Genesis 14

The kings of Sodom and other cities revolt from Kedor Lamoer and are thereupon invaded and subdued by him with the help of three kings verse 1 Sodom is plundred and Lot together with others carried away captive11 Abram hearing of it marcheth with his own men and confederates to pursue those king and surprising and defeating them sets Lot and the rest of the prisoners at liberty 14 after the victory of his refreshed and blessed by the king and priest Melchizedek to whom he gives the tenth of the spoil 18 and swears that of whatsoever belonged to the king of Sodom he desired nothing of himself 21.

1. And it came to pass in the days of Armaphel the king [understand here none of such great and mighty kings and monarchs as got up afterwards but such chieftains and governors only as had the command and the government but some of the tracts or places with some quantity o men restoring under their jurisdiction which appears by this that the five cities Sodom Gomorra &c. had each of them their king verse 2] of Sinear [see chapter 10 on verse 10] Arioch the king of Ellasar [upper Suffiana in Assyria compare chapter 2 on the annotate on the name of Havila verse 11] Kedor Laomer the king of Elam the son of Sem[a country of Perside called Elymias of Elam the son of Sem see chapter 10.22] and Tideal the king of the nations [it should seem that the kings subject and soldiery consisted of several nations though some take it as if the word Gojim here was but the name of the certain place or country.]

2. That they waged war [this is the first war plainly set down and recorded in holy writ nor is there any other history extant in the world that gives account of any war is old as this] with Bera king of Sodom and with Bisra king of Gomorra Sinah king of Adama and Semeberr king of Zehoim and the king of Bela this is Zoar [see chapter 13.10 those cities which here are visited with war were all of them Zoar only excepted not long after consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven because of their intolerable wickedness.]

3. All these assembled themselves in the vale of Siddim [others towards or to this was the plain or low country wherein the foresaid cities were situated] that is the salt sea [thus called after the destruction of the said cities the same whole tract abound before with abundance of salt and blackish slime pits verse 10 becoming afterwards or turning into great stinking pool otherwise called Lacus Asphaltites that is pitch or glue or slime sea as also the dead sea no living creature being able to remain alive in it.]

4. Twelve years they had served Kedor Laomer [having been it is like subdued so far by him in some former war that they were become tributary to him] but in the thirteenth year [Heb. Thirteen years that is the thirteenth and so in the next verse fourteen and fourteenth] they fell off.

5. So Kedor Laomer came in the fourteenth year and the king that were with him and smote the Rephaim[a people descending from Canaan see chapter 15.20 others giants who are conceived to be so called from their sound vigor and strength] in Asteroth Karnaim [a city beyond Jordan called likewise Asteroth by itself Deuteronomy 1:4 and Joshua 9:10 & 13.31 her surname is Kernaim which it sems was given her from the situation resembling two Ram horns] and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim [a certain people which is likewise were reputed Giants Deuteronomy 2:10 ,11] in Schave KIriathaim [a city built afterwards in Gilead by the Reubenites formerly as it seemeth called Schave see verse 17 Numbers 32:37 Joshua 13:10 others in the plain and champion-field.]

6. And the Horites [Heb. The Chorites a people that dwelt in Seir as likewise Esau afterwards see chapter 32.3 until the Edomites or Esau's posterity droe them out thence see chapter 36.20 and Deuteronomy 33:2 and 1Samuel 25.1 Habakkuk 3:3 hence the desert or wilderness of Paran hath its name see chapter 21.21 an numbers 10.12] which is by the desert.

7. Then they turned again and came to En Mispat that is Kades [as viz. it was called in Moses; time, lying in the desert of Sin. See Numbers 20:11,14,16,22 a distinct place, as some do hold from Kades Barnea, whereof may be seen Numbers 32:8 Deuteronomy 1:19] and smote al the land [that is, the inhabitants of the land] of the Amalekites [a people descending from Esau which inhabited the same afterwards see chapter 36.12] and the Emorites also [likewise a people of Canaans off-spring see chapter 10.16] that dwelt at Hezezon Tamar [Heb. Chatsatson afterwards called Engedi. See Joshua 15:62 1 Samuel 24:1 and 2 Chronicles 20:2.]

8. Then there went forth the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorra and the king of Adama and the king of Zechoim and the king of Bela this is Zoar and they put buttail-array against them in the valley of Siddim.

9. Against Kedor Laomer the king of Elam and Tideal the king of nations and Amarphel the king of Sinear and Arioch the king of Ellasar four kings against five.

