1At that time ⌞four kings⌟—King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim— 2went to war against ⌞five kings⌟—King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3The five kings joined forces and met in the valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea). 4For 12 years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and his allies came and defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim at Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, going as far as El Paran on the edge of the desert. 7On their way back, they came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites and also the Amorites who were living at Hazazon Tamar.

8Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and prepared for battle in the valley of Siddim. 9They fought against King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10The valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. As the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell because of the tar pits, but the other kings fled to the hills. 11So the four kings took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as all their food, and left. 12They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions since he was living in Sodom.

13Then a soldier who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew what had happened. He was living next to the oak trees belonging to Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner. (These men were Abram’s allies.)

14When Abram heard that his nephew had been captured, he armed his 318 trained men, born in his own household, and pursued the four kings all the way to Dan. 15He split up his men to attack them at night. He defeated them, pursuing them all the way to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16He brought back everything they had, including women and soldiers. He also brought back his relative Lot and his possessions.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

17After Abram came back from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley). 18Then King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. 19He blessed Abram, and said,

“Blessed is Abram by God Most High,

maker #14:19 Or “Possessor.” of heaven and earth.

20Blessed is God Most High,

who has handed your enemies over to you.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and keep everything else for yourself.”

22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I now raise my hand and solemnly swear to the Lord God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, 23that I won’t take a thread or a sandal strap. I won’t take anything that is yours so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I won’t take one single thing except what my men have eaten. But let my allies Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

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Genesis 14

1And it cometh to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goyim,

2they have made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which [is] Zoar.

3All these have been joined together unto the valley of Siddim, which [is] the Salt Sea;

4twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings who [are] with him, and they smite the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

6and the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-Paran, which [is] by the wilderness;

7and they turn back and come in unto En-Mishpat, which [is] Kadesh, and smite the whole field of the Amalekite, and also the Amorite who is dwelling in Hazezon-Tamar.

8And the king of Sodom goeth out, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which [is] Zoar; and they set the battle in array with them in the valley of Siddim,

9with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goyim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with the five.

10And the valley of Siddim [is] full of bitumen-pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah flee, and fall there, and those left have fled to the mountain.

11And they take the whole substance of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the whole of their food, and go away;

12and they take Lot, Abram's brother's son (seeing he is dwelling in Sodom), and his substance, and go away.

13And one who is escaping cometh and declareth to Abram the Hebrew, and he is dwelling among the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner, and they [are] Abram's allies.

14And Abram heareth that his brother hath been taken captive, and he draweth out his trained domestics, three hundred and eighteen, and pursueth unto Dan.

15And he divideth himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smiteth them, and pursueth them unto Hobah, which [is] at the left of Damascus;

16and he bringeth back the whole of the substance, and also Lot his brother and his substance hath he brought back, and also the women and the people.

17And the king of Sodom goeth out to meet him (after his turning back from the smiting of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings who [are] with him), unto the valley of Shaveh, which [is] the king's valley.

18And Melchizedek king of Salem hath brought out bread and wine, and he [is] priest of God Most High;

19and he blesseth him, and saith, ‘Blessed [is] Abram to God Most High, possessing heaven and earth;

20and blessed [is] God Most High, who hath delivered thine adversaries into thy hand;’ and he giveth to him a tenth of all.

21And the king of Sodom saith unto Abram, ‘Give to me the persons, and the substance take to thyself,’

22and Abram saith unto the king of Sodom, ‘I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, God Most High, possessing heaven and earth —

23from a thread even unto a shoe-latchet I take not of anything which thou hast, that thou say not, I — I have made Abram rich;

24save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who have gone with me — Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre — they take their portion.’

maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society

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Genesis 14

Genesis 14