The Blessing of Victory for God’s People

14:1 At that time1 Amraphel king of Shinar,2 Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations3 14:2 went to war4 against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).5 14:3 These last five kings6 joined forces7 in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).8 14:4 For twelve years9 they had served Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year10 they rebelled.11 14:5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings who were his allies came and defeated12 the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is near the desert.13 14:7 Then they attacked En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) again,14 and they conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.

14:8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and prepared for battle. In the Valley of Siddim they met15 14:9 Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations,16 Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar. Four kings fought against17 five. 14:10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits.18 When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them,19 but some survivors20 fled to the hills.21 14:11 The four victorious kings22 took all the possessions and food of Sodom and Gomorrah and left. 14:12 They also took Abram’s nephew23 Lot and his possessions when24 they left, for Lot25 was living in Sodom.26

14:13 A fugitive27 came and told Abram the Hebrew.28 Now Abram was living by the oaks29 of Mamre the Amorite, the brother30 of Eshcol and Aner. (All these were allied by treaty31 with Abram.)32 14:14 When 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 14:15 Then, 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. 14:16 He 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.

14:17 After Abram43 returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram44 in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley).45 14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem46 brought out bread and wine. (Now he was the priest of the Most High God.)47 14:19 He blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by48 the Most High God,

Creator49 of heaven and earth.50

14:20 Worthy of praise is51 the Most High God,

who delivered52 your enemies into your hand.”

Abram gave Melchizedek53 a tenth of everything.

14:21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.” 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand54 to the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth, and vow55 14:23 that I will take nothing56 belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal. That way you can never say, ‘It is I57 who made Abram rich.’ 14:24 I will take nothing58 except compensation for what the young men have eaten.59 As for the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre—let them take their share.”