Genesis 14:17

ABRAM AND MELCHIZEDEK, Genesis 14:17-20.

17. The king of Sodom Hence it appears that this king survived the defeat, probably by flight to the hills . Genesis 14:10 does not necessarily mean that the kings there named were killed . Some expositors, however, so understand it, and suppose that the king here mentioned was successor to the one who fell in battle .

Valley of Shaveh According to Gesenius and Furst, Shaveh means plain or valley . This valley was afterwards known as the king’s dale, probably from the occurrences here recorded . We find the name again in 2 Samuel 18:18, and old tradition identifies it with the valley of the Kedron . In the absence of any thing more definitely known, and in view of the probability that Salem was the ancient name of Jerusalem, we do well to adhere to the traditional location of Shaveh . Abram returning southward from the source of the Jordan may well have passed through the Kedron valley; and there would have been a suitable place both for the king of Sodom to meet him, and for the king of Salem to bring forth refreshments .