Bible Commentary

And the vale of Siddim [was full of] slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 10. full of slime pits ] i.e. bitumen pits. Bitumen, or asphalt, is found in the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea. Josephus speaks of the bitumen … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:10”

With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. 9. four kings against the five ] After Gen 14:8 we should expect the “five kings against the four.” Notice the impressive repetition of the names of the kings, … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:9”

And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same [is] Zoar) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; Verse 8. Bela, the same is Zoar] That is, it was called … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:8”

And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which [is] Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar. 7. En-mishpat ] i.e. “the Spring of Judgement.” A spring of water at which there would be a sanctuary, whose priest gave oracles and decided disputes; known in the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:7”

And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which [is] by the wilderness. 6. the Horites ] Mentioned also in Gen 36:20-21; Gen 36:30, and in Deu 2:12; Deu 2:22, where they are described as having been dispossessed of the country of Seir, the hill country between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:6”

And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that [were] with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 5. came Chedorlaomer ] The king of Elam was strong enough to deal vigorously with the rebellion in his western dependencies. This and … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:5”

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 4. they served ] The five kings “served,” i.e. were vassals, and paid tribute to, the king of Elam who was their over-lord. rebelled ] Probably by omitting to pay tribute or to send gifts, as they had done for 12 years. The … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:4”

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 3. All these ] Probably the kings mentioned in Gen 14:2, i.e. the five local subject princes. That there should be any doubt whether “all these” refers to the four kings of the east, or to the five kings of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:3”

[That these] 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, which is Zoar. 2. that they made war ] This anticipates and summarizes the contents of Gen 14:5-10. As Hammurabi, the conqueror of Elam and founder … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:2”

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; Khammurabi (? Amraphel), King of Babylon, receiving laws from Shamash, the Sun-god. 1 12. The Campaign 1. And it came to pass in the days of ] The opening … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 14:1”