## Ibn Ezra on Genesis Chapter 14

###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:1:1)

**מלך גוים.** שם מדינה כמו עילם, כי שושן הבירה ארמון היה בתוכה, או מלך גוים ולא הזכירם, והטעם כי הם אחרים מהשנערים וחביריהם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
KING OF GOIIM. Goiim like Elam¹ is the name of a state. Elam must be the name of a state because *shushan ha-birah*, which means *Shushan the palace*, was located in it.² (shushan ha-birah) *which is in the province of Elam*. We thus see that Elam was the name of the state and Shushan the name of the palace. On the other hand, *king of Goiim*³ in Hebrew means a nation. may be rendered as king of nations, Scripture not stating their names. The meaning of the verse is that Tidal was king over nations other than Shinar, Ellasar and Elam.

footnotes:
¹ Which is also mentioned in our verse.
² Dan 8:2 reads: I was in shushan the castle
³ Goy


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:3:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:3:1)

**כל אלה חברו.** מהבנין הקל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
ALL THESE CAME AS ALLIES. *Chaveru* (came as allies) is in the *kal*.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:3:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:3:2)

**השדים.** כמו "ושדת אותם בשיד" (דבר' כז ב וד') "ותשם בסד רגלי" (איוב יג כז) כמו פת פתים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE VALE OF SIDDIM. *Siddim* means the same⁴ means lime, whitewash or plaster. Hence the valley of Siddim means the valley of plaster. It was so called because of the plaster pits found there. as *sid* (plaster) in *and plaster them with plaster* (ba-sid)⁵. I.E.’s point is that *siddim* means the same as *sid*. However, they come from different roots. *Sid* in Deut. 27:2 comes from the root *sin, vav, dalet*. *Siddim* comes from *sin, dalet, dalet*, which is also the root of the word *sad* in Job 13:27. *Siddim* cannot be the plural of *sid* (Deut. 27:2) because it is spelled without a *yod* and has a *dagesh* in its *dalet*. I.E.’s point is that *sad* and *sid* mean the same although they come from different roots (Weiser). (Deut. 27:2) and *sad* (plaster) in *Thou puttest my feet also in the plaster* (ba-sad)⁶ is the plural of *sad* in Job. The *sin* and *samach* interchange. (Job 13:27). *Sad, siddim*, is like *pat* (morsel of bread), *pittim*.⁷ (Job. 13:27) to be *saddim*. I.E. points out that this is not necessarily so. Thus the plural of *pat* is *pittim* and not *pattim*. Similarly the plural of *sad* is *siddim* and not *saddim* (Krinsky and Cherez).

footnotes:
⁴ Sid
⁵ Spelled sin, yod, dalet
⁶ This is I.E.’s interpretation of the verse. In Job he explains the verse to mean God had plastered Job’s feet with whitewash so that He could follow Job’s every step. I.E. points out that siddim
⁷ We would expect the plural of sad


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:3:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:3:3)

**עמק.** מושך עצמו ואחר עמו כמו "אל באפך תוכיחני" (תהלים ו ב) וכן הוא עמק ים המלח:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
VALE. The word vale is to be understood as if written twice. It is like the word *al* (not) in *O Lord, rebuke me not* (al) *in Thine anger; Neither* (ve-al) *chasten me in Thy wrath* (Ps. 6:2).⁸ is to be read as if written twice. It should be noted that the word *al* does appear twice in our verse. I.E. probably had Ps. 38:2 in mind. There the text literally reads, *O, Lord, rebuke me not* (al) *in Thine anger, chasten me in Thy wrath*. I.E. says that the verse should be read, O Lord rebuke me not (*al*) in Thine anger, chasten me not (*al*) in Thy wrath. I.E. probably cited from memory and misquoted. Our verse should be read as follows: All these came as allies unto the vale of Siddim, the same is the vale of the Salt Sea.⁹.

footnotes:
⁸ Here, too, the word al
⁹ The text literally reads: the vale of Siddim, the same is the Salt Sea


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:4:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:4:1)

