---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Genesis 14"
description: "CHAPTER 14   :-. WAR. 1. And it came to pass—This
chapter presents Abram in the unexpected character of a warrior. The
occasion was this: The king of Sodo"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/genesis/14"
---

![Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible](/images/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible.jpg)

 The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
 
Include 66 books
 
Denomination: calvinism
 
 GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong Of SolomonIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation 1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950 

CHAPTER 14

. WAR.

**1. And it came to pass**—This
chapter presents Abram in the unexpected character of a warrior. The
occasion was this: The king of Sodom and the kings of the adjoining
cities, after having been tributaries for twelve years to the king of
Elam, combined to throw off his yoke. To chastise their rebellion, as
he deemed it, Chedorlaomer, with the aid of three allies, invaded the
territories of the refractory princes, defeated them in a pitched
battle where the nature of the ground favored his army (), and hastened in triumph on his homeward march, with a
large amount of captives and booty, though merely a stranger.

**12. they took Lot . . . and his
goods, and departed**—How would the conscience of that young man
now upbraid him for his selfish folly and ingratitude in withdrawing
from his kind and pious relative! Whenever we go out of the path of
duty, we put ourselves away from God's protection, and cannot expect
that the choice we make will be for our lasting good.

**13. there came one that had
escaped**—Abram might have excused himself from taking any active
concern in his "brother," that is, nephew, who little
deserved that he should incur trouble or danger on *his*
account. But Abram, far from rendering evil for evil, resolved to
take immediate measures for the rescue of Lot.

**14. And when Abram heard that his
brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants**—domestic
slaves, such as are common in Eastern countries still and are
considered and treated as members of the family. If Abram could spare
three hundred and eighteen slaves and leave a sufficient number to
take care of the flocks, what a large establishment he must have had.

**15, 16. he divided himself . . . by
night**—This war between the petty princes of ancient Canaan is
exactly the same as the frays and skirmishes between Arab chiefs in
the present day. When a defeated party resolves to pursue the enemy,
they wait till they are fast asleep; then, as they have no idea of
posting sentinels, they rush upon them from different directions,
strike down the tent poles—if there is any fight at all, it is the
fray of a tumultuous mob—a panic commonly ensues, and the whole
contest is ended with little or no loss on either side.

**18. Melchizedek**—This victory
conferred a public benefit on that part of the country; and Abram, on
his return, was treated with high respect and consideration,
particularly by the king of Sodom and Melchizedek, who seems to have
been one of the few native princes, if not the only one, who knew and
worshipped, "the most high God," whom Abram served. This
king who was a type of the Saviour (), came to bless God for the victory which had been won, and
in the name of God to bless Abram, by whose arms it had been
achieved—a pious acknowledgment which we should imitate on
succeeding in any lawful enterprise.

**20. he gave him tithes of all**—Here
is an evidence of Abram's piety, as well as of his valor; for it was
to a priest or official mediator between God and him that Abram gave
a tenth of the spoil—a token of his gratitude and in honor of a
divine ordinance ([Proverbs 3:9](../../../kjv/proverbs/3/9)).

**21. the king of Sodom said . . .
Give me the persons**—According to the war customs still existing
among the Arab tribes, Abram might have retained the recovered goods,
and his right was acknowledged by the king of Sodom. But with honest
pride, and a generosity unknown in that part of the world, he replied
with strong phraseology common to the East, "I have lifted up
mine hand" [that is, I have sworn] unto the Lord that I will not
take from a thread even to a sandal-thong, and that that I will not
take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldst say, I have made
Abram rich" [[Genesis 14:22](../../../kjv/genesis/14/22);
[Genesis 14:23](../../../kjv/genesis/14/23)].

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