Genesis 14

¹ When Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedor-Laomer king of Elam, and Tidal king ofthe Goiim,

² made war on Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king ofZeboi m, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar),

³ al the latter joined forces in the Val ey of Siddim (now the Salt Sea).

⁴ For twelve years they had been under the yoke of Chedor-Laomer, but in the thirteenth year theyrevolted.

⁵ In the fourteenth year Chedor-Laomer arrived and the kings who had al ied themselves with him. Theydefeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth-Carnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim in the Plain of Kiriathaim,

⁶ the Horites in the mountainous district of Seir near El-Paran, which is on the edge of the desert.

⁷ Wheeling round, they came to the Spring of Judgement (that is, Kadesh); they conquered all theterritory of the Amalekites and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-Tamar.

⁸ Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out andengaged them in the Val ey of Siddim:

⁹ Chedor-Laomer king of Elam, Tidal king of the Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king ofEl asar: four kings against five.

¹⁰ Now there were many bitumen wel s in the Val ey of Siddim, and in their flight the kings of Sodomand Gomorrah fel into them, while the rest fled into the hil s.

¹¹ The conquerors seized al the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, andmade off.

¹² They also took Lot (the nephew of Abram) and his possessions and made off; he had been living atSodom.

¹³ A survivor came to tell Abram, and Aner the Hebrew, who was living at the Oak of the AmoriteMamre, the brother of Eshcol; these were al ies of Abram.

¹⁴ When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers born in hisown household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and gave chase as far as Dan.

¹⁵ He and his retainers deployed against them under cover of dark, defeated them and pursued themas far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

¹⁶ He recaptured all the goods as wel as his kinsman Lot and his possessions, together with thewomen and people.

¹⁷ When Abram returned from defeating Chedor-Laomer and the kings who had been on his side, theking of Sodom came to meet him in the Val ey of Shaveh (that is, the Val ey of the King).

¹⁸ Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High.

¹⁹ He pronounced this blessing: Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.And blessed be God Most High for putting your enemies into your clutches.

²⁰ And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

²¹ The king of Sodom said to Abram, 'Give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.'

²² But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, 'I swear by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth:

²³ not one thread, not one sandal strap, will I take of what is yours, for you to be able to say, "I madeAbram rich."

²⁴ For myself, nothing -- except what the troops have used up, and the share due to the men who camewith me, Eshcol, Aner and Mamre; let them take their share.'