**וטעם ושלש עשרה.** בשלש עשרה כמו "כי ששת ימים עשה ד'" (שמות כ יא), ובעל סדר סדר עולם חברם ודעתו רחבה מדעתנו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[AND IN THE THIRTEENTH YEAR THEY REBELLED.] *U-shelosh esreh* (and the thirteenth) should be interpreted *u-ve-shelosh esreh* (and in the thirteenth).¹⁰ (and thirteen years). I.E. says, *u-shelosh esreh* should be read as if a *bet* were prefixed to *shelosh*, i.e., *u-ve-shelosh esreh*. It is similar to the word *sheshet* (six) in *for in six* (sheshet) *days the Lord made the heaven and earth* (Ex. 20:11).¹¹. Thus *sheshet* is to be read as if written *ve-sheshet* (in six). However, the author of the *Seder Olam* did not interpret it this way. He combined the years mentioned in our verse.¹² I. The *Seder Olam* interprets *u-shelosh esreh shanah* to mean, and 13 years; i.e., they rebelled 13 years. It adds these 13 years to the 12 years mentioned previously in our verse and claims that the Bible deals with a 25-year period, 12 of service and 13 years of rebellion. His mind was greater than ours.

footnotes:
¹⁰ The verse literally reads: U-shelosh esreh shanah
¹¹ The verse literally reads: for six days the Lord made heaven and earth
¹² Cf. Seder Olam


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:5:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:5:1)

**רפאים.** שכל הרואה אותם ימות לבו ויחשב מהרפאים שהם מתים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE REPHAIM. They were called *Rephaim* (ghosts) because their appearance was so terrifying that whoever saw them died and was considered to be one of the *Rephaim*, one of the dead.¹³ because those who saw them were frightened to death. *Rephaim* were thus considered to be death-inducing.

footnotes:
¹³ Rephaim has the meaning of dead, shades or ghosts. Cf. Is. 14:9. They were called Rephaim


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:5:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:5:2)

**האימים.** שיש מהם אימה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THE EMIM. They were so called because they were frightening.¹⁴ means fear.

footnotes:
¹⁴ Emah


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:6:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:6:1)

**בהררם.** מהבנין הדגוש כמו בְדַבְרָם (שמות ז ז), ופי' בעלותם אל הר שעיר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IN THEIR MOUNT SEIR. *Be-hareram* (in their mount) is in the *pi’el*. Its meaning is: when they went up to Mount Seir.¹⁵ is not a noun with a pronominal suffix meaning their mountain. He holds that it is a verb with the pronominal suffix. It is like the word *be-dabberam* (when they spoke) (Ex. 7:7).¹⁶ verb with a pronominal suffix.

footnotes:
¹⁵ I.E. explains that be-hareram
¹⁶ Which is a pi’el


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:9:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:9:1)

**את כדרלעמר.** כמו עם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AGAINST CHEDORLAOMER. With Chedorlaomer.¹⁷. *Et* usually indicates the object, hence I.E.’s comment that *et* here has the meaning of *im* (with).

footnotes:
¹⁷ The Hebrew has et Chedorlaomer


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:10:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:10:1)

**בארות.** באר בכל המקרא נובעת והיא משונה בעבור הסמיכה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
PITS. *Be’er* (pit) in the Bible means a bubbling well. Its (pits) vocalization is exceptional because it is in the construct.¹⁸ (slime). *Be’er* is vocalized *sheva tzere*. In our verse it is vocalized *segol, chataf segol*. I.E. points out that this is so because the word is in the construct with *chemar* (slime). In other words, when *be’er* refers to live wells it is vocalized *sheva tzere*; when it refers to pits it is vocalized *segol, chataf segol* (Krinsky, Netter, Cherez). Or what I.E. means is that the word’s vowels change because it is in the construct (Filwarg).

footnotes:
¹⁸ With chemar


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:10:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:10:2)

**ויפלו שמה.** ברצונם להמלט וכן "ויפול על פניו" (במדבר טז ד):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THEY FELL THERE. They deliberately fell there, in their desire to escape.¹⁹ *And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face* (Num. 16:4) is similar.²⁰

footnotes:
¹⁹ That is, they hid themselves.
²⁰ Moses willingly fell on his face.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:10:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:10:3)

