A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Genesis · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
ANd it came to paſſe in the dayes of Amraphel king of Shinar, &c.]
It is not poſſible certainly to determine vvho theſe kings vvere, and vvhat their tecritories vvere; but moſt probable it is, that they vvere but onelyonly governours of cities.
And Tidal king of Nations.]
In the Hebrevv it is, King of Gojim, vvhichwhich may be kept unchanged, but the Greek and Chaldee tranſlate it Nations. It ſeemeth they vvere of ſundry families or populous; as Galilee in that regard is called Galilee of the Nations, Iſa. 9. 1.
Verſ. 3. All theſe were joyned together in the vale of Siddim, which is the ſalt ſea.]
That is, in the dayes of Moſes, vvhen he vvrote this hiſtory, this vale of Siddim, vvhere this battel vvas fought by the kings before named, vvas become a lakeo… ſea, and called the Salt ſea. For after the deſtruction of Sodome and Gomorrah, and thoſe other cities that ſtood in this vale, either by the confluence of many vvaters and brimſtone into it (being before full of ſlime pits, or ſalt pits, as ſome reade it▪ verſ. 10.) or by ſome other ſpeciall and extraordinary vvork of God, that it might remain a continuall monument of Gods fierce indignation againſt the vvicked inhabitants of that place, it became a ſtanding pool of putrid and unſavory vvaters, and vvas therefore called the Salt ſea, Joſh. 3. 16. as likevviſe the lake Aſphaltites, and the Dead ſea; becauſe in thoſe corrupt and ſtinking vvaters not ſo much as a fiſh could live; yea, as Hiſtories report, the birds that flevv over it vvere uſually ſtif…ed vvith the noiſome exhalations that did thence ariſe.
Verſ. 5. And ſmote the Rephaims.]
A people in the land of Canaan, Gen. 15. 20. And doubtleſſe the chief reaſon vvhy Moſes relateth hovv thoſe foure confederate Kings did ſubdue and deſtroy both theſe and the other nations here mentioned, is the more to magnifie the goodneſſe of God to Abram, in making him victorious over an army that had ſo eaſily before ſubdued and overrun ſo many ſtrong and potent nations.
And the Emims.]
A people inhabiting formerly the countrey vvhichwhich after the Moabites poſſeſſed, Deut. 2. 9, 10. And the Lord ſaid diſtreſſe not the Moabites, &c. For I will not give thee of their land for a poſseſsion, &c. The Emims dwelt there in times paſt.
Verſ. 6. And the Horites.]
A people that dwelt in mount Seir untill the children of Eſau drove them thence. Deut. 2. 22. As he did to the children of Eſau that dwelt in Seir, when he deſtroyed the Horims from before them.
Verſ. 7. And ſmote all the countrey of the Amalekites.]
That is, all that countrey which in after-times was inhabited by the Amalekites. Amalek, of whom the Amalekites deſcended, was the grand-child of Eſau, Gen. 36. 12. who was not yet born. It was not therefore the Amalekites that were now ſubdued by theſe Kings, but ſome other people that did now inhabit that countrey wherein afterward the Amalekites dwelt.
Verſ. 10. And the vale of Siddim was full of ſlime pits.]
This is mentioned as that which was an hinderance in their ſlight, and ſo a means of their greater loſſe.
And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there.]
That is, were vanquiſhed and overthrown there; many of their ſouldiers ſlain, many falling into thoſe pits, as we may well conceive they needs muſt, being once routed and in that diſorder chaſed by the enemie. But the king of Sodom eſcaped, we ſee, verſ. 17. And the king of Sodom we…t out to meet him.
Verſ. 14. He armed his trained men.]
This word, trained, may be meant both of civil, military, and religious diſcipline. But however ſince theſe men that Abram now carried forth with him were armed for warre, it is likely that he choſe ſuch of his men as were fitteſt for that ſervice, & that had been trained up in the uſe of their arms, and are in this ſenſe therefore called his trained men. Concerning the juſtice of this enterpriſe of Abrams, ſome queſtion may be made: But for that we muſt conſider, that though Chederlaomer had a juſt quarrell againſt the king of Sodom and the other neighbouring kings, whom he had now vanquiſhed (which cannot be certainly aſſirmed, becauſe it is not expreſſed upon what grounds they had now caſt off his yoke, having 12 years before been his vaſſals and tributaries) yet Abrain undertaking this expedition onelyonly for the reſcuing of his kinſman Lot, and that doubtleſſe by the ſpeciall inſtinct of the ſpirit of God, this is abundantly enough to juſtifie what Abram now did in purſuing and vanquiſhing theſe kings that had taken Lot priſoner, and were carrying away both him and his and all that they had.
And purſued them unto Dan.]
One of the ſprings of Jordan, where was alſo a town afterward called by that name of Dan.
Verſ. 18. And Melchiſedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine.]
