Genesis 14:1-18 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 14:1-12

We have here an account of the first war that ever we read of in scripture, which (though the wars of the nations make the greatest figure in history) we should not have had the history of if Abram and Lot had not been concerned in it. Now, concerning this war, we may observe, I. The parties engaged in it. The invaders were four kings, two of them no less than kings of Shinar and Elam (that is, Chaldea and Persia), yet probably not the sovereign princes of those great kingdoms in their own... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 14:13-16

We have here an account of the only military action we ever find Abram engaged in, and this he was prompted to, not by his avarice or ambition, but purely by a principle of charity; it was not to enrich himself, but to help his friend. Never was any military expedition undertaken, prosecuted, and finished, more honourably than this of Abram?s. Here we have, I. The tidings brought him of his kinsman's distress. Providence so ordered it that he now sojourned not far off, that he might be a very... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 14:17-20

This paragraph begins with the mention of the respect which the king of Sodom paid to Abram at his return from the slaughter of the kings; but, before a particular account is given of this, the story of Melchizedek is briefly related, concerning whom observe, I. Who he was. He was king of Salem and priest of the most high God; and other glorious things are said of him, Heb. 7:1-10 1. The rabbin, and most of our rabbinical writers, conclude that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah, who was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:1

And it came to pass, in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar ,.... Or Babylon, as Onkelos, where Nimrod began his kingdom, Genesis 10:8 . This was Nimrod himself, as the Jewish writers generally says; though more likely Ninyas the son of Ninus and Semiramis, and grandson of Nimrod; or rather some petty prince or deputy governor of Shinar, under the king of Babylon; since, though named first, he was not the principal in this war, but fought under the king of Elam, and as an ally and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:2

That these made war with Bera king of Sodom ,.... A city in the plain of Jordan, which with the four following made the Pentapolis, or five cities of the plain. Strabo F25 Geograph. l. 16. p. 526. says, in this place formerly were thirteen cities, the metropolis of which was Sodom, and which yet had remaining a compass of sixty furlongs; according to Dr. Lightfoot F26 Works, vol. 2. p. 6. Vid. Reland. Palestina illustrata, tom. 2. p. 1020. , it should be placed in the southern... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:3

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim ,.... Or "of fields", or "ploughed lands" F2 אל עמק השדים "valle amaenissimorum agrorum", Munster; "in planitie agrorum", Fagius; so Jarchi; "in valle occationum", Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 937. "dicta ab agris occatis", Schmidt. , a fruitful vale abounding with corn; or of gardens or paradises, as the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, being full of gardens and orchards, and was as the garden of the Lord, even as Eden, see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:4

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer ,.... King of Elam, who was of the race of Shem, and so the prophecy of Noah began to be fulfilled, that Canaan should be servant to Shem, Genesis 9:26 ; for the kings of Sodom, &c.; and their subjects, were of the race of Ham in the line of Canaan, who had by violence seized on that part of the earth which was allotted to the sons of Shem, and therefore Chedorlaomer being a descendant of his claimed his right, and made them tributary to him, which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:5

And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer ,.... Not in the fourteenth year of their rebellion against him, as Jarchi, but from their becoming vassals to him: and the kings that were with him ; those kings before mentioned: and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim ; which were in their way to Sodom, &c.; and very probably were confederates with the five kings; the Targum, and so the Septuagint, render the word "giants", as it is in Deuteronomy 2:11 ; but they were one of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:6

And the Horites in their Mount Seir ,.... Or the Horim who dwelt in Mount Seir, so called from Seir the Horite, who continued here till they were drove out by the sons of Esau or Edom, from whom their country was afterwards called Edom or Idumea, see Genesis 36:20 Deuteronomy 2:12 , unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness ; so far these Horites inhabited, and the four kings smote all they met with unto this place, which was either the plain or oak of Paran, near a wilderness of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:7

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh ,.... Pursuing their victories as far as Elparan by the wilderness, they had passed by the country of the Amalekites; wherefore they "returned", or came back to fall upon them, and they came to a place called Enmishpat, or the "fountain of judgment"; which was not its future name, as Jarchi thinks, because there Moses and Aaron were to be judged concerning the business of that fountain, even the waters of Meribah, with which agrees... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 14:1-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 14:13-16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 14:17-20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 14:7

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