Genesis 14:1-16--Abram Rescues Lot

Genesis 14:1-16 English Standard Version (ESV)
LISTEN:  https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Gen.14.1-Gen.14.16​
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Abram Rescues Lot
14 In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings 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 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.

8 Then 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 they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

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I fully admit that this passage is a little hard to understand, mostly because there are no real "good guys" here other than Abram and Melchizedek, who we don't even see until the battle is done and over with.  I'll do my best to see if I can break things down for you.  The king of Shinar (that name should sound familiar to you from Genesis 10 as this is the region that Nimrod reigned over and where the Tower of Babel was located), is looking to expand his kingdom and influence beyond the boundaries set for him by God.  Once again it appears that this group of people is trying to find a way to bring all peoples under their control and likely even try to undo the curse of God at the Tower of Babel by making everyone in the known world learn their language and culture.  It won't be until the Greek and Roman empires until such a large empire actually forms, though this may be the formation of what will later be known as the Babylonian empire (which many believe does trace back all the way back to Nimrod).

So the allies of the king of Shinar are sweeping through the Middle East and capturing all the small city-states that and the Canaanite cities mentioned in Genesis 10:16 fear they are next victims (and they are right).  The king of Shinar and his allies conquer these cities and Lot and his family and his possessions are all captured as spoils of war.

One of the Canaanites escapes and brings news to Abram that his nephew has been captured and Abram mounts his own small army to launch a rescue, specifically 318 people from his household and the households of the Amorites that he lived among (Anor, Eshcol, and Mamre), Abram pursued as far as Dan (I won't get into all the opinions on this right now, but let's say that this should raise your eyebrows a bit).

Abram then divides his forces at night to mount a sneak attack and pursued them all the way to Hobah, north of Damascus (in modern day Syria).  And Abram brought back Lot, and his possessions and the men and women that had had been captured by the king of Shinar and his allies.

We'll continue this next time as the next passage has to do with dividing the spoils of war and the appearance of the king of Salem who has not been mentioned to this point who is both king and priest of the Most High God.  While we don't see much said about him, he is an important figure mentioned here and in Messianic prophecy in the Psalms and in the book of Hebrews as saying that this man was an image of the type of king and priest that Jesus would be.​