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Abram the Rescuer · The Chosen People

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human.
• 0:04
  Speaker 2: Previously on The Chosen People. As for Lot, he wanted
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: to believe and could believe in a God who could
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  Speaker 2: make him so rich. But they seem to have come
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  Speaker 2: up against an obstacle here. He just hoped Abram would
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  Speaker 2: be in the right frame of mind to help him
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  Speaker 2: solve it.
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  Speaker 3: But what are we supposed to do? Our men are
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  Speaker 3: at each other's throats, Abram! And we can't agree on anything!
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  Speaker 3: It's like a bad fever dream!
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  Speaker 4: We must separate. What do you think?
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  Speaker 5: The whole land is before us, but I will let
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  Speaker 5: you decide. Which way will you go?
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  Speaker 6: You honor me by allowing me to take the land
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  Speaker 6: of my choosing, uncle. Really, you do. Since you've offered
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  Speaker 6: it to me, I'll take the Jordan Plains for my
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  Speaker 6: family and herds. That's the direction we'll go.
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  Speaker 5: So close to Sodom. Are you sure? I think.
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  Speaker 3: I think the proximity of the city would prove useful
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  Speaker 3: to me.
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  Speaker 4: Yeah, useful.
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  Speaker 5: Be careful near those cities. I fear the influence of
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  Speaker 5: their culture is more dangerous than their spears.
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  Speaker 2: Lot waved his hand casually. With a dismissive tone, he
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  Speaker 2: shouted back to his uncle.
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  Speaker 6: My mind is a locked vault of integrity, Egram. You
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  Speaker 6: know this.
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  Speaker 3: I love you, Abram, and I always will. You've always
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  Speaker 3: been a bit of a brother to me. And you're
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  Speaker 3: everything an older brother should be. Your sense of duty
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  Speaker 3: and loyalty are unmatched.
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  Speaker 6: Farewell!
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  Speaker 5: What is it, Lot?
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  Speaker 6: Shh, quiet.
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  Speaker 1: Father, you're scaring me.
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  Speaker 6: Blasted, I said shut up!
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  Speaker 2: Lot's arm was frozen where he had thrust it in
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  Speaker 2: front of his wife and daughters, his body taut with fear.
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  Speaker 2: He was perfectly still, ear perked up to the sounds
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  Speaker 2: of the night. He had been alerted to their presence
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  Speaker 2: by chance. The night was unnaturally still. Animals ceased their
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  Speaker 2: nighttime songs, the muffled chatter from the perimeter tents had
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  Speaker 2: similarly disappeared, and the snapping of a twig too close
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  Speaker 2: for comfort all pointed to a large force moving through
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  Speaker 2: camp in stealth under cover of darkness. Lot's heart pounded
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  Speaker 2: so ferociously that he feared it might be audible to
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  Speaker 2: his terrified family beside him. Then, piercing through the silence,
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  Speaker 2: a scream echoed. As if that initial cry was some
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  Speaker 2: secret signal, a twisted chorus of tortured screams broke out
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  Speaker 2: into the night throughout their camp and in the distance
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  Speaker 2: from the city beyond. It was followed by tormented sobbing
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  Speaker 2: and the unmistakable sounds of slaughter. As if inspired by
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  Speaker 2: a supernatural premonition fueled by adrenaline, Lot silently gestured for
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  Speaker 2: his family to follow him through the back entrance of
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  Speaker 2: the tent. The end of his younger daughter Milka's dress
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  Speaker 2: had barely cleared the opening as a fist tore back
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  Speaker 2: the opening of their tent, flanked by an already bloodied blade.
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  Speaker 2: Lot could hear the audible sound of disappointment as the
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  Speaker 2: intruder beheld their now empty dwelling, unaware that his prey
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  Speaker 2: huddled in the cramped walkway behind the tent. Again, led
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  Speaker 2: by a desperate, primal urge to escape, he dragged his
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  Speaker 2: wife and daughters through their camp, keeping them out of sight.
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  Speaker 2: The horrors they saw would haunt his dreams for years
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  Speaker 2: to come. Unspeakable things were being done to the women
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  Speaker 2: of his camp, and countless numbers of his men lay dead, dismembered,
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  Speaker 2: or bleeding out.
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  Speaker 4: On death's door.
