Genesis 14:14

14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled^[a] his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.

Genesis 14:14 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 14:14

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive
That is, his brother's son Lot, as in ( Genesis 14:12 ) ; which was contrary to the law of nations; since Lot was only a sojourner, and not an inhabitant n Sodom, and therefore had no concern in the quarrel between the kings, and this justified Abram's taking up arms on his behalf: he armed his trained [servants];
such as were trained up by him in religious exercises, see ( Genesis 18:19 ) ; in the affairs and business of civil life, in the care of flocks and herds, and particularly in the art of war; which was both lawful and necessary, for the preservation of his family and substance from oppressors: born in his own house;
of his servants, and so were his property, and at his disposal and command; their number was three hundred and eighteen,
a large number for servants, and which showed how great a man Abram was, what possessions he must have to employ so many, and yet but a small number for an army, to go forth with against four kings who had conquered five; though how many his confederates brought with them is not certain: and pursued [them] unto Dan;
the Jerusalem Targum is, to Dan of Caesarea, meaning Caesarea of Philippi, as in the times of Christ and his apostles it was called; which at first had the name of Leshem, or Lais, and was not called Dan until the times of the judges, ( Judges 18:29 ) ; wherefore, if the same place is intended here, it is so called not only by anticipation, but by a spirit of prophecy; since it had not the name of Dan even in the times of Moses, the writer of this history, unless it may be thought to be inserted by Samuel or some other inspired writer, after Moses; though there is no need to suppose either of these, seeing there might be a town or city of this name in those parts at this time, or however one of the springs of Jordan might be so called, from whence the river had its name as early, ( Genesis 13:11 ) ; and so Josephus ^F6 expressly says, speaking of this expedition, that Abram fell upon them at Dan, for so, adds he, the other fountain of Jordan is called.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 10. sect. 1.

Genesis 14:14 In-Context

12 They also took Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.

13 One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was at the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram.

14 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.

15 And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus.

16 He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the [other] people.

Footnotes

• [a]. Sam; MT reads poured out