This chapter gives an account of a war that was waged, and a battle fought between four kings on one side, and five on the other, and of the occasion and issue of it, who were the first kings, and this the first battle the Scriptures speak of, Gen.

And it came to pass, in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, &c.] Or Babylon, as Onkelos, where Nimrod began his kingdom, . 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…

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.

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim Or “of fields”, or “ploughed lands” [[1]], 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 ;…

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, ; for the kings of Sodom and their subjects, were of the race of Ham in the line of Canaan, who had by violence seized on that…

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…

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 (Deut. 2:12, Deut.

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…

And there went out the king of Sodom With his armed men to meet the four kings, and give them battle, being so near him, and in so much danger from them, that if they could not stand their ground, they might flee to the mountains, and not perish in the city: and the king of Gomorrah, and the king…

With Chedorlaomer king of Elam Who is here mentioned first, being the principal in the war, and against whom the kings of Sodom had rebelled: and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; who were his allies, confederates, and auxiliaries: four kings with…

And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits Or “wells” or “fountains of slime” or bitumen [[17]]; a liquid of a pitchy nature, cast out of fountains, and which was used for a cement in buildings; such fountains were near Babylon, (See Gill on Gen.

And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah They entered these cities and pillaged them, and carried off everything valuable in them, that was portable or could be driven, as their cattle they did not burn these cities, nor take possession of them, and leave garrisons in them, which shows…

And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son The son of Haran, his elder brother, who was now, as the Jews say [[22]], fifty years of age: who dwelt in Sodom, or near it, in the country adjacent to it, see ; and so being a neighbour of the men of Sodom, and a sojourner among them, he partakes of their…

And there came one that escaped Both the sword of the enemy and the slimepits; either one of the inhabitants of Sodom, who had an acquaintance with Lot and a friendship for him, and knew his relation to Abram; or one of Lot’s family, that might escape being taken and carried captive: for not…

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive That is, his brother’s son Lot, as in ; which was contrary to the law of nations; since Lot was only a sojourner, and not an inhabitant n Sodom, and therefore had no concern in the quarrel between the kings, and this justified Abram’s taking…

And he divided himself against them, he and his servants by night Together with his confederates; and very probably their whole three was divided into four parts, under their four leaders; and this might be done in order to attack the four kings and their soldiers, who might be in four separate…

And he brought back all the goods Taken from Sodom and Gomorrah, ; and also brought again his brother Lot; his brother’s son, , for whose sake chiefly he engaged in this enterprise: and his goods; money, cattle and the women also, and the people; not only that belonged to Lot, but to Sodom and…

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him While Abram was in pursuit of the four kings, the king of Sodom came down from the mountain whither he and those that escaped with him fled, and came to Sodom: and from hence he went out, not alone, but accompanied with his retinue, to meet Abram: after…

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine, &c.] Both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem say, this is Shem the son of Noah, and which is the sense of the Jewish writers in general, and of many Christian ones; but, though it is highly probable he was living at this time, yet it is…

And he blessed him Melchizedek blessed Abram, which was one part of his office as a priest, to wish and pray for a blessing on others, see and herein typified Christ, who really blesses or confers blessings on all his people, even spiritual blessings, such as redemption, remission of sins, and…

And blessed be the most high God Let his name be praised, and thanks be given to him for all mercies temporal and spiritual, since all flow from him, and particularly for the mercies Abram and others through him were now made partakers of; for whoever were the instruments, God was the efficient…

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram After the conversation between him and Melchizedek was over: give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself; meaning by “persons” or “souls”, as in the original, his own subjects that had been taken and carried away by the four kings, and were now brought…

And Abram said to the king of Sodom In reply to his request: I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord; which was both a gesture of praying and of swearing, and both may be intended here; when he set out on his expedition, it is very probable he prayed to God for success, and swore that if he…

That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, &c.] That is, from a thread used in sewing garments to, a shoelatchet, or the string which fastens the shoes to the foot, the least belonging to that; or from the hair lace of the head, to the shoelatchet of the foot; that is, he would take…

Save only that which the young men have eaten His three hundred and eighteen trained servants, and those of his confederates, who having recovered the victuals taken away from the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, had eaten of it for their refreshment, as it was but just and right they should: and…