Genesis Chapter 14

Abram Rescues Lot

¹ Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim ² fought Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Adman, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (Zoar). ³ Those 5 joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Dead Sea Sea). ⁴ They’d served Chedorlaomer for 12 years, then revolted. ⁵ That year, he and his allied kings came and defeated the Rephaim in Asheroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶ and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran by the open country. ⁷ Then they turned back to En-mishpat (Kadesh) and conquered the Amalekites and Amorites in Hazazon-tamar. ⁸ The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar) pitched battle against them in the Valley of Siddim— ⁹ 5 kings against 4. ¹⁰ The valley was full of tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them. The ones that survived escaped to the hills. ¹¹ The four kings took the goods and food from Sodom and Gomorrah and left. ¹² They also took Lot and what he had because he was living in Sodom.         Gen 14:1-12     

¹³ One man escaped to tell Abram the Hebrew. He was living by the Oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and Aner, Abram’s allies. ¹⁴ When Abram heard they’d captured his nephew, he mustered 318 trained men born in his house, and pursued them all the way to Dan. ¹⁵ He divided his men against them at night. He and his forces defeated them and chased them all the way to Hobah, north of Damascus. ¹⁶ He brought back the goods, Lot, and Lot’s possessions, along with the women and other captives.              

Gen 14:13-16

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

            ¹⁷ When he got back from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (the King’s Valley). ¹⁸ Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, brought out bread and wine ¹⁹ and blessed Abram, “May you be blessed by God Most High, owner of earth and sky, ²⁰ who delivered your enemies to you.” Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

²¹ The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the captives and keep the goods.”

            ²² Abram said,

“I’ve sworn to the LORD God Most High, owner of earth and sky, ²³ that I won’t take a thread, a sandal thong, or anything else that’s yours. I don’t want you to claim you made me rich. ²⁴ I’ll only take what the young fighting men have eaten, and the share that belongs to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.”                                                  

Gen 14:17-24