The tar pits become the undoing of the fleeing kings — a vivid detail that grounds the battle in a specific geographical reality. The word translated 'slimepits' refers to bitumen or asphalt pits, which were common in the Dead Sea region. The routing of the five kings is total and humiliating.
Memory phrase: Running from the wrong thing can lead to a worse trap.
Talk about it: The kings ran from the battle and some fell into tar pits. Can running away sometimes make things worse? When is it right to run and when should you stand firm?
Prayer: God, when I am tempted to run from problems, help me run to You instead.