GENESIS
● Chapter 14
Four Kings Against FiveGen 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.
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.Time passed, and one day, four allied kings in the vast region of Mesopotamia – King Amraphel, King Arioch, King Chedorlaomer, and King Tidal – decided to war against these five kings in the region south of the Dead Sea – King Bera, King Birsha, King Shinab, King Shemeber, and the king of Bela. This world-confederacy resulted from the first world power that was established by Nimrod whose kingdom stretched over four cities – Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
For twelve years, these five kings (in the south of the Dead Sea) served Chedorlaomer, paying tribute with the wealth that was in their lands. In the thirteenth year, being weary of their subjection, the five kings chose to rebel. They planned to meet and join forces together to shake off the yoke of Chedorlaomer in the Valley of Siddim, which is now covered by the southern part of the Dead Sea. [Note: The four Mesopotamian kings had terrorized many nations far and wide which were outside the Mesopotamian Basin. They forced those they conquered to pay yearly tribute.]
Gen 14:5: 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.A year passed, and not receiving the expected tribute from the five kings, the proud and covetous Chedorlaomer and his allies decided to extract it from them with the tip of their swords. The large armed forces of the four Mesopotamian kings marched toward the land of Canaan. As they pushed their way south along the east side of the River Jordan, they made war against various nations in their path. They attacked and defeated these nations who were people of great stature — the Rephaim at Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, and the Emim at Shaveh Kiriathaim. They also defeated the Horites in the hill country of Seir (or Edom), going as far as El Paran which bordered the wilderness (desert). From El Paran, they turned back, circling northwestward, towards En Mishpat (Kadesh), and conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites. As they continued towards the Dead Sea, they defeated the Amorites who were living at Hazazon Tamar.
Gen 14:8: 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.As the four Mesopotamian armies progressed south, marauding the neighbouring nations, the news reached the king of Sodom and his four allies. Despite their enemy’s victory over the many nations, Bera of Sodom and his allies thought not to submit nor desire peace. So, they gathered together to face the advancing Chedorlaomer and his Mesopotamian allies in the Valley of Siddim.
From Tamar, the four Mesopotamian kings marched against the five rebelling kings. The battle was fierce and casualties heavy. The Mesopotamian armies were winning the battle. The five kings and their soldiers began to scatter and flee. There were many slime pits of bitumen (asphalt) spread throughout the Valley of Siddim. Many soldiers, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, fell into them. Many died, or were killed by their enemies while they struggled to get out. The rest of the soldiers fled to the mountain nearby.
The conquering Mesopotamian kings then plundered the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. They not only took the citizens captive, they took all things of value, even foodstuff. Lot and all his possessions were also part of their loot; as he and his household had long left the Jordan Valley to live in Sodom. Then the victorious invading armies departed. [Note: Believers should take heed to the admonition of Paul to “be not conformed to this world” (Rom.12:2), less they be like Lot, who conformed to the world and suffered with it.]
Saving LotGen 14:13: 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.
Someone, who knew Abram and Lot, had escaped, and he went all the way to the plain of Mamre, in Hebron, and report it to Abram the Hebrew. The word “Hebrew” (Ibree, signifying one from beyond the River Euphrates, or one who passed over from Chaldee to Canaan; a “passer over”) appears first in this verse. No doubt, there were others who had crossed the River Euphrates to Canaan. However, Moses used this word as a patronymic name (from Eber or Heber, cf. Gen.10:21) was certainly God’s way of showing us that the Hebrew people – in Abram – were His very chosen people.
Now, Mamre was an Amorite. Although the Amorites were descendants of Canaan, and very sinful, it appears that Mamre was a good man. Abram lived in his plain, and somehow Abram could form an alliance with Mamre and his two brothers, Eshcol and Aner. [Note: The Amorites were the descendants of Canaan. They lived alongside other descendants of Canaan in the land of Canaan. Like all Canaanites, they were despicably sinful, wicked and evil. They had a long list of abominations before Yahweh. In the days of Abram, the detestable sins of the Amorites had not yet reach a point where it warranted Yahweh’s judgment (cf. Gen.15:16). The presence of righteous Abram and his descendants was the Lord’s grace and mercy, shown as a testimony to all Canaanites in the land, to have them turn from their iniquitous ways, and from their pornographic, idolatrous worships of false gods in which children were sacrificed. After Abram’s descendants had lived, and even slaved, in Egypt for four generations, they then returned to Canaan. Then the iniquity of the Amorites became full. That was when the Lord took judgment upon them.]
