The eighth of Av

Genesis 14-The War of the Kings

1.’ And it was in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedarlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim- וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אַמְרָפֶל מֶלֶךְ שִׁנְעָר אַרְיוֹךְ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּסָר כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר מֶלֶךְ עֵילָם וְתִדְעָל מֶלֶךְ גּוֹיִם (3235+14 words=3249=18).

Rashi states that Amraphel- אַמְרָפֶל was Nimrod who had told Abram to fall into the fiery furnace (Eruvin 53.a). Goiim (nations) - גּוֹיִם is the name of a place where people from many nations gathered and appointed Tidal-תִדְעָל as king over them (Beraishit Rabbah 42.4).

Chedarlaomer- כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר king of Elam is the eldest son of Shem who joined sides with Nimrod and rebelled against his father.

The joint gematria of the names of the four kings:

Amraphel-                  אַמְרָפֶל  =351

Arioch-                        אַרְיוֹך   =237

Chedarleomer-     כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר  =564

Tidal-                         תִדְעָל  =504

1656=18

The joint gematria of the names of their kingdoms is:

·         Shinar-      שִׁנְעָר =620
·         Ellasar-                       אֶלָּסָר =291
·         Elam-        עֵילָם  =150
·         Goiim-    גּוֹיִם   =59

1120+4 words=8 or 2240=8 ( final Mems as 600)

2.’They made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinav king of Admah, and Shemever king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela-which is Zoar- עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה אֶת בֶּרַע מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם וְאֶת בִּרְשַׁע מֶלֶךְ עֲמֹרָה שִׁנְאָב מֶלֶךְ אַדְמָה וְשֶׁמְאֵבֶר מֶלֶךְ צְבֹיִים וּמֶלֶךְ בֶּלַע הִיא צֹעַר (4608=18).

Rashi comments that “Bera”- בֶּרַע means evil to Heaven and to people as derived from the word “evil”- רַע; “Birsha”- בִּרְשַׁעmeans that he ascended to wickedness as derived from the word “wicked”- רְשַׁע; “Shinav”- שִׁנְאָב means he hates his Father (G-d) as derived from the words “hate”-שנא and “father”-אב; "Shemever”- שֶׁמְאֵבֶר means that he “attached”- שם a “limb”-אֵבֶר to himself giving him the ability to fly and jump and to rebel against G-d. “Bela” is the name of a city.

In my opinion Zoar- צֹעַר was also the name of the fifth king. This is proven by the joint gematria of the five names:
·         Bera-                       בֶּרַע  =272
·         Birsha-             בִּרְשַׁע  =572
·         Shinav-               שִׁנְאָב  =353
·         Shemever-       שֶׁמְאֵבֶר =543
·         Zoar-                    צֹעַר  =360

2100+5 words=8

The joint gematria of the names of their kingdoms:
·         Sodom-                     סְדֹם =104
·         Gemorrah-             עֲמֹרָה =315
·         Admah-                אַדְמָה =50
·         Zevoiim-                 צְבֹיִים =152
·         Bela-                            בֶּלַע =102

723+5 words=17=8