CHAPTER XIV _The war of four confederate kings against the five kings of_ _Canaan_, 1-3. _The confederate kings overrun and pillage the whole country_, 4-7. _Battle between them and the kings of Canaan_, 5, 9. _The latter are defeated, and the principal part of the armies_ _of the kings of Sod... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:2. _THESE MADE WAR WITH BERA, C._] It appears, from Genesis 14:4, that these five Canaanitish kings had been subdued by Chedorlaomer, and were obliged to pay him tribute and that, having been enslaved by him twelve years, wishing to recover their liberty, they revolted in the thirte... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:5. _REPHAIMS_] A people of Canaan: Genesis 15:20. _ASHTEROTH_] A city of Basan, where _Og_ afterwards reigned; Joshua 13:31. _ZUZIMS_] Nowhere else spoken of, unless they were the same with the _Zamzummims_, Deuteronomy 2:20, as some imagine. _EMIMS_] _A people great and many_ i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:6. _THE HORITES_] A people that dwelt in Mount Seir, till Esau and his sons drove them thence; Deuteronomy 2:22. _EL-PARAN_] The _plain_ or _oak of Paran_, which was a city in the wilderness of Paran; Genesis 21:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:7. _EN-MISHPAT_] The _well of judgment_; probably so called from the judgment pronounced by God on Moses and Aaron for their rebellion at that place; Numbers 20:1. _AMALEKITES_] So called _afterwards_, from Amalek, son of Esau; Genesis 36:12. _HAZEZON-TAMAR._] Called, in the Chal... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:8. _BELA, THE SAME IS ZOAR_] That is, it was called _Zoar_ after the destruction of Sodom, c., mentioned in Genesis 19:24 Genesis 19:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:10. _SLIME-PITS_] Places where _asphaltus_ or _bitumen_ sprang out of the ground; this substance abounded in that country. _FELL THERE_] It either signifies they were defeated on this spot, and many of them slain, or that multitudes of them had perished in the bitumen-pits which ab... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:11. _THEY TOOK ALL THE GOODS, C._] This was a predatory war, such as the Arabs carry on to the present day they pillage a city, town, or caravan; and then escape with the booty to the wilderness, where it would ever be unsafe, and often impossible, to pursue them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:12. _THEY TOOK LOT, C._] The people, being exceedingly wicked, had provoked God to afflict them by means of those marauding kings and Lot also suffered, being found in company with the workers of iniquity. Every child remembers the fable of the Geese and Cranes; the former, being fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:13. _ABRAM THE HEBREW_] Genesis 10:21. It is very likely that Abram had this appellation from his coming _from_ _beyond_ the river Euphrates to enter Canaan; for העברי _haibri_, which we render _the Hebrew_, comes from עבר _abar_, to _pass_ _over_, or come _from beyond_. It is supp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:14. _HE ARMED HIS TRAINED SERVANTS_] These amounted to three hundred and eighteen in number: and how many were in the divisions of Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner, we know not; but they and their men certainly accompanied him in this expedition. See Genesis 14:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:15. _AND HE DIVIDED HIMSELF AGAINST THEM_] It required both considerable courage and address in Abram to lead him to attack the victorious armies of these four kings with so small a number of troops, and on this occasion both his skill and his courage are exercised. His affection fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:16. _AND HE BROUGHT BACK - THE WOMEN ALSO_] This is brought in by the sacred historian with peculiar interest and tenderness. All who read the account must be in pain for the fate of _wives_ and _daughters_ fallen into the hands of a ferocious, licentious, and victorious _soldiery_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:17. _THE KING OF SODOM WENT OUT TO MEET HIM_] This could not have been _Bera_, mentioned Genesis 14:2, for it seems pretty evident, from Genesis 14:10, that both he and _Birsha_, king of Gomorrah, were slain at the bitumen-pits in the vale of Siddim; but another person in the meanti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:18. _AND MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SALEM_] A thousand idle stories have been told about this man, and a thousand idle conjectures spent on the subject of his short history given here and in Heb. vii. At present it is only necessary to state that he appears to have been as real a personag... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:19. _AND HE BLESSED HIM_] This was a part of the priest's office, to _bless in the name of the Lord, for ever_. See the _form_ of this blessing, Numbers 6:23-4; and for the meaning of the word _to bless_, see Genesis 2:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:20. _AND HE GAVE HIM TITHES_] A tenth part _of all_ the spoils he had taken from the confederate kings. These Abram gave as a _tribute_ to the _most high God_, who, being _the possessor of_ _heaven and earth_, dispenses all spiritual and temporal favours, and demands the gratitude,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:22. _I HAVE LIFT UP MINE HAND_] The primitive mode of appealing to God, and calling him to witness a particular transaction; this no doubt generally obtained among the faithful till _circumcision_, the _sign_ of the covenant, was established. After this, in swearing, the hand was of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:23. _FROM A THREAD EVEN TO A SHOELATCHET_] This was certainly a proverbial mode of expression, the full meaning of which is perhaps not known. Among the rabbinical writers חוט _chut_, or חוטי _chuti_, signifies a _fillet worn by young women to_ _tie up their hair_; taken in this sen... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 14:24. _SAVE ONLY THAT WHICH THE YOUNG MEN HAVE EATEN_] His own servants had partaken of the _victuals_ which the confederate kings had carried away; see Genesis 14:11. This was unavoidable, and this is all he claims; but as he had no right to prescribe the same liberal conduct to his... [ Continue Reading ]