What is the meaning of Genesis 14:7? Then they turned back • In the flow of Genesis 14, the eastern coalition (led by Chedorlaomer) has already defeated peoples to the north and east of Canaan (Genesis 14:5-6). Turning back shows a deliberate south-north sweep, tightening their grip on every tribe that might resist them. • Their military efficiency reminds us that earthly powers can seem unstoppable, yet God remains sovereign; He will shortly use Abram to humble them (Genesis 14:14-16). • See also Isaiah 37:26-27, where God declares He directs the plans of conquering armies. to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) • En-mishpat (“spring of judgment”) is the oasis later called Kadesh-barnea, where Israel will camp decades later (Numbers 13:26; Deuteronomy 1:46). • Even this early, the place already carries a sense of decision and testing—first for the Canaanite clans under attack, later for Israel when they refuse to enter the land (Numbers 14:22-23). • God’s foreknowledge is evident: the same ground witnesses judgment on pagans and, later, discipline for His own people. and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites • This is Scripture’s first mention of the Amalekites, a nomadic people descended from Esau’s grandson Amalek (Genesis 36:12). • Though not yet born chronologically, the clan’s “territory” is identified prophetically, underscoring the text’s accuracy and God’s omniscience (cf. Romans 4:17). • The Amalekites will become notorious enemies of Israel (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19), and God’s judgment here previews their eventual fate (1 Samuel 15:2-3). • Bullet points of significance: – Early hostility toward God’s covenant line. – Assurance that God tracks injustice over generations. – Reminder that spiritual battles often begin long before we notice them. as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar • The Amorites were a dominant Canaanite people (Genesis 15:16). Their presence in Hazazon-tamar (later called Engedi, 2 Chronicles 20:2) places them near the Dead Sea’s western shore—strategically important and rich in resources (1 Samuel 24:1). • By conquering both Amalekite desert regions and Amorite highlands, the invaders control valleys, oases, and mountain passes—human power at its peak. • Yet only a few verses later, Abram rescues Lot and turns the tide (Genesis 14:14-16), illustrating Proverbs 21:30-31: “There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD”. summary Genesis 14:7 records a decisive push by Chedorlaomer’s coalition: they pivot south, strike Kadesh, wipe out Amalekite territory, and subdue Amorites at Hazazon-tamar. The verse highlights (1) the thoroughness of pagan conquest, (2) God’s foreknowledge of future peoples and places, and (3) the setup for Abram’s faith-filled intervention. Earthly empires boast, but God preserves His covenant line and uses a single believer to overturn their might. |
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