Amraphel

Biblical Account

Amraphel appears only in Genesis 14. Genesis 14:1 calls him "Amraphel king of Shinar" and lists him alongside Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations. Shinar is the biblical name for southern Mesopotamia and is also the setting of the Tower of Babel narrative (Genesis 11:2).

According to Genesis 14:1–12, the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar) served Chedorlaomer for twelve years and rebelled in the thirteenth. In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him invaded and defeated the five kings in the vale of Siddim (the Salt Sea). They seized the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and carried off Abram's nephew Lot, who was living there.

When Abram heard the news, he led "his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen" and pursued the invaders as far as Dan. Attacking by night, he chased them to Hobah, "which is on the left hand of Damascus," and recovered Lot and the goods (Genesis 14:13–16). After this battle, Abram was blessed by Melchizedek, king of Salem (Genesis 14:18–20). Scripture says nothing further about Amraphel's life or death.

Significance in Scripture

Although Amraphel is the first name listed in Genesis 14:1, the narrative portrays Chedorlaomer as the leader of the coalition (Genesis 14:4–5). In this chapter Amraphel appears as one of the kings of powerful Mesopotamian states. The text highlights Abraham, who defeated these kings with a small band of men.

The New Testament does not mention Amraphel by name. However, when Hebrews 7:1 discusses Melchizedek, it refers to Abraham "returning from the slaughter of the kings," which is the war of Genesis 14.

Interpretations and Issues

• Identification with Hammurabi: In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, some scholars proposed that Amraphel was the same person as the Babylonian king Hammurabi. Today many scholars reject this view because of differences in the names and problems of chronology. Which king in ancient sources corresponds to Amraphel has not been established.
• Debate over historicity: Conservative scholars read Genesis 14 as a record of actual events. Some critical scholars question the chapter's date of composition and its historicity. This debate reflects differences of opinion among scholars rather than the official position of any particular denomination.
• Jewish tradition: Some Jewish writings preserve an interpretation identifying Amraphel with Nimrod, who is said to have ruled the land of Shinar (Genesis 10:8–10). This is a later tradition not found in the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

Amraphel is rarely the subject of a sermon in his own right. He is mentioned mainly in sermons and Bible studies on Genesis 14. In these contexts, the emphasis falls on Abraham's resolve in rescuing Lot and on his encounter with Melchizedek.