The number 318 is linked to Abraham's servants whom he used to rescue Lot, and in Jewish tradition it has a numerological (gematria) connection to the name Eliezer.
In Genesis 14:14, Abraham takes with him 318 trained servants, born in his house, to rescue his nephew Lot from enemy captivity. In Jewish tradition, the rabbis have pointed out that the Hebrew gematria value of the name Eliezer (אליעזר), Abraham's trusted servant, is exactly 318 (א=1, ל=30, י=10, ע=70, ז=7, ר=200). This has been interpreted as a midrashic suggestion that Abraham could actually have managed with his one faithful servant Eliezer alone, and that the number thus symbolizes the power of faith and God's intervention rather than a literal army force. The story emphasizes Abraham's determination and reverence for God – he did not hesitate to act to save his relative, trusting that God would grant victory regardless of the balance of strength. In the Talmud (Nedarim 32a), rabbis discuss the gematria connection between the number 318 and the name Eliezer. Some rabbis interpret this to mean that Abraham, together with Eliezer alone, defeated the kings, while others uphold the literal reading of 318 men. The letter values in אליעזר (Eliezer) sum up as follows: alef (1) + lamed (30) + yod (10) + ayin (70) + zayin (7) + resh (200) = 318. In early Christian tradition, especially among the Church Father Barnabas (Epistle of Barnabas 9:8), the number 318 was connected to the sign of the cross. The Greek numeral letters for 318 are Τ (300), Ι (10) and Η (8). Τ was interpreted as the shape of the cross, while ΙΗ was seen as the first two letters of Ἰησοῦς (Jesus). Thus, Abraham's 318 servants were read as a typological prophecy of salvation through Jesus' cross.*