Genesis 14:12

12 But as they left, they took Lot, Avram's brother's son, and his possessions; since he was living in S'dom.

Genesis 14:12 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 14:12

And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son
The son of Haran, his elder brother, who was now, as the Jews say ^F24, fifty years of age: who dwelt in Sodom,
or near it, in the country adjacent to it, see ( Genesis 13:12 ) ; and so being a neighbour of the men of Sodom, and a sojourner among them, he partakes of their punishment; and this was a just correction of him for choosing to dwell among such a people: and they took his goods, and departed;
as him and his family, so all his substance, his cattle, wealth, and riches of every sort, and went off with it: Eupolemus ^F25, an Heathen writer, makes mention of this circumstance in his relation of this war, and says, that the Armenians, as he calls the four kings, baring conquered the Phoenicians, carried away captive the brother's son of Abram.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 77. 1.
F25 Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 17. p. 418.

Genesis 14:12 In-Context

10 Now the Siddim Valley was full of clay pits; and when the kings of S'dom and 'Amora fled, some fell into them; while the rest fled to the hills.

11 The victors took all the possessions of S'dom and 'Amora and all their food supply; then they left.

12 But as they left, they took Lot, Avram's brother's son, and his possessions; since he was living in S'dom.

13 Someone who had escaped came and told Avram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Emori, brother of Eshkol and brother of 'Aner; all of them allies of Avram.

14 When Avram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, who had been born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.