The War of the Kings 1 And it happened in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,
Bede · AD 735 Now it came to pass in those days that Amraphel, king of Shinar, Ariok, king of Pontus, Chodorlahomor, king of the Elamites, and Thadat, king of the nations, made war against Bera, king of Sodom, and against Birsha, king of Gomorrah, and the rest.
2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela — that is, Zoar.
3 All these joined together in the valley of Siddim — that is, the Salt Sea.
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 14, Verse 3) And the king of Bale, which is Segor. All these agreed in the valley of Salsam, which is the Dead Sea. Bale in the Hebrew language is called κατάποσις, which means swallowing.
4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and they struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 5.) And the giants settled in Astaroth Carnaim, and strong nations along with them: and Ominaeos in the city of Save, before they came to Sodom. Four kings who came from Babylon killed the giants, that is, the strong ones of Arabia, and the Zozim in Hom, and the Emim in the city of Save, which is still called by that name today.
Bede · AD 735 And they struck the Rephaim in Ashtaroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, Rephaim in Hebrew, in Greek are called Giants: in the singular number, however, a Rephaim is called a Giant. Now their land, which was called Ashtaroth-karnaim, was at the edge of Sodom.
6 and the Horite in their hill country of Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness.
Bede · AD 735 And the Horites in the mountains of Seir. Indeed, these mountains, along with the neighboring regions, were possessed by the sons of Esau, who was also called Seir, because he was hairy, after the Horites were expelled.
7 And they turned back and came to En-mishpat — that is, Kadesh — and struck the whole country of the Amalekite, and also the Amorite who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 7) And they returned and came to the well of judgment, which is Kadesh. It is said by anticipation that it was afterwards so called. But it signifies the place at Petra, which is called the well of judgment because there God judged the people. And they struck all the region of the Amalekites and the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazon-tamar.
Bede · AD 735 But what follows: And the Amorite who lived in Hazezzon-tamar, belongs to another place, that is, the town which is now called Engedi, fertile in balsam and palms: hence Hazezzon-tamar is interpreted as the City of Palms. For Thamar indeed is called Palm.
8 And the king of Sodom went out, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela — that is, Zoar — and they drew up for battle against them in the valley of Siddim:
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 We have seen now the prog-ress of the noble mind, which, finding itself in perilous deviation from the path of virtue, immediately arose to search for the reward of wisdom, the inheritance of justice. The readings that follow will show how harmful are the vices connected with frivolity.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Let us not idly pass these words by, dearly beloved, or consider the account to be of no value. It was of set purpose that sacred Scripture recounted everything to us with precision so that we should learn the might of these barbarians and the degree of valor they displayed and with how much ferocity they involved themselves in war so as to clash even with the giants—that is, m…
Bede · AD 735 And they drew up in battle array against them in the wooded valley. Instead of the wooded valley, in Hebrew it has in the Valley of Siddim, which signifies pleasant and wooded places.
9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar — four kings against the five.
Abram Rescues Lot 10 Now the valley of Siddim was pit after pit of tar; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there, and those who were left fled to the hill country.
11 And they took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and went their way.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 11.) And they took all the cavalry of Sodom and Gomorrah. For cavalry in Hebrew has Rachus (), which means substance.
12 And they took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, and his possessions, and went — for he was living in Sodom.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Notice that what I said yesterday has come to be true, that Lot, far from being better off for his choice of the better parts, rather had learned from experience not to set his heart on the better parts. You see, not only did no benefit come to him from it, but indeed he was even led away into captivity.
13 And one who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner — and they were bound by covenant with Abram.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 How was it that the patriarch had no knowledge that such forces of war were on the rampage? Perhaps he chanced to be at a great distance from the conflict and for that reason knew nothing of it. "Now, someone came and told Abraham the traveler," the text says, to remind us that he got the news on his return from Chaldea.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 13) And he who had fled, reported to Abram the passerby. And he himself was sitting by the oak of Mamre, the Amorite, the brother of Eschol, and the brother of Aner, who were allies of Abram. Concerning this, which we have set forth to the passerby, it is written in Hebrew as Ibri (), for this indeed signifies a passerby.
Bede · AD 735 And behold, one who had escaped came and reported to Abraham the Hebrew. It is evident from this passage that they err greatly who think that the people called Hebrews are named so from Abraham as if Ebrea, since Abraham himself is called a Hebrew; evidently from Heber, son of Joktan, in whose times the division of languages happened.
14 And Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive, and he mustered his trained men, born in his house — three hundred and eighteen — and pursued as far as Dan.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 "When Abraham learned of this, he counted his servants born in the house" and with 318 men won a victory and liberated his nephew. This shows that the separation had taken place in friendship, since Abraham's love for his nephew was so great that he was willing to confront even the dangers of war on his behalf. What does it mean "he counted"?
