Genesis 14
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 14
Lot’s Captivity and Rescue.[a] 1 When Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 there was a war between them and Bera, king of Sodom, Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All the latter kings gathered in the Valley of Siddim, that is, the Dead Sea. 4 For twelve years they were vassals of Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him.
5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him arrived and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim 6 and the Horites on Mount Seir as far as El-paran, which borders the desert. 7 They then changed direction and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kedesh), and they plundered the land of the Amalekites as well the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.
8 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 to the Valley of Siddim and did battle with them, 9 with Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, Tidal, king of Goiim, Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar. There were four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pools. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into these pools. The others fled into the mountains. 11 The four kings took all the possessions and provisions of Sodom and Gomorrah and left. 12 They also captured Lot, the son of the brother of Abram, and all his possessions (for he lived in Sodom).
13 One of those who escaped captivity came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew who was camped at the Oak of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner, who were Abram’s allies. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he organized the armed men who had been born to his household. There were three hundred and eighteen of them. They gave chase as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces and his servants, and defeated them during the night, following them all the way to Hobah, to the north of Damascus. 16 He recovered the booty and also Lot, his relative, and his possessions, as well as the women and the other people.
17 Meeting with Melchizedek near Jerusalem.[b] When Abram returned after defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom met him in the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the Valley of the King.
18 Melchizedek, the king of Salem,[c] offered bread and wine. As a priest of God Most High, 19 he blessed Abram with these words,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of the heavens and the earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High
who has delivered your enemy into your hands.”
Then Abram gave him a tithe of all he had taken.
21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people; you take the booty.”
22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of the heavens and the earth,[d] 23 that I would not take anything for myself, not even a thread or a sandal strap, lest you be able to say, ‘I have enriched Abram.’ 24 I want nothing for myself other than what my servants have already eaten. As for the men who have accompanied me, Eshcol, Aner, and Mamre, they can take their own shares.”
Footnotes
- Genesis 14:1 Chapter 14, which is perhaps from a special source, locates the life of Abraham within the history of the ancient East.
- Genesis 14:17 It is not impossible that Melchizedek, the Canaanite priest of the supreme god El had found faith in the true God (see Vatican II, Lumen gentium, no. 16). His offering of bread and wine was undoubtedly a sacrifice of thanksgiving (also known as a communion sacrifice), in which the gifts offered to the divinity were then divided among those present and consumed, to signify that human beings are called to table fellowship with God.
According to Hebrew exegetes, these two personages prefigure David, descendant of Abraham and distant successor of Melchizedek on the throne of Jerusalem. In blessing Abraham, Melchizedek was blessing David, the instrument of God’s conquests, who after conquering Jerusalem made it the center of worship of the Lord (2 Sam 6). At the same time, in paying homage to Melchizedek, Abraham was paying homage to Jerusalem, the city that the Lord would choose as his own dwelling and that from that time forward would worship the true God. It is clear that these visions needed to be broadened. According to Ps 110:4, Melchizedek prefigures Christ, a descendant of David, because only in this new David will kingship and priesthood be united again as they were long ago in Melchizedek; moreover, Christ will have an everlasting priesthood, different from the hereditary priesthood that began with Aaron. The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter 7, will explain the message of the psalm, saying that, since tithes are paid to a superior, Abraham’s action was one of homage to a priesthood higher than the Israelite temple priesthood. Behind the veil of the ancient priest-king we are therefore to discern the person of Christ, who in virtue of his own sacrifice that will be completed in Jerusalem is the true source of the blessing bestowed on Abraham, that is, his victory and liberation of prisoners (see a similar observation in 1 Cor 10:4) and all the victories of the people of God. For this reason the Christian tradition sees in Melchizedek’s sacrifice of bread and wine (see the First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass, the Roman Canon) a sign and prediction of the Eucharist, which is the thanksgiving for the redemption wrought by Christ and a pledge of victory for believers who remain in union with him. - Genesis 14:18 Salem, according to the entire Jewish tradition, is none other than Jerusalem (Ps 76:3). This very old Canaanite city was already inhabited before 3000 B.C. and is explicitly mentioned in Egyptian texts beginning with the start of the 19th century B.C. God Most High: in Hebrew, El-Elyon, a compound name made up of two Phoenician-Canaanite names for the supreme divinity; the writer sees in Melchizedek a worshiper of the true God.
