Genesis 14
1 Factum est autem in illo tempore, ut Amraphel rex Sennaar, et Arioch rex Ponti, et Chodorlahomor rex Elamitarum, et Thadal rex gentium
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.
2 inirent bellum contra Bara regem Sodomorum, et contra Bersa regem Gomorrhæ, et contra Sennaab regem Adamæ, et contra Semeber regem Seboim, contraque regem Balæ, ipsa est Segor.
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.
3 Omnes hi convenerunt in vallem Silvestrem, quæ nunc est mare salis.
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].
4 Duodecim enim annis servierunt Chodorlahomor, et tertiodecimo anno recesserunt ab eo.
For twelve years he ruled them. But during the thirteenth year they rebelled [and refused to keep giving him tribute money].
5 Igitur quartodecimo anno venit Chodorlahomor, et reges qui erant cum eo: percusseruntque Raphaim in Astarothcarnaim, et Zuzim cum eis, et Emim in Save Cariathaim,
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.
6 et Chorræos in montibus Seir, usque ad Campestria Pharan, quæ est in solitudine.
They also defeated the Hor people-group in the hilly area of Seir as far as El-Paran near the desert.
7 Reversique sunt, et venerunt ad fontem Misphat, ipsa est Cades: et percusserunt omnem regionem Amalecitarum, et Amorrhæum, qui habitabat in Asasonthamar.
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].
8 Et egressi sunt rex Sodomorum, et rex Gomorrhæ, rexque Adamæ, et rex Seboim, necnon et rex Balæ, quæ est Segor: et direxerunt aciem contra eos in valle Silvestri:
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.
9 scilicet adversus Chodorlahomor regem Elamitarum, et Thadal regem Gentium, et Amraphel regem Sennaar, et Arioch regem Ponti: quatuor reges adversus quinque.
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.
10 Vallis autem Silvestris habebat puteos multos bituminis. Itaque rex Sodomorum, et Gomorrhæ, terga verterunt, cecideruntque ibi: et qui remanserant, fugerunt ad montem.
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.
11 Tulerunt autem omnem substantiam Sodomorum et Gomorrhæ, et universa quæ ad cibum pertinent, et abierunt:
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.
12 necnon et Lot, et substantiam ejus, filium fratris Abram, qui habitabat in Sodomis.
They also captured Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom at that time.
13 Et ecce unus, qui evaserat, nuntiavit Abram Hebræo, qui habitabat in convalle Mambre Amorrhæi, fratris Escol, et fratris Aner: hi enim pepigerant fœdus cum Abram.
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].
14 Quod cum audisset Abram, captum videlicet Lot fratrem suum, numeravit expeditos vernaculos suos trecentos decem et octo: et persecutus est usque Dan.
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].
15 Et divisis sociis, irruit super eos nocte: percussitque eos, et persecutus est eos usque Hoba, quæ est ad lævam Damasci.
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].
16 Reduxitque omnem substantiam, et Lot fratrem suum cum substantia illius, mulieres quoque et populum.
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.
17 Egressus est autem rex Sodomorum in occursum ejus postquam reversus est a cæde Chodorlahomor, et regum qui cum eo erant in valle Save, quæ est vallis regis.
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.
18 At vero Melchisedech rex Salem, proferens panem et vinum, erat enim sacerdos Dei altissimi,
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.
19 benedixit ei, et ait: Benedictus Abram Deo excelso, qui creavit cælum et terram:
Then he blessed Abram, saying “I ask the Supreme God, the one who created heaven and earth, to bless you.
20 et benedictus Deus excelsus, quo protegente, hostes in manibus tuis sunt. Et dedit ei decimas ex omnibus.
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.
21 Dixit autem rex Sodomorum ad Abram: Da mihi animas, cetera tolle tibi.
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.”
22 Qui respondit ei: Levo manum meam ad Dominum Deum excelsum possessorem cæli et terræ,
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,
23 quod a filo subtegminis usque ad corigiam caligæ, non accipiam ex omnibus quæ tua sunt, ne dicas: Ego ditavi Abram:
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.’
24 exceptis his, quæ comederunt juvenes, et partibus virorum, qui venerunt mecum, Aner, Escol et Mambre: isti accipient partes suas.
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].
