Genesis 14

Genesis 14

¹And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
²That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
So here we have the first instance of probable real history that has a possibility of verification. I say possibity because at this point in time no corroborative texts have been translated. The identity of these cities is also not confirmed but there are some likely candidates.and here
³All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
⁴Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
⁵And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
⁶And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.
⁷And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.
We also don't have a time frame for this, apart from the bible suggests it is around 1,000-1,200 years after the flood. To me this implies an awful lot of people in a relatively short time, especially as we know that whatever period in history this happened people were living in most places they live today.
⁸And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;
⁹With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
¹⁰And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
Slimepits.... Says alot when you realise this is the first thing in the bible that can be 100% verified. Slimepits are a source of bitumen utilised as morter for building and waterproofing for roofs and boats.
¹¹And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
¹²And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
¹³And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
¹⁴And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
Nitpicking I know but if the narrative can't get these small facts right how can we have faith in the whole picture ?
Where did this huge house come from ? The last time accommodation was mentioned he was living in a tent. 318 trained servants he must have done some serious pimping, OK if he had at least 160 Ho's and they all gave birth to male twins he could have 318 trained servants and still be under a hundred years old..If my imagination has to stretch much further to fit it all into this mans life my mind will have a hernia.
¹⁵And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
Now he's a ninja.
¹⁶And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
Note how its Lot,and his goods and oh nearly forgot the women also and the people.As long as lots goods were safe hey.
¹⁷And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
¹⁸And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
¹⁹And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
²⁰And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
²¹And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
²²And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
²³That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
²⁴Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
So let me get this right Lot and others get taken prisoner his Uncle now brother a herdsman and pimp. Given the information here must have been fast approaching 100 years of age, with a few friends and a previously unmentioned private army is able to succeed in overcome a hostile force and secure the release of aforesaid prisoners where the amassed armies of five cities were unable to do so. He then refuses a just and earned reward . Right that's it I am off to get a truss for my head.