Bera
malePatriarchalMeaning: “Gift; son of evil”
The king of Sodom whose city was plundered by Chedorlaomer; after Abraham’s rescue he offered Abraham the recovered goods, which Abraham refused.
Biography
Bera was the king of Sodom in the days of Abraham. He and four neighboring kings rebelled against Chedorlaomer and were defeated, their cities plundered (Genesis 14:2, 8–11).
Abraham's refusal
After Abraham recovered the people and goods of Sodom, Bera offered him all the spoil. Abraham refused even "a thread… or a shoelatchet," lest the king of Sodom should say, "I have made Abram rich" (Genesis 14:21–23) — a striking declaration of Abraham's trust in God rather than in the wealth of a wicked city soon to be destroyed.
Life Timeline
His city plundered; offers Abraham the recovered goods
On the Bible timeline
Bera belongs to the The Patriarchs era (c. 2100 – 1800 BC).
- c. 2091 BCThe Call of Abraham
- c. 1898 BCJoseph Sold into Egypt
Themes & lessons from Bera
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Bera appears.
People they appear with
Places in their story
Scripture Appearances
1 verses in 1 bookGenesis1 verse
Genesis 14:2
That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
Frequently asked about Bera
Who was Bera in the Bible?
The king of Sodom whose city was plundered by Chedorlaomer; after Abraham’s rescue he offered Abraham the recovered goods, which Abraham refused.
What does the name Bera mean?
The name Bera means “Gift; son of evil”.
What did Bera do in the Bible?
Bera served as king of sodom.
Where does Bera appear in the Bible?
Bera is mentioned 1 time across 1 book: Genesis.
What can we learn from Bera?
The story of Bera touches on themes of admah, armies, birsha, chedorlaomer — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Bera's life.
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