Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 5. Rephaims] A people of Canaan: chap. xv. 20.
Ashteroth] A city of Basan, where Og afterwards reigned; Joshua xiii. 31.
Zuzims] Nowhere else spoken of, unless they were the same with the Zamzummims, Deut. ii. 20, as some imagine.
Emims] A people great and many in the days of Moses, and tall as the Anakim. They dwelt among the Moabites, by whom they were reputed giants; Deut. ii. 10, 11.
Shaveh Kiriathaim] Rather, as the margin, the plain of Kiriathaim, which was a city afterwards belonging to Sihon king of Heshbon; Josh. xiii. 19.
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 ובארבע702 עשׂרה6240 שׁנה8141 בא935 כדרלעמר3540 והמלכים4428 אשׁר834 אתו854 ויכו5221 את853 רפאים7497 בעשׁתרת קרנים6255 ואת853 הזוזים2104 בהם1990 ואת853 האימים368 בשׁוה קריתים׃7741
