Mt. Zion Freewill Baptist Church (Bible Study) Wednesday October 23, 2024

The Battle Of The Kings Genesis 14:1-24

Genesis Chapter 14: 1-24: This episode recounts a regional war between several Mesopotamian kings. Lot’s fateful choice to live near Sodom embroils him in the conflict, and Abram must rescue him from the kings who have conquered Sodom and the surrounding cities. This narrative is the only time Abram is depicted as a warrior, and the themes of promise and blessing—prominent in the other episodes from Abraham’s life—are absent here.

1. And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel (AM ruh fehl) king of Shinar (SHIGH nahr), Arioch (EHR ih ahk) king of Ellasar (el LAY sahr), Chedorlaomer (ked awr lay OH muhr) king of Elam (EE luhm), and Tidal (TIGH dal) king of nations;

2. That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab (SHIGH nab) king of Admah (AD muh), and Shemeber (shem EE buhr) king of Zeboiim (zih BOY im), and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

3. All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

There are four local kings in the Valley of Siddim (Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim).

These kings and their people are subject to Kedorlaomer, the king of Elam (a mountainous region east of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers).

4. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer (ked awr lay OH muhr), and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

After twelve years the four kings from the Valley Siddim form a coalition and decide to rebel against Kedorlaomer. They get away with it for a year.

5. And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer(ked awr lay OH muhr), and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims (REF ay im) in Ashteroth (ASH tuh rahth) Karnaim (kahr NAY im), and the Zuzims (ZOOzim) in Ham, and the Emims (EE mim) in Shaveh(SHAY veh) Kiriathaim (kihr ih uh THAY im),

In the fourteenth year Kedorlaomer and his allies come West to suppress the rebellion. Their warrior bands kill, burn and plunder the cities on their way.

6. And the Horites in their mount Seir(SEE uhr), unto El-paran (el-PAY ruhn), which is by the wilderness.

7. And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.

8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

9 With Chedorlaomer (ked awr lay OH muhr) the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

11. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

12. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

Chedorlaomer’s party then engage the rebels in battle. The four rebel kings are defeated. In the subsequent looting of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot (Abram’s nephew) and his possessions are taken.

13. And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre (MAM rih) the Amorite, brother of Eshcol (ESH kahl), and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

14. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

15. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah (HOH bah), which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

An escapee from the battle brings news to Abram who is living in Hebron. He calls together his allies—three Amorite brothers—and his 318 trained men and quickly journeys north to Dan. He attacks the five kings and pursues them to a place just north of Damascus. Abram defeats the kings from the East and recovers all the stolen goods and people, including Lot and his possessions.

17. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer (ked awr lay OH muhr), and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.

18. And Melchizedek (mel KIZ uh dek) king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 . And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23. That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

24. Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre;(MAM rih) let them take their portion.

On the way back from defeating the kings and recovering the captives, Abram is met by the king of Sodom, who is accompanied by Melchizedek, king of Salem (see note on v. 18). Melchizedek, identified as a priest of God Most High, immediately offers a blessing to Abram, giving God the glory for his success. The introduction of Melchizedek provides an opportunity for Abram to demonstrate that his military offensive was not motivated by personal gain. As an answer to Melchizedek’s blessing, Abram gives Melchizedek a 10th of the spoil he had recovered (vv. 16, 20), recognizing God’s role in his victory. The king of Sodom offers Abram all the plunder taken from Sodom as a reward for his successful venture, but Abram rejects the proposal because it implies dependence on someone or something other than God alone.