The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 3 · Section 4
SECT. IV.
ABout this time Bera King of Sodom, with the reſt of the Petty Kings of Pentapolis ſhook off the Yoke of Chedorlaomer King of Elam, to which they had been ſubject for 12 years. Chedorlaomer hereupon, and ſome other Confederate Princes that dwelt about the River Euphrates, joyned their Forces together, and reſolv'd to Chaſtize thoſe Kings that had revolted. And having firſt overcome the Rephaims, (a people deſcended from Canaan, [Gen. 15.20.] that dwelt in Aſtaroth-Carnaim, a City beyond Jordan [Deut. 1.4.] and thoſe people that inhabited all that Region which was afterwards poſſeſſed by the Moabites, [Deut. 2.9.10.] and Edomites, [Deut. 2.22.] and the Amalekites, and the Amorites) in the Vale of Siddim, (t)Which was afterwards turned into a Lake or Sea of putrid and unſavory Waters, and was therefore called the Salt Sea [Joſh. 3.16.] the whole tract of that plain abounding with ſalt or brackiſh Slime-pits, verſ. 10. or the dead Sea, becauſe no Fiſh could live in it, or Aſphalites, from its bituminous and pitchy Nature.they gave battel to the Revolters, and the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their Forces were vanquiſhed, and overthrown there, and many of their Souldiers ſlain, and many probably in the Rout fell into the Slime-pits; but the King of Sodom himſelf eſcaped, verſ. 17. Then they plundered Sodom and Gomorrah, and ſeized upon Lot alſo, who dwelt there, and carried him away with the reſt of their Priſoners. The tydings of this coming to Abram the Hebrew (he is the firſt in the Scripture ſo called) he inſtantly (doubtleſs by the ſpecial inſtinct of the Spirit of God) armed his own Servants (viz. ſuch as had been trained up in his own Family in the uſe of their Arms to the number of three hundred and eighteen) and took along with him his three Confederates,*God moved them to join with Abram. The Proſperity of Gods people makes thoſe that obſerve it, deſirous to be in League with them: Upon that ground did Abimelech and Phicol deſire to enter into Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 21.22, 23. And the like motion, for the ſame reaſon, was made to Iſaac his Son, Gen. 26.27, 28, 29, &c. Haner, Eſcol, and Mamre, with the Forces they could make, and marching ſpeedily after Chedorlaomer, he overtook him and his Army (laden with the Prey and Spoil) at Dan (u)Moſes ſeems by a Prophetical inſpiration, and by way of Prolepſis or anticipation, to call theſe places by the Names whereby they were afterwards known and called. Hinc conjectant quidam (nec levis eſt ſuſpicio) pentateuchum ut modo extat, non eſſe a Moſe conſcriptum; putantque Eſdram aut alium divinum ſcriptorem, interjectis hinc inde Clauſulis, opus illuſtraſſe, & explicatius reddidiſſe. Maſ.in the North Border of Canaan. And having firſt with a Military Prudence and Policy divided his Men, to make a ſhew as if he had a great Army diſperſed divers ways, He there fought them and defeated them, and ſhew many of them, and purſued them to Hoba on the left hand of Damaſcus, and reſcued Lot and the reſt of the Priſoners out of their hands, and brought them back again, together with the prey they had taken. Abram thus returning triumphantly, is met by Melchizedec (x)See Apoſtolical Hiſtory, pag. 375. 376.King of Salem, *Afterwards call'd Jeruſalem.who ſeems to be ſome eminent man in Canaan, raiſed up by God in that Corrupt Nation, who was both King and Prieſt, (of whoſe Father and Mother and Pedigree there is no mention in the Scripture neither of his Birth or Death, or that he had any Succeſſor in his Prieſthood. This Melchizedec in Congratulation of Abram's Victory, brought forth Bread and Wine to refreſh Him and his Souldiers, and being a Prieſt of the moſt high God, (y)Thus we ſee that though the Church was to be continued in the Poſterity of Abram, yet there is little queſtion to be made, but that as yet there were ſome few of other Families that were the true Servants of God, as Job afterwards, and his friends were among the Edomites.by the authority of his office, and in the Name of God, he bleſſed Abram (as the Prieſts in the Law did the people, Numb. 6.23, 24, 25.) and he bleſſed the moſt high God in his behalf, who had given him this Victory; ſo that he offered a gratulatory Sacrifice of Praiſe, but no expiatory Sacrifice, for that required blood, Numb. 9.22. Abram on the other ſide preſented Melchiſedec with the Tenth part of the Spoil he had taken from the vanquiſhed Army. Which Tythes (z)So that the payment of Tythes is ancienter than the Levitical Law [See Gen. 28.22.] and being paid to Melchiſedec a Type of Chriſt, they may be continued as a Maintenance to Goſpel-Miniſters, who exhibit Sacramental Bread and Wine, and bleſs the people as Melchiſedec did.probably he Him gave by way of homage and thankfulneſs to God; For what was given to Melchiſedec in regard of his Office, as a Prieſt, was given to God. But as a King Melchiſedec had no need of them. Abram was alſo met by the King of Sodom in the Valley of Shaveh (in after-times called the Kings Dale, where Abſolon ſet up his Pillar, 2 Sam. 15.28.) who congratulating his Victory, offered him that He ſhould keep to himſelf if he pleaſed, all the prey and ſpoils recovered by him that were lately taken from and belonged to his City, only he deſired to have thoſe of the priſoners again that were his Subjects. But Abram told him that he had ſworn unto the Lord and vowed when he went forth in this War, (and implored Gods aid and aſſiſtance therein) that none ſhould have occaſion to ſay that a Covetous deſire of the Prey drew him into this Ingagement, and therefore he would not accept any thing of His from a threed to a ſhoo-latchet, leſt he ſhould ſay He had made Abram rich. Thus Abram preferred the Glory of God, and the honouring of his Religion, before the Prey, which by the right of War belonged to him; and having been bountifully inriched by the Providence of God, he would not have it ſaid he was inriched by ſuch wicked people as the Sodomites were. Yet He excepted from this his general refuſal (wherein He ſaid He would have nothing of His) that which the young men (his Souldiers) had ſpent of the Enemies prey, or taken to themſelves, and deſired alſo that his three Confederates might have a ſhare and portion in the ſpoils.
Gen. 14. whole Chapter.