Bible Encyclopedia: Tidal

Jump to: Hitchcock's • Smith's • ATS • ISBE • Easton's • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

TIDAL

ti'-dal (tidh`al; Thalga, Thalgal, Codex E, Thargal):

1. The Name and Its Forms:

Tidal is mentioned in Genesis 14:1, 9 in the account of the expedition of Chedorlaomer of Elam, with his allies, Amraphel of Shinar (Babylonia), Arioch of Ellasar, and Tidal, who is called "king of nations" (the King James Version) (goyim, Targum `ammin). Whether the last-named took part in this expedition as one of Chedorlaomer's vassals or not is unknown. The Greek form possibly prints to an earlier pronunciation Tadgal.

2. Its Babylonian Equivalent:

The only name in the cuneiform inscriptions resembling Tidal is Tudhula, or, as it was probably later pronounced, Tudhul. This, from its form, might be Sumerian, meaning "evil progeny," or the like. In addition to the improbability of a name with such a signification, however, his title "king of goyim," or "nations," in Genesis 14:1, presupposes a ruler of another race.

3. The Babylonian Tudhula and His Time:

The inscription in which the name Tudhula occurs is one of three of late date (4th to 3rd century B.C.), all referring, apparently, to the same historical period. The text in question (Sp. iii.2) is of unbaked clay, and is broken and defaced. After referring to a ruler who did not maintain the temples, Durmah-ilani son of Eri-Aku (Arioch) is referred to, appatently as one who ravaged the country, and "waters (came) over Babylon and E-sagila," its great temple. The words which follow suggest that Durmah-ilani was slain by his son, after which a new invader appeared, who would seem to have been Tudhula, son of Gazza(ni?). He likewise ravaged the land, and floods again invaded Babylon and E-sagila. To all appearance he met with the fate which overtook Durmah-ilani-death at the hands of his son, who "smote his head." Then came the Elamite, apparently Chedorlaomer, who was likewise slain. This inscription, therefore, gave historical quotations of the fate which overtook those who were regarded as enemas of the gods.

4. Doubts as to His Identity:

Though we have here the long-sought name of Tidal, it may legitimately be doubted whether this personage was the ruler of that name mentioned in Genesis 14. The "nations" (goyim) which he ruled are regarded by Sayce as having been wandering hordes (umman manda), probably Medes. On the other hand, the occurrence of the name Dudhalia, son of Hattusil (Khetasir), contemporary of Rameses II, in the inscriptions found at Hattu, the capital of the Hittites, suggests that that extensive confederation may have been the "nations" referred to. In other words, Tidal or Tudhula (for Dudhalia) was an earlier ruler bearing the same name as Hattusil's son.

5. Probably a Hittite:

If he be, as is possible, the same personage as is mentioned in Genesis 14, he must have fought against Arioch's son, conquered his domains and been killed, in his turn, by either the Biblical Chedorlaomer or another Elamite ruler beaming the same or a similar name. See AMRAPHEL; ARIOCH; CHEDORLAOMER; ERI-AKU; NATIONS.

Strong's Hebrew

8413. Tidal -- perhaps a Canaanite king
... 8412, 8413. Tidal. 8414 . perhaps a Canaanite king. Transliteration:
Tidal Phonetic Spelling: (tid-awl') Short Definition: Tidal. ...
/hebrew/8413.htm - 6k

8414. tohu -- formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
... meaningless arguments (1), nothing (2), waste (3), waste place (2). Tidal.
From an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation ...
/hebrew/8414.htm - 6k

Library

The History after the Flood.
... among those called Chaldæans, the first king was Arioch, and next after him Ellasar,
and after him Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and after him Tidal, king of ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xxxi the history after the.htm

Chapter xiv
... 1. And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king
of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiv.htm

Geological Reform.
... Laplace, therefore, laid the responsibility of the acceleration upon the moon; and
if his views were correct, the tidal retardation must either be ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/xi geological reform.htm

The Olivet Message.
... If that young man whose inner life is passion-swept, one tidal wave of fierce
temptation, hot on the heels of the last, until all the moorings are snapped, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the olivet message.htm

Spiritual Growth
... On the one hand, we know that spiritual experience is marked by certain crises which
are in some cases like earthquakes or tidal waves; whilst, on the other ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xvii spiritual growth.htm

