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Abram Moves to Hebron
Genesis 13:14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; :15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.
Genesis 13:16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
Genesis 13:17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
Abram Rescues Lot
Genesis 14:8 And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim :9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. :10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. :11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. :12 They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
Thirteen years before the main events of this chapter, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam (Persia), had conquered various kings in the plains adjacent to the Dead (Salt) Sea. In the thirteenth year, the f ive captive kings rebelled against Chedorlaomer. So he allied himself with three other kings from the region of Babylon, marched south along the eastern side of the Dead Sea, then north on the western side to Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain.
The battle took place in the Valley of Siddim, which was full of asphalt pits. The invaders defeated the rebels and marched north with their booty and captives—including Lot, Abram’s nephew.
Genesis 14:13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. :14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. :15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. :16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
When Abram received the news, he assembled a fighting force of three hundred and eighteen trained men and pursued the victors to Dan, in the north. He finally defeated them near Damascus, in Syria, and rescued Lot and all the spoils.
Here Abram delivered Lot by the sword. Later he delivers him through intercessory prayer (chaps. 18, 19).
Abram and Melchizedek
Genesis 14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.
As Abram was returning home, the king of Sodom went out to meet him, just as Satan often tempts the believer after a great spiritual victory. But Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, was on hand with bread and wine to strengthen Abram. We cannot read this first mention of bread and wine without thinking of these symbols of our Savior’s passion. When we consider the price He paid to save us from sin, we are strengthened to resist every sinful temptation.
Names in Scripture have meanings. Melchizedek means king of righteousness and Salem (short for Jerusalem) means peace. So he was king of righteousness and king of peace.
He is a symbol of Christ, true King of righteousness and peace, and our Great High Priest.
When it says in Hebrews 7:3 that Melchizedek was “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life,” this is to be understood only in connection with his priesthood. Most priests inherited their office and served for a limited tenure. But the priesthood of Melchizedek was unique in that, as far as the record is concerned, it wasn’t passed on to him from his parents, and it did not have a beginning or an end. Christ’s priesthood is “according to the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7:17).
Psalm 110:4 The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 7:17 For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
Genesis 14:19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; :20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.
Melchizedek blessed Abram, and Abram in turn gave to this priest of God a tithe of all his captured prizes. In Hebrews 7 we learn that there was a deep spiritual significance to these actions. Because Abram was the progenitor of Aaron, he is seen as representing the Aaronic priesthood. The fact that Melchizedek blessed Abram means that Melchizedek’s priesthood is greater than Aaron’s, because the one who blesses is superior to the one who is blessed. The fact that Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek is seen as a picture of the Aaronic priesthood acknowledging the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood, because the lesser pays tithes to the greater.
Genesis 14:21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” :22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, :23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’—:24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”
Abram refused to take anything from the king of Sodom, so as not to become obligated to him. His refusal demonstrated his total allegiance to the Lord, and so he rejected any attempt by the king of Sodom to assume the role of overlord and make him his vassal. Abram took only food for his men and gave his allies the liberty to accept the spoils that were due them.
The Lord’s Promise to Abram
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
The first verse is closely linked with the last part of chapter 14. Because the patriarch refused the rewards of the king of Sodom, Jehovah said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward,” thus making Abram both protected and fabulously wealthy.
Genesis 15:2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
Genesis 15:3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!”
Genesis 15:4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
Genesis 15:5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? :2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. :3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006).