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  Speaker 2: One such man noticed their quiet escape in the direction
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  Speaker 2: of Sodom. He was writhing on the ground, hand to
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  Speaker 2: his abdomen, struggling to keep his entrails inside his body,
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  Speaker 2: gasping for air as he poured the air in Lot's direction.
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  Speaker 2: Lot crept forward and knelt beside the dying man to
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  Speaker 2: listen to what he was trying to say.
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  Speaker 5: Don't go to the city. Don't go to Sodom.
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  Speaker 4: What? They sacked the city as well?
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  Speaker 2: As the man choked out his last words, shouts from
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  Speaker 2: mere yards away forced him back to the shadows of
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  Speaker 2: the walkway between tents where his family was hidden. As
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  Speaker 2: he drew back, he noticed the man's dagger lying in
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  Speaker 2: the damp dirt beside him. Lot grasped it and choked
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  Speaker 2: back his disgust at the slick gore clinging to the weapon.
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  Speaker 2: At least he had some sort of defense to protect
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  Speaker 2: his family. Mercifully, he didn't need to use it, as
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  Speaker 2: they went unnoticed through the camp-turned-killing field. They crouched in
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  Speaker 2: the darkness just outside of what was their caravan and
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  Speaker 2: took stock of what was before them. The intruders had
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  Speaker 2: torched a few of the tents on the far edge,
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  Speaker 2: and the flames now steadily consumed everything in their path.
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  Speaker 2: Thick smoke choked the air, and in the distance, twin
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  Speaker 2: flames were springing up, climbing the taller structures of Sodom.
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  Speaker 2: Men hauled looted trunks of silver, gold, and anything else
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  Speaker 2: they deemed of value through Lot's burning camp, callously stepping
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  Speaker 2: over the corpses of his fallen men. The abused women
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  Speaker 2: were being corralled into a line as well, surely to
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  Speaker 2: be taken wherever Lot's riches were headed next.
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  Speaker 1: Lot, what do we do? Where do we go? Where
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  Speaker 1: are they taking them?
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  Speaker 7: Are we.
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  Speaker 1: Going to die?
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  Speaker 4: I don't know. I don't know. We can't go into
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  Speaker 4: the city.
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  Speaker 6: Then where will we go?
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  Speaker 1: Where is it safe?
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  Speaker 6: It's all gone.
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  Speaker 1: They're all dead. Enough!
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  Speaker 6: Quiet your whimpering and focus! We need to get as
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  Speaker 6: far away as we can. We can't be discovered.
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  Speaker 5: Where do we go? Where do we go?
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  Speaker 4: The mountains.
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  Speaker 5: The mountains.
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  Speaker 4: Are the mountains safe?
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  Speaker 6: Are the mountains safe?
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  Speaker 1: You saw the asphalt pits when we first came here.
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  Speaker 1: It will be perilous to cross them in the dark.
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  Speaker 6: We'll have to take that chance.
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  Speaker 5: We need cover.
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  Speaker 6: They'll find us out here on the plains when the
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  Speaker 6: sun rises.
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  Speaker 2: Decided, Lot turned to lead his family through the Sidim
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  Speaker 2: Valley toward the mountains when the grinning warrior waiting in
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  Speaker 2: the dark stepped in front of them, blocking their path.
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  Speaker 1: Looking for a way out.
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  Speaker 2: Lot's wife and daughters screamed. As he turned to look
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  Speaker 2: behind him, he saw five more warriors spring forward and
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  Speaker 2: grab them. He whirled back to confront his would-be attacker,
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  Speaker 2: palming his bloody dagger, and the world suddenly went black.
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  Speaker 2: About forty miles away, in a wealthy district of the
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  Speaker 2: city of Hebron, Abram reclined as a guest in the
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  Speaker 2: home of his new friend and ally, the clan leader Mamre,
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  Speaker 2: and his two brothers, Anna and Eshkol. Abram did not
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  Speaker 2: expect to find friends amongst the Amorites. All the other
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  Speaker 2: Canaanites he met during his journey had been indifferent or
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  Speaker 2: downright hostile. But he was surprised that he found favor
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  Speaker 2: with Mamre almost immediately, and they formed an unlikely alliance.
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  Speaker 6: Mamre, brother, tell me how goes our business?
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  Speaker 1: Never better.
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  Speaker 4: I'll tell you something. I've started to believe that our
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  Speaker 4: friend Abram here, Abram the Hebrew... Must have blown into
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  Speaker 4: our town on the winds of prosperity. I can't explain it.
