Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Genesis 14 – Abram rescues Lot. According to Bible scholars, the events of Genesis 14 took place in 2084 B.C. approximately.
I encourage you to turn to Genesis 14 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Genesis 14 with me. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scriptures that you find highlighted in purple in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Genesis 13, we read about the Abram and Lot parting ways. Well, in this Bible study on Genesis 14, we will read about how Abram rescued Lot.
Without any further delay, let us study together Genesis Chapter 14, shall we?
Battle Of The Nine Kings In The Valley Of The Salt Sea
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 they 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). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
In Verses 1-2 of Genesis 14, the background for the first recorded battle in the Holy Bible is set. The kings of Mesopotamia namely King Amraphel of Shinar, King of Ellasar and the Tidal king of nations joined forces with Chedorlaomer king of Elam to battle the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela-Zoar. (4 big-state kings vs 5 small-state kings). Verse 3 tells us that this battle took place in the Valley of Siddim which means Valley of the Salt Sea (which you can find on the world map today as the Dead Sea).
Chedorlaomer the king of Elam was king of the Jordan Valley over five small kingdoms (they were really city-states and not kingdoms), who had their own kings. These five small kingdoms were Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela-Zoar, as mentioned before, and they served the Elamite king Chedorlaomer for twelve years. However, in the thirteenth year they rebelled against the Elamite king because of oppression.
Notes on the geography of kingdoms
Archeology and research shows that Chedorlaomer’s kingdom Elam is now mapped to southwestern Iran. Shinar is the Biblical name for Sumer – the Mesopotanian Kingdom of Sumerians and Babylon was a city in Sumeria. The Ellasar kingdom was the Mesopotamian kingdom of Larsa. The Tidal king of Nations represents the region of Turkey as Tidal is a Hittite name and the Hittites were based in the region of Turkey.
King Chedorlaomer’s Forces Attacked Several Different Regions And Tribes
5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
In Verses 5-7 of Genesis 14, we read that in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer, together with his allies – the three kings of different regions of Mesopotamia and Turkey, came and attacked several different tribes and regions. They zig-zagged through the entire Levant region attacking the Rephaims, the Zuzims, The Emims, The Horites, the country of Amalekites and the Amorites. This was even before they clashed directly with the oppossing five small-state kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela-Zoar. They killed not only their enemies but also all the others who lived in the Levant region. It was one of the greatest battles with a lot of blood shed and life loss.
King Chedorlaomer Wins the Battle Against The Rebelling Jordan Valley Kings
8 And 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 joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.
In Verses 8-12 of Genesis 14, we read that the kings of the five small city states of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela-Zoar marched out to battle, in the Valley of Siddim- The salt sea, against King Chedorlaomer and his allied forces. Soon, they found out that they were no match to the mighty forces of Chedorlaomer. Hence, unsurprisingly they fled from the battle. Verse 10 specifically records that the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits. These asphalt pits are also referred to as slime or bitumen pits. Two of the five kings namely the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there (in the pits) and the remaining three kings fled to the mountains.
King Chedorlaomer Takes Lot Captive Along With Other Battle Spoils
11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Verses 11-12 of Genesis 14, talks about how the victors of the battle (Chedorlaomer and his allies) took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, all thier supplies and went their way as battle spoils. Verse 12 tells us that they also took Lot, Abram’s nephew who had recently moved to Sodom after he had separated from Abram in Genesis 13. They took also Lot’s goods with them and each of the four kings (Chedorlaomer and other three kings) were on their way to their own territories and nations with their troops and plummaged goods and Lot.
Abram Is Informed About Lot’s Captivity
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram.
In Verse 13 of Genesis 14, one who was taken captive by the four mighty kings escaped (a survivor or a captive) and came to Abram at Mamre to inform Abram about Lot and the all that had happened. Abram dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, the Amorite. Mamre the Amorite along with his brothers Eshcol and Aner were allies with Abram.
Abram’s 319 Army Pursues King Chedorlaomer
14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
Verses 14-15 of Genesis 14, tells how Abram on hearing about his nephew Lot, armed his 318 trained servants who were born in his house and with them he went in pursuit of the might kings army, as far as Dan, to rescue Lot. Abram’s army was only 319 including himself against the thousands of soldiers of the four mighty kings. In Verse 15 of Genesis 14, we see that Abram divided his troops against the mighty army by night and attacked them at night and pursued them even as far as the Hobah in north Damascus and he was victorious with God’s help. Chedorlaomer who thought that he was undefeatable and mighty with his allied kings and their troops was defeated all together by Abram and his 318 trained servants army.
Abram Rescues Lot And Returns With All Stolen Goods And Battle Spoils
16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
Verse 16 tells us how Abram brought back all the goods that were stolen, his nephew Lot and his belongings, the women and the people who were taken captive. This shows that even though the army of the four kings were gigantic and huge they were nothing before faith-filled Abram who had God on his side.
In Verse 17, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram in the Valley of Shaveh also called the king’s valley after Abram had defeated and slayed Chedorlaomer and all the kings with him.
Abram and Melchizedek
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said:
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
And he gave him a tithe of all.
In Verses 18-20 of Genesis 14, we see that Melchizedek, the king of Salem (later called as Jeru’Salem’ – Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine and he was the priest of God Almighty. He met Abram even before Abram could talk with the King of Sodom. And Melchizedek blessed Abram and called Abram possessor of heaven and earth. The High Priest also blessed God Most High who had delivered Abram’s enemies into his hands. And Abram gave to the high priest a tithe of all that he had taken during the victory against the four kings. Tithe is calculated one tenth of annual produce or earnings.
Points to Ponder
Who is it that can be the priest of the Most High God? And this High Priest was from Salem – Jerusalem. And, Abram paid this High Priest a tithe of all he had taken from the battle. Is this pointing to Jesus? We know that He is our High Priest now. Since, God is the same yesterday, today and forever, it means that if Jesus is our High Priest now, He was also our High priest before (even before He took human flesh) and He will be our High Priest even in the future.
God is not restricted to time. Because only the High priest of God Himself could offer the sacrifice to God on behalf of man as no man was worthy to offer the ‘ultimate’ sacrifice (final/total/once and for all sacrifice) to God after Adam and Eve’s irreversible sin. And our High Priest offered his own blood on the mercy seat of God.
Conversation Between The King Of Sodom And Abram
21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
In Verses 21-24 of Genesis 14, the king of Sodom meets Abram. He said to Abram to give him the persons that he had brought back from the battle victory and to take all the goods and supplies and provisions for himself. However, Abram refused to take anything for himself from the battle spoils, because he had taken an oath before God Most High to not take even a thread or a sandal strap from the battle victory. And, he refused to take anything that the king of Sodom gave him, because he didn’t want the king to say that he made Abram rich when in fact it was God’s hand on him that made him rich and it was God who gave him the battle victory.
Abram’s allegiance was to God and God alone. He bowed to no man. However, he said that he will take only what the young men (his servants) have eaten and battle spoils of the men who were his allies Aner, Eshcol And Mamre and he asked the king to let them take their portion of the battle spoils.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the bible study lesson on Genesis 14. This is such an interesting and gripping chapter where we see the power of God revealed through Abram and his troops. We also read about Melchizedek– the High Priest of God and Abram’s integrity, faith, courage, obedience and loyalty to God Almighty. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. If you have any comments or questions for me, kindly leave them in the comments box below. I highly appreciate it. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time!