Chuàngshìjì 14

1 Dàng Ànlāfēi zuò Shìnádì wáng , Yàlüè zuò Yǐlāsā wáng , Jīdàlǎomǎ zuò Yǐlán wáng , Tídá zuò Gēyìn wáng de shíhou ,

2 Tāmen dōu gōngdǎ Suǒduōmǎ wáng Bǐlā , Gémólā wáng Bǐshā , Yēmǎ wáng Shìnà , Xǐbiǎn wáng Shànyǐbié , hé Bǐlā wáng . Bǐlā jiù shì Suǒĕr .

3 Zhè wǔ wáng dōu zaì Xīdénggǔ huìhé . Xīdénggǔ jiù shì Yánhǎi .

4 Tāmen yǐjing shìfèng Jīdàlǎomǎ shí èr nián , dào shí sān nián jiù beìpàn le .

5 Shí sì nián , Jīdàlǎomǎ hé tóngméng de wáng dōu lái zaì Yàtèlǜjiāníng , shā baì le Lìfáyīnrén , zaì Hāmaì shā baì le Sūxīrén , zaì Shāwēijīliètíng shā baì le Yǐmǐrén ,

6 Zaì Hélìrén de Xīĕrshān shā baì le Hélìrén , yīzhí shā dào kàojìn kuàngyĕ de Yīlèbālán .

7 Tāmen huí dào Ānmìbā , jiù shì Jiādīsī , shā baì le Yàmǎlì quán dì de rén , yǐjí zhù zaì Hāxǐxùntāmǎ de Yàmólìrén .

8 Yúshì Suǒduōmǎ wáng , Gémólā wáng , Yēmǎ wáng , Xǐbiǎn wáng , hé Bǐlā wáng ( Bǐlā jiù shì Suǒĕr ) dōu chūlai , zaì Xīdénggǔ bǎi zhèn , yù tāmen jiāo zhàn ,

9 Jiù shì yù Yǐlán wáng Jīdàlǎomǎ , Gēyìn wáng Tídá , Shìnádì wáng Ànlāfēi , Yǐlāsā wáng Yàlüè jiāo zhàn . nǎi shì sì wáng yǔ wǔ wáng jiāo zhàn .

10 Xīdénggǔ yǒu xǔduō dàn qī kēng . Suǒduōmǎ wáng hé Gémólā wáng taópǎo , yǒu diào zaì kēng lǐ de , qíyú de rén dōu wàng shān shàng taópǎo .

11 Sì wáng jiù bǎ Suǒduōmǎ hé Gémólā suǒyǒude cáiwù , bìng yīqiè de liángshi dōu lǔlǜe qù le .

12 Yòu bǎ Yàbólán de zhíér Luódé hé Luódé de cáiwù lǔlǜe qù le . dāngshí Luódé zhèng zhù zaì Suǒduōmǎ .

13 Yǒu yī gĕ taó chūlai de rén gàosu Xībólái rén Yàbólán . Yàbólán zhèng zhù zaì Yàmólìrén Mànlì de xiàngshù nàli . Mànlì hé Yǐshí gĕ bìng Yànǎi dōu shì dìxiōng , céng yǔ Yàbólán liánméng .

14 Yàbólán tīngjian tā zhíér ( yuánwén shì dìxiōng ) beìlǔ qù , jiù shuaìlǐng tā jia lǐ shēng yǎng de jīngliàn zhuàng dīng sān bǎi yī shí bā rén , zhí zhuī dào dàn ,

15 Biàn zaì yè jiān , zìjǐ tóng púrén fēnduì shā baì dírén , yòu zhuī dào Dàmǎsè zuǒbiān de Hébǎ ,

16 Jiàng beìlǔ lüè de yīqiè cáiwù duó huí lái , lián tā zhíér Luódé hé tāde cáiwù , yǐjí fùnǚ , rénmín yĕ dōu duó huí lái .

17 Yàbólán shā baì Jīdàlǎomǎ hé yù tā tóngméng de wáng huí lái de shíhou , Suǒduōmǎ wáng chūlai , zaì Shāwēigǔ yíngjiē tā . Shāwēigǔ jiù shì Wánggǔ .

18 Yòu yǒu Sālĕng wáng Maìjīxǐdé daì zhe bǐng hé jiǔ chūlai yíngjiē . tā shì zhìgāo shén de jìsī .

19 Tā wéi Yàbólán zhùfú , shuō , yuàn tiāndì de zhǔ , zhìgāo de shén cì fú yǔ Yàbólán .

20 Zhìgāo de shén bà dírén jiāo zaì nǐ shǒu lǐ , shì yīngdāng chēngsòng de . Yàbólán jiù bǎ suǒ de de ná chū shí fèn zhīyī lái , gĕi Maìjīxǐdé .

