Genesis 14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
Thus, by this signal providence, and His kindness to the nation, God appealed to their better judgement so that they would, at the very least investigate the godly principles Abraham lived by, and The God he served. His life was as an open book to them, and they had been given ample opportunity to see and know The only true God.
But like so many others, the memory of God’s grace faded, and they dug in, even deeper than before, into the practices, and sins that finally sealed their doom. Back in those days, when an army vanquished the enemy, as Abraham did, it was customary for the victors to plunder all the spoils of war, hence the reason why the king of Sodom asked Abraham to take the spoils.
But he refused, and by doing so he displayed a noble unselfish spirit that should have caused something to click in the mind of the king. But apparently, it did not make a lasting impression on either the king or his people, and therefore, the golden opportunity to inquire about Abraham’s God was lost, and they returned to their old ways, just as if God’s grace had meant nothing to them.
Genesis 14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!