Genesis 14:4

Genesis 14:4

 

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

 

a. NLT: For twelve years they had been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV:  Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Young’s Literal Translation: twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and the thirteenth year they rebelled. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

 

d. Amplified Bible: Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Septuagint: Twelve years they served Chodollogomor, and the thirteenth year they revolted.

 

f. Stone Edition of the Chumash, Rabbinic Commentary: Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and they rebelled thirteen years. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

  

1. “Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer,…

a. Twelve [Strong: 6240 `asar aw-sawr'; for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, + twelve(-th).] & [8147 * shnayim] 

b. Twelve [Strong: dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also (as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, + twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.]

 

b. years [Strong: 8141 * shaneh] [Strong: from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

 

c. [they] served [Strong: 5647 `abad aw-bad' a primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, cause to enslave, be or keep in bondage, cause to or make to serve.]

 

1). This term may take any number of forms, military, or political, or spiritual. It could be good or evil. Many times it involves tribute or taxation of a sort.

 

a). Judges 2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

 

b). Judges 3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

 

c). Judges 10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

 

2). In our everyday lives we are yielding service to either God or the devil, whomever we are giving our obedience to, but no matter who we are yielding to, to them we are their servants.

 

a). Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto righteousness.

 

d. Chedorlaomer [3540 * Kdorla’omer] [Strong: of foreign origin; Kedorlaomer, an early Persian king:--Chedorlaomer.]

 

2. “…and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.”

 

a. [and in the] thirteenth [7969 * shalowsh] [Strong: a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork, + often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.]

 

b. thirteenth [Strong: 6240 `asar aw-sawr'; for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, + twelve(-th).]

 

c. year [Strong: 8141 shaneh shaw-neh' (in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year (as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old, year(X -ly).]

 

c. [they] rebelled [Strong: 4775 marad maw-rad'; a primitive root; to rebel:--rebel(-lious).]

 

1). Whatever form this service was, these kings refused to render it any longer.

 

2). Does the prophetic warning in Isaiah 1:10-20 refer to Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities of the plain? I believe it does. I believe this prophetic utterance has a double meaning, first given by some unknown prophet warning the 5 cities of the plain before this invasion and also applied to the rulers of Jerusalem centuries later.

 

a). Isaiah 1:10-20 Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?

1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

1:16 Wash ye, make ye clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.