Genesis 14:13

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, 1who was living by the 2oaks[a] of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram.

Genesis 14:13 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 14:13

And there came one that escaped
Both the sword of the enemy and the slimepits; either one of the inhabitants of Sodom, who had an acquaintance with Lot and a friendship for him, and knew his relation to Abram; or one of Lot's family, that might escape being taken and carried captive: for not Michael the prince, so called, because when the angels fell they would have drawn him with them, but God delivered him, and therefore his name was called (jylp) , or "one that escaped", as the Jews F26 say; nor Og, that escaped the waters of the flood, as they also say F1, and now from this war, and was the only one left of the Rephaim, or giants, whom Amraphel slew, which they gather from ( Deuteronomy 3:11 ) ; who they suppose came with the following message to Abram with an ill design, that he might go out to war with the kings, and be slain, and then he thought to marry his wife; but these are idle fancies, what is first suggested is right. And told Abram the Hebrew;
that there had been a battle of four kings with five, that the latter were beaten, among whom were the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah; and that Lot, his kinsman, who dwelt in or near Sodom, was carried captive, with all his goods. Abram is called the Hebrew, either from his passing over or coming beyond the river Euphrates, from Chaldea into Canaan; with which the Septuagint version agrees, rendering it the "passer over"; and so Jarchi says he is called, because he came beyond the river: or rather from his having lived beyond it, as such as dwelt there were called; for it can hardly be thought that he should peculiarly have this name from that single action of his passing the river, which multitudes did besides him: but rather, why should he not be called Ibri, the word here used, from the place of his birth? For, according to the Talmudists F2, Ur of the Chaldees was called (aryez arbye) , "little Ibra"; though it is more generally thought he had this name from his being a descendant of Eber, and who was not only of his sons' sons, and spoke the same language, but professed the same religion, and which was continued in his posterity, who to the latest ages were called Hebrews, and sometimes Eber, ( Numbers 24:24 ) ; and which is the opinion of many Jewish writers F3, and seems most probable: for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite;
see ( Genesis 13:18 ) ; it was about forty miles from Sodom, but from it to Dan, whither he pursued the four kings, and where he overtook, fought, and smote them, is by some computed one hundred and twenty four miles F4: this Mamre, from whom the plain or grove of oaks were called, was the brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner;
who are particularly mentioned, because of their concern in the following expedition: and these [were] confederate with Abram;
or "[were] masters" or "authors of a covenant" F5 with him; they had entered into a league to defend one another, their persons and properties, from the insults of invaders and tyrants, or thieves and robbers: and it may be lawful to form such leagues with irreligious persons on such accounts, where there is no prohibition from God, as there was none as yet, though there afterwards was one; and the Israelites, were forbid to make covenants with the Canaanites, but that was after they were drove out of the land for their sins, ( Deuteronomy 7:1 Deuteronomy 7:2 ) ; besides, it is not improbable that these men were religious men, and worshipped the same God with Abram, for such there were among the Canaanitish princes, of which Melchizedek, after spoken of, is an instance; and as yet the sin of the Amorites was not full, of which tribe or nation these men were.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 Pirke Eliezer, c. 27.
F1 Targum Jon. & Jarchi in loc. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 42. fol. 37. 2. T. Bab. Niddah, fol. 61. 1.
F2 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 91. 1. & Gloss. in ib.
F3 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 42. fol. 37. 3. Sepher Cosri, par. 1. sect. 49. fol. 24. 2. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 75. 1. Aben Ezra on Exod. i. 16.
F4 Bunting's Travels, p. 57.
F5 (tyrb yleb) , "Domini vel antores foederis", Piscator, Oleaster.

Genesis 14:13 In-Context

11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way.
12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.
13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram.
14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus.

Cross References 2

Footnotes 1

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