Genesis 14

Abram Rescues Lot

1About this time, King Amraphel of Babylonia,#14.1 Babylonia: See the note at 10.6-20. King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim 2attacked King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, a city also known as Zoar. 3-4King Chedorlaomer and his allies had ruled these last five kings for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year the kings rebelled and joined forces in Siddim Valley, which is now covered by the southern part of the Dead Sea.

5A year later King Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, and the Emites in Shaveh-Kiriathaim. 6They also defeated the Horites in the hill country of Edom,#14.6 Edom: The Hebrew text has “Seir,” another name for Edom. as far as El-Paran, near the desert.

7They went back to the city of Enmishpat, better known as Kadesh. Then they captured all the land that belonged to the Amalekites, and they defeated the Amorites who were living in Hazazon-Tamar.

8-9At Siddim Valley, the armies of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela fought the armies of King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar. The valley 10was full of tar pits, and when the troops from Sodom and Gomorrah started running away, some of them fell into the pits. Others escaped to the hill country. 11Their enemies took everything of value from Sodom and Gomorrah, including their food supplies. 12They also captured Abram's nephew Lot, who lived in Sodom. They took him and his possessions and then left.

13At this time Abram the Hebrew was living near the oaks that belonged to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his brothers Eshcol and Aner were Abram's friends. Someone who had escaped from the battle told Abram 14that his nephew Lot had been taken away. Three hundred and eighteen of Abram's servants were fighting men, so he took them and followed the enemy as far north as the city of Dan.

15That night, Abram divided up his troops, attacked from all sides, and won a great victory. But some of the enemy escaped to the town of Hobah north of Damascus, 16and Abram went after them. He brought back his nephew Lot, together with Lot's possessions and the women and everyone else who had been captured.

Abram Is Blessed by Melchizedek

17Abram returned after he had defeated King Chedorlaomer and the other kings. Then the king of Sodom went to meet Abram in Shaveh Valley, which is also known as King's Valley.

18 # He 7.1-10. King Melchizedek of Salem was a priest of God Most High. He brought out some bread and wine 19and said to Abram:

“I bless you in the name

of God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

20All praise belongs

to God Most High

for helping you defeat

your enemies.”

Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.

21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “All I want are my people. You can keep everything else.”

22Abram answered:

The Lord God Most High made the heavens and the earth. And I have promised him 23that I won't keep anything of yours, not even a sandal strap or a piece of thread. Then you can never say that you are the one who made me rich. 24Let my share be the food that my men have eaten. But Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre went with me, so give them their share of what we brought back.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)

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Genesis 14

CHAPTER 14

1Forsooth it was done in that time, that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar, and Chedor-laomer, king of Elamites, and Tidal, king of folks,

2began battle against Bera, king of Sodom, and against Birsha, king of Gomorrah, and against Shinab, king of Admah, and against Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and against the king of Bela, that Bela is Zoar.

3All these came together into the valley of wood, which is now the sea of salt.

4For in twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they departed from him.

5Therefore Chedorlaomer came in the fourteenth year, and [the] kings that were with him, and they smited Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and Zuzims with them, and Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

6and Horites in the hills of Seir, till to the field places of Elparan, which is in wilderness.

7And they turned again, and came till to the well of Mishpat; that is Kadesh. And they smited all the country of men of Amalek, and Amorites, that dwelled in Hazazontamar.

8And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, also and the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went out, and [they] dressed battle array against them in the valley of wood,

9that is, against Chedorlaomer, king of Elamites, and Tidal, king of folks or of Goiim, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar; four kings against five.

10Forsooth the valley of wood had many pits of pitch, either strong glue; and so the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah turned their backs, and felled down there; and they that were left fled to the hills.

11Soothly they took away all the chattel [or substance] of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all things that pertain[ed] to meat, and went away;

12also and they took away Lot and his chattel [or substance], the son of the brother of Abram, which Lot dwelled in Sodom.

13And, lo! one that escaped, told to Abram the Hebrew, that dwelled in the valley of Mamre of Amorites, [the] brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; for these [had] made covenant of peace with Abram.

14And when Abram had heard this thing, that is, Lot, the son of his brother, was taken, he numbered his born servants made ready, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them till to Dan.

15And when his fellows were separated, he felled on them in the night, and smote them, and pursued them till to Hobah, and Phenice, which is at the left side of Damascus.

16And he brought again all the chattel [or substance], and Lot, the son of his brother, with his chattel [or substance], also women, and the people.

17Soothly the king of Sodom went out into the meeting of him, after that he turned again from [the] slaying of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, in the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king.

18And soothly Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the highest God;

19and he blessed Abram, and said, Blessed be Abram of [the] high God, that made heaven and earth of nought,

20and blessed be [the] high God, by whom defending, thine enemies be betaken into thine hands. And Abram gave tithes of all things to him.

21Forsooth the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give thou the men to me; take thou other things to thee.

22And Abram answered to him, I raise [up] mine hand to the high Lord God, Lord of heaven and of earth,

23that from the thread of [the] woof till to the lanyard of the hose, I shall not take anything of all things that be thine, lest thou say, I [have] made Abram rich;

24except these things which the young men ate, and the parts of men that came with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; these men shall take their parts.

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