Genesis 14

Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

1 And 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, 2 that 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). 3 All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim *Num. 34:12; Deut. 3:17; Josh. 3:16(that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years *Gen. 9:26they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5 In 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. 7 Then 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.

8 And 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 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim wasfullof*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. 11 Then they took *Gen. 14:16, 21all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s *Gen. 11:27; 12:5brother’s son *Gen. 13:12who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13 Then 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. 14 Now *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. 15 He 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. 16 So 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.

17 And 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

18 Then *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. 19 And 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;

20 And *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.

21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself."

22 But 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, 23 that *2 Kin. 5:16; Esth. 9:15, 16I willtake 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’— 24 except 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."