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  Speaker 4: But ever since he came here and we all began
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  Speaker 4: working together, I've never seen such a yield. The flocks
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  Speaker 4: are multiplying faster than I've ever seen. The crops are
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  Speaker 4: springing back to life. And production everywhere has increased tenfold.
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  Speaker 5: Hear, hear. Let's drink to our new friend Abram. Abram
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  Speaker 5: the Hebrew.
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  Speaker 4: You honor me.
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  Speaker 5: But surely the gain is beneficial for us all. I
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  Speaker 5: couldn't have asked for better friends. And the kindness you've
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  Speaker 5: shown me and my people since we came here will
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  Speaker 5: not be forgotten.
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  Speaker 4: No, it will not.
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  Speaker 6: They say the whole city is prospering. It's as if
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  Speaker 6: the famine never happened. The land is finally healing.
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  Speaker 2: Suddenly, commotion from the receiving hall of the dwelling echoed
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  Speaker 2: off the stone walls of the interior. the three men
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  Speaker 2: halted their conversation to listen to the disturbance in the
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  Speaker 2: other room. Abram's chief servant, Eliezer, burst in not a
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  Speaker 2: moment later, attempting to slow a somewhat unkempt, travel-worn man
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  Speaker 2: from entering the room before him.
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  Speaker 7: Master, pardon the intrusion, but this man insists on speaking
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  Speaker 7: with you. I told him you were not at home
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  Speaker 7: and I couldn't reason with him to wait for you
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  Speaker 7: to return.
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  Speaker 5: I must speak with Master Abram.
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  Speaker 4: What is the meaning of this?
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  Speaker 5: It's all right, Mamre.
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  Speaker 4: You there.
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  Speaker 5: What are you called? Gira, Master, if it pleases you.
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  Speaker 5: What have you come to say, Gira? I've traveled far
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  Speaker 5: to bring you this news. I fear they may be
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  Speaker 5: hunting me yet. It's your nephew, Lot. They've taken him.
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  Speaker 4: Taken?
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  Speaker 5: Who's taken him? I don't know for certain which king
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  Speaker 5: has him. But King Keroleomer led the attack. I was
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  Speaker 5: able to learn that later. They sacked the cities and
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  Speaker 5: destroyed the armies out on the plain. I was in
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  Speaker 5: Lot's caravan outside the city, though. We didn't think they
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  Speaker 5: would come for us, too. I didn't see any survivors
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  Speaker 5: from the camp as I escaped. I don't think anyone
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  Speaker 5: was left alive. You're sure they took Lot as a prisoner?
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  Speaker 5: Are you sure he isn't dead? Yes, my lord. I
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  Speaker 5: saw them take Lot and the girls. The other women
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  Speaker 5: from the camp were carted off with their livestock and riches.
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  Speaker 5: As for his men, well, I'm not sure any were spared.
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  Speaker 5: They were marching them north. No one thought four kings
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  Speaker 5: could defeat the five.
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  Speaker 4: No one.
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  Speaker 5: They traveled the king's highways on the heels of their
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  Speaker 5: victories from the west.
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  Speaker 4: Which cities were defeated?
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  Speaker 5: All of them. The alliance of the cities of the
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  Speaker 5: plain are no more.
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  Speaker 2: A heaviness settled over the three men receiving the terrible news.
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  Speaker 2: The cities of the plain long held the valley's southern
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  Speaker 2: part of the Salt Sea. They were Sodom, where Lot
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  Speaker 2: and his family had gone, Gomorrah, Admach, Zeboim, and Bela.
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  Speaker 2: But they were also slaves to King Keduleuma, or had been.
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  Speaker 2: After twelve long years, they rebelled against his tyranny, and
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  Speaker 2: the rebellion had gone unchecked as King Cadalaomer invaded and
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  Speaker 2: conquered the lands to the west. Until now.
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  Speaker 4: So, King Cadalaomer at last came to crush the rebellion
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  Speaker 4: and take back what was his.
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  Speaker 8: Beating the western nations, our distant Amorite cousins included, into
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  Speaker 8: submission was not enough.
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  Speaker 4: It would seem it was not. This is grave news indeed.
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  Speaker 6: Abram, forgive me for asking this, but why take Lot
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  Speaker 6: and his family prisoner? Jerolamer is not known as a
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  Speaker 6: merciful man.
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  Speaker 8: Perhaps they recognized that they were not Canaanites and thought
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  Speaker 8: to hold.