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 14) And he pursued them as far as Dan, to the city of the Phoenicians, which is now called Paneas. But Dan is one of the sources of the Jordan. For the other is also called Jor, which means 'stream'. Therefore, the Jordan is the name given to the two springs that, not far from each other, join to form a single stream.
Bede · AD 735 When Abram heard that his brother Lot had been captured, he numbered his trained servants, three hundred and eighteen, and so on. Indeed, it is a very great miracle of divine power that Abraham, with such a small troop, inflicted such a great slaughter on the enemies, but it contains the deeper sacrament of faith in which we must overcome the spiritual battle.
15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them; and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 "Abraham counted 318 servants, born in his house … as far as Hobah, which is to the right of Damascus." Even the number is of vital importance. For in that number there is life, if we believe in the passion in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Bede · AD 735 And he pursued them as far as Dan, and having divided his companions, he fell upon them at night and struck them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is to the left of Damascus.
16 And he brought back all the possessions, and he also brought back Lot his brother and his possessions, and the women too, and the people.
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 "Abraham also recovered the goods." … This certainly does not refer to patrimony but to the vital goods of the soul, where the truly valuable riches—not straw, not hay—are to be found, where there is a reliable splendor of eloquence that contains the substance of our hope.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Why was it, someone may ask, that he called up retainers of his own household to the number of 318? For you to learn that he did not simply take everyone but only retainers of his own household, men raised by Lot, so that they might wreak their vengeance with much relish, like men entering this conflict for their own lord.
Melchizedek Blesses Abram 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from striking Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh — that is, the King’s Valley.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 Do you see here in every event the just man being conspicuous and demonstrating to everyone on every occasion God's providence in his regard? Now you see him also zealous to prove a teacher of reverence for God to the Sodomites.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine — and he was priest to God Most High.
Cyprian · AD 258 Likewise, in the priest Melchizedek, we see the sacrament of the sacrifice of the Lord prefigured according to what the divine Scripture testifies and says: "And Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, for he was a priest of the most high God, and he blessed Abraham." But that Melchizedek portrayed a type of Christ, the Holy Spirit declares in the Psalms, sa…
John Chrysostom · AD 407 What is conveyed to us by this comment, "the king of Salem and priest of God the most high"? He was, for one thing, king of Salem, the text says. Blessed Paul, after all, said the same in drawing attention to him when writing to the believers among the Hebrews, calling to mind his name and his city of origin.
Bede · AD 735 Therefore, Melchisedech signifies the Lord Savior: first indeed, as the Apostle says, who is interpreted as king of righteousness, and then king of Salem, which is king of peace (Hebrews 7:2): with these words, the blessed apostle demonstrates how the figure of Melchisedech should be understood, teaching us very clearly that in the letters of the Old Testament we should seek no…
19 And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, possessor of heavens and earth.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 He not only blessed him but also praised God. In the words "blessed be Abraham by God the most high, who created heaven and earth," he also highlighted to us God's power as distinguished from his creatures.
20 And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your foes into your hand.” And he gave him a tenth of everything.
21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the souls, and take the possessions for yourself.”
Bede · AD 735 But the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself." But he replied to him, "I raise my hand to the Lord, God most high, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'" It should be noted carefully and drawn as an example of moral lif…
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, possessor of heavens and earth:
23 not a thread, not a sandal strap — I will take nothing of all that is yours, so that you will not say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 It is characteristic of the perfect mind not to take for itself any earthly thing, anything prone to bodily seduction. This is why Abraham says, "I will take nothing of what is yours." He avoids intemperance like the plague. He flees from sensual bodily temptations as from filth. He rejects worldly pleasures to seek those that are above the world.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 He would not take even a chance item, even something worthless or anything thought beneath contempt, even the shoelace at the tip of the shoe, where it comes to a point. Then he states the reason for his refusal. It is "in case you were to say, 'I gave Abram his wealth.' I have on my side the supplier of countless goods; I enjoy much favor from on high.
24 Nothing for me — only what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”
Ambrose of Milan · AD 397 How remarkable it is, then, that Abraham did not wish to touch any of the spoil gained by his victory or to take even what was offered him? The fact is that to receive recompense diminishes the joy of a victory and blunts the gratuitous character of a favor. For it makes a great difference whether one has fought for money or for fame.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 These I will allow to take a portion, he says, since they have given evidence of deep friendship. "These," you see, the text says, "were Abram's confederates," that is, they were joined in friendship, willing to share the perils with him.