Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 2. These made war with Bera, &c.] It appears, from Genesis xiv. 4, that these five Canaanitish kings had been subdued by Chedorlaomer, and were obliged to pay him tribute; and that, having been enslaved by him twelve years, wishing to recover their liberty, they revolted in the thirteenth; in consequence of which Chedorlaomer, the following year, summoned to his assistance three of his vassals, invaded Canaan, fought with and discomfited the kings of the Pentapolis or five cities-Sodom, Gomorrah, Zeboiim, Zoar, and Admab, which were situated in the fruitful plain of Siddim, having previously overrun the whole land.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - The wars of nations make great figure in history, but we should no have had the record of this war if Abram and Lot had not bee concerned. Out of covetousness, Lot had settled in fruitful, but wicke Sodom. Its inhabitants were the most ripe for vengeance of all the descendants of Canaan. The invaders were from Chaldea and Persia, the only small kingdoms. They took Lot among the rest, and his goods Though he was righteous, and Abram's brother's son, yet he was with the rest in this trouble. Neither our own piety, nor our relation to the favourites of Heaven, will be our security when God's judgments ar abroad. Many an honest man fares the worse for his wicked neighbours it is our wisdom to separate, or at least to distinguish ourselves from them, 2Co 6:17. So near a relation of Abram should have been companion and a disciple of Abram. If he chose to dwell in Sodom, he must thank himself if he share in Sodom's losses. When we go out of the way of our duty, we put ourselves from under God's protection, an cannot expect that the choice made by our lusts, should end to ou comfort. They took Lot's goods; it is just with God to deprive us of enjoyments, by which we suffer ourselves to be deprived of the enjoyment of him.
Original Hebrew עשׂו6213 מלחמה4421 את854 ברע1298 מלך4428 סדם5467 ואת854 ברשׁע1306 מלך4428 עמרה6017 שׁנאב8134 מלך4428 אדמה126 ושׁמאבר8038 מלך4428 צביים6636 ומלך4428 בלע1106 היא1931 צער׃6820