**הרה נסו.** אל ההר נסו והיא מלה זרה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FLED TO THE MOUNTAIN. The phrase *herah nasu* is to be rendered: fled to the mountain. The word *herah* (to the mountain) is an irregular form.²¹ (Weiser).

footnotes:
²¹ We would expect he-harah


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:12:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:12:1)

**והוא יושב.** והוא היה ביום ההוא יושב בסדום,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WHO DWELT IN SODOM. Lot was dwelling in Sodom on that day.²² (dwelt; literally, dwells) is in the present when all the verbs pertaining to this incident are in the past. I.E.’s point is that “dwelling” is to be understood as: was dwelling.

footnotes:
²² His tent was usually outside of Sodom, cf. Gen. 13:12 (Weiser). Krinsky suggests that I.E. intends to say that Lot’s tent was close to Sodom on that day, or by that day he had become a dweller in Sodom. On the other hand, Filwarg suggests that I.E. is trying to explain why yoshev


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:13:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:13:1)

ופי' הפליט שברח ונמלט מבני סדום וכן "בא אלי הפליט מירושלים" (יחז' לג כא) ויש דרך דרש:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[AND THERE CAME ONE THAT HAD ESCAPED.] *Palit* (one that had escaped) refers to a Sodomite who escaped and saved himself. *Palit* in *one that had escaped* (palit) *out of Jerusalem came unto me* (Ezek. 33:21) is similar. There is a Midrashic interpretation concerning the escapee.²³ 42:8.

footnotes:
²³ The Midrash identifies the escapee as Og, King of Bashan, the same individual who escaped the flood by hanging on to Noah’s ark. Cf. Bereshit Rabbah


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:14:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:14:1)

**וירק.** שנתן להם כלי מלחמה כטעם "והרק חנית" (תהלים לה ג) וי"א להוציא החרב מתערה כטעם אל הארץ יריקו (קהלת יא ג) מריקים שקיהם (בראשית מב לה) גם יש לחנית כן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HE LED FORTH HIS TRAINED MEN. He armed them.²⁴ (he led forth) means he armed. Compare, *ve-harek* (arm) in, *Arm* (ve-harek) *with the spear* (Ps. 35:3).²⁵ Others say that *va-yarek* refers to the unsheathing of the sword. Compare, *They empty themselves* (yariku) *upon the earth* (Eccles. 11:3), and *emptied* (merikim) *their sacks* (Gen. 42:35).²⁶ (he led forth his trained men) means, he gave his trained men unsheathed swords (Krinsky). A spear also has a sheath.²⁷ (Ps. 35:3) may be rendered as unsheath the spear.

footnotes:
²⁴ Thus va-yarek
²⁵ I.E.’s translation of this verse.
²⁶ According to this interpretation va-yarek et chanikhav
²⁷ Hence ve-harek chanit


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:14:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:14:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:14:2)

**חניכיו.** שחנכם פעמים רבות במלחמה ואם לא נזכר וחשבון אותיות אליעזר דרך דרש כי אין הכתוב מדבר בגימטריא כי יכול הרוצה להוציא כל שם לטוב ולרע רק השם כמשמעו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HIS TRAINED MEN. Abraham had trained them many times for battle. This is the meaning of the term *chanikhav* (his trained men) even though Scripture does not previously note that Abraham trained young men for war. Those who identify Abraham’s trained men with his servant Eliezer on the basis of the numerical value of the latter’s name are indulging in Midrash,²⁸ 43:2, 44:9. as Scripture does not speak in *gematria* (numericals). With this type of interpretation one can interpret any name as he wishes, both in a positive and a negative manner. Eliezer is to be taken literally.²⁹

footnotes:
²⁸ Interpreted numerically, Eliezer comes to 318. Hence the Midrash identifies him with the 318 men mentioned in our verse. Cf. Bereshit Rabbah
²⁹ It is a proper name and not to be interpreted numerically.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:18:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:18:1)

**ומלכי צדק.** נקרא כן בעבור שהוא מלך על מקום צדק וי"א כי הוא שם

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND MELCHIZEDEK. He was so called because he was king (*melech*) over a righteous (*tzedek*) place.³⁰ (Is. 1:26). Some identify Melchizedek with Shem.³¹ 56; *Nedarim* 32b.

