Genesis 14

1 In a region to the east, there were four kings [who were friends/allies]. They were King Amraphel of Babylonia, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim.

Now it happened in that time that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus, and Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations,

2 In an area to the west, there were five other kings. They were King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, the city that is now called Zoar.

went to war 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 is Zoar.

3 Those five kings and their armies gathered together in Siddim Valley, which is also called the Dead Sea [Valley], to fight against the four kings and their armies. King Chedorlaomer and his army [conquered the armies of those five kings, and demanded that those kings pay him tribute money each year].

All these came together in the wooded valley, which is now the Sea of Salt.

4 For twelve years he ruled them. But during the thirteenth year they rebelled [and refused to keep giving him tribute money].

For they had served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they withdrew from him.

5 The next year, King Chedorlaomer and the other kings that were his allies took their armies and defeated the Repha people-group in Ashteroth-Karnaim and the Zuz people-group in Ham, and the Emi people-group in Shaveh-Kiriathaim.

Therefore, in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer arrived, and the kings who were with him. And they struck the Rephaim at Ashteroth of the two horns, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim at Shaveh-Kiriathaim.

6 They also defeated the Hor people-group in the hilly area of Seir as far as El-Paran near the desert.

and the Chorreans in the mountains of Seir, even to the plains of Paran, which is in the wilderness.

7 Then they turned back and went to Mishpat [city], which is now called Kadesh. They conquered all the land belonging to the Amalek people-group and the Amor people-group who were living in Hazazon-Tamar [town].

And they returned and arrived at the fountain of Mishpat, which is Kadesh. And they struck the entire region of the Amalekites, and the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazontamar.

8 Then the armies of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela marched out to fight the armies of the other four kings in Siddim Valley. That valley is close to the Salt/Dead Sea.

And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and indeed the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went forth. And they directed their point against them in the wooded valley,

9 They fought against the armies of Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, Tidal the king of Goiim, Amraphel the king of Shinar, and Arioch the king of Ellasar. The armies of four kings were fighting against the armies of five kings.

namely, against Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus: four kings against five.

10 The Siddim Valley was full of tar pits. So when the armies of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah tried to run away, many of the men fell into the tar pits. The others escaped and ran away to the hills.

Now the wooded valley had many pits of bitumen. And so the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah turned back and they fell there. And those who remained, fled to the mountain.

11 As [the armies of the five kings] fled, [the armies of the four kings] seized all of the valuable things in Sodom and Gomorrah, including all the food.

Then they took all the substance of the Sodomites and the Gomorrhites, and all that pertained to food, and they went away,

12 They also captured Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom at that time.

along with both Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his substance.

13 Abram was living near the big trees near Mamre, who belonged to the Amor people-group. Abram had made an agreement with Mamre and his two brothers, Eshcol and Aner, [that they would help each other if there was a war].

And behold, one who had escaped reported it to Abram the Hebrew, who lived in the steep valley of Mamre the Amorite, who was the brother of Eshcol, and the brother of Aner. For these had formed an agreement with Abram.

14 One of the men who escaped from the battle told Abram what had happened and that his nephew Lot had been captured and taken away. So Abram summoned 318 men who were his servants, men who had been with Abram since they were born. They all went together and pursued their enemies as far north as Dan [city].

When Abram had heard this, namely, that his brother Lot had been taken captive, he numbered three hundred and eighteen of his own armed men and he went in pursuit all the way to Dan.

15 During the night, Abram divided the men into several groups, and they attacked their enemies from various directions and defeated them. They pursued them as far as Hobah, which was north of Damascus [city].

And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night. And he struck them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 Abram’s men recovered all of the goods that had been taken. They also rescued Lot and all his possessions and also the women and others who had been captured by their enemies.

And he brought back all the substance, and Lot his brother, with his substance, likewise the women and the people.

17 As Abram was returning home after he and his men had defeated the armies of King Chedorlaomer and the other kings who had fought alongside him, the king of Sodom went north to meet him in Shaveh Valley, which people call the King’s Valley.

Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter at Chedorlaomer, and the kings who were with him at the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king.

18 The king of Salem [city], whose name was Melchizedek, was also a priest who offered sacrifices to the Supreme God. He brought some bread and wine to Abram.

Then in truth, Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, for he was a priest of the Most High God;

19 Then he blessed Abram, saying “I ask the Supreme God, the one who created heaven and earth, to bless you.

he blessed him, and he said: “Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, who created heaven and earth.

20 The Supreme God has enabled you to defeat [MTY] your enemies, so we should praise/thank him.” Then Abram gave to Melchizedek a tenth part of all the things he had captured.

And blessed be the Most High God, through whose protection the enemies are in your hands.” And he gave him tithes from everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “You can keep all the goods you recovered. Just let me take back the people from my city whom you rescued.”

Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me these souls, and take the rest for yourself.”

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have solemnly promised [MTY] to Yahweh, the Supreme God, the one who created heaven and earth,

And he responded to him: “I lift up my hand to the Lord God, the Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,

23 that I will not accept even one thread or a thong of a sandal from anything that belongs to you. As a result, you will never be able to say, ‘I caused Abram to become rich.’

that from one thread within a blanket, even to a single shoelace, I will not take anything from that which is yours, lest you say, ‘I have enriched Abram,’

24 The only thing I will accept is the food that my men have eaten. But Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre went with me and fought alongside me, so let them also have a share of the goods we brought back.” [So the king of Sodom agreed to what he said].

except that which the young men have eaten, and the shares for the men who came with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. These will take their shares.”