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  Speaker 5: Them to exploit a foreign government.
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  Speaker 4: It doesn't matter.
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  Speaker 5: If they're alive, then I must find them and take
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  Speaker 5: them back.
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  Speaker 4: Abram, when you entered my house and we forged our alliance...
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  Speaker 4: I swore to you then that my house would defend
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  Speaker 4: your honor and fight in your battles. In this time
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  Speaker 4: of prosperity and peace, I never imagined we would be
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  Speaker 4: called to arms quite like this. But you have the
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  Speaker 4: strength of my house to aid you in this fight.
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  Speaker 8: We will be with you, Abram.
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  Speaker 5: Our shields and spears are yours. Mamre, you honor me.
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  Speaker 5: Thank you, Eskol. Thank you, Einar. You are good men
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  Speaker 5: and true friends.
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  Speaker 4: We are with you, Abram. To whatever end.
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  Speaker 2: Abram could hear his friend's resolute words repeating over and
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  Speaker 2: over in his mind as he hurried across Hebron to
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  Speaker 2: his caravan of tents. Abram always suspected he knew the
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  Speaker 2: real reason he had found favor in this city and
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  Speaker 2: with these powerful men. but now knowing perhaps the greater
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  Speaker 2: purpose behind it, left Abram in awe. His God had
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  Speaker 2: once again provided a way to rescue his family. This time,
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  Speaker 2: Abram was determined to answer the call. Though the decision
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  Speaker 2: was already made, he knew what he had to do,
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  Speaker 2: for he was still repairing what he had lost with
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  Speaker 2: his wife. Abram's heart pounded with a mix of fear
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: and determination as he hurried to his tent to tell
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  Speaker 2: Sarai what had transpired. He recounted every detail to her,
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  Speaker 2: watching her face turn pale at the news.
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  Speaker 1: Oh, those poor people. No survivors? And Lot and his
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  Speaker 1: family were taken?
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  Speaker 2: Yes.
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  Speaker 1: And so you must go and find him and bring
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  Speaker 1: him back?
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  Speaker 5: Yes, sir, I will try. I must leave at once
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  Speaker 5: so we don't lose their trail. I came here directly
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  Speaker 5: to tell you, but now I must make preparations to leave.
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  Speaker 5: I will raise my trained men and we will begin
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  Speaker 5: the pursuit. We'll be a company of 318, so we'll
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  Speaker 5: be able to cover ground quickly and deftly.
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  Speaker 1: 318? Against a whole eastern army, led by a king
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  Speaker 1: who has conquered many nations.
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  Speaker 5: The Amorites have agreed to join us as well. We
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  Speaker 5: won't be alone. And you know that my God will
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  Speaker 5: be with me.
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  Speaker 1: Even though the numbers are not in your favor, even
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  Speaker 1: though time is not on your side, Even though you're
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  Speaker 1: well past fighting age, Lot could be hundreds of miles
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  Speaker 1: away in any direction. Lot chose to settle close to
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  Speaker 1: the city. That was his folly. You would still be
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  Speaker 1: loyal to him despite all of that?
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  Speaker 4: I would.
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  Speaker 1: So you'll fight for him, then. You'll be courageous for him.
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  Speaker 5: Yes, I don't want to fail them. I... I know
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  Speaker 5: I've been a coward before. This is my chance to.
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  Speaker 2: Abram turned his face away from Sarai. He feared what
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  Speaker 2: would happen if he continued. Abram couldn't bring himself to
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  Speaker 2: fully admit what had happened in Egypt, certainly not to Sarai.
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  Speaker 2: Perhaps someday, but the failure still haunted him deeply. Feeling
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  Speaker 2: self-conscious about what he had started to confess aloud, Abram
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  Speaker 2: shuddered and trailed off into silence, unable to meet her gaze.
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  Speaker 2: fighting back the emotions welling up inside of him. He
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  Speaker 2: pushed down his guilt toward his wife and turned to
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  Speaker 2: his feelings for Lot. He couldn't lose Lot. He refused
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  Speaker 2: to consider the possibility and bit back the fears that
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  Speaker 2: had been creeping into his mind since the messenger burst
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  Speaker 2: into Mamre's hall. Serai tentatively approached him and gently placed
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  Speaker 2: her hand on his shoulder. She tilted her head to
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  Speaker 2: meet his gaze, but he refused. Her voice was soft.
