Knowing The Word in Genesis 14:8-16, Abram Rescues Lot

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim 9 with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits [where petroleum oozes to the surface and can be dug out], and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some [of the soldiers?] fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country [the ground rises steeply to the east and west of the Dead Sea]. 11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house [slaves who grew up in his clan rather than recently acquired], 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. [It was an astute and able man Abram defeated with as few as 318 men, reminding us of Gideon. This number of men suggests he had at least 1000 people in his group and probably more.] 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people. [The fact that Abram could defeat these kings so quickly suggests his campaign was a raiding expedition rather than a full-blown military conquest.]