name Chedorlaomer is associated with familiar Elamite components, such as kudur, meaning "servant", and Lagamar, who was a high goddess in the Elamite pantheon. The 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia stated that, apart from the fact that Chedorlaomer can be identified as a proper Elamite compound, all else is matter of controversy and "the records give only the rather negative result that from Babylonian and Elamite documents nothing definite has been learned of Chedorlaomer". Background Chedorlaomer's reign After twelve years of being under Elamite rule, in the thirteenth year, the Cities of the Plain (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar) rebelled against Chedorlaomer. To put down the rebellion, he called upon three other allies from Shinar, Ellasar, and Tidal "nations" regions. (Genesis 14:9) Chedorlaomer's campaigns The following allies fought as allies of Chedorlaomer in the fourteenth year of his rule. King Amraphel of Shinar (possibly Sumer) King Arioch of Ellasar King Tidal of "nations" – possibly the Hittites The purpose of Chedorlaomer's campaigns was to show Elam's might to all territories under Elamite authority. His armies and allies plundered tribes and cities, for their provisions, who were en route to the revolting cities of the Jordan plain. According to , these are the cities plundered by Elam: The Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim The Zuzim in Ham The Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim The Horites in Mount Seir as far as El-paran near the wilderness The Amalekites in Kadesh at En-mishpat The Amorites in Hazezontamar The Canaanites of the cities of the Jordan plain Chedorlaomer's defeat After warring against the cities of the plain at the Battle of Siddim, Chedorlaomer went to Sodom and Gomorrah to collect bounty. At Sodom, among the spoils of war, he took Lot and his entire household captive. When Lot's uncle, Abram, received news of what happened, he assembled a battle unit of 318 men who pursued the Elamite forces north of Damascus to Hobah. Abram and one of his divisions then proceeded to defeat Chedorlaomer. () While the King James Version verse 17 translated the Hebrew word in question as "וַיַּכֵּם" as slaughtered (), Young's Literal Translation uses the term smiting. ()