THE BATTLE OF CHEDORLAOMER Abram demonstrated his obedience to God by his departure from Ur of the Chaldeans and from Haran, to Canaan. And as the land was not wide enough to accommodate his herdsmen and those of his nephew, he gave to the latter the right of choice. And now, as his nephew fell into captivity, Abram set forth with his men to free him and those who were with him from the hand of Chedorlaomer, rejecting any human reward, to get from God what is greater. 1- Captivation of Lot and his family 1-12. 2- Abram rescues Lot 13-16. 3- An encounter with Melchizedek 17-20. 4- Abram rejects the human reward 21-24. 1 CAPTIVATION OF LOT AND HIS FAMILY Lot chose the region of Sodom that was within the domain of Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and paying taxes to him1. Chedorlaomer is a name that means ‘Servant of Laomer,’ one of the gods of Elam. He was known for his violence and domineering, having swept all kingdoms of the South, submitted all the valley of the Jordan, and had control on the main road between Egypt and Damascus. After twelve years of humiliation, five kings rebelled against him, and refrained from paying him taxes: Kings of Sodom, of Gommorah, of Admah, of Zeboiim, and of Bela (Zoar). Chedorlaomer had to make war to chastise these rebellious kings, joined by three other kings: of Shinar, of Ellasar, and of Jobim, and they swept the region. That war was fought in the vicinity of Sodom, which, despite its natural immunity, and the bitter soul of its inhabitants, was defeated because of its corruption that destroyed it. Its king had to escape while Lot and his family were captivated and their possessions were confiscated. 2- ABRAM RESCUES LOT Someone who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew that his nephew was taken into captivity: “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. 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. 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” (Gen. 14:14-16). Lot sought what is his, so he lost everything. But Abram, used to seek what is others’ and could not bear to hear that Lot and his family were taken captives. His heart flaring with love could not have rested, while others are suffering. So, he set forth with 318 of his trained servants to make war against him who defeated five kings. It is not strange that Abram here, was called “the Hebrew,” as he lived as a transient, that is to say, a stranger, he could, with the spirit of a stranger, rescue Sodom, its king, together with Lot and his family. While Lot, who dwelt in Sodom, could not rescue anyone, including himself. The world is in need, not for people like Lot, who live attached to the wicked in mind, but like Abram, who although seeming 1 Cf. our commentary on chapter 10 (Descendants of Shem). 4 isolated and a transient stranger, yet he is able to support the falling souls, through his sanctified life in the Lord. Lot dwelt in a city that enclosed his mind to be concerned only in earthly things, merely dust; while Abram dwelt in the terebinths of Mamra, meaning (terebinths of vision), anticipating the vision of God. That did not keep him from serving others; but on the contrary, motivated him more toward working for the salvation of all. St. Clement of Alexandria1 believes that the Scripture mentioned the number of servants, who fought together with Abram as 318, for a certain reason. The figure 300 in Greek starts with the letter (Yota), a symbol of the sign of Jesus Christ; and the figure 18 with (Ita), that refers to the name of the Savior; as though those servants who fought together with Abram, were those who enjoyed the salvation of our Lord Jesus, who resorted to His sign and name. 3- AN ENCOUNTER WITH MELCHIZEDEK We have previously dealt with that encounter, in our interpretation of the seventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews. We saw that the episode of the encounter of Abram, the Patriarch, with Melchizedek, after defeating Chedorlaomer, represents a puzzle with no solution to the Jews. As how would the Patriarch, who had in him the priesthood of Levi, offer the tithes to a stranger? And why, that king and priest, all of a sudden, appeared and disappeared in the Scripture, with no indication of the name of his father, mother or descent? And why didn’t he offer a bloody sacrifice, as it was the custom in those days? These are questions for which the Jews have no answer. But the apostle reveals its secret by proclaiming that Melchizedek, being a symbol of the Lord Christ, surpassed the person of Abram who had in him the priesthood of Levi. We can refer to the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 7. I shall quote here some comments of the Fathers in this concern: Who is the “Priest of God Most High,” other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered a sacrifice to God the Father, presenting the same things Melchizedek did: Bread and Wine, namely His Body and Blood?! As for Abram, the blessing he gained concerned his people2. St. Cyprian This is our Melchizedek who offered the sacrifice that is ours; He is the One who says: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood” (John 6:55), granting us that sacrament according to the order of Melchizedek3. St. Jerome St. Ambrose4 stated that Melchizedek has been a holy man and a priest, a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ; and was not an angel as some Jews claimed. We shall concisely present a correlation between the Lord Christ and Melchizedek: a- The name, ‘Melchizedek’ means ‘King of righteousness’. b- Concerning his work, “the king of Salem” means ‘King of Peace’. c- He has been a king and priest at the same time, something that can not be realized for the Jews, for whom the kings were from the tribe of Judah, while the 1 Strom. 6:11. 2 Ep. 62:4. 3 On Ps. hom 36. 4 On Christian Faith 3:88. 5 priests were from the tribe of Levi. In Christ Jesus, both were realized. d- The offer of Melchizedek was individual in nature, referring to the sacrifice of the Lord Christ. e- We know nothing of his father or mother; his kingdom has no beginning or end; referring to the Lord Christ, who has no biological father, and no mother, from a Divine origin, with no beginning of days. He is eternal. f- The Lord Christ came, a Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek; as though the Levitic priesthood came to an end, to be replaced by a new priesthood. g- Abram, who was a Levi origin who collected the tithes, presented, himself, the tithes to Melchizedek who is the symbol of the Lord Christ. What then is this symbol? And how great would be the person symbolized? 4- ABRAM REJECTS THE HUMAN REWARD It was Abram’s right to get a reward for his labor. As the king of Sodom heard that Abram rescued his people from Chedorlaomer, he came out of his hiding place to meet him (Gen. 14:17); and said to him: “‘Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.’ But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 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 - 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’” (Gen 14:21-24). Abbot Theonas says: [Abram surpassed the rules of the Law, that were given later; as he, after his victory over the four kings, did not touch anything of the goods of Sodom, that were his as a conqueror, that were offered to him by the king of Sodom himself, whom Abram rescued1.] St. Ambrose says: [He has been honest in war; humble in his victory; preferring not to get rich through grants from others, but through those from God2.] Abram, in his dignity, rejected the human reward, in anticipation of that of God. Yet while doing that, he did not deprive his servants from enjoying their right (their food from the king of Sodom), nor his partners in war, of getting their portion. He refused to get what was his, yet, he did not commit others to do the same. A living portrait of spiritual and mental maturity! 1 Cassian: Conf. 21:4. 2 On Belief of Resur. 2:96.
Welcome