Here are some excerpts from Swedenborg's "Arcana Coelestia" that help explain the inner meaning of this chapter:

AC 1651. This chapter treats of the Lord’s temptation combats, which are represented and signified by the wars here described.

AC 1652. The goods and truths in the external man, but which only appeared as goods and truths, were the things from which the Lord fought in His childhood against evils and falsities. The apparent goods and truths are signified by the kings named in (verse 1); but the evils and falsities against which He fought are signified by the kings named in (verse 2); and these were unclean (verse 3).

AC 1653. These evils and falsities against which He fought did not show themselves earlier than in childhood; and then they burst forth, which is signified by their previously serving Chedorlaomer (verse 4).

AC 1654. The Lord then warred against and conquered the persuasions of falsity of all kinds, which are the Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, and the Horites (verses 5, 6); next, the falsities and evils themselves, which are the Amalekite and the Amorite (verse 7) afterwards the other falsities and evils, which are the kings named in (verses 8 to 11).

AC 1655. Apparent truths and goods, which are not in themselves truths and goods, took possession of the external man (verse 12); and the rational man which is "Abram the Hebrew," perceiving this, laid claim to it and liberated it (verses 13 to 16).

AC 1656. After these combats, evil and falsity submitted themselves (verse 17).

AC 1657. The Lord‘s internal man in the interior man, or the Divine in the rational, is Melchizedek, from whom came the benediction after the combats (verses 18 to 20). The tithes are the remains, or the states of good and truth from the combats (verse 20).

AC 1658. The evil and infernal spirits, being overcome, begged for life, and did not care for other things; but nothing was taken from them by the Lord, because He had no strength from their evils and falsities; but they were given into the power (potestas) of good spirits and angels (verses 21-24).

1651. Genesis 14

1. And so it was in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,

2. That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar.

3. All these were gathered together at the valley of Siddim, which is the Salt Sea

4. Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5. And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth Kamaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

6. And the Horites in their Mount Seir as far as El-paran, which is over into the wilderness.

7. And they resumed and came to An-mishpat, that is, to Kadesh, and smote all the territory of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites inhabiting Hazezon-tamar.

8. And the king of Sodom went out, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar, and they drew up for battle with them in the valley of Siddim -

9. With Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar - four kings with five.

10. And the valley of Siddim was pits after pits of bitumen; and the king of Sodom and [the king] of Gomorrah fled, and they fell there; and the rest fled to the mountain.

11. And they took all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food and went their way.

12. And they took Lot and his acquisitions, Abram's brother's son, and went their way; and he was dwelling in Sodom.

13. And one who had escaped came and told it to Abram the Hebrew; and he was dwelling among the oak-groves of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshkol, and the brother of Aner; and these men were Abram's allies.

14. And Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive, and he brought out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.

15. And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus.

16. And he brought back all the acquisitions, and also Lot his brother and his acquisitions he brought back, and the women and the people as well.

17. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after he had resumed from smiting Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's valley.

18. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; and he was a priest to God Most High.

19. And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.

20. And blessed be God Most High who has delivered your enemies into your hand; and he gave him a tenth of everything.

21. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the people and take the acquisitions for yourself. ¹

22. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to Jehovah God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth.

23. That not a thread, nor even the latchet of a shoe, nor anything that is yours will I take, lest you say, I have made Abram rich.

24. Except for what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who came with me, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre - these will take their share.

CONTENTS

The subject in this chapter is the conflicts constituting the Lord's temptations, which are represented and meant by the wars described here.

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