footnotes:
³⁰ Salem is Jerusalem. Jerusalem is known as the city of righteousness
³¹ Bereshit Rabbah


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:18:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:18:2)

ושלם הוא ירושלים והעד "ויהי בשלם סכו" (תהלים עו ג):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SALEM. This is Jerusalem. *In Salem also is set His tabernacle, And His dwelling place in Zion* (Ps. 76:3) is proof of this.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:18:3
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:18:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:18:3)

**והוא כהן.** כדברי המתרגם ארמית וכן כל כהן והעד "וכהנו לי" (שמות כח מא) ופי' "על דברתי מלכי צדק" בספר תהלות (תהלים קי, ד) כי כהוגן דבר ויפה עשה שברך אברם בתחלה בעבור שהתנדב להושיע אשר נשבו ואחר כן אמר וברוך השם שעזרו ונתן צריו בידיו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE WAS PRIEST. This is be rendered as Onkelos does.³² Similarly, every time the word “priest” (*kohen*) is found in Scripture.³³ *That they may minister unto Me* (ve-khihanu li) (Ex. 28:41) is proof of this. The meaning of *al divrati Malkitzedek* (after the manner of Melchizedek) (Ps. 110:4) will be found in my commentary on Psalms.³⁴ Melchizedek spoke properly and did the right thing in first blessing Abraham³⁵ because he volunteered to rescue the captives.³⁶ 32b, Melchizedek acted improperly in blessing Abraham before God and was punished for it by having the priesthood taken away from his descendants. The Talmud derives this from *al divrati Melchizedek*, which it interprets to mean because of the improper words spoken by Melchizedek. I.E. hints that the latter phrase cannot be explained this way because Melchizedek spoke and acted properly. He then blessed God for aiding Abraham and delivering Abraham’s adversaries into his hands.

footnotes:
³² He ministered.
³³ It means ministers (Cherez).
³⁴ Ibn Ezra in Ps. 110:4 explains that God promised David that Israel would wage war and David would receive a tithe of the spoils as Melchizedek did (i.e., after the manner of Melchizedek).
³⁵ Before blessing God.
³⁶ According to the Talmud Nedarim


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:20:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:20:1)

**מגן.** כמו נתן, וכן "עטרת תפארת תמגנך" (משלי, ד, ט), והמ"ם שרש, ואברם הוציא המעשר לכבוד השם, ולא מצא אדם לתתם לו כמלכי צדק:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HATH DELIVERED. *Miggen* (hath delivered) means handed over. *Temaggeneka* (will she bestow on thee) in *A crown of glory will she bestow on thee* (temaggeneka) (Prov. 4:9) is similar. The *mem* of *miggen* is a root letter. Abraham gave a tithe out of respect for God. He found no one worthier than Melchizedek to bestow his tithe on.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:22:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:22:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:22:1)

**הרימותי ידי.** שבועה, כמו "כי אשא אל שמים ידי" (דבר' לב מ),

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
I HAVE LIFTED UP MY HAND. This indicates an oath. It is like, *For I lift up my hand to heaven*, etc. (Deut. 32:40).


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:22:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:22:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:22:2)

וטעם אל עליון, כי הנה נשבעתי בשם שברכני זה הכהן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[GOD MOST HIGH.] For behold, I have used the same name for God in my oath as this priest (Melchizedek) when he blessed me.³⁷ (El Elyon). He did this out of respect for Melchizedek, who used the term *El Elyon* in referring to God.

footnotes:
³⁷ Ibn Ezra explains why Abraham referrred to the Lord as God Most High


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:23:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:23:1)

**אם מחוט.** שממנו תופרין כל בגד,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THAT I WILL NOT TAKE A THREAD. That with which garments are sewn.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:23:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:23:2)

שרוך, העור הקושר הנעל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
A SHOE-LATCHET. A strap used to tie a shoe.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:24:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 14:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/14:24:1)

**בלעדי רק אשר אכלו**., והוא שאכלו עבדיו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SAVE ONLY. Save only that which the young men took. This refers to what Abraham’s servants ate.³⁸ thus refers to Abraham’s servants (Weiser).

footnotes:
³⁸ Young men