War of the Kings

14 And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of (A)Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of (B)Elam, and Tidal king of [a]Goiim, that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of (C)Admah, and Shemeber king of (D)Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, (E)Zoar). All these kings [b]came as allies to (F)the Valley of Siddim (that is, (G)the Salt Sea). For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and [c]defeated the (H)Rephaim in (I)Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in [d](J)Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the (K)Horites on their Mount Seir, as far as (L)El-paran, which is by the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, (M)Kadesh), and [e]conquered all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, who lived in (N)Hazazon-tamar. And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they lined up for battle against them in (O)the Valley of Siddim, against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of [f]Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and (P)the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell [g]into them. But those who survived fled to the (Q)hill country. 11 Then they took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food supply, and departed. 12 They also took Lot, (R)Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and departed, (S)for he was living in Sodom.

13 Then [h]a survivor came and told Abram the (T)Hebrew. Now he was residing by the [i](U)oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and they were [j](V)allies with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that (W)his relative had been taken captive, he [k]led out his trained men, (X)born in his house, numbering 318, and went in pursuit as far as (Y)Dan. 15 Then (Z)he divided [l]his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and [m]defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is [n]north of (AA)Damascus. 16 He (AB)brought back all the possessions, and also brought back (AC)his relative Lot with his possessions, and also the women, and the other people.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:1 Or nations
  2. Genesis 14:3 Lit joined together
  3. Genesis 14:5 Lit struck
  4. Genesis 14:5 Or the plain of Kiriathaim
  5. Genesis 14:7 Lit struck
  6. Genesis 14:9 Or nations
  7. Genesis 14:10 Lit there
  8. Genesis 14:13 Lit the
  9. Genesis 14:13 Or terebinths
  10. Genesis 14:13 Lit possessors of the covenant
  11. Genesis 14:14 Or mustered
  12. Genesis 14:15 Lit himself
  13. Genesis 14:15 Lit struck
  14. Genesis 14:15 Lit on the left

Abram Battles Kings for Lot

14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar, Arioch was king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer was king of Elam, and Tidal was king of the Goiim, they engaged in war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, along with the king of Bela (which was also known as Zoar). All of this latter group of kings[a] allied together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea[b]). They were subject to Chedorlaomer for twelve years, but they rebelled in the thirteenth year.

In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, near El-paran by the desert. Next they turned back and came to En-mishpat (which was also known as Kadesh) and conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, along with the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (which was also known as Zoar) prepared for battle in the Valley of Siddim against King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four kings against five.

10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, so when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of their people[c] fell into them, while the rest fled to the hill country. 11 The conquerors[d] captured all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, including their entire food supply, and then left. 12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot captive, and confiscated[e] his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13 Someone escaped, arrived, and reported what had happened[f] to Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, whose brothers Eshcol and Aner were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his nephew[g] had been taken prisoner, he gathered together 318 of his trained men, who had been born in his household, and they went out in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night, Abram[h] and his servants divided his forces,[i] conquered his enemies,[j] and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his nephew Lot, together with his possessions, the women, and the other[k] people.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:3 Lit. All of these
  2. Genesis 14:3 I.e. the Dead Sea
  3. Genesis 14:10 The Heb. lacks of their people
  4. Genesis 14:11 Lit. They
  5. Genesis 14:12 The Heb. lacks confiscated
  6. Genesis 14:13 The Heb. lacks what had happened
  7. Genesis 14:14 Lit. brother
  8. Genesis 14:15 Lit. he
  9. Genesis 14:15 The Heb. lacks his forces
  10. Genesis 14:15 Lit. conquered them
  11. Genesis 14:16 The Heb. lacks other