The Battle of the Kings

Genesis 14:1-24

When you watch the news or read about it in the paper or online what you most often get is the world’s perspective of events. The news media deals mainly with the facts and figures, the details and descriptions of the events which have occurred. Their explanations for these events are almost always humanistic, sociologic and economic in nature.

For the Christian there should be another dimension—the spiritual side of events. If God is sovereign in history, as the Bible claims Him to be (cf. Psalm 2; Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 2:21; Acts 4:23-31), then His hand is to be seen as guiding history to achieve His purposes.

Such is the case in Genesis 14. Here secular history intersects with Abraham’s faith journey. On the surface, this incident is merely an international power struggle to ensure economic supremacy by the control of a crucial trade route. The ‘other side of the news’ is that this event serves as a backdrop for the work of God in the life of the man of faith, Abram.

Genesis 14 is about kings, nine of them; the rebellion of some and the military invasion of others to punish the rebels and subdue them. The word “king” occurs in the chapter 28 times! And for verse after verse we hear nothing at all about God. The horizon is entirely earthly and the action entirely human. In secular account of a military victory we would expect that the climax of the narrative would be Abram’s successful attack, the strategy, the battle itself, the rout of his enemies.

Without a doubt Abram is a man of action in this account. Once informed of the calamity that had befallen Lot, he immediately organized a military response. He gathered the men he himself employed and those of his allies and set off in pursuit of the invaders, who were, no doubt, confident that victory had been won. He employed a clever strategy, attacking the enemy at night, when they were unsuspecting and perhaps weary from the day’s marching, and from two sides at once, always disorienting to a military force. All that is summarized very briefly in Genesis 14:15.

The story might well have ended there with our admiration of Abram’s decisiveness, his courage, and his military IQ. But in fact, the narrator gives us just a glimpse of all of that and hurries on to what is obviously much more important to him: first Melchizedek’s and then Abram’s own confession of faith in God. Its climax is the recognition of God, first by Melchizedek – who ascribes Abram’s victory to God – and then by Abram, who does the same, both with his tithe to Melchizedek and with his words to the King of Sodom. The hero of the story, we discover at the end, is God who was invisible throughout. Listen to the account (Genesis 14:1-24):

¹ 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, ² that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, 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). ⁴ Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵ In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, ⁶ and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. ⁷ Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar. ⁸ And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim ⁹ against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar–four kings against five. ¹⁰ Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. ¹¹ Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. ¹² They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

¹³ Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. ¹⁴ Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. ¹⁵ He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. ¹⁶ So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

¹⁷ And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. ¹⁸ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. ¹⁹ And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; ²⁰ And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all.

²¹ Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” ²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, “I have made Abram rich’– ²⁴ except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

In Genesis 14 Abram goes to battle, both militarily and spiritually. In Genesis 14:1-12 we have the setting for Abram’s battle. Moses gives the details of the international incident that prompted Abram to act, hinging on the capture of Abram’s nephew Lot (Gen. 14:12). Then Genesis 14:13-16 give us Abram’s response and his rescue of Lot by defeating the invading kings. Finally in Genesis 14:17-24 is the highpoint of the passage when Abram meets with the kings of Salem and Sodom.

1. The setting the battle (Gen. 14:1-12).

Remember that Abram had settled in Hebron (Gen. 13:18), right in the middle of Canaan, the land that the Lord had promised to him. And remember that Lot, Abram’s nephew, had separated from Abram and settled down near the city of Sodom (Gen. 13:12), which was probably located to the south and east of the Dead Sea. Lot will find himself in the middle of a rebellion and war. This is the first mention of war in the Bible.

The five kings of the cities where Lot was living, Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela, had for twelve years lived in subjection to a foreign king of the east, Chedorlaomer the King of Elam (which is present day Persia or Iran). This probably meant they had to pay tribute of money and produce as vassals of this more powerful king. It was not uncommon for kings from other places to come into this particular area because it was rich in copper, bitumen, and also in manganese. It was also the major trade route from Egypt to Mesopotamia. So, it was a popular target for invasions. But these five kings rebelled in the thirteenth year (Gen. 14:4). Perhaps they thought by joining together against Chederlaomer they could rid themselves of this foreign tyrant.

