Studies In Genesis: Chapters 14 Series

Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.

Genesis 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;

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.

These may seem to be a record of useless words concerning Abram and his journey but it is not. This is history. Here we see the first recorded war in the scripture. Whats so important is the fact that at one time liberal scholars thought that these men never existed and the Bible was false in its record of history. But now we know that records have been found that prove these men do exist. These are real men.

3* All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which

is the salt sea.

4* Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth

year they rebelled.

It seems that these kings met together and decided to over throw the cities. They wanted to come down and take over. So they captured the weaker cities and went on. A lot of times kings would capture surrounding cities just to make his kingdom bigger. He would protect himself. Although he would not destroy the city. So we see here that the captured cities began to rebell after 12 yrs of captivity. They began to go against the grain.

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,

6* And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which

[is] by the wilderness.

7* And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which [is] Kadesh,

and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the

Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

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 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.

So the kings were mad against the rebellion. The began to destroy the cities that escaped. But here finally we see a relating factor in this history, Lot. It seems during their rout they captured slaves and material items and one slave was Lot. Which in turn involves Abram.

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.

This is where it is first mentioned of Abram being called the Hebrew. The word hebrew was usually refered to a nomad or traveler in this time. It later began to refer to the Israelites in Ex 3:18. Are we all Hebrews in this world? Are we like nomads passing through this old world? I have to remind myself of that.

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.

We see that when Abram heard that Lot had been captured he began to gather together his best fighting men which was 318. He put weapons in their hands and devised a plan. Here is the plan.

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.

He divided his army. Instead of one he had two. He probably let one purse and catch up with the enemy. Then when they began to fight the second half stepped in from behind and began to fight we see it worked.

16* And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again

his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the