Voyage to India.
... Calcutta is a hundred miles from the sea, but the country is so level that the tide
runs up in great strength many miles beyond, and the tidal wave, which ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter i voyage to india.htm

Our Need of a World to Win.
... lives. Every man needs a great purpose to grip his life. So he is anchored
and held steady against the world's tidal movements. If ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/our need of a world.htm

The Second Coming of Christ.
... Such changes will be followed by corresponding commotions on our planet, as, for
instance, great tidal waves and vast agitation in the ocean]; 26 men fainting ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxiv the second coming of.htm

The Destruction of the Sodomites by the Assyrian Wall.
... but on the thirteenth year they rebelled, and then the army of the Assyrians came
upon them, under their commanders Amraphel, Arioch, Chodorlaomer, and Tidal. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 the destruction of.htm

Prolegomena.
... conquests, and is said to have proceeded to Rhegium, at the very toe of Italy, and
there, riding up to a column on the shore through the tidal waves, to have ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leo/writings of leo the great/prolegomena.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Tidal

that breaks the yoke; knowledge of elevation

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tidal

(great son) is mentioned only in (Genesis 14:1,9) (B.C. about 1900.) He is called "king of nations," from which we may conclude that he was a chief over various nomadic tribes who inhabited different portions of Mesopotamia at different seasons of the year, as do the Arabs at the present day.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Tidal

Apparently the chief of several allied tribes, with whom he joined Chedorlaomer in the invasion of the vale of Siddim, Mount Seir, etc., and was defeated by Abraham, Genesis 14:1-6.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(in the LXX. called "Thorgal"), styled the "king of nations" (Genesis 14:1-9). Mentioned as Tudkhula on Arioch's brick (see facing page 139). Goyyim, translated "nations," is the country called Gutium, east of Tigris and north of Elam.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(a.) Of or pertaining to tides; caused by tides; having tides; periodically rising and falling, or following and ebbing; as, tidal waters.

Thesaurus

Tidal (2 Occurrences)
... (a.) Of or pertaining to tides; caused by tides; having tides; periodically rising
and falling, or following and ebbing; as, tidal waters. Int. ...TIDAL. ...
/t/tidal.htm - 11k

Amraphel (2 Occurrences)
... king of Shinar (Babylonia), who fought against the cities of the plain, in alliance
with Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of ...
/a/amraphel.htm - 12k

Chedorlaomer (5 Occurrences)
... enumerates among the enemies of Khammu-rabi, Kudur-Lagamar ("the servant of the
goddess Lagamar") or Chedorlaomer, Eri-Aku or Arioch, and Tudkhula or Tidal. ...
/c/chedorlaomer.htm - 16k

Goiim (3 Occurrences)
... In Genesis 14:1 where the King James Version has "Tidal, king of nations," the Revised
Version (British and American) retains in the text the Hebrew "Goiim" as ...
/g/goiim.htm - 7k

Eriaku
... for Kudurlachbgomar, ie Chedorlaomer), and Tud-chul, 1 (NOTE: 1 Written Tudchula,
but the syllabaries indicate the final a as silent.) the Biblical Tidal. ...
/e/eriaku.htm - 11k

Eri-aku
... for Kudurlachbgomar, ie Chedorlaomer), and Tud-chul, 1 (NOTE: 1 Written Tudchula,
but the syllabaries indicate the final a as silent.) the Biblical Tidal. ...
/e/eri-aku.htm - 11k

Hammurabi
... Palestine: Unfortunately none of the documents referring to his reign makes mention
of his attack, in company with the armies of Chedorlaomer, Tidal and Arioch ...
/h/hammurabi.htm - 47k

Goyim (7 Occurrences)
... Genesis 14:1 And it cometh to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch
king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goyim, (YLT). ...
/g/goyim.htm - 8k

Goi'im (3 Occurrences)
... Genesis 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch
king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, (See RSV). ...
/g/goi'im.htm - 7k

Ella'sar (2 Occurrences)
... Genesis 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch
king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, (See RSV). ...
/e/ella'sar.htm - 6k

Bible Concordance

Tidal (2 Occurrences)

Genesis 14:1 It happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Tidal

Tidal: King of Nations (Rv , Goiim)

Related Terms

Amraphel (2 Occurrences)

Chedorlaomer (5 Occurrences)

Goiim (3 Occurrences)

Eriaku

Eri-aku

Hammurabi

Goyim (7 Occurrences)

Goi'im (3 Occurrences)