1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2that these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness. 7And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar. 8And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 9with Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. 10And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. 14And 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. 15And 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. 16And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

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Genesis 14

Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king #Gen. 10:10; 11:2of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of #Is. 11:11; 21:2; Dan. 8:2Elam, and Tidal king of nations, 2that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of #Gen. 10:19; Deut. 29:23Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, #Gen. 13:10; 19:22Zoar). 3All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim #Num. 34:12; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 3:16(that is, the Salt Sea). 4Twelve years #Gen. 9:26they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked #Gen. 15:20the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, #Deut. 2:20the Zuzim in Ham, #Num. 32:37; Deut. 2:10the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6#Gen. 36:20; Deut. 2:12, 22and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7Then they turned back and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt #2 Chr. 20:2in Hazezon Tamar.

8And 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 joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim 9against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of #Gen. 11:3asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled; some fell there, and the remainder fled #Gen. 19:17, 30to the mountains. 11Then they took #Gen. 14:16, 21all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12They also took Lot, Abram’s #Gen. 11:27; 12:5brother’s son #Gen. 13:12who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the #Gen. 39:14; 40:15Hebrew, for #Gen. 13:18he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; #Gen. 14:24; 21:27, 32and they were allies with Abram. 14Now #Gen. 19:29when Abram heard that #Gen. 13:8; 14:12his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were #Gen. 12:5; 15:3; 17:27; Eccl. 2:7born in his own house, and went in pursuit #Deut. 34:1; Judg. 18:29; 1 Kin. 15:20as far as Dan. 15He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants #Is. 41:2, 3attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16So he #Gen. 31:18; 1 Sam. 30:8, 18, 19brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

17And the king of Sodom #1 Sam. 18:6went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, #2 Sam. 18:18the King’s Valley), #Heb. 7:1after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.

Abram and Melchizedek

18Then #Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7:1–10Melchizedek king of Salem brought out #Gen. 18:5; Ex. 29:40; Ps. 104:15bread and wine; he was #Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6the priest of #Acts 16:17God Most High. 19And he blessed him and said:

#Ruth 3:10“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

#Gen. 14:22; Matt. 11:25Possessor of heaven and earth;

20And #Gen. 24:27blessed be God Most High,

Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

And he #Gen. 28:22; Heb. 7:4gave him a tithe of all.

21Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”

22But Abram #Gen. 14:2, 8, 10said to the king of Sodom, “I #Dan. 12:7have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, #Gen. 14:19the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23that #2 Kin. 5:16; Esth. 9:15, 16I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

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Genesis 14

Genesis 14