Gen 14:14: 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.
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.
16: And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.Upon receiving the bad news, Abram armed his 318 trained servants who were disciplined in the art of war. Abram was a prudent man. He was highly respected, loved and honoured by all in his household, for he was a noble man who loved his people. He not only believed and served Yahweh, but instructed all his household in the service of the same God. Abram must have had more than a thousand man servants. Of those born in his household, there were 318 who were trained to protect and preserve the whole household should the need arise.
What could one group of shepherds and farmers do against the victorious armies of four kings that they were to pursue? Even with the allied group of Amorite warriors of Mamre, Eshcol and Aner, the odds were still stacked against Abram. But Abram had seen Yahweh (cf. Gen.12:7); he believed Him, and trusted in all that Yahweh had spoken concerning his inheritance. With faith in the Lord God, Abram valiantly moved to pursue the large Mesopotamian army which was heading home via Dan and Damascus, to rescue Lot and his household.
Abram was no stranger to the stratagems of war. Together with the fighters of his three Amorite allies, a little army was formed and put under his leadership. They pursued the enemies to Dan. In the night, Abram divided his men into small groups to flank the enemies. As the enemies celebrated their victory, many, no doubt, were intoxicated, and with their guard down, Abram and his groups sprang into action. They attacked and chased the enemies all the way pass Damascus on the left, and up north to Hobah. Abram defeated the enemies, and seized all their spoils of war. He rescued his nephew Lot and all his possessions; and also all the people and properties of those five cities in the south of the Dead Sea.
Abram marched home a victor.
Two KingsGen 14:17: And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.
Gen 14:18: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19: And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.Gen 14:21: And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
22: And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
23: That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
24: Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.This passage of eight verses detailed an important historical event in the life of Abram. What transpired energized Abram’s life and his walk with Yahweh. Two kings – the king of Salem and the king of Sodom – met Abram when he returned after his victory over Chedorlaomer and his allied Mesopotamian kings. They did not meet Abram together in the same place at the same time; each king met Abram separately in different places at different times. Of the two kings, the first to meet Abram was Melchizedek.
Notice carefully that verses 18-20 is actually an interjection. Verses 21-24 actually follows after verse 17. What mystery is there here, for the interjection? And who is Melchizedek, King of Salem?
Melchizedek: The King of SalemAs the great procession of Abram marched southward home to Mamre, in Hebron, news reached the king of Sodom, who then, in a matter of respect, prepared himself to meet and congratulate Abram in the Valley of Shaveh, known as the “king’s dale” which was in the region of Hebron. The long journey had tired the convoy of people, and they stopped at a place to rest and to refresh themselves. It was then that
Melchizedek appeared to Abram with bread and wine. This was an unexpected meeting for Abram. The place of this unusual meeting was somewhere in the hilly area of what later was to become the great city ‒ Jerusalem. At the time of Abram, the Jebusites, who were the descendants of Canaan (cf. Gen.10:15-16) were the main settlers in that region of the Land of Canaan; and in that area they had their city called Jebus (Jdg.19:10; 1Ch.114). The city was only named Jerusalem, the City of Peace, by the Israelites after they took possession of it. Read Deuteronomy 7:1-2; Judges 1:8,21; Joshua 15:63; 2 Samuel 5:6-10.
This person, Melchizedek was not only a king; he was also the priest of the Most High God. How could a king be a priest at the same time?
Yahweh forbade the kings of Israel to be priests and the priests to be kings. Israel’s Old Testament history shows the danger when religious authority is combined with civic authority. King Uzziah tried to do the work of a priest, and God smote him with leprosy (cf. 2Chr.26:16-23). There was King Saul; in his impatience, he intruded into a priest’s office; for that his rule was not allowed to continue (1Sam.13:8-14). But Melchizedek was an exception because he was not an Earthly being, he was a Heavenly being; and there was no literal city in Canaan called Salem; though traditionists believe that Shem (the son of Noah), or a Jebusite, was king and priest of such a city.
Who Is Melchizedek?The name Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness”, or “Righteous King”; and being a Just and Righteous King, he is also the “King of Peace” (“King of Salem”), not that he was a king of a city called Peace (Salem). The words “King of Salem” is a title, a reference to Melchizedek’s pleasant disposition of a king who brings about peace to his people, who are his household, a commonwealth of saints (Eph.2:11-22) , and an abode (city) of God (Psa.46:1-11) called the Holy City New Jerusalem (Rev.21:1-3). This is the City of Peace that the Apostle Paul, by revelation, wrote concerning the vision of Abraham who “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb.11:10). Salem (Peace) is found in that Holy City, the Tabernacle of God, His dwelling place (cf. Psa.76:2).
