Genesis 14:2 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Made war with Bera, &c.— These five kings were lords of the country, called Pentapolis, from their five cities, which stood in that rich and then fertile valley of Siddim, which is now the Salt-sea; so called from the great quantity of salt or bitumen wherewith it is impregnated. We call it the Dead-sea (Deuteronomy 29:23.); for it is of so strong a consistence, that the winds have not so much power over it, as over the waters, in common. The Hebrews call any large body of waters a sea: this, however, is properly enough so called, because it receives rivers into it, and has no exit; in which it resembles the Caspian sea, the lake of Mexico, &c. It may well be named the Salt-sea; for it is so exceedingly salt, that its waters seem fully saturated, or scarce able to dissolve any more; whence, in summer, its banks are incrustated with great quantities of dry salt.