Genesis 14

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14

Here again we have a whole chapter that cannot be identified with any of the alleged prior sources of Genesis, and this is characteristic of hundreds of other passages large and small that do not fit the theories. It is a waste of time to study the contradictory "guesses" of men concerned with only one thing, namely, that of finding some way to deny what is written here and what has come down to us as the Word of God. If we should go into the guessing game, one man's guess is as good as... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:1-2

"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 Goiim (nations), that they 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 (the same is Zoar)."This narrative is not "completely isolated,"[1] but it is vital to the whole Genesis record. (See the introduction above.) "These names are historical, and it is highly probable... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:3-4

"All these joined together in the vale of Siddim (the same is the Salt Sea). Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.""Which is the Salt Sea ..." The meaning here appears to be that the site of the battle mentioned was at the time of the writing of Genesis a portion of the Dead Sea. As Yates said, "Scholars affirm that the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah lie beneath the waters of the south end of this sea."[5]"They rebelled ..." Chedorlaomer was probably the... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:5-7

"And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emin in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in their Seir, unto Elparan which is by the wilderness. And they returned and came unto Enmishpat (the same is Kadesh), and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazuzon-tamar."The initial success of these marauding kings shows how formidable their raiding party... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:8-9

"And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar); and they set the battle in array against them in the vale of Siddim; against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against five."The different order in which the invading kings are listed here is significant in that this listing appears to be in the order of their... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:10-12

"Now the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.""Slime pits ..." The words thus rendered actually mean "pits of bitumen,"[7] or "tar pits" as rendered in Good News Bible."They fell there ..." is not an... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:13-14

ABRAM RESCUES LOT"And there came one that escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew: now he dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, the brother of Eschol, and the brother of Aner; and these were confederate with Abram. And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.""These were confederate with Abram ..." Nothing is said of the numbers of soldiers Abram's three confederates were able to... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:15-16

"And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people."Skinner, while admitting the historicity of the narrative here, nevertheless set it aside as an exaggeration, claiming also that it was a miracle and therefore unacceptable![9] First, there is no need whatever to make a... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:17

"And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh (the same is the King's Vale)."It should be noted how skillfully the narrative is written in order to stress the great importance of Melchizedek. The king of Sodom evidently arrived first, but he is kept in the background while the far more important meeting with Melchizedek is recounted."The King's Vale ..." This and many other expressions in... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:18-20

MELCHIZEDEK"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him a tenth of all."Neil gave the only secret of understanding this place when he declared that: "We must be guided by the N.T. writers and by our Lord himself."[13] The N.T., of course, has a magnificent... read more

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:1-2

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:3-4

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:5-7

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:8-9

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:10-12

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:13-14

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:15-16

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:17

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 14:18-20

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