Genesis 14:14

14. When Abram heard He had no pleasure in the misfortune of his more worldly kinsman, who had taken advantage of his offer (Genesis 13:9) and chosen the fertile plain, but moved immediately for his rescue. The word brother is here used in the wider sense of kinsman, a usage not unfrequent. Exodus 2:11; Numbers 8:26.

Armed his trained servants Rather, led forth his trained ones . The word rendered trained is of the same root as that rendered train in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go . ” These were drilled and practiced in the use of weapons, as well as to (Genesis 18:19) “keep the way of the Lord . ” Genesis 34:25; Genesis 49:5, further show that the pastoral patriarchs were skilful in the use of arms. This was probably often necessary for purposes of self-defence. These trained and skilful adherents of Abram are further described as born in his own house, a regular part of the patriarchal family; not bought, nor taken in war. Comp. Genesis 17:12. And the number, three hundred and eighteen, shows what a powerful community one patriarchal family might be. To these were added the forces of Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner. Genesis 14:24.

Pursued them unto Dan From which it appears that the victorious kings made no hurried march homeward, but took a northerly route. There is no reason to suppose the Dan here mentioned as any other than the well known city of this name near the source of the Jordan. It is doubtless the same as the Dan-jaan of 2 Samuel 24:6, and the Dan mentioned in Deuteronomy 34:1; for the language of the latter passage does not necessarily imply that the Dan there mentioned was in the land of Gilead . The ancient name of the place was Laish or Leshem, (Joshua 19:47; Judges 18:29,) but Dan is here used either proleptically, or else was substituted by a later editor as being the more common name of the place .