^14:14When Abram heard that his nephew³³ had been taken captive, he mobilized³⁴ his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders³⁵ as far as Dan.³⁶^14:15Then, during the night,³⁷ Abram³⁸ divided his forces³⁹ against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north⁴⁰ of Damascus. ^14:16He retrieved all the stolen property.⁴¹ He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of⁴² the people.

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Footnotes

33 Heb “his brother,” by extension, “relative.” Here and in v. 16 the more specific term “nephew” has been used in the translation for clarity. Lot was the son of Haran, Abram’s brother (Gen 11:27).
34 The verb וַיָּרֶק (vayyareq) is a rare form, probably related to the word רֵיק (req, “to be empty”). If so, it would be a very figurative use: “he emptied out” (or perhaps “unsheathed”) his men. The has “mustered” (cf. ). E. A. Speiser (Genesis [], ) suggests reading with the Samaritan Pentateuch a verb diq, cognate with Akkadian deku, “to mobilize” troops. If this view is accepted, one must assume that a confusion of the Hebrew letters ד (dalet) and ר (resh) led to the error in the traditional Hebrew text. These two letters are easily confused in all phases of ancient Hebrew script development. The present translation is based on this view.
35 The words “the invaders” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.
36 The use of the name Dan reflects a later perspective. The Danites did not migrate to this northern territory until centuries later (see Judg 18:29). Furthermore Dan was not even born until much later. By inserting this name a scribe has clarified the location of the region.
37 The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.
38 Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
39 Heb “he divided himself … he and his servants.”
40 Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.
41 The word “stolen” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
42 The phrase “the rest of “has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he and his servants deployed against them by night, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

NLTNew Living Translation

When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan. There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he summoned his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen of them, and he went in pursuit up to Dan. And he divided his trained men against them at night, he and his servants. And he defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. And he brought back all the possessions. And he also brought back Lot, his relative, and his possessions, and the women and the people as well.

KJV 1900King James Version

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

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