GENESIS CHAPTER 14 ------------------ Abram delivers Lot. Verse 1-2, The kings and their cities of rule during the time of Lot's deliverance by Abram. Amraphel = "sayer of darkness: fall of the sayer" 1) the king of Shinar (Babylon) (perhaps Hammurabi c 2100 BC) Shinar = "country of two rivers" 1) the ancient name for the territory later known as Babylonia or Chaldea Arioch = "lion-like" 1) the ancient king of Ellasar, ally of Chedorlaomer Ellasar = "God is chastener" 1) a town in Babylonia, c. 28 miles (50 km) E of Ur Chedorlaomer = "handful of sheaves" 1) the king of Elam defeated by Abraham Elam = "eternity" 8) a province east of Babylon and northeast of the lower Tigris Tidal = "great son" 1) chief of various nomadic tribes and an ally of Chedorlaomer Bera = "son of evil" 1) a king of Sodom Sodom = "burning" 1) a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment Birsha = "with iniquity" 1) a king of Gomorrah Gomorrah = "submersion" 1) the twin-city in evil with Sodom, both destroyed in judgment by God with fire from heaven 1a) of iniquity (fig.) Shinab = "splendour of the father" 1) the king of Admah in the time of Abraham Admah = "red earth" 1) city in the Siddim valley Shemeber = "lofty flight" 1) king of Zeboim and an ally of the king of Sodom Zeboim or Zeboiim = "gazelles" 1) one of the 5 cities in the plain which included Sodom and Gomorrah Bela = "destruction" 4) one of the five cities of the plain which was spared at the intercession of Lot, and received the name of Zoar Zoar = "insignificance" 1) a city at the southeast end of the Dead Sea grouped with Sodom and Gomorrah as being one of the 5 cities slated for destruction by God; spared at Lot's plea as his place of refuge Verse 3, This vale or plain became the salt sea after the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah ("which IS the salt sea.") Gill says that this was a fruitful vale abounding with corn, which Lot described as the garden of the Lord, like Eden. Gen 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Siddim = "field" or "plain" 1) valley where the Dead Sea is located Verse 4, Gill says, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, who was of the race of Shem, and so the prophecy of Noah began to be fulfilled, that Canaan should be servant to Shem, for the kings of Sodom and their subjects, were of the race of Ham in the line of Canaan, who had by violence seized on that part of the earth which was allotted to the sons of Shem, and therefore Chedorlaomer being a descendant of his claimed his right, and made them tributary to him, which they were for the space of twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled and refused homage to Chedorlaomer and to pay tribute to him. This is the first war recorded in the Scripture. Verse 5-6, A year later Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were allied with him, mentioned in verse 1, came over to Sodom, etc. "And smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim," which is on the to Sodom. AV - giant 17, Rephaim 8; 25 1) giants, Rephaim 1a) old race of giants Ashtoreth-karnaim = "Ashtoreth of the two horns or peaks" 1) a city in Bashan east of the Jordan given to Manasseh "and the Zuzims in Ham," Zuzim = "roving creatures" 1) an ancient people of uncertain origin, perhaps, inhabitants of ancient Ammon east of the Jordan Ham = "hot" or "sunburnt" 1) the place where Chedorlaomer and his allies smote the Zuzim, probably in the territory of the Ammonites, east of the Jordan; site uncertain "and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim," Emims = "terrors" 1) ancient inhabitants of Moab Shaveh Kiriathaim = "plain of the double or two city" 1) the place attacked by Chedorlaomer "And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan," Horite = "cave dweller" 1) the inhabitants of Mount Seir Seir = "hairy" or "shaggy" 2) the land of Edom, south of the Dead Sea 3) a mountain range in Edom extending from the Dead Sea to the Elanitic Gulf 3a) apparently also called 'Mount Seir' and extending most of the distance of the mountain range itself El-paran = "palm of Paran" 1) town and harbour at tip of Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea Verse 7, They returned from pursuing their victories as far as El-paran by the wilderness and came back and fell upon the Amalekites, and also the Amorites and smote them. En-mishpat = "spring of judgment" 1) a place near southern