Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

14:17-24 GENESIS
is suggested in a foregoing paragraph, namely, that the
original text indicates that the defeated kings “fell,” in
the sense of having “flung themselves,” into the bitumen
pits to save their own skins, leaving their armies to find
refuge in flight into the surrounding mountains. Hence
Leupold, on v. 17 (EG, 461-462) : “‘The king of Sodom,’
whom we last saw taking precipitate refuge in the bitumen
pits, now again has come forth and desires to acknowledge
publicly the inestimable benefit that Abram has bestowed
upon him. Critics again attempt to invalidate the story
by stating that this verse conflicts with verse IO, claiming
that there the king of Sodom died, here he is resurrected.
In all fairness they ought to offer their readers the simple
explanation given above, that v. 10 may mean they hastily
hid in the pits. The canons of criticism employed by
critics are often so sharp that no writings, not even their
own, could pass muster in the face of them.” The King’s
Vde: according to Joseph (Ant., 8:lO) about a quarter
of a mile north (or northeast) of Jerusalem; described
as a. broad, defenseless valley, also known as the “King’s
Dale.” It was here that Absalom later erected a memorial
pillar for himself (2 Sam. 18 : 18).
It was here that one of the most memorable, mysterious
and prophetic incidents in Abraham’s career, indeed in the
entire Old Testament, occurred. It seems that the king of
Sodom was accompanined by a mysterious and venerated
personage by the nanie. of Melchizedek, who is described
as King of Salem and Priest of God Most High. The
sudden appearance of onerwho united in himself both the
kingly and .priestly functions, of whose origin and history
we know -nothing,‘ has led to much useless speculation.
Maclear (COTH, 3 5 ) : “Putting aside the more improbable
conjectures, we may perhaps conclude that he was an
eminent Canaanitish prince in the line of Ham, who ,had
maintained the-pure worship of the One True God, and
who, according to a custom not uncommon in patriarchal
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