Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ZOAR

(Heb. ṣōʿar)

The southernmost city in the “valley of Jericho” (Deut. 34:3; Gen. 13:10). One of the five “cities of the valley” in a coalition (with Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim) that rebelled against King Chedorlaomer of Elam (Gen. 14:2, 8). Because the kings of the other cities are called by name, scholars have suggested that Bela was the original name of the king of Zoar; however, Bela could simply be the earlier name of Zoar, as all versions attest. Zoar escaped the fate of the other cities of the valley, and provided a temporary refuge for Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19:22-23, 30). Later prophetic texts mention Zoar in the context of God’s judgment on Moab. Fugitives from Moab will flee as far as Zoar (Isa. 15:5), and the sound of their cry will be heard in Zoar (Jer. 48:34).

Zoar continues to be attested in records until the Middle Ages. All the references to Zoar, including its identification on the Madeba Map, suggest that it was located on the south bank of the Brook Zered (Wadi el-µesa) in the area of eṣ-Ò#fî (194049), the territory of Edom.

Ronald A. Simkins

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ZOAR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)