Five kings/kingdoms wanted to be free from the dominion of Chedorlaomer, so a war ensued.
For twelve years, Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and Zoar, king of Bela; served Chedorlaomer. In the thirteenth year they joined together in the ‘vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea, and rebelled against Chedorlaomer. They were part of the Canaanite city-states that were under dominion.
In the fourteenth year Amraphel, king of Shinar (Babylonia), Arioch, king of Ellasar; and Tidal, king of nations (possibly a nomadic tribe with no boundaries); joined Chedorlaomer to war with the five kings who rebelled against his dominion.
In route to address the rebellion, the people of Rephaim, Zuzim, and Emim were defeated. In addition the Horites were defeated, and the Amalekites and Amorites were smote.
The ‘vale of Siddim’ is where Chedorlaomer and the other three kings warred with Bera, Birsha, Shinab, Shemeber, and Zoar. This area was full of slimpits, and this is where Bera (Sodom) and Birsha (Gomorrah) fell, those that remained fled to the mountain.
Chedorlaomer and the other three king took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and they took Lot and his goods as well.
Abraham Rescues Lot
A person escaped and told Abram (Abraham) the Hebrew that Lot had been taken captive. Abraham armed his trained servants, 318 in all, and pursued them clear to the place of Dan. Abraham had military wisdom and cleverly divided his trained servants into two groups and used the tactic of a night attack. Abraham pursued them clear to Hobah.
Abraham brought back all the goods, Lot, the women, and the people. After Abraham took Chedorlaomer and the other kings with him down in battle; Bera (Sodom) went out to meet with Abraham.
Unfortunately, Lot moved right back to where he was before in Sodom. He refused this warning from God and would eventually lose everything when Sodom and Gomorrah were ultimately judged (Genesis 19).
Melchizedek
And Melchizedek king of Salem (former name of Jerusalem) brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. See the video below titled: “The Priesthood of Melchizedek” by Stephen Bohr.
Melchizedek blessed Abraham of the most high God (possessor of heaven and earth), and then he blessed the most high God, who delivered Abraham’s enemies into his hand. Abraham gave Melchizedek (who was king and priest) tithes of all.
Bera, King of Sodom
Bera wanted Abraham to give him the people. Abraham praise the most high God, who is the possessor of heaven and earth, and refused to take any of Bera’s goods. Abraham did not want Bera to say that it was he that made Abraham rich. However, only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with Abraham (Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre) took their portion.
Archaeology of the Destruction
Nelson Glueck, Archaeologist, documented the destruction left by these kings: “I found that every village in their path had been plundered and left in ruins, and the countryside was laid waste. The population had been wiped out or led away into captivity. For hundreds of years thereafter, the entire area was like an abandoned cemetery, hideously unkempt, with all its monuments shattered and strewn in pieces on the ground” (cited in Morris).
The Word “Hebrew”
Note: This is the first time the word ‘Hebrew” is mentioned in the Bible. “The word Hebrew comes from a root that means passed over. The Septuagint translates it the passenger” (Barnhouse). It was probably a reference to the fact that Abram came from beyond the Euphrates River, and had passed over the river to come to Canaan. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were Hebrews, not Jews. The word “Israel” came into being when God changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Genesis 32:28). Later, his descendants were known as the ‘children of Israel’. Eventually, the 12 tribes (Jacob’s sons) became divided into a north and south kingdom. The north kingdom was Israel (10 of the tribes) and the southern kingdom was Judah (2 tribes: Judah and Benjamin). This division can be found in 1 Kings 11-12. The term ‘Jew’ came from the southern kingdom, Judah. The first biblical reference to a Jew was Mordecai (Esther 2:5-7).
Commentary – By: Mark Finley
Lot’s choice to settle near the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah placed him in serious danger. When Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, united with his heathen allies and attacked Sodom, Lot was taken captive. Hearing the tragic news, Abraham marshaled his forces to deliver Lot. It is remarkable that Abraham did not lay blame on Lot for the choice he made to settle near Sodom. Neither did he exhibit an attitude of superiority and let Lot suffer the consequences of his poor choices. There are times that love acts recklessly. Love pursues, seeks, and wins back those who make poor choices. Certainly, there are times for people to face the result of their choices but there are also times for love to act in spite of the choices others make.
It is well to note that when Abraham returned from the battle, he gave a tithe of the spoils to Melchizedek, the “priest of God the Most High”. In faithfully returning tithe, Abraham acknowledged the blessings of God upon his life. There is one other remarkable act of Abraham in this chapter we must not miss. Abraham refused to take even “a sandal strap” of the spoils for himself. He gave everything his men captured to the King of Sodom. Unselfish hearts and giving spirits open the channels of heaven’s storehouse of blessings to flow to us.
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2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” AND 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”