Genesis 14

Modern

Literal

The War of the Kings

¹In those days Amraphel king of Shinar,^a Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim

¹And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,

²went 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).

²that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and Birsha king of Gomorrah, and Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).

³The latter five came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).^a

³All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).

⁴For twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

⁴Two and ten years they had served Chedorlaomer, and in the three and tenth year they rebelled.

⁵In 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,

⁵And in the four and tenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, and they struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzites in Ham, and the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

⁶and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.

⁶and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El-Paran, which is by the wilderness.

⁷Then 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.

⁷And they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they struck all the territory of the Amalekite, and also the Amorite who was dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.

⁸Then 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 Siddim^a

⁸And the king of Sodom went out, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). And they arrayed in battle with them in the Valley of Siddim—

⁹against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.

⁹against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against the five.

Abram Rescues Lot

¹⁰Now 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.

¹⁰And the Valley of Siddim had pits, pits of tar; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.

¹¹The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and they went on their way.

¹¹And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and they went on their way.

¹²They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since Lot was living in Sodom.

¹²And they took Lot, son of Abram's brother, and his goods, and they departed; and he was dwelling in Sodom.

¹³Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaks^a of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by treaty^b to Abram.

¹³And the escapee came, and he told Abram the Hebrew, and he was dwelling by the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were possessors of a covenant with Abram.

¹⁴And 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.

¹⁴And Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, and he drew out his trained men, those born in his house, eight and ten and three hundred, and he went in pursuit as far as Dan.

¹⁵During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

¹⁵And he divided himself against them by night—he and his servants—and he struck them and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

¹⁶He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.

¹⁶And he brought back all the goods, and also Lot, his brother, and his goods; he also brought back the women and the people.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

¹⁷After 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).

¹⁷And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from striking Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

¹⁸Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—^a

¹⁸And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and he was priest of El-Elyon.

¹⁹and he blessed Abram and said:

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth,

¹⁹And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram to El-Elyon, Possessor of the heavens and earth,

²⁰and blessed be God Most High,

who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.

²⁰and blessed be El-Elyon, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave to him a tenth of everything.

²¹The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.”

²¹And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give to me the souls, and take the goods for yourself.”

²²But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

²²And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to YHWH El-Elyon, Possessor of the heavens and earth,

²³that 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.’

²³from a thread even to a strap of a sandal, that I will not take anything that is yours—lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’—

²⁴I 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.”

²⁴Except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion.”