Genesis 13-15
Complete Jewish Bible
13 Avram went up from Egypt — he, his wife and everything he had, and Lot with him — into the Negev. 2 Avram became wealthy, with much cattle, silver and gold. 3 As he went on his travels from the Negev, he came to Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and ‘Ai, 4 where he had first built the altar; and there Avram called on the name of Adonai.
(iii) 5 Lot, who was traveling with Avram, also had flocks, herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support their living together, because their possessions were too great for them to remain together. 7 Moreover, quarreling arose between Avram’s and Lot’s herdsmen. The Kena‘ani and the P’rizi were then living in the land. 8 Avram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours, since we’re kinsmen. 9 Isn’t the whole land there in front of you? Please separate yourself from me — if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” 10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Yarden was well watered everywhere, before Adonai destroyed S’dom and ‘Amora, like the garden of Adonai, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Tzo‘ar. 11 So Lot chose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other. 12 Avram lived in the land of Kena‘an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S’dom. 13 Now the men of S’dom were evil, committing great sins against Adonai.
14 Adonai said to Avram, after Lot had moved away from him, “Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west. 15 All the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever, 16 and I will make your descendants as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth — so that if a person can count the specks of dust on the earth, then your descendants can be counted. 17 Get up and walk through the length and breadth of the land, because I will give it to you.” 18 Avram moved his tent and came to live by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hevron. There he built an altar to Adonai.
14 (iv) When Amrafel was king of Shin‘ar, Aryokh king of Elasar, K’dorla‘omer king of ‘Elam and Tid‘al king of Goyim; 2 they made war together against Bera king of S’dom and against Birsha king of ‘Amora, Shin’av king of Admah, Shem’ever king of Tzvoyim, and the king of Bela (which is the same as Tzo‘ar). 3 All the latter kings joined forces in the Siddim Valley, where the Dead Sea is. 4 They had served K’dorla‘omer twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year K’dorla‘omer and the kings with him came and defeated the Refa’im in ‘Asht’rot-Karnayim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Eimim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim 6 and the Hori at Se‘ir, their mountain, all the way to Eil-Pa’ran by the desert. 7 Next they turned back, came to ‘Ein-Mishpat (which is the same as Kadesh), and defeated all the country of the ‘Amaleki, and also the Emori, who lived in Hatzatzon-Tamar. 8 Then the kings of S’dom, ‘Amora, Admah, Tzvoyim and Bela (that is, Tzo‘ar) came out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Siddim Valley 9 against K’dorla‘omer king of ‘Elam, Tid‘al king of Goyim, Amrafel king of Admah and Aryokh king of Elasar, four kings against the five.
10 Now the Siddim Valley was full of clay pits; and when the kings of S’dom and ‘Amora fled, some fell into them; while the rest fled to the hills. 11 The victors took all the possessions of S’dom and ‘Amora and all their food supply; then they left. 12 But as they left, they took Lot, Avram’s brother’s son, and his possessions; since he was living in S’dom. 13 Someone who had escaped came and told Avram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Emori, brother of Eshkol and brother of ‘Aner; all of them allies of Avram. 14 When Avram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, who had been born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night he and his servants divided his forces against them, then attacked and pursued them all the way to Hovah, north of Dammesek. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, together with the women and the other people. 17 After his return from slaughtering K’dorla‘omer and the kings with him, the king of S’dom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley, also known as the King’s Valley.
18 Malki-Tzedek king of Shalem brought out bread and wine. He was cohen of El ‘Elyon [God Most High], 19 so he blessed him with these words:
“Blessed be Avram by El ‘Elyon,
maker of heaven of earth.
20 and blessed be El ‘Elyon,
who handed your enemies over to you.”
Avram gave him a tenth of everything.
(v) 21 The king of S’dom said to Avram, “Give me the people, and keep the goods for yourself.” 22 But Avram answered the king of S’dom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to Adonai, El ‘Elyon, maker of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a thread or a sandal thong of anything that is yours; so that you won’t be able to say, ‘I made Avram rich.’ 24 I will take only what my troops have eaten and the share of the spoil belonging to the men who came with me — ‘Aner, Eshkol and Mamre; let them have their share.”
