Genesis 14-16

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 records the first war in human history. The invading forces were four kingdoms from the north of Palestine—Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goiim—while the attacked region consisted of five cities in the southern Jordan Valley: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar.

 

In this war, Lot is taken captive (verses 1–12). In order to rescue Lot, Abram intervenes with his southern allies and wins a decisive victory, thereby making his name well known (verses 13–16).

As Abram returns from battle, Melchizedek, king of Salem, appears and blesses him. Abram then gives Melchizedek a tenth of all the spoils (verses 17–20). Abram also demonstrates his faith by refusing to accept the spoils offered by the king of Sodom, showing that he relies only on God’s blessing, thereby revealing God’s glory to them (verses 21–24).

 

Q1) What does Abram do after hearing the news about Lot (verses 14–16)?

Q2) What reward does the king of Sodom offer Abram after he returns victorious from the war (verse 21)?

Q3) How does Abram respond to the king of Sodom’s offer (verses 22–24)?

 

 

Chapter 15

The covenant recorded in Chapter 15 is often called the “Covenant of the Flaming Torch.” The God who called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans and blessed him continues to reaffirm His covenant and promise blessings.

 

Once again, God promises blessings and assures Abram—who was planning to leave his inheritance to his servant Eliezer—that the promise would be fulfilled through a son born from Abram’s own body (verses 1–6).

Through the flaming torch covenant, God firmly establishes His promise to give the land of Canaan as an inheritance. However, He also declares that Abram’s descendants will possess the land after 400 years, because the sin of the Canaanites has not yet reached its full measure (verses 7–21). Finally, God reveals the specific boundaries of the land that Israel would later inherit.

 

Q1) What was Abram afraid of (verse 2)?

Q2) What did God show Abram, and how did Abram respond (verses 5–6)?

Q3) How did God make a covenant with Abram, and what was the content of that covenant (verses 17–18)?

 

Chapter 16

Chapter 16 describes the conflict Abram experiences while waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise. Because Abram and Sarai have no children, Sarai—believing that she can no longer bear children due to her age—suggests that Abram have a son through Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant.

 

After Hagar becomes pregnant, she looks down on her mistress Sarai. Sarai mistreats her, and Hagar runs away (verses 1–6). At a spring in the wilderness, Hagar meets the angel of the Lord, who tells her that her child will also become a great nation and instructs her to return to Abram (verses 7–14).

Hagar later gives birth to a son named Ishmael (verses 15–16).

 

Q1) What method did Abram and Sarai choose when they were unable to have a child (verse 2)?

Q2) What name did God give to Hagar’s son, and what does the name mean (verse 11)?

Q3) What did Hagar call the well where she met God, and what does it mean (verses 13–14)?

 

Source: Becoming Church (Tistory)