Year of the Bible
Genesis 14
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Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Chapter 14:
Trouble comes to Lot when his home is invaded by a coalition of kings. Abram launches a rescue mission and, with a little over three hundred men, is able to defeat five armies and rescue the people. After the battle, he meets with two kings. The King of Sodom offers Abram spoils of war, but Abram refuses to enrich himself. Melchizedek, the King of Salem (later known as Jerusalem), is also a priest. He offers Abram bread, wine, and blessing, foreshadowing Abram’s descendant Jesus, the future true king and priest who offered blessing in Jerusalem through bread and wine. Although Abram did not get rich from the battle, he gives Melchizedek a tenth of his assets.
The Book of Genesis, Chapter 14:
Lot’s Captivity and Rescue
1 In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch
king of Ellasar, Ched-orlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Ched-orlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Ched-orlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashterothkarnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their Mount Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness; 7 then they turned back and came to Enmishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazon-tamar. 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 Ched-orlaomer 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; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the mountain. 11 So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way; 12 they also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
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, three hundred and eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.
Melchizedek Blesses Abram
17 After his return from the defeat of Ched-orlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God
Most High,
maker of heaven and earth;
20 and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, 23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me; let A'ner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
In the midst of the trials of Lot, we meet the Priest-king of Salem (later Jerusalem), Melchizedek in verses 17-20. Pray with those verses today and see the pre-figuring of Christ our high priest and the sacrifice of the Mass we are blessed to participate in still today.
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Génesis 14
Sucedió en tiempos de Amrafel,
rey de Sinar, Arioc, rey de Elasar,
Quedorlaómer, rey de Elam, y Tidal, rey
de Goim, 2 que hicieron la guerra a Bera,
rey de Sodoma, a Birsá, rey de Gomorra,
a Sinab, rey de Admá, a Seméber,
rey de Seboim, y al rey de Bela, es decir,
de Soar. 3 Estos últimos se reunieron
en el valle de Sidim, es decir, «el Mar de
la Sal». 4 Durante doce años habían servido
a Quedorlaómer, pero el año décimo
tercero se rebelaron. 5 El año décimo
cuarto vino Quedorlaómer con
sus reyes aliados y derrotaron a los refaítas
en Astarot–Carnaim, a los zuzitas
en Am, a los emitas en Savé–Quiriataim
6 y a los joritas en las montañas
de Seír, hasta El–Parán que está junto al
desierto. 7 Luego volvieron y llegaron a
En–Mispat, es decir, a Cadés, sometieron
todo el territorio de los amalecitas
y también a los amonitas que habitaban
en Jasasón–Tamar.
8 Entonces salieron el rey de Sodoma
y el de Gomorra, el rey de Admá, el rey
de Seboim y el rey de Bela, es decir, de
Soar, y presentaron batalla en el valle de
Sidim 9 a Quedorlaómer, rey de Elam, a
Tidal, rey de Goim, a Amrafel, rey de Sinar
y a Arioc, rey de Elasar; cuatro reyes
contra cinco. 10 En el valle de Sidim
había muchos pozos de asfalto, y cuando
huían los reyes de Sodoma y de Gomorra
cayeron en ellos; los demás huyeron
a la montaña. 11 Se apoderaron de
toda la riqueza de Sodoma y de Gomorra
con todas sus provisiones, y se fueron.
12 También se apoderaron de Lot, el
sobrino de Abrán, y de sus riquezas –
pues habitaba en Sodoma– y se fueron.
13 Vino un fugitivo y se lo contó a
Abrán el hebreo, que acampaba junto a
la encina de Mambré el amorreo, hermano
de Escol y de Aner, ambos aliados
de Abrán. 14 Cuando Abrán oyó que
su sobrino había sido apresado, reunió a
su gente, a los nacidos en su casa, en total,
trescientos dieciocho, y salió en persecución
hasta Dan. 15 Cayó con su gente
sobre ellos por la noche y los derrotó.
Luego los persiguió hasta Jobá, que está
al norte de Damasco, 16 y recuperó todas
las riquezas; también rescató a su sobrino
Lot con sus riquezas, a las mujeres y
a la gente.
17 Cuando Abrán volvía de derrotar
a Quedorlaómer y a sus reyes aliados,
el rey de Sodoma le salió al encuentro
en el valle de Savé, es decir, «el valle del
Rey».
18 Melquisedec, rey de Salem, que era
sacerdote del Dios Altísimo, ofreció pan
y vino, 19 y le bendijo diciendo:
–Bendito sea Abrán por parte del
Dios Altísimo,
creador de cielo y tierra;
20 y bendito sea el Dios Altísimoque puso a tus enemigos en tus manos.
Y Abrán le dio el diezmo de todo.
21 Luego el rey de Sodoma dijo a Abrán:
–Dame las personas y quédate con
las riquezas.
22 Pero Abrán contestó al rey de Sodoma:
–Alzo mi mano ante el Señor, el
Dios Altísimo creador de cielo y tierra;
23 no he de tomar ni un hilo, ni una correa
de sandalia de cuanto te pertenece
para que no digas: «Yo he enriquecido a
Abrán», 24 a excepción solamente de lo
que han comido los jóvenes, y la parte
correspondiente a los hombres que vinieron
conmigo: Aner, Escol y Mambré;
ellos percibirán su parte.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
En medio de las tribulaciones de Lot, conocemos al sacerdote-rey de Salem (más tarde Jerusalén), Melqiusedec en los versos 17-20. Ora con esos versos hoy y ve la prefiguración de Cristo, nuestro gran sacerdote y el sacrificio de la misa de la que todavía tenemos la bendición de participar hoy.
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dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).