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 miracle out of this narrative, although we freely admit the providential guidance of the Lord in Abram's triumph. This was a token of what would continue to happen throughout the history of Israel. Whether or not a direct miracle was involved in this rescue, the element of the miraculous is conspicuous throughout all the subsequent dealings on the part of God with His Chosen People. The miracle which men are so anxious to deny in this passage may well have been what they claim it was, but their exaggerative interpretation of the difficulties is unjustifiable.

Summarizing the factors present in Abram's victory, we note that:

1. Almighty God was with him and blessed his rescue effort.
   
2. In all probability, the force he overcame was not any great international confederacy, as usually alleged, but a band of marauding kinglets. Many of the scholars are absolutely wrong in postulating any tremendous army as involved here. Chedorlaomer, perhaps the most important king mentioned, might possibly have been represented by a handful of men. There is no proof that he was king of Babylon.[10] Nothing in this account requires that we understand "Chedorlaomer came" to mean that he was personally present in the campaign. "In the inscriptions on ancient monuments, the expeditions sent out by various kings were ascribed to them personally,"[11] despite the fact of the kings not having been personally present on such excursions.
   
3. Abram was aided by three allies.
   
4. He had the advantage of surprise.
   
5. He attacked by night.
   
6. He attacked from a number of directions at one time.
   
7. He attacked an overconfident force with their guard down.
   
8. He attacked a force weary from a long campaign and depleted by casualities, how serious, or how many, unknown.
   

"And the people ..." Leupold affirmed that this expression, under the circumstances, meant, "the people bearing arms," that is "the soldiers."[12]

"Lot ... and his goods ..." The mention of "women" might also indicate that members of Lot's family were also rescued. In any case, he suffered no harm and was able to recover all of his property.