Genesis 14

¹Genesis 14:1. In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim²Genesis 14:2. went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).³Genesis 14:3. The latter five came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).⁴Genesis 14:4. For twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.⁵Genesis 14:5. In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,⁶Genesis 14:6. and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.⁷Genesis 14:7. Then they turned back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.⁸Genesis 14:8. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Valley of Siddim⁹Genesis 14:9. against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.¹⁰Genesis 14:10. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some men fell into the pits, but the survivors fled to the hill country.¹¹Genesis 14:11. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and they went on their way.¹²Genesis 14:12. They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since Lot was living in Sodom.

¹³Genesis 14:13. Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by treaty to Abram.¹⁴Genesis 14:14. And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.¹⁵Genesis 14:15. During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.¹⁶Genesis 14:16. He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.

¹⁷Genesis 14:17. After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).¹⁸Genesis 14:18. Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—¹⁹Genesis 14:19. and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,²⁰Genesis 14:20. and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.

²¹Genesis 14:21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.”²²Genesis 14:22. But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,²³Genesis 14:23. that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’²⁴Genesis 14:24. I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share for the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion.”