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

Abram Rescues Lot

1At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar,#14:1 That is, Babylonia; also in verse 9 Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim, 2these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea Valley). 4For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.

8Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother#14:13 Or a relative; or an ally of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

17After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

18Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

20And praise be to God Most High,

who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

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

22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”

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