Abraham's War on the Four Kings Foretold in Isaiah

"Apart from only what the young men have eaten" — these are Eshkol and Mamre, who sat over the baggage. "Let them take their portion" — as it says, "For as is the share of the one who goes down into battle, etc." (1 Samuel 30:24). And this law derived from Abraham, as it is written, "Who has roused one from the east whom righteousness calls to its feet, etc." (Isaiah 41:2) — the righteousness that he did stood for him in every place he went. "He gives nations before him" (ibid.) — these are the seven peoples. "And makes him rule over kings" (ibid.) — these are the four kings with whom he made war. "His sword makes them like dust" (ibid.) — all the swords that were lifted against him to strike him became like dust; "[his bow like driven stubble]" (ibid.) — and all the bows that shot at him, the arrows became like stubble. Another interpretation: "His sword makes them like dust" — the dust that Abraham cast upon them became swords, and the stubble that he cast upon them became arrows. "He pursues them and passes on" (Isaiah 41:3) — as it is said, "and he pursued them as far as Hobah" (Genesis 14:15). "By a path his feet do not tread" (Isaiah 41:3) — that he did not grow weary from the path on which he pursued them. "Who has worked and done it?" (Isaiah 41:4) — who caused the four kings to come upon Sodom, and did it, so that they would fall by the hand of Abraham? This is the Holy One, blessed be He. "Calling the generations from the beginning" (ibid.) — before they came, they were destined to fall by the hand of Abraham. "I, the LORD, am first" (ibid.) — for I was with Abraham. "And with the last ones I am He" (ibid.) — these are the children of Abraham, that if they should be righteous; how are Abraham and Melchizedek distinguished in the world? And Abraham was afraid of Shem, lest he say to him, "Shall one pursue a thousand?" "The coastlands saw and feared" (Isaiah 41:5) — just as the coastlands are distinguished in the sea, so it was: why did you kill my children? And Shem was afraid of Abraham, lest he say to him, "Know that the reason your children were wicked is that you did not chastise them." "The ends of the earth trembled" (ibid.) — for they were dwelling at the ends of the earth, and Abram was dwelling at the oaks of Mamre and Shem was dwelling in Salem; and why did they tremble? Because this one came to that one, as it is said, "they shall tremble like a bird [from Egypt]" (Hosea 11:11). "They drew near and came; each one helps his neighbor, and to his brother he says, Be strong" (Isaiah 41:5-6) — and Abram helped him, in that he gave him a tithe. Another interpretation: "and to his brother he says, Be strong" — that Shem said to Abraham, "Be strong," as it is said, "And blessed be God Most High, etc." "So the craftsman strengthened" (Isaiah 41:7) — this is Shem son of Noah, who worked on the ark with his father. "the goldsmith" (ibid.) — this is Abraham, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, refined in the fiery furnace. "smoothing with the hammer [him who strikes the anvil]" (ibid.) — this is Abraham, who smoothed his hammer and struck the kings at one blow. "saying of the soldering, It is good" (ibid.) — Shem said to Abraham: because you cleaved to the Divine Presence, he said to him, "Happy are you, Abraham, and it is well with you." "And he strengthened it with nails" (ibid.) — these are the blessings with which he blessed him. "It shall not be moved" (ibid.) — this is Abraham.