Genesis chapter 14
Abram rescues Lot. Melchizedek blesses Abram.
ABRAM RESCUES LOT
VERSE 1. In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim,
VERSE 2. 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 (also called Zoar).
VERSE 3. All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea).
the Salt Sea. That is, the Dead Sea.
VERSE 4. They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
for twelve years. Twelve tribes, twelve disciples, and … twelve years.
VERSE 5. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
VERSE 6. and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness.
VERSE 7. They returned, and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar.
VERSE 8. The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim
VERSE 9. against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
VERSE 10. Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to the hills.
VERSE 11. They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went their way.
VERSE 12. They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son. We saw above that several kings of the region were engaged in battle. During one of the skirmishes, Abram’s nephew Lot was taken captive.
VERSE 13. One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. At that time, he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. They were allies of Abram.
VERSE 14. When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan.
When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive. When Abram learned of Lot’s situation, he sprung into action.
He recruited 318 men to join up with him, and they hunted down the enemy forces. He was victorious.
VERSE 15. He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
VERSE 16. He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.
After his victory, Abram returned home with his nephew Lot. And with all the women that the enemy had seized. And all the property that was seized.
MELCHIZEDEK BLESSES ABRAM
VERSE 17. The king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
VERSE 18. Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.
Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. He brought out bread and wine. Then he blessed Abram and the Most High God. Read more »
VERSE 19. He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.
VERSE 20. Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.
Abram gave him a tenth of all. This is the beginning of the biblical tithe.
To “tithe” means to give away ten percent.
A scant few Christians practice tithing. Most do not.
For those that do practice tithing, they give away ten percent of their income. Or more.
We can’t give to the LORD God directly. So we give our tithe to poor people and other charitable causes. Tithing is a very important part of the path to our joy.
Many Christians are without joy. They are joyless Christians. Perhaps if they tithed, their joy would increase.
The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »
VERSE 21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”
VERSE 22. Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
God Most High. There are two Hebrew words in that phrase: אֵל (“el”) and עֶלְיוֹן (“elyown”). They refer to a Canaanite god.
VERSE 23. that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’
VERSE 24. I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”
GENESIS
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.