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Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

14 In the days of King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim,(A) these kings made war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar.(B) All these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim, that is, the Dead Sea.[a](C) Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,(D) and the Horites in the hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness;(E) then they turned back and came to En-mishpat, that is, Kadesh, and subdued all the country of the Amalekites and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.(F) Then 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, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with 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 bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11 So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions and went their way;(G) 12 they also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his goods and departed.(H)

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks[b] of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram.(I) 14 When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.(J) 15 He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the goods and also brought back his nephew Lot with his goods and the women and the people.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 14.3 Heb Salt Sea
  2. 14.13 Or terebinths

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