NOTE: The first nine verses are hard to read, and not too interesting, but the Chapter as a whole IS very interesting.
14:1 AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL KING OF SHINAR, ARIOCH KING OF ELLASAR, CHEDORLAOMER KING OF ELAM, AND TIDAL KING OF NATIONS;
14:2 [THAT THESE] MADE WAR WITH BERA KING OF SODOM, AND WITH BIRSHA KING OF GOMORRAH, SHINAB KING OF ADMAH, AND SHEMEBER KING OF ZEBOIIM, AND THE KING OF BELA, WHICH IS ZOAR.
14:3 ALL THESE WERE JOINED TOGETHER IN THE VALE OF SIDDIM, WHICH IS THE SALT SEA.
A.This seems to be the BEGINNING of world wars as four kings from the northeast (in Mesopotamia) make war with five kings of the southwest (cities of the plain near the Dead Sea).
B.Note the names of Sodom and Gomorrah (Verse 2) among the five cities from the southwest area.
C.And remember that Lot is now living in Sodom.
14:4 TWELVE YEARS THEY SERVED CHEDORLAOMER, AND IN THE THIRTEENTH YEAR THEY REBELLED.
A.The conflict of Verse 3 was probably over who would have con-trol of the major trade routes that passed through the land.
B.Apparently the Mesopotamian kings (with Chedorlaomer being the chief king) had won.
C.Now, after twelve years, the cities of the plain rebelled.
14:5 AND IN THE FOURTEENTH YEAR CAME CHEDORLAOMER, AND THE KINGS THAT [WERE] WITH HIM, AND SMOTE THE REPHAIMS IN ASHTEROTH KARNAIM, AND THE ZUZIMS IN HAM, AND THE EMIMS IN SHAVEH KIRIATHAIM,
14:6 AND THE HORITES IN THEIR MOUNT SEIR, UNTO EL-PARAN, WHICH [IS] BY THE WILDERNESS.
14:7 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.
14:8 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;
**The Vale of Siddim was at the southern end of the Dead Sea.
14:9 WITH CHEDORLAOMER THE KING OF ELAM, AND WITH TIDAL KING OF NATIONS, AND AMRAPHEL KING OF SHINAR, AND ARIOCH KING OF ELLASAR; FOUR KINGS WITH FIVE.
14:10 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.
14:11 AND THEY TOOK ALL THE GOODS OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH, AND ALL THEIR VICTUALS, AND WENT THEIR WAY.
14:12 AND THEY TOOK LOT, ABRAM'S BROTHER'S SON, WHO DWELT IN SODOM, AND HIS GOODS, AND DEPARTED.
A.The kings of Mesopotamia were victorious, and they took the people of Sodom and Gomorrah captive.
B.Lot was in the midst of the spoils taken by the eastern kings.
14:13 AND THERE CAME ONE THAT HAD ESCAPED, AND TOLD ABRAM THE HEBREW; FOR HE DWELT IN THE PLAIN OF MAMRE THE AMORITE, BROTHER OF ESHCOL, AND BROTHER OF ANER: AND THESE [WERE] CONFEDERATE WITH ABRAM.
A.This is the first occurrence of the word HEBREW.
B.Some authorities say the word literally means "a dweller alongside;" that is, Abram was a dweller alongside the natives of the land; he was a sojourner, a pilgrim, he was on many travels (as a tourist) -- just passing through.
14:14 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.
A.Abram heard about Lot (here called HIS BROTHER), and set out to free him.
B.Note the great wealth of Abram, indicated by 318 servants.
C.DAN was at the northern boundary of Canaan.
14:15 AND HE DIVIDED HIMSELF AGAINST THEM, HE AND HIS SERVANTS, BY NIGHT, AND SMOTE THEM, AND PURSUED THEM UNTO HOBAH, WHICH [IS] ON THE LEFT HAND OF DAMASCUS.
14:16 AND HE BROUGHT BACK ALL THE GOODS, AND ALSO BROUGHT AGAIN HIS BROTHER LOT, AND HIS GOODS, AND THE WOMEN ALSO, AND THE PEOPLE.
14:17 AND THE KING OF SODOM WENT OUT TO MEET HIM AFTER HIS RETURN FROM THE SLAUGHTER OF CHEDORLAOMER, AND OF THE KINGS THAT [WERE] WITH HIM, AT THE VALLEY OF SHAVEH, WHICH [IS] THE KING'S DALE.
A.There is a modern town named Hoba, which is 60 miles north-west of Damascus; It is assumed to be the ancient Hobah.
B.Abram accomplished his mission and returned to the vicinity of the Dead Sea.
14:18 AND MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM BROUGHT FORTH BREAD AND WINE: AND HE [WAS] THE PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
14:19 AND HE BLESSED HIM, AND SAID, BLESSED [BE] ABRAM OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH:
14:20 AND BLESSED BE THE MOST HIGH GOD, WHICH HATH DELIVERED THINE ENEMIES INTO THY HAND. AND HE GAVE HIM TITHES OF ALL.
A.SALEM would later be known as Jerusalem (perhaps because the Jebusites lived there and called it Jebusalem, which later was changed to the more euphemistic Jerusalem).
B.The word SALEM is similar to the Hebrew word SHALOM, and it means "peace" -- Jerusalem: "City Of Peace."
C.MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM...PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.
a.Heb 7:1-3, in regard to the priesthood.
b.Heb 7:4-7, Melchizedek was "better" (greater, superior) to Abraham in reference to the priesthood; Not that he was a greater man.
D.These verses show that God was interested in other people besides the descendents of Abram who were to become Israel. The Israelites were His chosen people for a special purpose, for a special time (until the purpose was accomplished), but He did not turn His back on other people.
14:21 AND THE KING OF SODOM SAID UNTO ABRAM, GIVE ME THE PERSONS, AND TAKE THE GOODS TO THYSELF.
14:22 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,
14:23 THAT I WILL NOT [TAKE] FROM A THREAD EVEN TO A SHOELATCHET (SANDAL STRAP, NKJ), AND THAT I WILL NOT TAKE ANY THING THAT [IS] THINE, LEST THOU SHOULDEST SAY, I HAVE MADE ABRAM RICH:
14:24 SAVE ONLY THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE EATEN, AND THE PORTION OF THE MEN WHICH WENT WITH ME, ANER, ESHCOL, AND MAMRE; LET THEM TAKE THEIR PORTION.
A.Abram was already rich, but when people would say "Abram is rich," the king could say, "I made him rich."
B.So Abram was protecting himself, and giving glory to God.
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