Chedorlaomer would have none of it, and so he formed a confederation with three other kings from Mesopotamia and began to wreak havoc in the region. Genesis 14:5-7 describes the unstoppable power of this invasion force, conquering king after king and nation after nation. The four Mesopotamian kings sought to restore their sovereignty over the entire length of the trade route. Genesis 14:8-11 describe the battle of the four kings of the east with Chederlaomer against the five kings of the west in the Valley of Siddim. The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah and their allies lost. Some died in the battle and the rest fled to the mountains or fell into the tar pits. The result was that “Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way” (Gen. 14:11).

The next verse which to the conquerors might have seemed minor and incidental is the pivotal verse in the account: “They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed” (Genesis 14:12).

What a commentary on the decision of Lot in chapter 13. Lot had chosen to act on the basis of economic self-interest, and had thus disregarded the covenant God had made with Abram (12:1-3). All that Lot seemed to have gained was lost in an instant, and seemingly by chance. Also do you notice that Lot was said to have been living in Sodom (Gen. 14:12)? When we left him in Genesis 13 he was first living in the valley of the Jordan, heading eastward (Gen. 13:11). Then he moved his tents as far as Sodom (Gen. 13:12). Now he is right in the middle of that wicked city (Gen. 13:13).

Do you see in this further evidence that Lot had made a poor choice when he separated from Abram and went to Sodom? Lot was lured away by the world, and he found himself taken captive by the world. I’m not saying that Lot was utterly faithless. Further on in Genesis we will learn that Lot was still considered righteous when compared to the sinners of Sodom. But it does appear that he followed, to one degree or another, the lust of his eyes, and was, for a time, overtaken by the world.

Don’t miss the point that the only reason Moses narrates this battle is because Lot was captured and Abram, the man of faith is about to come to his rescue. Think of how utterly insignificant Lot and Abram were from a worldly perspective when compared with the great nations and kings that surrounded them. From the world’s point of view, the mighty kings were the story; Abram and Lot were nothing. But from God’s perspective, Abram was the story, for the Lord had chosen to establish his kingdom through him. That brings us to point 2 …

2. Abram Rescues Lot (Gen. 14:13-16).

One of those who escaped from the battle found Abram and reported Lot’s fate to him. Noteworthy is the designation of Abram as “the Hebrew” (Gen. 14:13). The name probably comes from Eber, one of Abram’s ancestors. It means, “one from beyond,” that is probably beyond the Euphrates from where Abram came. It designates him as a stranger, a pilgrim in the land. It seems that Abram was beginning to become well-known by those who lived in that land.

Abram was dwelling by the Oaks of Mamre. Mamre and his two brothers, Eshcol and Aner, had formed an alliance with Abram (Gen. 14:13). Assembling his forces, and those of his allies, Abram hastily pursued the captors of Lot. Genesis 14:14 says, “Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.”

Abram, it would seem, had a great military mind. He employed a forced march and a surprise attack from various positions. As appearances would have it, Abram was the commander of his own men, as well as those of his allies. Pursuit was vigorous and extensive, until the victory was complete and the spoils entirely recovered. Genesis 14:15-16,

¹⁵ He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. ¹⁶ So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

This is truly extraordinary. Obviously the Lord had blessed Abram. He had allies in the land. His little clan had grown so much so that was able to wage a campaign against the four kings who had previously run unabated through the eastern parts of Canaan. And the Lord gave Abram success in these endeavors. He journeyed over 100 miles to the north and east, attacked the kings, and set the captives free.

This brings us to the final part of the chapter, the encounter of …

3. Abram and the Two Kings (Gen. 14:17-24)

We see in Genesis 14:17-24 the real battle to which this whole passage is leading up. It’s a battle of faith. And in this passage we see that God Himself is the rewarder of His people. When Abram returned from his battle with the kings, He was met by two figures. One, the king of Salem. And two, the king of Sodom. These two men could hardly be more different. (Gen. 14:17-18).

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. ¹⁸ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High

Bera, whose name means “son of evil,” is king of Sodom. He rules over the most vile, perverse, morally corrupt city in all the world. He represents the ultimate end of mankind as it turns away from God.

The King of Salem is Melchizedek, and his name and his title point to very important spiritual realities. Melchizedek means “the king of righteousness.” Who is he? He is the King of Salem, meaning peace. Salem is most likely an old name for Jerusalem (see Psalm 76:2: “His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.”) He is the king of righteousness, who is the king of peace.

Let me remind you of a couple of very interesting things. First of all, this is the first time someone is called a priest in the Bible. Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God. We don’t know to whom he was a priest or how he became one or how he learned of God. It seems that Abram is the only person who knew and worshiped the one true God, maker of heaven and earth. What a blessing it was for Abram to meet a fellow believer!

