Some days went by as we began to settle in Mamre.  Jared kept me up to date with what information he could find on the movement of different armies.  Kings from various cities were rising to fight against Hammurabi.

Lot Is Taken Captive In Sodom

We received word that the king of Sodom and Gomorrah had joined forces and moved against him as well.  The news we would receive soon after did not bode well.  The kings of both cities had been killed in retreat.

The next few days would be full of worry for Abram.  That worry and fear would come to realization one afternoon.  A runner made it to our camp telling the story.  After the kings had been killed their cities had also been pillaged.  Lot was taken with his family.

Abram cried out loudly.  He then exploded into action.  I was helping with animals just outside camp when one of my men came riding up to me with a spare horse.  After he told me what had taken place I mounted and rode to Abram.

“Clay, I am taking my men and I am going to get Lot back.  Will you join me?” Abram asked.
“Of course we will, with all that I have.  Jared, send the pup for reinforcements.” I said.
“Already did.” Jared was smiling as he said it.  He was ready.

Tracking Lot Across The Countryside

Abram gathered his men, Jared rounded up mine, and by the next morning well before sunrise we were on the move.  We had the general direction of where the armies were headed after leaving Sodom.  I had sent a team of our scouts to find their trail which should be very easy.  We needed to confirm the course their forces were on.

Jared’s dog would be ahead of us by near half a day.  The timing for our reinforcements was horrible.  They would be running late based on our present schedule.  The funny part is Jared’s dog would reach our camp in Haran before we would find this army.

I remember hearing stories about how sled dogs would travel near 100 miles a day pulling an average of 85 pounds each.  In terms of speed and endurance a fit dog is hard to beat.  Our horses could at max pull about 100 miles per day for three days without harming them.  Unfortunately, not everyone’s horses were as fit as ours.

To add to this uncertainty, we did not know where this army would arrive.  We were headed north following the Jordan from a distance.  After the first day of travel I had not yet heard from our scouts.  They too had a dog that could find us and I hoped I would be seeing him soon.

The next morning we were off before daylight again.  By mid-morning I heard wooping from one of our men behind me.  I turned in the saddle to see our wolf dog sprinting at full speed to catch us.  We stopped to gather the information and care for the pup.

Abram Prepares To Attack

Our scouts located the army and were trailing them.  The course they gave us would allow for us to intercept them a little further north of here.  Abram pulled up on his horse, dismounted, and I informed him of the situation.

“Let’s get further north as quick as possible.  I want to intercept them right away.” Abram said.
“We already have them.  Ease up a little bit to save the horses.  We know where they are.” I replied.

Abram looking me in the eye shook his head in agreement.  “You’re right Clay.  You have a lot of experience in this.  I want you by my side.”

“Right now the scouts are trailing them while watching and learning.  These guys are good, and they will give us all the information we need.  We will push north but let’s half the speed.  We should be near Dan just after nightfall.” I said.

“Why do you want to arrive after its already night?” Abram asked.

“It will keep their scouts from seeing us on approach.  We need to find and watch them first.  After we arrive we can link up with our scouts and set a plan.”  I said while glad Abram was in agreement with me.

We mounted and kept riding.  By nightfall we were close.  One of Abram’s men found a great  lookout position partway up a saddle between a couple hills.  We could see into the valley below without sky lining ourselves.

Jared had sent the dog back to the scouts informing them of our location.  Through the night we counted campfires, watches, and their patterns.  It looked as if this camp was a semi-permanent waypoint.  Odds were in our favor they would be staying here for a short while.

What we saw below us was not their main element of forces.  It was a reserve force that had been with the main army.  This should mean that all the fine things of Sodom would be here, including Lot and his family.  The main element had carried on to whatever the next move was that was being made.

Abram and Jared sat with me on that hillside through the day.  We were concealed and wouldn’t be seen at this position.  The scouts managed to link back up with our main group earlier that morning and we discovered that there were about five hundred fighting men in that camp.  The rest were different support elements.

Late afternoon rolled around and I noticed something moving at high speed through the middle of their camp.  It was headed south a few degrees off line from our position.  I looked over at Jared, his eyes met mine.

“Is that your dog?” I asked.
“I think so.  I never said he was smart.” Jared replied.

Jared’s dog was a blur in the middle of the camp.  Men were screaming at him.  After he broke free of the camp he kept heading south.  Eventually he would catch our scent and come up behind us.  Nightfall was coming and we were outnumbered by about two to one if you included their support elements.

Abram’s Two Attack Forces Get Into Position

“We let them go to sleep, then we attack.” Abram said.
“Yeah that is about right.  Wait until after the first watch is over.  Let our guys get into position.  We can take out their watch in one blow.” Jarred offered.

Abram looked at him surprised. “How?”

I laughed a little as I explained. “Most of these guys with us came from a land where the bow was all they knew from childhood.  They are sneaky too.  The forward watches they will take out silently.” I pointed to the men who were hundreds of yards away from the camp as a forward lookout.

I then continued explaining.  “They will then move individually into positions where each can take down a man in the camp watch.  When you hear the war cry, their arrows will fly.  Then we swarm in from two sides.”

“Will the war cry wake the camp?” Abram asked.
“Probably a lot of them, but it will not matter.  We will be in the camp before they can arm and form a defense.  It will be chaos for them.  If you approve, we will get things rolling.”  I said.

