1In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, # Gn 10:10; 11:2 Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, # A region in southwest Iran # Gn 10:22; Is 11:11; Dn 8:2 and Tidal # The name Tidal may be related to the Hittite royal name Tudhaliya. king of Goiim # Or nations 2waged war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, # Hs 11:8 as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar # Gn 19:22-23). 3All of these came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea # Nm 34:12; Dt 3:17; Jos 3:16). 4They were subject to Chedorlaomer for 12 years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim # Gn 15:20; Dt 2:11,20-21; 3:11,13; Jos 12:4 in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, # Dt 1:4; Jos 9:10 the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6and the Horites # Gn 36:20; Dt 2:12,22 in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran # Gn 21:21; Nm 10:12 by the wilderness. 7Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh # Nm 13:26), and they defeated all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. # 2Ch 20:2

8Then 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 lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim 9against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar — four kings against five. 10Now the Valley of Siddim contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, # Sam, LXX; MT reads fell there but the rest fled to the mountains. # Gn 19:17 11The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on. 12They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, # Gn 13:12 and they went on.

13One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, # Gn 39:14; 40:15 who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with # Lit were possessors of a covenant of Abram. 14When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled # Sam; MT reads poured out his 318 trained men, born in his household, # Gn 12:5; 15:3; 17:27; Ec 2:7 and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. # Dt 34:1; Jdg 18:29; 1Kg 15:20 15And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. 16He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

Melchizedek’s Blessing

17After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley # 2Sm 18:18). 18Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, # = Jerusalem # Ps 110:4; Heb 5:6; 7:1 brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. # Ps 57:2 19He blessed him and said:

Abram is blessed by God Most High,

Creator # Or Possessor of heaven and earth,

20and I give praise to # Or and blessed be God Most High

who has handed over your enemies to you.

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. # Heb 7:4

21Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”

22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to Yahweh, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will take nothing # Lit Nothing to me except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me — Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre — they can take their share.”

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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