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  Speaker 2: Behind it was a well of unrequited love.
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  Speaker 1: Go and save them. Don't fail. And come back home
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  Speaker 1: to me.
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  Speaker 2: Abram, his 318 men, and the combined forces of the
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: Amorites set out and quickly found the trail of King
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: Kedaleomer and his four-king alliance. They had left a wake
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  Speaker 2: of destruction in their path, looting and pillaging as they
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  Speaker 2: went north, following the Euphrates River. Abram's tracking party, made
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  Speaker 2: up of his trained men, made remarkable speed as Abram
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  Speaker 2: had become familiar with the hill country on the western
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  Speaker 2: side of the valley. Abram's god had shown him all
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  Speaker 2: of it in his years of wandering before and after Egypt.
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  Speaker 2: They easily navigated the landscape and used it to their
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  Speaker 2: advantage in avoiding the detection of their enemy's scouts. When
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  Speaker 2: the larger Amarids' force finally caught up to them and
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  Speaker 2: made camp with them less than half a day's march
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  Speaker 2: from the Four Kings' alliance, Abram, emerging as the unlikely
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  Speaker 2: military strategist among them, laid out their plan.
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  Speaker 5: Just before dusk tomorrow, your larger forces will allow yourselves
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  Speaker 5: to be seen in the foothills. We're far enough away
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  Speaker 5: that they cannot guess our true numbers. You will draw
• 16:54
  Speaker 5: their eyes here to the west, and in all likelihood,
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  Speaker 5: it will be late enough in the day for them
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  Speaker 5: not to be able to mount an attack until dawn.
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  Speaker 5: They will spend the night preparing and be distracted as
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  Speaker 5: I take my men to the east under darkness. There
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  Speaker 5: we will slip between their camp and the river. We'll
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  Speaker 5: spring an attack and disorient them. Though our force is small,
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  Speaker 5: It will feel like another great army has stormed into
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  Speaker 5: their midst. They will not flee west. They'll fear that
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  Speaker 5: they will lack the advantage of the high ground. And
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  Speaker 5: so they will flee either north or south, and we'll
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  Speaker 5: pursue them. Hear, hear.
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  Speaker 4: And we will crush them whichever direction they choose.
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  Speaker 2: The fainting light of dusk intermixed with the dark clouds
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  Speaker 2: on the horizon, painting the landscape the color of rotted wine.
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  Speaker 2: Mamre's army positioned themselves on the foothills. Each man carried
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  Speaker 2: two torches, making their army seem twice the size. The
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  Speaker 2: four-king alliance immediately began preparing for an attack. Abram and
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  Speaker 2: his men lingered in the shadows near the enemy camp.
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  Speaker 2: Abram grinned to himself as he and his men skirted
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  Speaker 2: the perimeter, hearing the commander's bark orders with terse, frayed tempers.
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  Speaker 2: They were likely used to have been the hunter. Never
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  Speaker 2: the prey, and the reversal of roles had them on edge.
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  Speaker 2: Abram turned to Eliezer and smirked.
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  Speaker 5: You'd never expect us to be here.
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  Speaker 4: With you, my lord, I've come to expect the unexpected.
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  Speaker 4: That's the spirit.
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  Speaker 5: First company, attack! Attack!
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  Speaker 2: The first cluster of men charged out of the woods
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  Speaker 2: into the enemy camp. None of them grew up as warriors,
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  Speaker 2: but they were fiercely loyal to Abram. Their war cries
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  Speaker 2: were deep and triumphant. They burst through the camp, slashing
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  Speaker 2: away at unprepared sodomite soldiers.
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  Speaker 5: Second company, charge!
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  Speaker 1: Charge!
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  Speaker 2: Abram stationed clusters of his men at regular intervals along
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  Speaker 2: their eastern flank, making 300 men feel like 300,000 in
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  Speaker 2: the dark. More men burst through the tree with fresh legs,
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  Speaker 2: passing the men who had paused for combat. The sound
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  Speaker 2: of clanging steel and torn flesh filled the camp. Abram
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: tightened his belt and drew his blade. He was no
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: longer a young man. The white in his beard and
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: creases in his eyes contrasted sharply with the tight muscles
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: in his arm holding up a sword. Fueled by passion.
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: He bellowed.
• 19:34
  Speaker 5: Third Company, follow me!
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: The last of Abram's men paced behind him and around him.
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: He ran with the vigor of a man half his age.
