Vale Of Siddim

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Siddim, Vale Of . The scene of the defeat of the five Canaaoite kings by Amraphel and his three allies (  Genesis 14:8 ff.). It is described as full of ‘slime pits’ or bitumen wells, i.e. holes in the ground from which there issued petroleum, which, when exposed to the air, hardened into solid bitumen. In the rout of the five kings by the four, these holes proved disastrous to the forces of the former, hampering them in their efforts to escape (  Genesis 14:10 ). The battlefield is doubtless thought of as being in the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea, where bitumen is still abundant, masses of it, which have been detached from the bottom, being often found floating on the surface after shocks of earthquake; and the Vale of Siddim is expressly identified in   Genesis 14:3 with the Dead Sea by the explanatory insertion, ‘the same is the Salt Sea.’ If by this is meant that the vale was co-extensive with the Dead Sea, the statement must be erroneous, for the greater part of the Dead Sea (the N. half of which has in places a depth of 1300 feet) is the remains of an inland sea which existed ‘long before the appearance of man on the earth,’ and consequently long before the age of Abraham. But it is possible that the Vale of Siddim is intended to be identified with only a portion of the Dead Sea; and those who consider Sodom and the other four ‘cities of the plain’ to have been situated at the S. end of the Dead Sea (where the morass of es-Sebkha now is) have taken the site of Siddim to be the southern portion of the Sea itself, which is very shallow and may once have been dry ground that has been covered by water through subsidence (cf. art. ‘Siddim’ in Hastings’ DB [Note: Dictionary of the Bible.] ). By other observers, however, the shallows at the southern extremity of the lake are thought to be the result of elevation rather than of submersion; and if Sodom and the other four cities associated with it were situated at its N. end, a barren plain, in its N.W. corner, may have been the scene of the engagement recorded in   Genesis 14:1-24 .

G. W. Wade.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

One passage reads "the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea;" and another the vale was "full of slime-pits," that is, bitumen springs.  Genesis 14:3,8,10 . It was doubtless near the Salt Sea, but is not identified.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 14:3,8,10

Some, however, contend that the "cities of the plain" were somewhere at the north of the Dead Sea. (See SODOM .)

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. E'mek has - Siddim'. עֵמֶק חִשַּׂדַּי ; Sept. Ἡ Φάραγξ Ἡ Ἁλυκή , and Η ῾ Κοιλὰς Ἡ Ἁλυκή ; Vulg. Vallis Silvestris), a place mentioned in  Genesis 14:3;  Genesis 8:10 as the scene of the encounter between Chedorlaomer and the five confederate kings of the plain of the Dead Sea. Following we give the Scriptural and archeological information on this subject.

1. The Name. — The word Siddim appears' to be from the root שָׂדִד , sadd, "to be straight or level." The singular שֵׂד or שַׂדָּה would thus signify "a Level field;" and the phrase Emek Siddim ( שָׂדַּים ), "the valley of fields." Prof. Stanley conjectures (Sin. And Pal.) that Siddim is connected with שָׂדִה , sadeh, "a field," and that the signification of the name was thus directly the "valley of the fields," so called from the high state of cultivation in which it was maintained before the destruction of Sodom and the other cities. Gesenius expresses his conviction (by inference from the Arabic sad, "an obstacle") that the real meaning of the words Emek has-Siddim is "a plain cut up by stony channels which render it difficult of transit;" and with this agree Furst (Handwb. ii, 411 b) and Kalisch (Genesis, p. 355). Perhaps more accurately the word may in this sense be derived from שָׂדִד , Saddd, "to harrow." See Kalisch, Loc Cit., who, however, disapproves of such a derivation, and adheres to that of Gesenius.

The following are the equivalents of the name given in the ancient versions: Samar. Vers., מישר חלקיה ; Onkelos, מֵישִׁר חִקְלִיָּא ; Saadias, Merjel- Hakul; Peshito, umeka di-sedumea; Aquila, Κοιλάς Τῶν Περιπεδίνων ; Symm. and Theod., Κοιλὰς Τῶν Ἀλσῶν (= אשרה ); Josephus, Φρέατα Ἀσφάλτου ; Jerome (Qu'Cest. In Genesis), Vallis Salinaruam. The authors of the Sept. probably thought that the' clause "which is the Salt Sea" was explanatory of the word Siddim, which they therefore rendered Η ῾ Ἁλυκή . Or perhaps they may have read הרשי instead of השדים ; and Ἁλυκή may be an error for Ἀλσικός = Ἀλσώδης , "wooded;" a view corroborated by the Vulgate, which has Silvestris; and. by the reading of Symmachus and Theodotion, Τῶν Ἀλσῶν .

