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.
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 El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
7.
And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.
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.
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 Eschol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
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.
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.
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.
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:
SOME ELEMENTS OF A GODLY LIFE
‘I will not take anything that is thine.’
Genesis 14:23
Looking closely at the narrative, we cannot fail to see in it some essential features and most beautiful aspects of the life of a child of God.
I. Sympathy.—Abraham showed no resentment, but with utter unselfishness he at once desires and determines to set out to the rescue of Lot.
II. Decision.—We generally associate godliness with the passive rather than the active virtues, but in view of Hebrews 11 we must not forget the two sides of the Christian life. In Genesis 13. Abraham is seen manifesting the passive virtues of unselfishness, humility, and willingness to yield his rights. In chapter 14, however, there is all the decision and initiative of the brave and fearless man. Courage is as real a Christian virtue as humility.
III. Capability.—Abraham’s strategy and skill show that he was ‘a man of parts.’ There is no necessary connection between godliness and incapacity. The Christian man should neither be a coward nor an incapable. The Spirit of God who equipped Bezaleel is able to give inventiveness, and intellectual and executive ability.
IV. The Explanation of these Elements.—It is all summed up in ‘faith in God.’ ‘By faith Abraham’ was enabled to feel and show this sympathy, for the simple reason that God was all in all to him, and he could in the true sense afford to be tender-hearted and unselfish. ‘By faith Abraham’ possessed and manifested decision, because he was in constant touch with the Source of all power, and was strong in his God to attempt and do great things. ‘By faith Abraham’ was enabled to cultivate and reveal his capacity as a man of affairs because God is the God of all grace, and provides grace sufficient to all His servants for every emergency, and even when the believer’s life commences with only a partial capability in certain directions, it is wonderful how grace can cultivate this faculty and enable the man to do wonders for God. Faith thus purifies and instructs the mind, softens and stirs the heart, and strengthens and controls the will. ‘This is the victory … our faith.’
—Rev. W. H. Griffith-Thomas, d.d.
Illustration
‘His conception of Jehovah was of immense assistance to Abraham in the hour of trial. “I have lift up my hand,” he said, “to God Most High, the Possessor of Heaven and Earth.” What bribe could tempt a man who had all things in God? If the Possessor of Heaven and Earth is yours, and you are His, you are well provided. You do not need the water that “the beasts would cough at,” when you have “a river flowing past your feet.” This is the best way to meet the attractions of the world: get so much of the opposite from God, that you have no taste for the shams and shows of time.’
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.