Palestine coincident or the same place as Kadesh Kadesh = "holy" 1) a city in the extreme south of Judah 1a) same as 'Kedesh' and 'Kadesh-barnea' Hazezon-tamar = "dividing the date-palm" 1) an Amorite city 2) a town situated in the desert Judah; probably Engedi Verse 8-9, The five kings (Sodom, etc.) were against the four kings (Chedorlaomer, etc.) Verse 10, The valley was full of "slime pits" or fountains of pitch, or asphalt, or bitumen. Gill says that the King of Sodom and his allies decided to battle her because of these pits, their enemy being unaware of them, but the pits they intended to the down fall of their enemy became their own down fall. And the five kings fell there and those that did not fall fled to the mountains. Verse 11, So Chedorlaomer and his allies entered into the cities of these five kings (Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.) and took all of what they wanted. Verse 12, Lot, who was now living in Sodom was taken captive along with his goods. He was the son of Abram's brother. Verse 13, Abram is informed of Lot's capture by one who escapes from Sodom. This is the first time that the word "Hebrew" appears in the Bible. Hebrew = "one from beyond" 1) a designation of the patriarchs and the Israelites Mamre = "strength" or "fatness" 1) an Amorite who allied himself with Abram 2) an oak grove on Mamre's land in Palestine where Abraham dwelt 3) a place near Abraham's burial place, apparently identified with Hebron Amorite = "a sayer" 1) one of the peoples of east Canaan and beyond the Jordan, dispossessed by the Israelite incursion from Egypt Eshcol = "cluster" 1) an area of Hebron, the valley of Eshcol 2) an Amorite, the brother of Mamre, dwelling in Hebron Aner = "boy" 1) one of the Amorite chiefs who aided Abraham in the pursuit of the 4 invading kings These were confederate with Abram, and helped in the deliverance of Lot. These men were Amorites, but were perhaps religious men and worshiped the same God as did Abram. Later on God forbade the Israelites to make covenants with the Canaanites. Verses 14-15, Abram armed his servants and leaves to deliver Lot from the five kings. He and his servants divided up and hit the kings at night and smote them and pursued them unto Hobah. Hobah = "hiding place" 1) a city north of Damascus to which Abraham pursued the kings who had pillaged Sodom Verse 16, Abram brought back his brother's son, Lot, and all his goods and all the women and all the people that were captured. Verse 17-18, Two different kings go out to met Abram on his return from delivering Lot. One was the king of a wicked people and the other was "the priest of the most high God." Melchizedek = "my king is Sedek" 1) king of Salem and priest of the Most High God to whom Abram paid tithe after the battle he fought to free Lot; Salem = "peace" 1) the place of which Melchizedek was king 1a) most Jewish commentators affirm that it is the same as Jerusalem Gill says, Jerusalem lay nearly 40 miles from Sodom, though Jerusalem is called Salem (Ps 76:2), he thinks that this is another city called Salem between Damascus and Sodom. Bread and wine - Melchizedek was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, who used bread and wine to represent his body and blood that was shed for many. COMPARE: Heb 6:20 - 7:21 6:20 - "AFTER the order of Melchisedec" after=according to Verses 19-20, Melchizedek blessed Abram, being the priest of the Most High God, and recognized Abram as of the Most High God, of whom he was the priest of. Abram's victory was due to the fact that their God had delivered their enemies into their hands. Abram gave a 10th, not the returned goods, which were given back to the king of Sodom, but of the spoils. De 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. increase AV - increase 23, fruit 13, revenue 5, gain 1; 42 1) produce, product, revenue 1a) product, yield, crops (of the earth usually) 1b) income, revenue 1c) gain (of wisdom) (fig) 1d) product of lips (fig) This shows that tithing is not under the law, for Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek 400 years before the law, to a priest who was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 21-24, Abram refuses to take any of the goods of Sodom nor receive any favour from the king of Sodom, a king of a wicked people, as a REWARD for what he had done. (See 15:1) Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great REWARD.