Chapter 14

War of the Kings

1 And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of aShinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of bElam, and Tidal king of 1Goiim,

2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of aAdmah, and Shemeber king of bZeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, cZoar).

3 All these 1came as allies to athe valley of Siddim (that is, bthe Salt Sea).

4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, came and 1defeated the aRephaim in bAshteroth-karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in 2cShaveh-kiriathaim,

6 and the aHorites in their Mount Seir, as far as bEl-paran, which is by the wilderness.

7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, aKadesh), and 1conquered all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, who lived in bHazazon-tamar.

8 And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they arrayed for battle against them in athe valley of Siddim,

9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of 1Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.

10 Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and athe kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell 1into them. But those who survived fled to the bhill country.

11 Then they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed.

12 They also took Lot, aAbram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, bfor he was living in Sodom.

13 Then 1a fugitive came and told Abram the aHebrew. Now he was 2living by the 3boaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were 4callies with Abram.

14 When Abram heard that ahis 1relative had been taken captive, he 2led out his trained men, bborn in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as cDan.

15 aHe divided 1his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and 2defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is 3north of bDamascus.

16 He abrought back all the goods, and also brought back bhis 1relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the people.

God’s Promise to Abram

17 Then after his return from the 1defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, athe king of Sodom went out to meet him at the valley of Shaveh (that is, bthe King’s Valley).

18 And aMelchizedek king of Salem brought out bbread and wine; now he was a cpriest of 1God Most High.

19 He blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of 1God Most High,

2aPossessor of heaven and earth;

20 And blessed be 1God Most High,

Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

aHe gave him a tenth of all.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the 1people to me and take the goods for yourself.”

22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have 1sworn to the Lord 2aGod Most High, 3bpossessor of heaven and earth,

23 that aI will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

24 “1I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, aAner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”