- Genesis 14:22 A form of solemn oath.
Genesis 14
1599 Geneva Bible
14 12 In the overthrow of Sodom Lot is taken prisoner. 16 Abram delivereth him. 18 Melchizedek cometh to meet him. 23 Abram would not be enriched by the king of Sodom.
1 And in the days of Amraphel king of [a]Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of the [b]nations:
2 These men made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
3 All these [c]joined together in the valley of [d]Siddim, which is the [e]salt Sea.
4 Twelve years were they subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the [f]Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in [g]Shaveh Kiriathaim,
6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto the plain of El Paran, which is by the wilderness.
7 And they returned and came to En Mishpat, which is Kadesh, and [h]smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelled in Hazezon Tamar.
8 Then went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar: and they joined battle with them in the valley of Siddim,
9 To wit, with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar: four kings against five.
10 Now the [i]valley of Siddim was full of slime pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and [j]fell there: and the residue fled to the mountain.
11 And they took all the substance of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their vittles and went their way.
12 They [k]took Lot also Abram’s brother’s son and his substance (for he dwelt at Sodom) and departed.
13 ¶ Then came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew, which dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner, which were [l]confederate with Abram.
14 When Abram heard that his brother was taken, he [m]brought forth of them that were born and brought up in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
15 Then he and his servants divided themselves against them by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left side of [n]Damascus,
16 And he recovered all the substance, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also and the people.
17 ¶ After that he returned from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and of the kings that were with him, came the King of Sodom forth to meet him in the valley of Shaveh, which is the (A)King’s dale.
18 And (B)Melchizedek King of Salem [o]brought forth bread and wine: and he was a Priest of the most high God.
19 Therefore he [p]blessed him, saying, Blessed art thou, Abram, of God most high, Possessor of heaven and earth,
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. (C)And Abram gave him tithes of all.
21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the [q]persons, and take the goods to thyself.
22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, [r]I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord the most high God possessor of heaven and earth,
23 [s]That I will not take of all that is thine, so much as a thread or shoe latchet, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich,
24 [t]Save only that, which the young men have eaten, and the parts of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre: let them take their parts.
Footnotes
- Genesis 14:1 That is, of Babylon: by kings here, meaning, them that were governors of cities.
- Genesis 14:1 Of a people gathered of divers countries.
- Genesis 14:3 Ambition is the chief cause of wars among princes.
- Genesis 14:3 Or, of the labored fields.
- Genesis 14:3 Called also the dead sea, or the lake Asphaltite, near unto Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Genesis 14:5 Or, giants.
- Genesis 14:5 Or, plain.
- Genesis 14:7 Or, destroyed.
- Genesis 14:10 And afterward was overwhelmed with water, and so was called the salt sea.
- Genesis 14:10 Or, were discomfited.
- Genesis 14:12 The godly are plagued many times with the wicked: therefore their company is dangerous.
- Genesis 14:13 God moved them to join with Abram, and preserveth him from their idolatry and superstitions.
- Genesis 14:14 Or, armed.
- Genesis 14:15 Hebrew, Dammesck.
- Genesis 14:18 For Abram and his soldiers’ refection, and not to offer sacrifice.
- Genesis 14:19 In that Melchizedek fed Abram, he declared himself to represent a king, and in that he blessed him, the high Priest.
- Genesis 14:21 Hebrew, souls.
- Genesis 14:22 Or, I have sworn.
- Genesis 14:23 Hebrew, If I take from thee a thread, etc. Read 1 Sam. 14:45.
- Genesis 14:24 He would not that his liberality should be hurtful to others.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
