Genesis 14
Sodom & Gomorrah Revolt Against Babylon
There was a war between Babylon’s allies and some of the territories they had conquered. Babylon’s allies were:
Amraphel [perhaps Hammurabi, 2100 BC] was king of Shinar [Babylon]
Arioch was king of Ellaser [a town in Babylon]
Chedorlaomer was king of Elam [east of Babylon]
Tidal was king of Goiim.
And they attacked the following forces:
Bera, Sodom’s king
Birsha, Gomorrah’s king
Shinab, Admah’s king
Shemeber, Zeboiim’s king
The province of Bela which is also known as Zoar [a city at the southeast end of the Dead Sea]
The Sodom and Gomorrah’s team had been under Chedorlaomer’s rule for 12 years, but in the 13th year they rallied in the valley of Siddim [where the Dead Sea is located] to revolt.
Babylon Attacks Rebelling Territories
In the 14th year, Chedorlaomer’s team attacked the following forces:
The Raphaim [a tribe of giants] in Asheroth-karnaim [a city east of the Jordan]
The Zuzim [which means “nomadic creatures”] in Ham [somewhere east of the Jordan]
The Emim [which means “terrors”] in Shaveh-kiriathaim
The Horites [which means “cave-dweller”] in their Seir Mountains [south of the Dead Sea]
Babylon’s team infiltrated as far as El-paran [a harbor town on the Gulf of Aqaba], but then turned and went to En-mishpat / Kadesh [a place near southern Palestine] where they conquered the entire territory of the Amalekites [Esau’s descendants]. They also conquered the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar [a town in Judah’s desert].
Babylon Captures Lot
Sodom and Gomorrah’s team prepared to battle Babylon’s team in the valley of Siddim [where the Dead Sea is located]. Sodom and Gomorrah’s team had 5 forces while Babylon’s team only had 4.
But the valley was full of tar pits, and when Sodom and Gomorrah’s kings had to flee, they ended up falling into the pits. Some survivors escaped to the mountains, but Babylon’s team looted Sodom and Gomorrah’s food and valuables. They also captured Lot (Abraham’s nephew) who had been living in Sodom, and took all his possessions.
Abram Rescues Lot
One of the survivors who escaped found Abram and told him what had happened. At that time Abram was living by a big tree that was claimed by Mamre [whose name means “strength”]. Mamre was an Amorite [the people east of Canaan], and his brothers were Eshcol and Aner. All 3 of them were allies with Abram.
Abram had 318 trained men who had been born into his household, so when he heard that his nephew had been captured, he assembled his men and pursued Babylon’s team as far as Dan [Palestine’s northernmost landmark]. Abram and his team rallied against them by night and defeated them. They chased Babylon’s team as far as Hobah, which is a city north of Damascus. Abram reclaimed everything that had they had taken including Lot, all of Lot’s possessions, Lot’s wives, and the other captives.
Melchizedek Blesses Abram
After Abram got back home from the battle, Sodom’s king went to meet with him at Sheveh (which is also known as the king’s plain).
Melchizedek was also there. He was the king of Salem [probably Jerusalem; means “peace”]. He was also a priest of the ultimate God. He brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram saying,
“Bless you, Abram! You are of the ultimate God who owns heaven and earth. And bless the ultimate God who handed your enemies over to you.”
Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he owned.
Then Sodom’s king told Abram,
“Just give me back my people, and you can keep the valuables for yourself.”
But Abram replied,
“I swore to the Existing One, the ultimate God who owns heaven and earth, that I wouldn’t take one thread, shoe lace, or anything else from you. That way, you won’t be able to claim that I got rich off of you. I won’t take anything except my men and the food that they’ve eaten.
“Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share of the spoils.”