Tidal (Bible)

Tidal king of Goyim is a monarch mentioned in Genesis 14:1. The word goyim in Biblical Hebrew can be translated as "nations" or "peoples" or "ethnic groups" (in modern Hebrew it means "Gentiles") although Bible commentaries suggest that that in this verse it may instead be a reference to the region of Gutium. Tidal was one of the four kings that fought Abraham in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim.

Theories about the name

• The name Tidal is considered equivalent to Tudhaliya, the name both of a Proto-Hittite king and a Hittite king. The name continued as "Tudal" down to the Neo-Hittite period.
• According to David Rohl, Tidal is the same as Tishdal, a Hurrian ruler from the Zagros mountains.

See also

• Amraphel
• Chedorlaomer
• Arioch
• Melchizedek