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. ¹⁹ And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; ²⁰ And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. (Gen. 14:18-20).

We know, from Psalm 110 and from the Book of Hebrews (the only other places in the Bible Melchizedek is mentioned), that he was a type of Jesus Christ, who became a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. We also know that even though Abram was one of the greatest men of faith in the Bible, Melchizedek was even greater. This is proved by the fact that he blessed Abram (“the lesser is blessed by the greater,” Heb. 7:7) and he received tithes from Abram (Heb. 7:1-10). Abram humbly accepted Melchizedek’s blessing and offered him a tenth of the spoils. Melchizedek attributed Abram’s victory to God Most High (14:20).

I believe it was providential that Melchizedek’s appearance interrupted the meeting of Abram and the king of Sodom. Abram’s faith saw in Melchizedek’s meal and his blessing the favor and salvation of God. And such was the favor of God to Abram that he was happy and willing to pay a tithe to Melchizedek, who was, after all, God’s priest, his representative. To give it to Melchizedek was to give it to God.

When Melchizedek had finished his task he apparently departed and then the king of Sodom spoke: “Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.'” (Gen. 14:21). How tempting this offer must have been to Abram. By all rights, and even by the request of the king of Sodom, the spoils were his. Bera says to Abram, “look, you keep all the spoil that you’ve gotten on this great military expedition. Just give us back the people that you have recaptured.” But having been instructed and strengthened by his meeting with Melchizedek here is Abram’s response to the king of Sodom:

²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, ²³ that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, “I have made Abram rich’– ²⁴ except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

Where would you suppose Abram found the words that he spoke to the king of Sodom? From the king of Salem—where else? Melchizedek referred to his God and Abram’s as “God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.” This was an unusual designation for God (El Elyon), and yet Abram used it—the same words as Melchizedek had spoken.

The arrival of the king of Salem, I believe, was a turning point for Abram because it brought his victory into perspective. While men may give glory to men, the saint must give the glory to God for any victory ultimately is His, not ours. How important that is in the context of the world today, because the world wants to bribe us into compromise. You know, if the world can say of us as believers, “Even he has his price, even she has her price,” then God is not our Lord.

For this reason, Abram could not accept the offer of keeping the goods of Sodom. Abram, like Melchizedek, was now jealous for God’s glory to be His alone. To accept anything from a pagan king would be to give him the opportunity to suppose that his giving was responsible for Abram’s success. The price of such goods was too high and so Abram refused what was rightfully his. The only thing he took was the wages of his allies who helped in the battle.

Abram’s faith saw the danger in the proposal of the King of Sodom, the possible entanglement with worldly and wicked men, and the compromise of his witness to the blessing of God by which he had won the victory and secured all of the spoil that was piled in front of them as they spoke. He had no intention of allowing the King of Sodom ever to say that he had made Abram rich, when Abram knew very well that God had done it.

Faith is the conviction that God is there, that his word is true, that what he has said to us is absolutely real. Abram knew God was there, he knew what God had promised him, he knew God’s power and God’s faithfulness from previous experience in Egypt. And he acted on that knowledge. That is what it means to live by faith.

This passage leads me to suggest three characteristics of victorious faith:

The first is humility, seen in the fact that Abraham voluntarily offered a tithe to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:20). As Hebrews 7 points out, you only make an offering to someone you regard as greater than yourself. Even though he had just won an impressive victory, Abraham realized that Melchizedek, who represented God as His priest, was greater than he was. Have you humbled yourself before God?

The second principle is generosity, seen in the fact that while Abraham would take nothing for himself, he offered to pay out of the spoils the men who were with him (Gen. 14:24). Are you worshiping the Lord by giving of yourself and your offerings to Him?

The third principle is purity, seen in the fact that Abraham would not compromise his values because he knew that the king of Sodom, in offering the spoils, trying to buy influence with dirty money. Let me ask you: Is Jesus enough for you, or do you need what the world has to offer?

Finally, let me ask you, have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue you from sin, death, and hell? like Melchizedek, Jesus is both a king (having the authority to help us) and a priest (having a heart that is sympathetic to our needs). Hebrews 7:25 says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Everything hinges on that last phrase—” He always lives.” If Jesus is dead, we have no hope and our faith is in vain. But if Jesus is alive, then He is able to save us completely and forever.