Page 63 - Bible History

36 THE NATION FROM WHICH THE REDEEMER CAME
the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, and he dwelt in Sodom.
2. Gon MAKES GREAT PROMISES TO ABRAHAM After Lot had departed, God said to Abram, "Lift
up thy eyes and look from the place wherein thou now art, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west. All the land which thou seest, I ll give to thee and to thy children forever. And thy children shall be as many as th@ bits of dust on the earth. Arise and walk through the land, for I will give it to thee.'' Abram moved his tent and came to the valley of Mam­ bre and lived there in the hill country. There he also built an altar to God.
Chodorlahomor, King of Babylonia, came with his allies to plunder the Chanaanites. He took many cities1 and nally captured Sodom, where Lot lived. He took the people of Sodom away to make them slaves. Lot and a his household were among the captives.
When Abram heard of Lot's misfortune, he gathered together his own men, who numbered three hundred and eighteen, and formed a league with his neighbors. Overtaking the Babylonian army at Damascus, he at­ tacked Chodorlahomor and rescued Lot and all his people.
When Abram was returning from the battle, Melchi­ sedech, King of Salem, came forth to meet him, bring­ • ing bread and wine. Salem was an important town in the Land of Chanaan, which later on was to become the great city of Jerusalem. As was often the case in
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