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: The first man he saw was a foot soldier poised
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: with a spear. Abram squinted. his sword across his body
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: from left to right, splitting the shaft of the spear
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: in half. He replanted his feet and swung back to
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: the left across his body, slashing the man's neck. Blood
• 20:02
  Speaker 2: sprayed out on Abram's face. Each phase of the camp
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: brought a new challenger. Abram was no warrior, but a
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: force more powerful than him fueled him. Eliezer was beside him,
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: protecting his blind side. All the men pressed forward, slowly
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: diminishing their forces. As Abram predicted, they panicked at the
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: surprise attack from the opposite direction and fled north. Abram,
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: his men, and the Amorites pursued them as far as Laish,
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: picking off any squadrons who fell behind or broke ranks
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: from the larger mass. When they reached the northern city
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: of Laish, beyond the mouth of the Euphrates River, they
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: launched another attack. This time, Abram charged with more than
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: a thousand men by his side. His God promised him
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: that he would make him great. Since leaving the comforts
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: of Or, Abram had sat in the palace of Pharaoh,
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: dined with warlords and led an army into battle. As
• 21:01
  Speaker 2: Abram rushed the enemy, he couldn't help but wonder what
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: other things this God had in store for him. The
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: second attack was more successful than the last. Abram held
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: a staff in one hand and a sword in another,
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: parrying with the staff before attacking with the blade. He
• 21:18
  Speaker 2: was no master in warfare, but it didn't seem to matter.
• 21:22
  Speaker 2: The collective forces of Abram again pursued the last of
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: the great army to Hobah, north of Damascus. They had
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: traveled hundreds of miles from where they started. Abram's God
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: sustaining them and granting them victory after victory. And it
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: was there that Abram and his men made their last stand.
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: With face caked in blood and sand, Abram screamed with passion,
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: dicing the enemy one by one. Each was a barrier
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: to his nephew. What had started as chaffed, irritated skin
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: had turned raw and inflamed on Lot's wrists and ankles.
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: He knew somewhere in the back of his muddled mind
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: that the overwhelming fatigue that gnawed at him day and
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: night was probably an infection. The wounds from his bonds
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: had never been adequately tended to. His wife and daughters
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: were the same. He tried not to think about tomorrow,
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: the next day, or even the next hour and what
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: horrors they were sure to hold. They sat in the
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: dark prisoner's tent, trying to remain optimistic amid tragedy and suffering.
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: Lot could tell that his captors were anxious. The pace
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: they had adopted was gruelling and they were clearly frustrated.
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: He had the feeling that they were being pursued. Their
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: captors often took their frustrations out on Lot. Despite this,
• 22:50
  Speaker 2: he feared that if these pursuers were to overtake them,
• 22:53
  Speaker 2: they could be trading one evil for a more terrifying one,
• 22:57
  Speaker 2: To strike fear in the hearts of King Keduleuma was
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: no small feat. It was just before dawn, and the
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: sun was only starting to warm at the tail end
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: of the night when the shouting and fighting began. Whoever
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: had been pursuing them finally caught up to their caravan.
• 23:14
  Speaker 2: Lot and his family couldn't see any of it. All
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: they could hear was the sound of clanging metal, battle cries,
• 23:22
  Speaker 2: and tearing flesh.
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: What will happen to us? Will they take the camp?
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: We should never have left Iran, or Egypt, or Bethel,
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: or Ai, or anywhere. Quiet. Keep quiet. Listen.
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: Sure enough, the sounds of battle started to change. The
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: rhythm of blows and suffering began to slow. Someone was winning.
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: And from the inside of the prisoner's tent, it was
• 23:50
  Speaker 2: impossible to tell who it was. Lot and his family
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: exchanged leery glances with the other captives. An armoured hand
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: and forearm threw back the sheepskin hide that was their
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: tent's opening. The warrior silently made a terse assessment of
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: the space and called for aid. Lot's fever-laden head spun
• 24:10
  Speaker 2: as his thoughts raced. The armour was not that of
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: their captors. This warrior was one of their pursuers. More
• 24:18
  Speaker 2: soldiers poured into the tent, taking in the prisoners all
• 24:21
  Speaker 2: bound and roped together. They drew daggers as one, a
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: diligent and practiced force. Lot braced himself for the worst
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: and squeezed his eyes shut. But then came the sound
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: of rope being frayed. Lot's eyes snapped open. They were
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: being released. Moments later, the prisoners were being held to
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: their feet and their wounds assessed and tended to. One
• 24:47
  Speaker 2: particularly brusque soldier hauled Lot to his feet and shouted
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: something to the men outside ahead of him in a
• 24:53
  Speaker 2: language Lot did not know. He pulled Lot outside the tent.
