Ge. 14: This...IS...ABRAAAAAAMM!!

In Chapter 14, there is war. The lowdown of it is that King Chedorlaomer of Elam was ruling over these five other cities as well: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela. He had probably been collecting (read: confiscating) some sort of a tribute from these towns for 12 years. By year 13, they had enough, and rebelled. Chederlaomer and his buddies from Shinar, Ellasar, and Goiim rolled their boys into the valley to put down the rebellion.

As I was reading this, I thought...now, this is a change of pace. What does this war have to to with Abram, who as shown in the previous chapter was a man of peace? I'unno. I guess I'll have to keep reading.

Anyway, they battle it out, and Lot, who had moved to Sodom, was in the middle of the whole deal. His possessions were stolen, he was kidnapped, and it was a bad deal all around. The KJV says that the valley was full of slimepits, which I find very weird and scary, and a bunch of guys from both sides fell in. Anyway, someone escaped the slaughter and came and told Abram about Lot. Well, Abram did not take too kindly to this news. He armed his trained men (318 according to verse 14.) Where have I heard this number before?

Anyway, Abram goes in like "Yippee-Kai-Ay" and gets rowdy on everyone, using guerrilla tactics, and kicks hiney all the way to Dan. He frees Lot, gets his possessions back, and everything is hunky again. Bera (king of Sodom) benefits from Abram's actions, and he calls his allies together in the valley of Shaveh to bring honor to him. Melchizadek (king of Salem...Jerusalem?) comes out though, first, and brings bread and wine. Mel is described as the "priest of the most high God."

I think this is the first time in the Bible we see the priesthood. I wonder when that began?

Well, if Abram had any thoughts of allowing himself to be glorified by what was taking place (which I assume that he did not) Melchizadek brought it back around onto God. He blessed Abram, who belonged to The Most High God, the creator and possessor of heaven and earth. He praised God for delivering the enemy into Abram's hand, and generally just making everything work out according to plan. Abram was promised that he would become a great nation, after all.

Bera probably saw this happening, and thought, "Well, this is all fine and good, praise god, yadda yadda...give me back my people, and you can have all these riches and possessions."

Abram said, "You aren't going to be able to tell people my riches came from you. They have come from God. I won't even take a shoelace from you. Beat it, Bera." He allows those who helped him in battle take the share.

Abram was the original Leonidas here in Chapter 14. He took a bunch of shepherds (presumably) and fought what I assume is a powerful force. Powerful enough to keep five cities under wraps and bully them to the point of rebellion. How did he do that?

Questions for God?
When was the priesthood established?
Who is this Melchizadek fellow?