Abram sat in contemplation for a moment, bowed his head, then looked up to say “Do it.”  I moved back to get our side of things going forward.  Abram gathered his men on the hills where we sat.  Jared stayed with him so his crazy dog could find Abram and let them know when to move forward.

After sending the scouts to move on the outer forward watch, I took the rest of our men further north.  It was unfortunate that our reinforcements from Haran could not make it.  Lines had been cut between us and them by this army.  It was too risky for them to move towards us.

Once we were positioned north of Abram I sat and waited.  It would take a little more time.  Night fell onto us thick as there was little moonlight.  After some time passed I began to hear the chirp of a bird.  That was the signal to begin moving.  I sent Jared’s dog back to him.

We moved in silently towards the camp.  No blades were drawn as to not risk reflecting any light.  Each step was measured and light.  We came as close as we dare as we waited.  After some time passed Jared’s dog returned.  They were also ready.

The Attack To Rescue Lot Begins

One of my Native American men gave his distinct war cry.  The arrows flew and found their marks.  We were at a full sprint moving into the camp.  While the enemy did wake, so many never made it to a weapon of any kind.  Those that did had difficulty knowing who was friend or foe.

Within the first few minutes we had more than evened the odds.  A few minutes after that many were in retreat into the night.  It was a full rout.  In some areas of the camp I could hear Abram’s men screaming victory.  Others still had light fighting taking place.

I moved toward the center of camp to find Abram.  I saw him in the distance coming towards me.  We closed the distance and he grabbed me by the arms.  In his hands was a coat which had been Lot’s.

“Lot is not here.  I saw a group of men take them and go into the night.” Abram said.
“Let me see the coat please.” Jared responded.

Jared took the coat and called the pup.  A few sniffs later and the three of us were grabbing horses to follow.  We would trail the dog while our scouts would clean up and soon follow.  We would arrive in a place called Hobah that served as their fallback position.

It was late morning when half of our main force arrived to us.  At this point the enemy stood no chance.  Most were unarmed.  They were few in number and the fight did not last long.  It would be here that Abram would find Lot and his family.

Abram Negotiates Peace

The joyous reunion would be quick for we had to be on the move.  We gathered all the spoils and began our trek back.  We needed to be as far south as we could get and as quick as possible.  After a few days of travel I arrived back at Bethel.  Abram had continued on toward the plain of Sodom.

He said that he did not want to profit from the spoils of Sodom.  His intent was to return all that had been taken.  By right of conquest he could possess whatever he wished including laying claim to the cities in the plain of Jordan.  The truth was he wanted nothing to do with it.

If he had taken these riches it would cause complications anyway.  It would not take long for the new kings to turn against him.  In many ways this trip was about making peace and establishing some diplomatic relations for our neighbors to know we were not a threat.

A Rift Between Abram And Lot

When Abram returned something interesting happened.  I would have never guessed this would take place.  We had begged Lot to leave Sodom before all of this happened. 

In our return from the battle Lot had stayed with us.  The problem was that now he wanted to return to Sodom.  It was as if Lot was drunk from whatever that place offered.

Late one evening I began to hear shouting near to Abrams quarters.  I walked over to find Lot and Abram face to face.  This was not good.

“We rescued you so that you could be saved from the horrors of that army and all the sin which you had fallen into.  Now you want to return to that same city?  Why Sodom?  Why not go somewhere, anywhere other than there?” Abram asked.

“Uncle, it is our home.  We made a life there, my business can still be there, our people can grow there.  It is just a city with people.” Lot said.

The look on Abram’s face was a concerned but angry stare.  The thing was Abram was right.  Sodom was no place for anyone to be. 

Why place yourself in the worst possible locations mentally, emotionally, and morally for the sake of trinkets and comfort?  What is the real cost?  These thoughts raced backwards in time to my family and my mistakes.

“Lot, I did not save you for this.  Not this!  How can you turn your back on the ways of God after He spared you?  You have a second chance here with us.  You can have a second chance in many other places.  Please do not go back to Sodom.” Abram pleaded.

“Thank you for rescuing us.  I want you to know I am not throwing away that gift.  I just know what is best for my people.  We will make you proud.”  Lot was trying to gain approval.

“Never.  Never in a thousand years would this make me proud.  You become what you surround yourself with Lot.  You become the things you seek.  The price to pay is far greater than you can imagine.  You say that you follow God but every step you will take is moving towards the things you desire.  Don’t go.”  Abram was now begging.

“I am sorry.  I must go.  We will see you again soon.”  Lot stood and began walking away.

Remembering Lessons Learned

I remembered the note Noah had given me in that satchel which Shem left me.  Noah told me to “not become so lost as others are”.  It also said to “find my way home”. 

Abrams words were right.  It is all about what we seek in life.  It is about the thing that we choose to chase.

What matters most to us is what we move towards, spend our time with, or spend our resources on.  My feet had chased horizons looking for answers that I could not find which led me back here.  The difference between me and Lot was that I was still searching.  He had found what he desired.

The heart can be a fickle thing.  Following our heart can be dangerous for where it can lead when left unchecked to its real desires.  We lie to ourselves all to easily saying it is for this good or that good within life.

The next morning I watched Lot ride into the distance with his group.  I wished him well but I knew that the road he was on would not be a good one.  If there is anything I learned from Noah, it was that trading our authenticity for the comforts of the world is never worth it.