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: Lot found himself squinting into the bright morning sun. One
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: last warrior was locked in battle with the general of
• 25:07
  Speaker 2: King Cadalaomer's army. He seemed to be the last man standing.
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: The warrior was sure-footed and moved deftly, despite being smaller
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: and much older. He had a confident gravitas to him.
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: This man could be a king. Abram could barely keep
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: his legs up. Every breath was heavy, strained and painful,
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: but he couldn't show weakness.
• 25:34
  Speaker 4: Not yet.
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: He and King Kedileomer's general circled each other, waiting for
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: the other to make another move. The others had surrounded them,
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: withholding their aid. They knew this was a battle of honor.
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: The general made another move, gliding his feet through the
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: dirt to jab at Abram's ribs. Abram stepped to the side,
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: but the blade grazed him. Abram winced, but quickly parried
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: with a downward chop of his sword. The general blocked
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: it with a thick leather armor on his arm. Abram
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: heard the sound of cracking bone. This was his chance.
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: Abram turned his hips back and cocked his arm. He
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: swung his staff at the general's head. The whack made
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: everyone watching gasp. Then, before the general could gather himself,
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: Abram thrust the tip of his sword into the general's throat.
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: The general fell. The crowd cheered, and the euphoria of
• 26:34
  Speaker 2: victory rushed through him. The exhaustion of the supernatural feat
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: finally washed over him. Abram stumbled to his knees. It
• 26:43
  Speaker 2: wasn't over yet. He had to see if Lot was alive.
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: He limped over to the prisoner's tent. Several of his
• 26:51
  Speaker 2: men were helping the prisoners out of their bonds and
• 26:54
  Speaker 2: to their feet. Knees buckling, he collapsed before a familiar
• 26:58
  Speaker 2: face he knew almost as well as his own. The
• 27:02
  Speaker 2: two wept at the sight of each other. Still shaking
• 27:05
  Speaker 2: with weariness and raw emotion, he pulled Lot and his
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: family into an embrace. All alive. All safe. Abram hadn't
• 27:17
  Speaker 2: failed them.
• 27:18
  Speaker 5: Abram!
• 27:19
  Speaker 4: You came!
• 27:20
  Speaker 6: You came for us!
• 27:21
  Speaker 5: Of course I did.
• 27:24
  Speaker 3: I hadn't even let myself hope that you would, or
• 27:27
  Speaker 3: that anyone would.
• 27:28
  Speaker 5: You are my family, Lot. I will always fight for
• 27:32
  Speaker 5: you and come to your rescue. And through the faithfulness
• 27:36
  Speaker 5: of my God, I.
• 27:37
  Speaker 4: You're here.
• 27:37
  Speaker 6: You made it.
• 27:38
  Speaker 5: You saved us. Oh, thank you, Abram.
• 27:43
  Speaker 3: Perhaps I should thank your God as well for saving
• 27:45
  Speaker 3: me and my family.
• 27:48
  Speaker 2: Together, Abram and Lot set about aiding the captured women
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: and other prisoners. They also discovered that the gold and
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: silver Lot lost in the abduction was still there, along
• 28:00
  Speaker 2: with riches from other kingdoms the four-king alliance had plundered.
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: Before they broke camp to begin the long trek southward
• 28:07
  Speaker 2: and after they had recovered, they freed the other prisoners
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: of war and sent them home to their countries in peace.
• 28:14
  Speaker 2: Once everything was settled, Abram's men, the Amorites, Lot, his
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: wife and daughters and the women and men who had
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: been captured along with Lot's family started their long trek
• 28:26
  Speaker 2: home together. This Pray.com production is only made possible by
• 28:36
  Speaker 2: our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gatina, Max Bard,
• 28:40
  Speaker 2: Zach Schellevager, and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of
• 28:44
  Speaker 2: The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced
• 28:49
  Speaker 2: by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald,
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: Sylvia Zaradok, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Lashinsky.
• 29:01
  Speaker 2: Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely,
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and
• 29:13
  Speaker 2: Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please
• 29:17
  Speaker 2: rate and leave a review.
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.