2. Topographical Indications. — The word rendered " vale" is in Hebrew עֵמֶק , eanek, which means a low or sunken tract of land. - (See Valley). It was probably a section of the Arabah somewhat lower than the rest; perhaps resembling the plain of Sabkah at the southern end of the Dead Sea. It-was "full of bitumen-pits;" or, as the Hebrew idiom expresses it, it was "wells, wells of bitumen" ( בארת בארת חמר ). They are so numerous as to stud its whole surface ( Genesis 14:10). It was the battle-field on which the king of Sodom .and his allies were vanquished. It seems probable, though it is not stated, that Sodom and Gomorrah were situated in the vale. Be this as it may, the vale was included in the general destruction when "the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord in heaven" ( Genesis 19:24).

But the most remarkable fact regarding the vale of Siddim is that stated in  Genesis 14:3, "It Is The Salt Sea" ( הוּא יָם הִמֶּלִח ). The meaning of these words cannot be mistaken; and we have no more ground for questioning their genuineness than for questioning the genuineness of any other passage in Genesis. There is abundant evidence that the book as it now stands was the production of Moses. He may have embodied in it authentic documents handed down from a remoter age, arranging and supplementing them as he deemed necessary. But his additions would, be as authoritative as the documents themselves. Until we can prove from clear evidence that the clause was interpolated by an uninspired writer, we must regard it as an integral part of the Mosaic record, and we must believe that the vale of Siddim was submerged.

3. Probable Identification. — If we, understand, therefore, the latter clause of  Genesis 14:3 to designate a part. of what was afterwards known as " the Salt Sea," then we must agree with Dr. Robinson and others in identifying the Valley of Siddim with the enclosed plain which intervenes between the south end of the lake and the range of heights which terminate the Ghor and commence the Wady Arabah. This is a district in many respects suitable. In the ditches and drains of the Sabkah are the impassable channels of Gesenius. In the thickly wooded Ghores-Safieh are ample conditions for the fertility of Prof. Stanley. The general aspect and formation of the plain answer fully to the idea of an enmek. The most careful explorations of recent travellers have not brought to light a single fact calculated to overthrow this view. On the contrary, the following results of scientific research go far to establish it. At the present day there are no bitumen-pits in the plains around the Dead Sea, and time could not have effaced them had they remained above water. It has been ascertained, from masses of bitumen frequently thrown to the surface, that there must be wells of bitumen in the bed of the sea towards its southern end. Traces of what appears to have been " a shower of sulphur" have been discovered recently on the south-west shore; and with it are layers and lumps of bitumen calcified by heat. The section of the Dead Sea south of el-Lisan has been found to be very shallow-only a few feet, and in places only a few inches of water covering a flat, slimy plain-whereas the whole northern section is a deep and regularly formed basin. These facts would seem at least to suggest that that section of the Dead Sea which is south of 'the peninsula covers the region which was called in Lot's time "the vale of Siddim." Josephus states this view emphatically. His words (Ant. i. 9) are, "They encamped in the valley called-the Wells of Asphalt; for at that time there were wells in that spot; but now that the city of the Sodomites has disappeared, that valley has become a lake which is called Asphaltites." See also Strabo, 16:764. (See Salt Sea); (See Sodom).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sid´im , ( השּׂדּים עמק , ‛ēmeḳ ha - siddı̄m  ; Septuagint ἡ φάραγξ (or κοιλὰς ) ἡ ἁλυκή , hē phárangx ( koilás ) hē halukḗ ): The place mentioned in   Genesis 14:3-8 as being the scene of encounter between Chedorlaomer and his allies with the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar. In   Genesis 14:3 it is identified with the Salt Sea, and in   Genesis 14:10 it is said to have been full of slime pits ("bitumen").

