“Twelve years they served Kedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled” (Genesis 14:4). “Twelve years they served [Kedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year50Literally, “and thirteen years.” they rebelled]” – Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, Rabbi Yosei says: Twelve plus thirteen, this is twenty-five.51The rebellion lasted thirteen years, after twelve years of submission. He translates the words: “thirteen years.”
Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said: They were thirteen years altogether.52He translates the words: “in the thirteenth year.” How does Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel53This should be corrected to: Rabbi Yosei (Radal). explain: “And in the fourteenth year”?54According to Rabbi Yosei, twenty-five years had already passed; how can the following year be called “the fourteenth year", as it is in the subsequent verse?
The explanation is that it was the fourteenth year after their rebellion began. “And in the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and smote Refa’im in Ashterot Karnayim, the Zuzim in Ham, and the Eimim in Shaveh Kiryatayim” (Genesis 14:5). “And in the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer…came” – the owner of the beam bears its thickest part,55Kedorlaomer was the main party among the five kings against whom the rebellion was directed (Genesis 14:4). “and the kings who were with him.”
“And smote Refa’im in Ashterot Karnayim” – in Ashtera DeKarna.56This is what that place was called in the days of the Midrash. “The Zuzim in Ham [beham]” – the radiant ones [ziv] among them [bahem]. “And the Eimim in Shaveh Kiryatayim” – they were two cities [kiryan].57The ending ayim is generally used to refer to two items. “And the Ḥori in their mountain, Se'ir, until Eil Paran, which is adjacent to the wilderness” (Genesis 14:6).
“And the Ḥori” – this is a metropolis.58The reading in manuscripts is: This is Eleutheropolis (Free City) – the Greek name for Bet Guvrin in southern Israel. Why is it called it Ḥori? Because they selected it to be a free place in the generation of the Dispersion.59The residents were not scattered when the Dispersion occurred. “Until Eil Paran, which is adjacent to the wilderness” – until the plain of Paran.60Eil Paran means the Plain of Paran.