Read with Me
Genesis 14:13-16 (HCSB)
One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.
Listen with Me
One of the residents of Sodom escaped the raid of the Northern Kings and headed up into the hill country to the west where he found Abram. He reported to him all that had been happening, as well as the fact that Lot and his family, as well as all his flocks and herds, were among those who had been taken into captivity by the kings.
Even at this point, less than ten years after he had arrived in the land, Abram had risen from the status of a nomadic shepherd to a prince among the people. In addition to his extensive wealth in flocks and herds, he also had a vast number of servants. Included among these were 318 men who had been trained in warfare, a larger force than some of the cities in the area could muster.
In addition, Abram had made a treaty with three of the prominent landowners in the area. So, when he went in pursuit of the four northern kings to rescue Lot, those three men and their male servants accompanied him. That means that it was an impressive army of nearly 500 trained men, that moved quickly northward within hours of Abram’s being notified of the abduction of Lot.
Abram and his crew followed the trail of the kings until he caught up with them near Dan, a city in the northeast part of Canaan. Instead of simply charging at the gathered armies, Abram’s strategically divided his forces, and attacked them from several directions at once, throwing them into confusion, and causing them to flee to the north, leading the captured goods and people behind. Abram and his men pursued the fleeing army to the north beyond Damascus. Finally, assured that they would not turn back against them, they returned and gathered together the captives and headed south toward home.
Pray with Me
Father, even though You did not specifically say so in Your word, Your own hand is clearly evident in all that happened here. You caused word to be brought to Abram about the raid on the cities of the plain, and the abduction of Lot. You had provided beforehand the large company of trained men that enabled Abram to go in pursuit of the invaders. And You planted a powerful and effective strategy in Abram’s mind that You empowered to make far more effective than any mere human effort would be. You had promised years earlier to watch over Abram and all that was his, and that even included Lot. Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness, and for Your amazing ability to do far more than we ask, or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Amen.