Genesis 14

Genesis 14

War of the Kings

1And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of #14.1: Or nationsGoiim, 2that they 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 (that is, Zoar). 3All these kings #14.3: Lit joined togethercame as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and #14.5: Lit struckdefeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in #14.5: Or the plain of KiriathaimShaveh-kiriathaim, 6and the Horites on their Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness. 7Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and #14.7: Lit struckconquered all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, who lived in Hazazon-tamar. 8And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they lined up for battle against them in the Valley of Siddim, 9against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of #14.9: Or nationsGoiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell #14.10: Lit thereinto them. But those who survived fled to the hill country. 11Then they took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. 12They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, for he was living in Sodom.

13Then #14.13: Lit thea survivor came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was residing by the #14.13: Or terebinthsoaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and they were #14.13: Lit possessors of the covenantallies with Abram. 14When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he #14.14: Or musteredled out his trained men, born in his house, numbering 318, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15Then he divided #14.15: Lit himselfhis forces against them by night, he and his servants, and #14.15: Lit struckdefeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is #14.15: Lit on the leftnorth of Damascus. 16He brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the other people.

God’s Promise to Abram

17Then after his return from the #14.17: Lit strikingdefeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of #14.18: Heb El ElyonGod Most High. 19And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of #14.19: Heb El ElyonGod Most High,

# 14.19: Or Creator Possessor of heaven and earth;

20And blessed be #14.20: Heb El ElyonGod Most High,

Who has handed over your enemies to you.”

And he gave him a tenth of everything. 21Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the #14.21: Lit soulpeople to me and take the possessions for yourself.” 22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have #14.22: Lit lifted up my handsworn to the Lord #14.22: Heb El ElyonGod Most High, #14.22: Or CreatorPossessor of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you do not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24#14.24: Lit Not to me exceptI will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”

Genesis 14

Lot Is Captured

1Now Amraphel was king of Babylonia. Arioch was king of Ellasar. Kedorlaomer was king of Elam. And Tidal was king of Goiim. 2All these kings went to war against several other kings: Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela. (Bela is also called Zoar.)

3These kings who were attacked united their armies in the Valley of Siddim. (The Valley of Siddim is now the Dead Sea.) 4These kings had served Kedorlaomer for 12 years. But in the thirteenth year, they all turned against him. 5Then in the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings with him came and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim. They also defeated the Zuzites in Ham and the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim. 6And they defeated the Horites in the mountains of Edom to El Paran. (El Paran is near the desert.) 7Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh). They defeated all the Amalekites. They also defeated the Amorites who lived in Hazazon Tamar.

8At that time the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela went out to fight in the Valley of Siddim. (Bela is called Zoar.) 9They fought against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Babylonia, and Arioch king of Ellasar. So there were four kings fighting against five. 10There were many tar pits in the Valley of Siddim. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their armies ran away. Some of the soldiers fell into the tar pits. But the others ran away to the mountains.

11Now Kedorlaomer and his armies took everything the people of Sodom and Gomorrah owned. They also took all their food. 12They took Lot, Abram’s nephew who was living in Sodom. The enemy also took everything he owned. Then they left. 13One of the men who was not captured went to Abram, the Hebrew. He told Abram what had happened. At that time Abram was camped near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite. Mamre was a brother of Eshcol and a brother of Aner. And they had all made an agreement to help Abram.

Abram Rescues Lot

14Abram learned that Lot had been captured. So he called out his 318 trained men who had been born in his camp. Abram led the men and chased the enemy all the way to the town of Dan. 15That night he divided his men into groups. And they made a surprise attack against the enemy. They chased them all the way to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16Then Abram brought back everything the enemy had stolen. Abram brought back the women and the other people. And he also brought back Lot and everything Lot owned.

17After defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, Abram went home. As Abram was returning, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh. (That is now called King’s Valley.)

18Melchizedek king of Salem also went to meet Abram. Melchizedek was a priest for God Most High. He brought bread and wine. 19Melchizedek blessed Abram and said,

“Abram, may God Most High give you blessings.

God made heaven and earth.

20And we praise God Most High.

He has helped you to defeat your enemies.”

Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had brought back from the battle.

21Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “You may keep all these things for yourself. Just give me my people who were captured.”

22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I make a promise to the Lord. He is the God Most High, who made heaven and earth. 23I promise that I will not keep anything that is yours. I will not keep even a thread or a sandal strap. That way you cannot say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will keep nothing but the food my young men have eaten. But give Aner, Eshcol and Mamre their share of what we won. They went with me into battle.”

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Genesis 14