“It was in the days of Amrafel king of Shinar, Aryokh king of Elasar, Kedorlaomer king of Eilam, and Tidal king of Goyim,” (Genesis 14:1). “It was in the days of Amrafel king of Shinar” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi began: “The wicked drew their swords…their swords will come into their own hearts….” (Psalms 37:14–15). There was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenos, that his brothers were plowing in the plain and he was plowing on the mountain.
His cow fell and was incapacitated. He said: It was for my benefit that my cow was incapacitated. He ran away and went to study under Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakai. He would eat clods of earth,1Out of dire poverty.
He hoped to gain nutrition from the roots in those clods. until the odor of his breath became foul.2From starvation. They went and said to Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakai: ‘Rabbi Eliezer’s breath is unpleasant.’ He said to him: ‘Just as the odor of your breath was befouled over Torah study, so may the scent of your Torah teaching go forth from one end of the world to the other.’ Sometime later, his [Rabbi Eliezer’s] father went up3To Rabbi Yoḥanan’s yeshiva. with the intent to disinherit him from his property.
He found him sitting and delivering a lecture, and the most prominent men of his province were sitting before him: Ben Tzitzit HaKeset, Nakdimon ben Guryon, and ben Kalba Savua. He found him expounding this verse: “The wicked drew their swords…” – this is Amrafel and his cohorts. “To topple the poor and the needy” (Psalms 37:14) – this is Lot.4He was “poor and needy” in the sense that he was defenseless against these invaders.
“To slaughter those whose path is upright” (Psalms 37:14) – this is Abraham. “Their swords will come into their own hearts” – “he arrayed against them at night…and smote them” (Genesis 14:15). His [Rabbi Eliezer’s] father said to him: ‘Son, I came up here only to disinherit you from my property. Now, all my property is hereby given to you as a gift.’
He said: ‘It [the extra portion you are giving me] is hereby proscribed from me by vow, and my rights in it [the entire property] shall be equal to that of my brothers.’ Another interpretation, “the wicked drew their swords [and stretched their bows]” – this is Amrafel and his cohorts.5This interpretation appears to be identical to the previous one. According to Matnot Kehuna, the Midrash is alluding to the exposition presented in Midrash Tanḥuma 7, which opens with these words.