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SERIES A --- YHVH’S PIONEERS -- LESSON 10

LOT’S CHOICE

THE WAR OF NINE KINGS

From Genesis 13:5–14:24

Like Abram, Lot was becoming a wealthy man with sheep, cattle, and servants. But the land could not support both men with all their possessions while they lived together. Also, the Canaanites and Perizzites were still living in the land. Before long the herdsmen of Lot and Abram began to quarrel. [Let us not quarrel,] Abram told Lot. [Our herdsmen must not quarrel either, for we are the same family. Choose the land you want and I will take what remains. If you want that part over there, I’ll take this part. If you want this part, I’ll take that part over there.] Lot studied the land carefully and noticed especially the well-watered, fertile plains of the Jordan River. Before Adonai destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, this land was like the garden of Eden or the land around Zoar in Egypt. So, Lot chose the Jordan Valley and the land to the east for himself. Lot and Abram separated, and Lot moved to the new land with his flocks and servants. While Abram remained in Canaan, Lot settled among the cities of the plain, setting up camp near the city of Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinned greatly against Adonai. After Lot had moved away, Adonai spoke to Abram. [Look in every direction, north, east, south, west, as far as you can see. I will give all the land you can see to your descendants forever. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. If anyone can count the dust of the earth, then he can also count your descendants. Now walk throughout this land, for it will be your heritage.] Abram moved his tent and settled by the oaks of Mamre, near Hebron. There he built an altar to Adonai. In those days war came to the land when five kings rebelled against King Chedorlaomer of Elam. The five who rebelled were Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which was later called Zoar. These five kings had been subject to Chedorlaomer for twelve years; but in the thirteenth year they rallied their armies in Siddim Valley, the valley by the Salt Sea. The next year Chedorlaomer swept across the land with his allies, Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, and Tidal king of nations. First, they conquered the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim in the plain of Kiriathaim, and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran near the desert. From there the conquerors turned to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the land of the Amalekites as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. Then the five kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela attacked Chedorlaomer and his allies in the Siddim Valley. But the armies of the five kings were defeated; and as they retreated some of the men fell into the asphalt pits which were scattered throughout the valley. The survivors fled to the mountains. Chedorlaomer and his troops took all the wealth and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and headed toward home, taking Abram’s nephew Lot and all his possessions also. But one man escaped and reported these events to Abram, who was camping among the oaks of Mature the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner, allies of Abram. Abram immediately rallied the three hundred and eighteen men of his household and pursued Chedorlaomer’s forces as far as Dan. When night came, he attacked, chasing the army as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. Abram recaptured all the goods and people Chedorlaomer had taken including Lot and his possessions and the women and other captives. As Abram returned from his victory over Chedorlaomer and the other kings, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh, the King’s Valley. Melchizedek, the king of Salem {Jerusalem} and priest of the Most High YHVH, met Abram there, too, bringing him food and wine. Melchizedek blessed Abram, saying, [May the blessings of the Most High YHVH, Maker of heaven and earth, be upon you Abram and blessed be the Most High YHVH, Who has delivered your enemies into your hands.] And Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had captured in battle. [Keep all of the goods for yourself,] the king of Sodom told Abram. [Give me only my people who were captured from my city.] [No, I have sworn to Adonai YHVH Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or sandal thong or anything that is yours,] Abram answered. [For if I do you might say that you have made Abram rich. I will take only what my young men have eaten and the portion of the goods to which my allies, Aner, Eshcol and mature are entitled. Give each of them their rightful share.]

COMMENTARY

THE BATTLE OF THE KINGS

Many chapters of Genesis are filled with stories of men and women like us. We read of their hopes and fears, their choices and the result of those choices. Lot was a nephew of Abram. Both men gained great wealth in herds of animals. When the time came for them to separate, Abram gave Lot first choice of the land. Would Lot choose the hill country, or the rich valley land near the city of Sodom? And what events would flow from his decision? Chedorlaomer, Amraphel and Shemeber, names of ancient kings, sound strange to modern ears. Who were these long-ago rulers and where did they reign? In the days of Abraham, the land of Canaan was divided among many petty kings. Each city had its own king and worshiped its own gods. Although two cities might be within sight of one another, they remained individual kingdoms with separate armies. In the region of the Dead Sea, a cluster of these Canaanite city-states were ruled by five separate kings: Berea, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the unnamed king of Zoar {Bela}. For twelve years they had paid tribute to Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, but their restlessness finally broke out into revolt. Each one by himself did not have the strength to rebel against Chedorlaomer, but the five together formed a powerful army, and they joined forces against their Mesopotamian overlord. When the cities of the plain withheld their tribute from Chedorlaomer, the Elamite king called his four allies to war. With the support of Arioch, king of Ellasar; Tidal, king of Goiim and Amraphel, king of Shinar, Chedorlaomer marched west and south, following the arc of the Fertile Crescent. On the Jordan plain he met the five rebel kings. Although the alliance of Canaanite kings outnumbered the supporters of Chedorlaomer, the rebel army could not match the skill of the Mesopotamian forces. Chedorlaomer defeated the Canaanite kings thoroughly, scattering their armies and destroying them. He looted their cities, plundering them of riches and carrying off their inhabitants as slaves. Lot, Abraham’s nephew, was among the captives destined for slavery in Mesopotamia. The manner in which Abraham travelled to the north and attacked the forces at night shows his wisdom and power as a warrior. Armies did not usually try to fight at night, so the enemy was totally surprised and thrown into panic. But the manner in which Abraham shared a tithe of the booty with Melchizedek showed his devotion to YHVH and His priest. Abraham also refused to keep the other nine-tenths of the booty, considering his reputation more important than wealth.

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