Genesis 14

1 At that time Amraphel was king of Shinar, and he allied himself with Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim.

Now it happened in that time that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus, and Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations,

2 They attacked Bera, king of Sodom, Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (otherwise known as Zoar).

went to war against Bera, king of Sodom, and against Birsha, king of Gomorrah, and against Shinab, king of Admah, and against Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and against the king of Bela, that is Zoar.

3 All these in the second group joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Dead Sea valley).

All these came together in the wooded valley, which is now the Sea of Salt.

4 They had been under the rule of Chedorlaomer for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him.

For they had served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they withdrew from him.

5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer invaded, along with the kings in his alliance. They defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

Therefore, in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer arrived, and the kings who were with him. And they struck the Rephaim at Ashteroth of the two horns, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim at Shaveh-Kiriathaim.

6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, all the way to El-paran, near the desert.

and the Chorreans in the mountains of Seir, even to the plains of Paran, which is in the wilderness.

7 Then they swung back through and attacked En-mishpat (otherwise known as Kadesh) and conquered the whole country belonging to the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

And they returned and arrived at the fountain of Mishpat, which is Kadesh. And they struck the entire region of the Amalekites, and the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazontamar.

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (otherwise known as Zoar) marched out and prepared for battle in the Valley of Siddim.

And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and indeed the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went forth. And they directed their point against them in the wooded valley,

9 They fought Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, Tidal, king of Goiim, Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar—four kings on one side against five on the other.

namely, against Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus: four kings against five.

10 There were many tar pits in the Valley of Siddim, and as the defeated kings of Sodom and Gomorrah ran away, some of their men fell into them while the rest ran to the hills.

Now the wooded valley had many pits of bitumen. And so the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah turned back and they fell there. And those who remained, fled to the mountain.

11 The invaders took from Sodom and Gomorrah all their possessions and food and left.

Then they took all the substance of the Sodomites and the Gomorrhites, and all that pertained to food, and they went away,

12 They also captured Lot, Abram's nephew, and his possessions, because he was living in Sodom.

along with both Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his substance.

13 But one of those captured escaped and went and told Abram the Hebrew what had happened. Abram was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, whose brothers were Eshcol and Aner. All of them were Abram's allies.

And behold, one who had escaped reported it to Abram the Hebrew, who lived in the steep valley of Mamre the Amorite, who was the brother of Eshcol, and the brother of Aner. For these had formed an agreement with Abram.

14 When Abram found out that his nephew had been captured, he called together 318 fighting men who had been born in his household and chased after them all the way to Dan.

When Abram had heard this, namely, that his brother Lot had been taken captive, he numbered three hundred and eighteen of his own armed men and he went in pursuit all the way to Dan.

15 There he divided his men into groups and attacked at night, defeating the enemy and chasing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night. And he struck them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 Abram recovered all that had been taken, including Lot and his possessions, and also brought back the women and others who had been captured.

And he brought back all the substance, and Lot his brother, with his substance, likewise the women and the people.

17 When Abram returned after defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (or Valley of the King).

Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter at Chedorlaomer, and the kings who were with him at the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king.

18 Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of the Most High God.

Then in truth, Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, for he was a priest of the Most High God;

19 He blessed Abram, telling him, “May Abram be blessed by the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth.

he blessed him, and he said: “Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, who created heaven and earth.

20 May the Most High God be praised, who handed your enemies over to you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek one tenth of everything.

And blessed be the Most High God, through whose protection the enemies are in your hands.” And he gave him tithes from everything.

21 The king of Sodom told Abram, “Let me have the people back, and you can keep everything else for yourself.”

Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me these souls, and take the rest for yourself.”

22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand, making a solemn promise to the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth,

And he responded to him: “I lift up my hand to the Lord God, the Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,

23 that I refuse to take anything belonging to you, not a single thread or a sandal strap. Otherwise you might claim, ‘It was me who made Abram rich!’

that from one thread within a blanket, even to a single shoelace, I will not take anything from that which is yours, lest you say, ‘I have enriched Abram,’

24 I won't take anything except what my men have eaten, and the share for those who accompanied me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

except that which the young men have eaten, and the shares for the men who came with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. These will take their shares.”