Abram again settled in the region of Bethel. His livestock had increased since last he was there. Lot also saw an increase in his livestock. The land was no longer able to sustain them both. Abram told Lot to choose a region to settle, and he would choose the opposite direction. Lot desired the land on the other side of the Jordan near Sodom and established himself there. Abram stayed in the land of Canaan.
God once again told Abram to look in all directions and promised to give the land to Abram’s descendants as far as he could see. There are two things to notice here. Lot was present the first time God told Abram to look over the land. But the second time, Lot and Abram had parted ways. The promise was to Abram’s descendants, and Lot was not a descendant of Abram.
Abram moved his household south to Mamre. In the years that followed, four kings of Mesopotamia ruled over five kings in the area east of the Dead Sea. In the thirteenth year, the five kings rebelled, and war broke out. You can read the details in Genesis 14. The kings of Mesopotamia won and took most of the possessions and people of Sodom with them, including Lot and his household. Word came to Abram of the capture of Lot and Sodom, and Abram and his friends went to bring them back. It was a success.
The king of Sodom came out to greet them on their return. Melchizedek was the king of Salem (future Jerusalem) and brought out bread and wine to bless Abram. Melchizedek was also a priest of God Most High.
We’ll pause here to point out that Melchizedek is an archetype of the Messiah. He is a king and a priest at the same time. Hebrews 7 quotes a prophecy of the Messiah in Psalm 110:4 when it says, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.“ And, interestingly, Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to bless Abram. The Messiah gave us bread and wine at the Last Supper to represent His body and blood.
Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave a tenth of everything to Melchizedek. It is uncertain whether that was a tenth of all that Abram owned or what he brought back as spoils of war. But, the very next verse suggests that Abram refused any spoils of war. The king of Sodom said he would take back the men of Sodom, and Abram could keep all the possessions. Abram refused to keep anything except for what they ate. Abram didn’t want anyone taking credit for blessing him. God alone was his portion.
Lot returned to Sodom, and Abram returned to Mamre.