According to the traditional view, the Vale of Siddim was at the southern end of the Dead Sea. But in recent years a number of eminent authorities have maintained that it was at the northern end of the Dead Sea, in the vicinity of Jericho. Their argument has mainly been drawn from incidental references in the scene ( Genesis 13:1-13 ) describing the parting of Lot and Abram, and again in the account of Moses' vision from Pisgah ( Deuteronomy 34:3 ).

In the account of Abram and Lot, it is said that from Bethel they saw "all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah." The word here translated "plain" means "circle," and well describes the view which one has of the plain about Jericho from Bethel as he looks down the valley past Ai. But it seems to go beyond the text to assume that the Vale of Siddim was within that circle of vision, for it is said in  Genesis 13:12 simply that Lot dwelt "in the cities of the Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom." In the vision of Moses, likewise, we have a very general and condensed description, in which it is said that he was shown "the Plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm-trees, unto Zoar," which, as we learn from   Genesis 19:22 , was not far from the Vale of Siddim. It is true that from the traditional site of Pisgah the south end of the Dead Sea could not be seen. But we are by no means sure that the traditional site of Pisgah is the true one, or that the import of this language should be restricted to the points which are actually within range of vision.

The tendency at the present time is to return to the traditional view that the Vale of Siddim was at the south end of the Dead Sea. This is supported by the fact that Jebel Usdum , the salt mountain at the southwest corner of the Dead Sea, still bears the name of Sodom, Usdum being simply another form of the word. A still stronger argument, however, is drawn from the general topographical and geological conditions. In the first place, Zoar, to which Lot is said to have fled, was not far away. The most natural site for it is near the mouth of the Wâdy Kerak , which comes down from Moab into the southern end of the Dead Sea (see Zoar ); and this city was ever afterward spoken of as a Moabite city, which would not have been the case if it had been at the north end of the sea. It is notable in  Joshua 13:15-21 , where the cities given to Reuben are enumerated, that, though the slopes of Pisgah are mentioned, Zoar is not mentioned.

In  Genesis 14 , where the battle between Amraphel and his allies with Sodom and the other cities of the plain is described, the south end of the Dead Sea comes in logical order in the progress of their campaign, and special mention is made of the slime or bitumen pits which occurred in the valley, and evidently played an important part in the outcome of the battle.

At the south end of the Dead Sea there is an extensive circle or plain which is better supplied with water for irrigation than is the region about Jericho, and which, on the supposition of slight geological changes, may have been extremely fertile in ancient times; while there are many indications of such fertility in the ruins that have been described by travelers about the mouth of the Kerak and other localities nearby. The description, therefore, of the fertility of the region in the Vale of Siddim may well have applied to this region at the time of Lot's entrance into it.

There are very persistent traditions that great topographical changes took place around the south end of the Dead Sea in connection with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, while the opinion has been universally prevalent among the earlier historical writers that the site of Sodom and Gomorrah is beneath the waters of the Dead Sea.

Geological investigations, so far from disproving these traditions, render them altogether possible and credible. There is a remarkable contrast between the depths of the north end of the Dead Sea and of the south end. Near the north end the depth descends to 1,300 ft., whereas for many miles out from the south end it is very shallow, so that at low water a ford exists, and is occasionally used, from the north end of the salt mountain across to el - Lisân .

The precipitous salt cliffs of Jebel Usdum which border the southwest corner of the Dead Sea would indicate that, in comparatively recent times, there had been abrupt subsidence of a good many feet in the bottom of the Dead Sea at that end.

Such subsidences of limited areas and in connection with earthquakes are by no means uncommon. In 1819 an area of 2,000 square miles about the delta of the Indus sank beneath the level of the sea, so that the tops of the houses were barely seen above the water. A smaller area in the delta of the Selenga River sank during the last century beneath the waters of Lake Baikal. Professor R.S. Tarr of Cornell University has recently described the effect of an earthquake on the shores of Alaska, in which there was a change of level of 47 ft.

More probably (see Arabah; Dead Sea ) there has been a rise in the waters of the Dead Sea since Abraham's time, caused by the encroachment upon the original area of evaporation by the deltas which have been pushed into the main part of the depression by the Jordan, and various smaller streams descending from the highlands on either side. In consequence of these encroachments, the equilibrium between precipitation and evaporation could be maintained only by a rise in the water causing it to spread over the shallow shelf at the south end, thus covering a large part of the Vale of Siddim with the shoal water now found between el - Lisân and Jebel Usdum .