Genesis 14:1-17 

Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

1/ And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, 2/ that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3/ All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4/ Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5/ In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6/ and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness.

LAND OF THE GIANTS:

• THE REPHAIM
• THE ZUZIM
• THE EMIM

NOTE ALSO: Salem (Hebrew שָׁלֵם, Shalem, Greek Σαλήμ) is a town mentioned in the Bible. Two verses in which it is mentioned are:

• "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God." (Genesis 14:18 BELOW) 
• "In Salem also is his {God's} tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion." (Psalm 76:2)

Salem refers to the royal city of Melchizedek and is traditionally identified with Jerusalem. Salem is also mentioned in Hebrews Chapter 7. {Information from wikipedia encyclopedia}

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Rephaim [GIANTS]

ATS Bible Dictionary Rephaim, The Hebrew word is used in two distinct significations.

1. REPHAIM is used to comprehend all the gigantic races of the Canaanites, of whom there were several families. There were Rephaim beyond Jordan, at Ashtaroth Karnaim, in the time of Abram, Genesis 14:5; also some in the time of Moses. Og king of Bashan was of the Rephaim. In the time of Joshua, some of their descendants dwelt in the land of Canaan, Joshua 12:4 17:15, and we hear of them in David's time, in the city of Gath, 1 Chronicles 20:4-8. The giant Goliath and others were the remains of the Rephaim, or of the kindred family of Anakim. Their magnitude and strength are often spoken of in Scripture. They appear to have excelled in violence and crime, and hence are monuments of divine justice.
2. REPHAIM, the shades or spirits of the departed, dwelling in Sheol or Hades, generally rendered in our version, "the dead" ("dead things," Job 26:5); Psalm 88:10; Proverbs 2:18; 21:16, etc.

 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

REPHAIM

ref'-a-im, re-fa'-im (repha'-im, from rapha', "a terrible one "hence "giant," in 1 Chronicles 20:4, yelidhe ha-rapha', "sons of the giant"; the King James Version, Rephaims): A race of aboriginal or early inhabitants East of the Jordan in Ashteroth Karnaim (Genesis 14:5) and in the valley of Rephaim Southwest of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8). They associated with other giant races, as the Emim and Anakim (Deuteronomy 2:10, 11) and the Zamzummim (Deuteronomy 2:20). It is probable that they were all of the same stock, being given different names by the different tribes who came in contact with them.

The same Hebrew word is rendered "the dead," or "the shades" in various passages (Job 26:5 margin; Psalm 88:10 margin; Proverbs 2:18 margin; Proverbs 9:18 margin; Proverbs 21:16 margin; Isaiah 14:9 margin; Isaiah 26:14, 19 margin). In these instances the word is derived from rapheh, "weak," "powerless," "a shadow" or "shade."

The information above is from: http://

biblehub.com/topical/r/rephaim.htm

7/ Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
8/ And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9/ against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.

 10/ Now the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.

 11/ Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12/ They also took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13/ Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram.

ABRAM WAS IN ALLIANCE WITH THE AMORITES, WHO WERE ALSO GIANTS OF GREAT STRENGTH. THEY WERE LATER ON DESTROYED BY GOD {AMOS 2:9}.

 14/ Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.



15/ He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

16/ So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17/ And the king of Sodom went out to meet him {Abram} at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.

            



Genesis 14:18
Abram and Melchizedek

 18/ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.

Psalm 76:1-2

1/ In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel. 2/ In Salem {That is Jerusalem} so is His {GOD'S} tabernacle, and His {GOD'S} dwelling place in Zion.

In Matthew 5:35 Jesus tells us, "Jerusalem{Once called Salem} is the city of the great King." 



JESUS IS OUR MELCHIZEDEK 

John 8:56-58 

56/ Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57/ Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58/ Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,

before Abraham was, I AM.”

 Hebrews 7:1-3 
The King of Righteousness

1/ For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2/ to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3/ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

Melchizedek  Blesses Abram

Genesis 14:20-24

20/ And blessed be God Most High,Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he {Abram} gave him a tithe of all.
21/ Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
22/ But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23/ that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24/ except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.” 

 

 OH! GOD'S WORD IS SO EXCITING! BE SURE TO KEEP COMING BACK!!!