15 Some time later the word of Adonai came to Avram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid, Avram. I am your protector; your reward will be very great.” 2 Avram replied, “Adonai, God, what good will your gifts be to me if I continue childless; and Eli‘ezer from Dammesek inherits my possessions? 3 You haven’t given me a child,” Avram continued, “so someone born in my house will be my heir.” 4 But the word of Adonai came to him: “This man will not be your heir. No, your heir will be a child from your own body.” 5 Then he brought him outside and said, “Look up at the sky, and count the stars — if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!” 6 He believed in Adonai, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
(vi) 7 Then he said to him, “I am Adonai, who brought you out from Ur-Kasdim to give you this land as your possession.” 8 He replied, “Adonai, God, how am I to know that I will possess it?” 9 He answered him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a dove and a young pigeon.” 10 He brought him all these, cut the animals in two and placed the pieces opposite each other; but he didn’t cut the birds in half. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Avram drove them away.
12 As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell on Avram; horror and great darkness came over him. 13 Adonai said to Avram, “Know this for certain: your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs. They will be slaves and held in oppression there four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge that nation, the one that makes them slaves. Afterwards, they will leave with many possessions. 15 As for you, you will join your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 Only in the fourth generation will your descendants come back here, because only then will the Emori be ripe for punishment.”
17 After the sun had set and there was thick darkness, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared, which passed between these animal parts. 18 That day Adonai made a covenant with Avram: “I have given this land to your descendants — from the Vadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River — 19 the territory of the Keni, the K’nizi, the Kadmoni, 20 the Hitti, the P’rizi, the Refa’im, 21 the Emori, the Kena‘ani, the Girgashi and the Y’vusi.”
Bereshis 13-15
Orthodox Jewish Bible
13 And Avram went up out of Mitzrayim, he, and his isha, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negev.
2 And Avram was very rich in cattle, in kesef, and in zahav.
3 And he went on his journeys from the Negev even to Beit-El, unto the makom where his ohel had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and Ai;
4 Unto the makom of the Mizbe’ach, which he had built there at the first; and there Avram called on the Shem of Hashem.
5 And Lot also, which walked with Avram, had tzon, and herds, and ohalim.
6 And ha’aretz was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together; for their rechush was rav, so that they could not dwell together.
7 And there was a riv between the ro’im of the herd of Avram and the ro’im of the herd of Lot; and the Kena’ani and the Perizzi dwelt then in ha’aretz.
8 And Avram said unto Lot, Let there be no merivah now between me and thee, and between my ro’im and thy ro’im; for we are achim.
9 Is not the kol ha’aretz before thee? Separate thyself, now, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Yarden, that it was well watered everywhere, before Hashem destroyed Sodom and Amora, even as the Gan Hashem, like Eretz Mitzrayim, as you go to Tzoar.
11 Then Lot chose for him all the plain of Yarden; and Lot journeyed mikedem (east); and they separated themselves the one from his brother.
12 Avram dwelled in Eretz Kena’an, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his ohel toward Sodom.
13 But the men of Sodom were ra’im and chatta’im before Hashem exceedingly.
14 And Hashem said unto Avram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the makom where thou art northward, and southward and eastward, and westward:
15 For kol ha’aretz which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy zera ad olam (forever).
16 And I will make thy zera as the dust of ha’aretz; so that if a man can number the aphar of ha’aretz, then shall thy zera also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through ha’aretz in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
18 Then Avram moved his ohel, and came and dwelt in Elonei Mamre, which is in Chevron, and built there a Mizbe’ach unto Hashem.
14 And it came to pass in the yamim of Amraphel Melech Shinar (i.e., Babylon), Aryoch Melech Ellasar, Kedorlaomer Melech Elam, and Tidal Melech Goyim;
2 That these made milchamah with Bera Melech Sodom, and with Birsha Melech Amora (Gomorrah), Shinav Melech Admah, and Shemever Melech Tzevoyim, and the Melech Bela, which is Tzoar.
3 All these were joined together in the Valley of Siddim which is the Yam HaMelach (i.e., Dead Sea).
4 Twelve shanah they served Kedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 And in the fourteenth year came Kedorlaomer, and the melachim that were with him, and they defeated the Rephaim in Ashterot Karnayim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim,
6 And the Chori in their Mt Seir, as far as Eil-Paran, which is near the midbar.
7 And they turned, and came to En Mishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the country of the Amaleki, and also the Emori, that dwelt in Chazezon-Tamar.
