Avram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, and he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.
English of Core Text: Rav said: he emptied them of Torah; Shmuel said: he loaded them with gold. “Three hundred eighteen” — R. Ammi bar Abba said: Eliezer corresponded to them all… Eliezer in gematria is 318.
On the daf / in context: The word וַיָּרֶק is read either as draining (of Torah, i.e. interrupting study for the rescue) or as equipping. The number is classically identified with Eliezer alone.
Type of Learning
Custom
What Is Learned
The rescue force is read both as a real company and, by gematria, as Eliezer standing for all of them.