February 3 / Genesis 13:5-14:24

Genesis 13:5-14:24

Dear RTB’ers,

There’s a lot going on in today’s reading. We met Lot yesterday, Abram’s nephew. Now today in Genesis 13 we see the beginnings of a dispute between Abram and Lot, who were both quite wealthy. The issue was pasture and water for their herds and flocks – there was not enough for all their animals together. This dispute was settled quickly when Abram offered Lot the choice to go east or west, with Abram going the opposite direction. At this time they were living near Bethel, which is about ten miles north of Jerusalem, west of the Jordan River. Lot chose east, the Jordan valley, with Sodom and Gomorrah likely further east, on the other side of the Jordan River. Abram then moved west and south to Hebron (where he built another altar), which is some 20-30 miles south of Jerusalem. [NOTE: My distance measurements are often given relative to Jerusalem.]

As we move to Genesis 14 we see Lot now living in Sodom (v. 14:12b – more on that item a few chapters down the road – and war between two groups of “kings”, as the Bible notes, four kings against five (v. 14:9b). The geographic details are difficult, but what is worth noting is that the victory is won in the “Valley of Siddim” (v. 14:10), a region far south of Jerusalem, possibly the southern end of what is now the Dead Sea today. The Sodom and Gomorrah kings and their allies are defeated and Lot is captured by the victorious kings. Surprisingly (to me), Lot is taken far north, even as far as Damascus, more than 100 miles north of Jerusalem. Now Abram joins the battle to bring back Lot and others who were taken captive. Abram’s group is victorious and Lot and his fellow Sodomites are rescued.

As Abram returns he is blessed by Melchizedek, king of Salem (v. 14:18a). [NOTE: “Salem” is a shortened form of Jerusalem.] I’m sure that dozens of theological dissertations have been written on this meeting between Abram and Melchizedek, especially Melchizedek bringing “bread and wine” (v. 14:18) and Abram giving Melchizedek “a tenth of everything” (v. 14:20b). For us, however, I suggest that you move forward to the New Testament and read Hebrews 6:20-7:28 and begin your own dissertation!

Blessings!