10. Now the valley of Siddim was full of flame pits [Heb. Pits-pits thus one and the same word is doubled by the Hebrews to express the quantity or multitude of things 2Kings 3.16 Jeremiah 2:13] and the king of Sodom and Gomorra fled and fell there [a phrase of such a perish in the battail or otherwise see Joshua 8:24,25 Judges 8:10 and 12.6 and 1 Chronicles 21:14 the fallen ones are here put in the oppositions to them that escaped others fell therein or fell down] and the remainder fled to the mountains.

11. And they took all the substance of Sodom [see chapter 12.5 and here verse 16, 21] and Gomorra and all their victual went away.

12. Also they took Lot Abrams brothers sons and his substance and went away for he dwelt in Sodom [Lot namely see chapter 13.12.]

13. Then there came one that was escaped and related it to Abram the Hebrew that was dwelling by the oaken bushes [see chapter 13 on verse 18] of Mamre the Emorite brother of Escol and brother of Aner who were Abrams confederates [Heb. Lord of covenant the word Bathal doth in general signify him that is in possession of anything or useth it or is inclined & affected to it &c. as chapter 37.19 Lord of dreams one that hath many dreams chapter 49.23 Lords of arrows they that use many arrows 2Kings 1.8 Lord of hair one that hath much hair Proverbs 29:22 Lord of heat or wrathfulness one that giveth to that of passion here in this place Lords of covenant are those which were covenant together.]

14. When Abram heard that his brother [that is nephew his brother Harans sons see chapter 11.27] was taken prisoner he armed his instructed or trained ones [or apprentice the Hebrew word doth signify one that is instructed in something from his youth whether it be in matters of religion or military affairs or otherwise others his dedicated and appropriated ones] the in-born of his house three hundred and eighteen and the pursued them with Dan. [A little city lying at the foot of the mount Libenus and the north border of Palestine formerly called Laschem Joshua 19:47 or Lais Judges 18:27.]

15. And he divided himself by them against them by night he and his servants [together with the man of Aner Escol and Mamre who were marched forth with him as confederates see verse 24] and smote them and he pursed them unto Hoba which is on the left hand of Damascus [this is that famous metropolis in Syria see Isaiah 7:8 and 17.1 Jeremiah 49:25 Acts 9:2.]

16. And he brought all the good substance back and Lot likewise his brother and his substance brought again as also the woman and the people.

17. And the king of Sodom went forth to meet him after that he was returned from smiting Kedorlaomer and the kings that were with him unto the vale of the schave [see above verse 5] that is the kings vales [thus called by reason of this encounter see further of this vale 2 Samuel 18:18.]

18. And Melchizedek [Heb. Melchitsedek who was a type of Christ see Psalms 110:4 Hebrews 7:1] King of Salem [Heb. Schalem afterwards called Jerusalem] brought forth bread and wine [to present Abram with and to refresh with wearied army not to make an offering thereof to God the Hebrew verb here used being nowhere in scripture taken for offering] and he was the priest of the most high God.

19. And he blessed him [as a priest of the most high see Hebrews 7:7] and said blessed be Abram to the most high God that possesseth heaven and earth [that is the Lord be gracious unto him and endue him with all manner of blessings in soul and body.]

20. And blessed be the most high [that is extold with praise and thanks as chapter 9.26 and chapter 24.27] that hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand and hath gave him the tenth of all [Abram gave the tenth to Melchizedek see Hebrews 7:4 &c. and compare the same with the following verses here.]

21. And the king of Sodom said to Abram give me the soul [Heb. The soul that is the men or persons or people see chapter 12.5] but the substance take for thyself.

22. Yet Abram said to the king of Sodom I have lifted up my hand to the lord the most high God that possesseth heaven and earth[that is I have sworn and lifted up hands see of the manner of swearing Exodus 6:8 Numbers 14:30 Deuteronomy 32:40 Ezekiel 20:5,6 Revelations 10.5,6.]

23. If from a three to a shoe-latchet yea if of all that is thy I take I ought [this is an imperfect speech very usual among the Hebrews whereby they use to conceal the punishment which they make themselves liable to swearing falsely shewing thereby that tey except no kind of punishment but refer the same to the just judgment of God understand therefore in such passage woe be unto me or God do this or that thus and thus with me if I &c. see chapter 26.29] that thou do not say I have enriched Abram.

24. Be it forth or without me [because I will take nothing of what is thine others read it besides only what &c. see the like phrase chapter 41.verse 16] only what the youths have spent and a part of these men that went forth with me Aner Escol and Mamre let them take their share [that is let not only the young men pass with what they spent of the enemies prey but those three men also be supplied with such a share as they shall demand.]