“And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.”
A man who escapes brings the news to Abram the Hebrew, who is living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner — all of whom are allied with Abram. This verse is the first use of the word 'Hebrew' (Ivri) in Scripture, applied to Abram. The designation distinguishes Abram from the surrounding peoples and roots his identity in the Eber line of Genesis 10–11. His alliance with Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner — Amorites — shows that the covenant man is not socially isolated; he has built relationships with the local inhabitants based on mutual respect and treaty. The news arrives in Abram's community, and the response in the next verse is immediate. The application: when a member of your community is captured — spiritually, relationally, circumstantially — who brings the news, and who responds? The network Abram has built means news travels and action follows.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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