Deep Dive - Genesis Part 5

Chapter 14 - Abram Rescues Lot

Chapter 14 - Abram Rescues Lot

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Four Kings Come From Asia

Four Kings Come From Asia

English Standard Version Chapter 14

In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).

If you look on your map this initial conquest is shown by the long line to the West of the Dead Sea. These are the lands that were inhabited by the Rephaim. Which we have covered earlier before the flood.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

3 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.

They are often associated with the Nephilim, which you might remember means “fallen ones,” now, it is worth mentioning that this word is not a translation but a transliteration from Hebrew meaning that it isn’t anything special and we could just as well write in “fallen ones” in the same place. Later the Israelite spies will relate the descendants of this area to the “fallen ones,” but this is can easily be taken to represent giants.

This also fulfills the curse of Noah that Canaan (the descendants of Ham) would be enslaved by Shem, because these 4 kings come out of the land to the North East where Shem’s descendants lived.

(insert Map of Noah’s Sons’ Lands)

This is also where Abram comes from as we saw in Chapter 11 that Abram is the heir of Shem being the first born male of the line of 9 generations.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of

English Standard Version Chapter 14

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of

Slime or Asphalt Pits

Lot Kidnapped

Lot Kidnapped

Abram counts 318 men to accompany him to go and deliver lot. One Christian scholar points out here that in Greek numerals this is represented as TIH - 300, plus Christ represented by IH for Iota Eta.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as

English Standard Version Chapter 14

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as

This now corresponds to the lines heading back up on the Eastern side of the Dead see on your map. Also yes, the name Dan comes from the tribe of Dan later on, but remembering that Genesis is written by Moses, we can gather that he is giving the reader information that will help them understand where it would have been, rather than trying to call everything what it had been called centuries earlier. Anyone who has studied European history at length knows this issue. Every couple hundred years the same 100 square mile block could see 20 difference countries or territorial names put on it.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of

English Standard Version Chapter 14

15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

English Standard Version Chapter 14

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of

English Standard Version Chapter 14

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of

There’s a lot to unpack in these 2 verses.

Things to note:

This is the only time in Genesis where a patriarch is associated with Jerusalem. Salem being the shortened form of Jerusalem, meaning “peace.”

This is the only place in the entire Torah where Jerusalem is referred to by name.

Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of “The God Most High,” brings out bread and wine to bless Abram.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a

English Standard Version Chapter 14

19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a

Abram is blessed, God is blessed, and then Abram tithes to this “priest king.”

Let’s talk about Melchizedek for a minute:

Melchizedek appears in 3 places of Scripture:

Genesis 14

Psalm 110

Hebrews 5-7

Gen.14, Ps 110:4, Heb. 5:6,10; 6:20; 7

I’ll leave you to continue researching that on your own, and we can talk about Melchizedek more in the future. Maybe we’ll do a Deep Dive of Hebrews next.

Aside from all of that, I want us to look also at the rest of the picture we see in these verses.

Abram, the heir of Shem, is being blessed and is tithing at the location of quite a few important moments for the rest of the Bible:

Sacrifice of Isaac

City of Jerusalem

More specifically, the Crucifixion

-Gen 22:1-2

English Standard Version Chapter 14

21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a

English Standard Version Chapter 14

21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a

Abram accepts the blessing from Melchizedek yet immediately rejects the King of Sodom, this also underscores that one of these kings is not like the other. Also we see here that after being victorious in rescuing his kin and then being blessed by a king, Abram is ready to humble himself because he knows that the words of the blessing are true. The victory belongs to the Lord.

And finally

English Standard Version Chapter 15

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Next week we will cover Chapter 15, but I just wanted to go ahead and read the first verse tonight to connect in our minds these events. Because this after these things: that could mean days later, but it could also be read that this vision of God comes to Abram right then.

So next week we will continue here and talk about God’s Covenant with Abram.

Invitation.