Sometimes, looking to other texts can give us a fuller picture. Take, for example, this passage from the Book of Jasher.
It begins with a rumble of war. Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, rallies his allies – including Nimrod of Shinar (yes, that Nimrod), Tidal of Goyim, and Arioch of Elasar. Their target? The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, who had been in rebellion for thirteen years. According to the Book of Jasher, these four kings marched with a massive army of around eight hundred thousand men!
The five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboyim, and Zoar met them in the valley of Siddim. The battle was fierce, but the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated. The victors plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, and, tragically, they captured Lot, Abram's nephew, along with all his possessions.
Imagine being Abram and hearing this news. The Book of Jasher tells us that one of Abram's servants, Unic, witnessed the events and rushed to inform him. Abram, a man of peace, took decisive action. He gathered about 318 men and pursued the four kings that very night! Against all odds, Abram and his men overtook them, defeating them and recovering all the stolen property, including Lot and his family. Only the four kings managed to escape.
On his return, Abram passed through the valley of Siddim, where he was met by Bera, the king of Sodom, who had managed to escape from the slime pits (the Book of Jasher says that the valley of Siddim was full of them). And then, a really interesting figure appears: Adonizedek, the king of Jerusalem. The same was Shem, the text clarifies. Yes, that Shem, one of Noah's sons! According to tradition, Shem held a priesthood, passing on the traditions of Noah.
Adonizedek brought bread and wine to Abram, blessing him. Abram, in turn, gave him a tenth of the spoils, acknowledging Adonizedek's priestly role. This is fascinating when you consider that this encounter predates the establishment of the formal priesthood we see later in the Torah.
The king of Sodom, grateful for Abram's intervention, offered him all the recovered property, asking only for the return of his people. But Abram, in a powerful display of integrity, refused. He declared, "As the Lord liveth who created heaven and earth... I will not take anything belonging to you." Abram wanted no one to say that he had become rich through Sodom's wealth. He only asked for the provisions consumed by his men and the share due to his allies, Anar, Ashcol, and Mamre.
Abram then returned Lot to Sodom and went back to his home in the plains of Mamre, in Hebron.
Later, the Book of Jasher recounts a familiar story: Sarai's barrenness and her offer of her handmaid, Hagar, to Abram, so that he might have children through her. This mirrors the account in Genesis. When Hagar conceived, she began to look down on Sarai. This, of course, caused strife between the two women.
Sarai complained to Abram, and Abram gave Sarai permission to do with Hagar as she saw fit. According to the Book of Jasher, Sarai afflicted Hagar, causing her to flee into the wilderness. There, an angel found her by a well and told her to return to Sarai and submit to her. The angel also prophesied that Hagar would bear a son named Ishmael, and that his descendants would be numerous. Hagar named the well Beer-lahai-roi, meaning "Well of the Living One who sees me."
Hagar then returned to Abram's house and gave birth to Ishmael when Abram was eighty-six years old.
This passage in the Book of Jasher offers a rich expansion of the biblical narrative. It gives us more details about the war with the kings, introduces us to the intriguing figure of Adonizedek, and sheds light on the complex relationship between Sarai and Hagar. It reminds us that there are many perspectives and traditions surrounding these foundational stories, and that exploring them can deepen our understanding of the text.