Genesis 14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 14

The war of four confederate kings against the five kings of Canaan, Genesis 14:1-3 . The confederate kings overrun and pillage the whole country, Genesis 14:4-7 . Battle between them and the kings of Canaan, Genesis 14:5 , Genesis 14:9 . The latter are defeated, and the principal part of the armies of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah slain, Genesis 14:10 ; on which these two cities are plundered, Genesis 14:11 . Lot, his goods, and his family, are also taken and carried away, ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 14:1

In the days of Amraphel - Who this king was is not known; and yet, from the manner in which he is spoken of in the text, it would seem that he was a person well known, even when Moses wrote this account. But the Vulgate gives a different turn to the place, by rendering the passage thus: Factum est in illo tempore, ut Amraphel , etc. "It came to pass in that time that Amraphel, etc." The Chaldee Targum of Onkelos makes Amraphel king of Babylon, others make him king of Assyria; some make him... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 14:2

These made war with Bera, etc. - 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 thirteenth; in consequence of which Chedorlaomer, the following year, summoned to his assistance three of his vassals, invaded Canaan, fought with and discomfited the kings of the Pentapolis or five cities - Sodom,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 in the days of Moses, and tall as the Anakim. They dwelt among the Moabites, by whom they were reputed giants; Deuteronomy 2:10 , Deuteronomy 2:11 . Shaveh Kiriathaim - Rather, as the margin, the plain... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 20:1-10 . Amalekites - So called afterwards, from Amalek, son of Esau; Genesis 36:12 . Hazezon-tamar - Called, in the Chaldee, Engaddi; a city in the land of Canaan, which fell to the lot of Judah; Joshua 15:62 . See also 2 Chronicles 20:2 . It appears, from Song of Solomon 1:14 , to have been a very fruitful place. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 14:8

Bela, the same is Zoar - That is, it was called Zoar after the destruction of Sodom, etc., mentioned in Genesis 19. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 abounded there; that the place was full of pits we learn from the Hebrew, which reads here בארת בארת beeroth beeroth , pits, pits, i.e., multitudes of pits. A bad place to maintain a fight on, or to be obliged to run... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 14:11

They took all the goods, etc. - 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. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 14:12

They took Lot, etc. - 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 found feeding where the latter were destroying the grain, were all taken in the same net. Let him that readeth understand. read more

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