21 Suǒduōmǎ wáng duì Yàbólán shuō , nǐ bǎ rénkǒu gĕi wǒ , cáiwù nǐ zìjǐ ná qù ba .

22 Yàbólán duì Suǒduōmǎ wáng shuō , wǒ yǐjing xiàng tiāndì de zhǔ zhìgāo de shén Yēhéhuá qǐshì .

23 Fán shì nǐde dōngxi , jiù shì yī gēn xiàn , yī gēn xiédaì , wǒ dōu bú ná , miǎndé nǐ shuō , wǒ shǐ Yàbólán fùzú .

24 Zhǐyǒu púrén suǒ chī de , bìng yǔ wǒ tóngxíng de Yànǎi , Yǐshí gĕ , Mànlì suǒ yīngdé de fēn , kĕyǐ rènpíng tāmen ná qù .

Chuàngshìjì 14 Commentary

Chapter 14

The battle of the kings, Lot is taken prisoner. (1-12) Abram rescues Lot. (13-16) Melchizedek blesses Abram. (17-20) Abram restores the spoil. (21-24)

Verses 1-12 The wars of nations make great figure in history, but we should not have had the record of this war if Abram and Lot had not been concerned. Out of covetousness, Lot had settled in fruitful, but wicked Sodom. Its inhabitants were the most ripe for vengeance of all the descendants of Canaan. The invaders were from Chaldea and Persia, then only small kingdoms. They took Lot among the rest, and his goods. Though he was righteous, and Abram's brother's son, yet he was with the rest in this trouble. Neither our own piety, nor our relation to the favourites of Heaven, will be our security when God's judgments are abroad. Many an honest man fares the worse for his wicked neighbours: it is our wisdom to separate, or at least to ( 2 Corinthians. 6:17 ) of Abram should have been a companion and a disciple of Abram. If he chose to dwell in Sodom, he must thank himself if he share in Sodom's losses. When we go out of the way of our duty, we put ourselves from under God's protection, and cannot expect that the choice made by our lusts, should end to our comfort. They took Lot's goods; it is just with God to deprive us of enjoyments, by which we suffer ourselves to be deprived of the enjoyment of him.

Verses 13-16 Abram takes this opportunity to give a real proof of his being truly friendly to Lot. We ought to be ready to succour those in distress, especially relations and friends. And though others may have been wanting in their duty to us, yet we must not neglect our duty to them. Abram rescued the captives. As we have opportunity, we must do good to all.

Verses 17-20 Melchizedek is spoken of as a king of Salem, supposed to be the place afterwards called Jerusalem, and it is generally thought that he was only a man. The words of the apostle, Heb. 7:3 , state only, that the sacred history has said nothing of his ancestors. The silence of the Scriptures on this, is to raise our thoughts to Him, whose generation cannot be declared. Bread and wine were suitable refreshment for the weary followers of Abram; and it is remarkable that Christ appointed the same as the memorials of his body and blood, which are meat and drink indeed to the soul. Melchizedek blessed Abram from God. He blessed God from Abram. We ought to give thanks for other's mercies as for our own. Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, is the Mediator both of our prayers and praises, and not only offers up ours, but his own for us. Abram gave him the tenth of the spoils, ( Hebrews 7:4 ) . When we have received some great mercy from God, it is very fit we should express our thankfulness by some special act of pious charity. Jesus Christ, our great Melchisedek, is to have homage done him, and to be humbly acknowledged as our King and Priest; not only the tithe of all, but all we have, must be given up to him.

Verses 21-24 Observe the king of Sodom's grateful offer to Abram, Give me the souls, and take thou the substance. Gratitude teaches us to recompense to the utmost of our power, those that have undergone fatigues, run hazards, and been at expense for our service and benefit. Abram generously refused this offer. He accompanies his refusal with a good reason, Lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: which would reflect upon the promise promise and covenant of God, as if He would not have enriched Abraham without the spoils of Sodom. The people of God must, for their credit's sake, take heed of doing any thing that looks mean or mercenary, or that savors of covetousness and self-seeking. Abraham can trust the Possessor of Heaven and earth to provide for him.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 14

This chapter gives an account of a war that was waged, and a battle fought between four kings on one side, and five on the other, and of the occasion and issue of it, who were the first kings, and this the first battle the Scriptures speak of, Ge 14:1-11; Lot and his goods being taken and carried off, with those of Sodom, by the conquerors, Abram hearing of it armed his men, and pursued after them, and overtook and overcame them, and rescued Lot and his goods, with others, and returned, Ge 14:12-16; when he was met by the kings of Sodom and Salem, who congratulated him on his victory, Ge 14:17-19; and what passed between him, and those great personages, is related, Ge 14:20-24.