[Note: Many Biblical saints have names that allude to a position with something unique. Take the name “Abraham”, which means “Father of many nations” (cf. Gen.17:5). Yahweh gave Abram that new name. However, Abraham fathered only the Jewish people; he did not father the “many nations” of people in the world. Abraham was just a man, and “Abraham” was his name, but the name is a reference to Abraham being the spiritual father of the multitude of people whose faith was in Christ Jesus, Who was the Spiritual Seed promised to him in the covenant Yahweh made with him.]
The Apostle Paul gave his revelation of this mysterious person with reference to the Lord Jesus Christ in the Book of Hebrew, chapters 5, 6 and 7. He mentioned repeatedly that Jesus Christ was “an high priest after the order of Melchizedek”; and not after that of Aaron (which is the Levitical Priesthood instituted by Yahweh for the people of Israel). Melchizedek was a prefiguration of Jesus Christ, and whose name was also called “Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isa.9:6b). Jesus Christ is also called the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev.19:16; 1Tim.6:15-16).
Melchizedek was not Jesus Christ. Paul showed the resemblance of the two, to prove that Melchizedek was none other than the Theophany of the Word of Yahweh, for He was “according to the power of an endless life” (Heb.7:16, MKJV); and that He was “without father, without mother, without descent [that is, without genealogy], having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God [that is, Jesus Christ]; abideth a priest continually” (Heb.7:3). But Jesus has a genealogy; He came from His Father in Heaven and was born of a virgin and He died, and was resurrected. Jesus Christ is both King and High Priest to those who are born again of His Spirit and Word (cf. Rev.19:16; Heb.8:1).
The MeetingWhat a blessing it must have been for Abram when Melchizedek appeared to him. It was a personal meeting between the two men — Abram and Melchizedek. Melchizedek, being the priest of the Most High God brought forth bread and wine. He came down to have “communion” with Abram. What a fellowship! For a pilgrim to journey in a strange land that was filled with trials and tribulations, the simple elements of bread and wine were enough to sustain and strengthen, along with the joy of the revelation of Yahweh’s Presence. Melchizedek showed Himself to be a Mediator between God and Abram whom God chose; in that He prefigured Christ Jesus as the Mediator between God and man, of those who was individually chosen.
Notice. Melchizedek blessed Abram, “and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth”. The blessing upon Abram could only come from the Most High God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth; Yahweh possesses everything; He is the Owner of everything in Heaven and on Earth . This blessing instilled a consciousness about Yahweh in Abram. Melchizedek was the channel that blessings flowed. The Apostle Paul revealed that Jesus Christ is God’s channel, “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself...” (2Cor.5:19); and that God “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world...” (Eph.1:4). Then Melchizedek said, “And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand”. Melchizedek blessed Yahweh for Abram’s deliverance. Truly, Yahweh will deliver all whom He has chosen, and live in His righteousness (cf. Gal.1:4; 2Pet.2:9).
“And he gave him tithes of all.” Abram gave unto the LORD, the Most High God, through Melchizedek, a tithe of everything that he had gotten in the victory against his enemies, and all which he possessed. Abram knew that everything that came into his hands were given to him of the Lord Who called him. Though giving was a part and parcel in ancient worship, Abram set the trend for the true worshippers of Yahweh by giving back a tithe (a tenth part) of everything that Yahweh gave into his hands. As King, Melchizedek received it for His Priestly ministration (cf. 1Sam.8:15,17; Gen.28:22).
King of SodomHis meeting with Melchizedek being over, and having been refreshed, Abram continued toward the “king’s dale” in the Valley of Shaveh; there the king of Sodom met him. The wicked king of Sodom made a seemingly modest suggestion to Abram to reward him for all he did in recovering what was taken by the confederation of the four Mesopotamian kings, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself” (verse 21). In other words: “Return me the captured citizens of Sodom, but keep for yourself the recovered material goods that were looted from Sodom”. But Abram, because he knew Yahweh owned everything in Heaven and Earth, said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor (Creator, Owner) of Heaven and Earth, and have taken an oath toward the fact, and therefore I will accept nothing that is yours, not even a thread or a sandal strap, in case you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will accept nothing but what my men have already eaten, and the share that were taken by the men who went with me — Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share” (verses 22-24).
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