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GENESIS 14

Abram learned from his error in Egypt and henceforth counted only on the LORD. -- (DATE: Around 1873 before Christ)

DISCOVER Genesis 14: During those days the area to the east and south-east of (what today is) the Dead Sea was governed by five kings, Bera of Sodom, Birasha of Gomorrah, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboiim and Zoar of Bela. These were forced to pay tribute to Chedorlaomer, king of Elam (in south-eastern Mesopotamia, today at the border between Iran and Iraq). They paid their tribute for twelve years, but in the thirteenth they decided to rebel together. When Chedorlaomer learned of this, he gathered his three ally kings in Mesopotamia, Amraphel of Shinar, Arioch of Ellasar and Tidal of Goiim, and together they marched on a campaign to distant Canaan the following year. Marching through the land from the north-east of Canaan south ward, they defeated and plundered the kingdoms east and south-east of the Jordan river (today in the Kingdom of Jordan): Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emimin in Shaveh-kiriathaim and the Horites of the Seir hill country as far south as El-paran (today on the north-eastern tip of the Red Sea). From there the four Kings headed north-west through the Negeb (southern Canaan), where they first battled and defeated the Amalekites of En-mishpat and the Amorites in Hazazon-tamar. -- From there they headed north-east to the area south of (what is today) the Dead Sea, where, in the Siddim Valley, the Kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela had mustered their forces to fight the Mesopotamian kings. However this Canaanite alliance was no match for the invaders and soon their armies dispersed and fled from Chedorlaomer and his allies, leaving their cities ripe for plunder. The spoils these four victorious kings took were all the possessions of the cities, including its citizens, who couldn’t manage to flee in time. -- One of the people who managed to escape had heard of Lot’s uncle, Abram. For Lot was living in this region and had been captured by the pillaging kings of Mesopotamia. So this man made his way to Mamre and told Abram the Hebrew of what had happened to his kin. Hearing this, Abram went and asked for help from his allies, the Amorite Mamre, next to whom he lived, and Mamre’s two brothers Eshcol and Aner, in addition to rallying the able bodied men of his camp, 318 people. Together these three and their troop set off to pursue the Mesopotamian kings up till Dan (on the Jordan river), in the far north of Canaan (roughly 80 km south-west of what today is Damascus). There Abram divided their forces into smaller groups and, once night had fallen, led the attack on the camp of the four Mesopotamian kings. Abram and his allies defeated these kings’ armies that night and when these fled, pursued them hot on their heels all the way to Hobah, north of Damascus (today in Syria). Through this victory, Abram and those with him, succeeded to not only free all the captives these Mesopotamian kings had made, including Abram’s nephew Lot and his family, but also all the spoils the invaders had made during their campaign. -- On their way back Abram and his allies passed through the Valley of Shaveh (later called the King’s Valley immediately to the east of Jerusalem), were they were met by Bera, the king of Sodom. However, the king of Salem (today Jerusalem) by the name of Melchizedek, also awaited the victorious men in this valley with bread and wine. When Abram came before these kings, Melchizedek blessed him before Bera could get a word in edgewise. This royal Priest of God Most High blessed Abram in the name of the highest God, the possessor of heavens and earth. And he thanked God Most High that he had given Abram’s enemies into his hand. After he had received this blessing by this Priest of the God, who had led him into this land, Abram gave him a tenth of everything, in acknowledgment of the role this highest God had played in his victory. -- It was only after this exchange between these two men of God that Bera of Sodom, which was a wicked place in the eyes of God, could approach Abram. Unable to match the gift that Melchizedek had just bestowed upon the ultimate victor of this war, Bera asked Abram to give him back his people and keep all other spoils taken from Sodom for himself as compensation. Abram, however, declined this offer and told Bera that he had lifted his hand (in an oath) to the LORD, God Most High, that he would not keep even a thread or sandal strap that belonged to the king of Sodom, for he did not want this king of Sodom to be able to say that he had made Abram rich. Therefore Abram would only take what his men had already eaten from the spoils as payment. Instead the king of Sodom should go to Abram’s allies, Aner, Eshcol and Mamre, and give them a compensation for their efforts.

PRAYER: Our almighty and holy God, we are amazed that already at the time of Abram there were international wars going on between Mesopotamia and Canaan, as is the case in our age. Thank you that you show us through this teaching of Moses that relying on you alone is the secret to blessing and protection from you. Help us not to look to other spiritual forces for help and strength, but only to you, who created and possess the heavens and the earth. To you alone belongs all glory forever. Amen.

QUESTION 14: How does Abram’s meeting with Melchizedek reveal the secret of his success in freeing Lot?