8 And there went out the Melech Sodom, and the Melech Amora (Gomorrah), and the Melech Admah, and the Melech Tzevoyim, and the Melech Bela (the same is Tzoar); and they joined in milchamah with them in the Valley of Siddim;
9 With Kedorlaomer Melech Elam, and with Tidal Melech Goyim, and Amraphel Melech Shinar, and Aryoch Melech Ellasar; four melachim against five.
10 And the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the Melech Sodom and Amora (Gomorrah) they fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
11 And they took all the possessions of Sodom and Amora (Gomorrah), and all their ochel, and went their way.
12 And they took Lot, Avram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his possessions, and departed.
13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Avram HaIvri; for he dwelt in Elonei Mamre the Emori, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were Ba’alei Brit Avram.
14 And when Avram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained men, born in his own bais, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them as far as Dan.
15 And he divided himself against them, he and his avadim, by lailah, and routed them, and pursued them as far as Chovah, which is on the left hand (north) of Damascus.
16 And he recovered all the possessions, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his possessions, and the nashim also, and the people.
17 And the Melech Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the defeat of Kedorlaomer, and of the. melachim that were with him, at the Valley of Shaveh, which is the Valley of the King.
18 And Malki-Tzedek Melech Shalem brought forth lechem and yayin and he was the kohen of El Elyon.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Baruch Avram by El Elyon, Creator of Shomayim v’Aretz;
20 And baruch El Elyon, Who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him ma’aser (tithe) of all.
21 And the Melech Sodom said unto Avram, Give me the nefesh and keep the possessions for thyself.
22 And Avram said to the Melech Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand unto Hashem, El Elyon Creator of Shomayim v’Aretz,
23 That I will not take from a thread even to the thong of a sandal, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Avram rich;
24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the chelek of the anashim which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their chelek.
15 After these things the Devar Hashem came unto Avram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Avram; I am thy mogen, and thy exceeding great sachar (reward).
2 And Avram said, Adonoi Hashem, what wilt Thou give me, since I go childless, and the Ben Meshek of my Bais is this Eliezer of Dameshek (Damascus)?
3 And Avram said, See, to me Thou hast given no zera; and, hinei, one born in my bais is my yoresh (heir).
4 And, hinei, the Devar Hashem came unto him saying, This shall not be thy yoresh; but he that shall come forth out of thine own body shall be thy yoresh.
5 And He brought him forth outside, and said, Look now toward Shomayim, and count the kokhavim, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy zera be.
6 And he believed in Hashem; and He credited [emunah (faith)] to him as tzedakah (righteousness).
7 And He said unto him, I am Hashem Who brought thee out of Ur Kasdim, to give thee ha’aretz hazot to be the yoresh of it.
8 And he said, Adonoi Hashem, how can I have da’as that I will be its yoresh?
9 And He said unto him, Bring Me a heifer meshuleshet, and a she goat meshuleshet, and a ram meshulash, and a dove, and a pigeon.
10 And he brought unto Him all these, and divided them in two, and laid each half one opposite another; but the birds divided he not.
11 And when the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Avram drove them away.
12 And when the shemesh was going down, a tardemah fell upon Avram; and, hinei, a horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And Hashem said unto Avram, Know of a surety that thy zera shall be a ger in a land not their own, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them arba me’ot shanah;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with rechush gadol (great substance).
15 And thou shalt go to thy avot in shalom; thou shalt be buried at a good old age.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come back here again; for the avon (iniquity) of the Emori (Amorite) is not yet full.
17 And it came to pass, that, when the shemesh went down, and it was dark, hinei a smoking fire-pot, and a blazing torch passed between those pieces.
18 On that day Hashem cut a brit (covenant) with Avram, saying, Unto thy zera have I given ha’aretz hazot, from the Wadi of Mitzrayim unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
19 [the land of] the Keni, and the Kenizzi, and the Kadmoni,
20 And the Chitti, and the Perizzi, and the Repha’im,
21 And the Emori, and the Kena’ani, and the Girgashi, and the Yevusi.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International