Sunday, March 22, 2009

Bible Story – Abram and Lot


Add to Technorati Favorites

Quarrel Separates Abram from Lot<br>

Abram was Lot’s uncle. He took Lot with him when God told him to go and live in the land of Canaan.


Abram was a very rich man. He had sheep, goats and cattle as well as silver and gold.


There was a famine which made Abram to go and stay in Egypt. When he came back to Canaan, he traveled to the southern part of the land. He later left there and moved from place to place moving towards a place between two cities called Bethel and Ai.


He had earlier camped in that place and built an altar to the Lord before he went to Egypt.


Abram’s nephew, Lot also had sheep, goats, cattle as well as his own family and servants.


Because of the great number of livestock Abram and Lot had, there wasn’t enough pasture for the two men to stay together and feed their animals.


So quarrel broke out between the men who took care of Abram’s animals and those who took care of Lot’s animals.


The quarrel got so bad that Abram said to his nephew Lot, “We are relatives, and your men and my men shouldn't be quarreling. So let's separate. Choose any part of the land you want. You go one way, and I'll go the other.”


After Abram said this, Lot looked around and saw that the Jordan Valley in the direction of one city called Zoar had plenty of water. The land was like the garden God planted in one place called Eden when He created the first man and woman.


Lot chose the whole of Jordan Valley and moved away from Abram towards east of Canaan. This was how Lot parted with his uncle Abram.


So Abram stayed in the land of Canaan while Lot moved his tents and settled in a place near a city called Sodom.


Abram Rescues His Nephew Lot


At this time, war broke out in the region of Canaan. Four kings went to war against five other kings.


The four kings were,


• Amraphel of Babylonia


• Arioch of Ellasar


• Chedorlaomer of Elam


• Tidal of Goiim



The five kings who fought against them were,



• Bera of Sodom


• Birsha of Gomorrah


• Shinab of Admah


• Shemeber of Zeboiim


• The king of Bela (also called Zoar)


The five kings formed an alliance and joined forces in valley called Valley of Siddim. This valley is now called the Dead Sea.


The five kings had been under the control of King Chedorlaomer for twelve years. In the thirteenth year however, they rebelled against that king.


The rebel kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela (also called Zoar) prepared for battle in the Valley of Siddim. The fought against kings of Elam, Goiim, Babylonia and Ellassar.


The four kings defeated the five kings. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah tried to run away from battle but they fell into pits that were filled of tar. The pits were in the Valley of Siddim. The other three kings that were with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah escaped.


The four kings took everything that was in Sodom and Gomorrah including the food.


Because Lot who was Abram’s nephew was living in Sodom, they also took him ad all his possessions.


A man escaped and reported the situation to Abram.


Abram had allies whose names were Mamre, Eshcol and Aner. The three men were brothers.


When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he called all the fighting men in his camp. The men were 318.


Abram pursued the four kings until he caught up with them at a city called Dan. Abram divided his men and attacked the enemies by night and defeated them. He chased them as far as a place called Hobah which was north of a city called Damascus.


Abram recovered the goods which the defeated kings had taken. He also brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.


Melchizedek Blesses Abraham


After Abram returned from his victory over the four kings, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in one valley called the Valley of Shaveh (It is also called King’s Valley).


Another king whose name was Melchizedek came to Abram and brought him some bread and wine. Melchizedek was the king of a city called Salem. He was also a priest of God Most High.


King Melchizedek blessed Abram and said, “May the Most High God, who made heaven and earth, bless Abram! May the Most High God, who gave you victory over your enemies, be praised!”


Abram took one tenth of all the goods he had recovered from the enemy and gave it to King Melchizedek.


Abram Rejects King of Sodom’s Gifts


When the king of Sodom met Abram, he told Abram to give him back all his people, but he could keep for himself all the goods he recovered from the enemy.


Abraham rejected the offer and told king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear before the LORD, the Most High God, Maker of heaven and earth,
that I will not keep anything of yours, not even a thread or a sandal strap. Then you can never say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’


I will take nothing for myself. I will accept only what my men have used. But let my allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, take their share.”


Genesis 1:1-24


This Bible Story Questions are:


  • Why did Abram’s men quarrel with Lot’s men?


  • Where did Lot go when He separated from his uncle Abram?


  • What were the names of the five kings that rebelled against King Chedorlaomar of Elam?


  • How many were the kings that defeated the five kings?


  • Who were the kings that defeated the five kings?


  • Who took Lot and his household captives including his possessions?


  • How many fighting men from Abram’s camp joined him to fight the kings who captured Lot and his household?


  • Who was Melchizedek?


  • What did Abram give Melchizedek when he blessed Abram?


  • Why did Abram not accept the goods the king of Sodom gave him? State what Abram told him.






No comments:

Post a Comment