That is, He brought forth proviſion vvherewith to refreſh both Abram and thoſe that were with him: for ſo the like phraſe is uſed, Deut. 23. 3, 4. An Ammonite or a Moabite ſhall not enter into the congregation of the Lord, becauſe the… met you not with bread and with water in the way when you came forth out of Egypt. Being one of the neighbouring kings of Canaan, king of Salem (which ſeems to be the ſame that was afterwards called Jeruſalem. Pſal. 76. 3. In Salem alſo is his, tabernacle) by way of congratulating Abrams victory over theſe kings, whoſe prevailing power might otherwiſe have proved very prejudiciall to them all, he brought forth proviſion of ſeverall ſorts wherewith to feaſt Abram, and his confederates, and their ſouldiers. M…ichiſedek ſignifieth king of righteouſneſse; and king of Salem, is by interpretation king of Peace. In both which reſpects S. Paul makes this Melchiſedek, Heb. 7. 2. a type of Chriſt, who is the King of his Church, the king of Iſrael, John 1. 49. and not onelyonly perfectly righteous in his own perſon, and therefore called Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, 1. John 2. 1. but alſo, Rom. 10. 4. The end of the Law for r…ghteouſneſse to every one that believeth, as was of old propheſied, Jer. 23. 6. This is his name whereby he ſhall be called, The Lord our righteouſneſse: and ſo likewiſe, The Prince of peace, Iſa. 9. 6. who hath by his death reconciled us unto God, and made our peace through the bloud of his Croſse, Col. 1. 20. Again, becauſe the Scripture no where tells us who he was, or who were his parents, or of what ſtock he came; nor makes any mention either of his birth or death, but preſents him to us as one without father, without mother, without deſcent, having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life, Heb. 7. 3. and that purpoſely that he might be a figure of the Meſſiah (which cannot be ſaid of Job, Daniel, and others, vvho, though there be no mention made of their ſtock, birth and death, yet they vvere not alſo Kings and Prieſts unto God, as Mel…hiſedek vvas) therefore in regard of theſe alſo the Apoſtle makes him a notable type of Chriſt; or one made like to the Sonne of God, vvho vvas indeed in regard of his humane nature without father, and in regard of his Godhead without mother, without deſcent, having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life.
And he was the prieſt of the moſt high God.]
That vve may not vvonder at that vvhichwhich follovvs, that a Canaanitiſh king ſhould ſpeak ſo religiouſly of the moſt high God, and vvithall take upon him to bleſſe Abram, as one much inferiour to himſelf, (Heb. 7. 7. Without all contradiction, the leſse is bleſsed of the better;) or that Abram ſhould pay him tithes, &c. Moſes therefore tells us that this Melchiſedek was not onelyonly a vvorſhipper of the true God, but alſo a Prieſt of the moſt high God, moſt eminent in thoſe times undobtedly, in regard of that ſpeciall dignitie, that he was both king of Salem, and Prieſt of the moſt high God. And herein alſo the Apoſtle maketh him a moſt remarkable type of Chriſt, Heb. 7. 2, 3. becauſe he was both king & Prieſt, and eſpecially becauſe he is here preſented to us without any partner in his Prieſthood as the Prieſts of Aarons order had, without any mention of any to whom he ſucceeded in his Prieſthood, or that ſucceeded him, & ſo as one that typically abideth a Prieſt for ever, as the Apoſtle there ſpeaks: for ſo indeed Chriſt is the one eternall Prieſt of his Church, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 7. 24. This man, becauſe he liveth for ever, hath an unchangeable Prieſthood. Very ſtrange indeed it may ſeem that ſuch a King and Prieſt ſhould be found amongſt the curſed nation of the Canaanites: but God can raiſe unto himſelf faithfull ſervants whereever he pleaſeth, and conferre upon vvhomſoever he vvill an eminent meaſure of grace; yea though the Church vvas to be continued in the poſteritie of Abram, yet there is little queſtion to be made, but that as yet there vvere ſome fevv of other families that vvere the true ſervants of God, as Job and his friends aftervvard were amongſt the Edomites.
Verſ. 19. And he bleſsed him and ſaid, &c.]
By the authoritie of his office, and in the name of God, he gives Abram his bleſſing, as the Prieſts in the lavv did the people, Num. 6. 23, 27. Speak unto Aaron and to his ſonnes ſaying, On this wiſe ye ſhall bleſse the children of Iſrael, &c. verſ. 27. And they ſhall put my name upon the children of Iſrael, and I will bleſse them. It is likely he uſed a more ample form, and manner of bleſſing, then is here expreſſed: But if ſo, in this abbridgement which Moſes gives us we have no doubt the ſumme of all: for this manner of bleſſing, though uttered prayer-vviſe, implyeth an aſſured promiſe that the moſt high God ſhould moſt abundantly bleſſe him.
Verſ. 20. And he gave him tithes of all, &c.]
He, that is, Abram, Heb. 7. 4. gave Him, that is, Melchiſedek, tithes of all, that is, the tenth of all the ſpoil, Heb. 7. 4. Now conſider how great this man was unto whom even the Patriarch Abram gave the tenth of the ſpoils: for though he vvould take nothing of the ſpoil, vvhichwhich had been carried from Sodom, unto himſelf, yet he might give of it to Melchiſedek; and beſides he took queſtionleſſe much from the vanquiſhed vvhichwhich belonged not to Sodom. However the tithes he gave unto Melchiſedek, & that ſurely by way of homage & thankfulnes to God: for what was given to him in regard of his office was given to God: for Melchiſedek himſelf being a king had no need of them.
Verſ. 22. I have lift up my hand to the Lord, &c.]
This may be meant either of an oath that he had taken, for that was an uſuall cuſtome in ſwearing to lift up the hand to heaven, Dan. 12. 7. And I heard the man clothed in linnen which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand, and his left hand unto heaven, and ſware by him that liveth for ever; or (which differs very little) of a vow made to God in his prayer.
Verſ. 23. Leſt thou ſhouldſt ſay, I have made Abram rich.]
That is, leſt thou (or any other) ſhould hereafter ſay, that by this victory I enriched my ſelf, and ſo the extraordinary bleſſing of God upon me and mine ſhould not be diſcerned and acknowledged; and withall leſt thou ſhouldſt think or ſay hereafter, that I pretended the reſcue of the afflicted, but did indeed look after the prey. Thus he preferres the glory of God, and the honouring of his Religion before his ſpoil which by right of warre belonged to him.