Now Lot,(A) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.(B) And quarreling(C) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites(D) and Perizzites(E) were also living in the land(F) at that time.

So Abram said to Lot,(G) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,(H) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.(I) Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”(J)

10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain(K) of the Jordan toward Zoar(L) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,(M) like the land of Egypt.(N) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom(O) and Gomorrah.)(P) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan,(Q) while Lot(R) lived among the cities of the plain(S) and pitched his tents near Sodom.(T) 13 Now the people of Sodom(U) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.(V)

14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(W) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.(X) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(Y) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(Z) for I am giving it to you.”(AA)

18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre(AB) at Hebron,(AC) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.(AD)

Abram Rescues Lot

14 At the time when Amraphel was king of Shinar,[b](AE) Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer(AF) king of Elam(AG) and Tidal king of Goyim, these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim,(AH) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).(AI) All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim(AJ) (that is, the Dead Sea Valley(AK)). For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer,(AL) but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer(AM) and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites(AN) in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites(AO) in Shaveh Kiriathaim and the Horites(AP) in the hill country of Seir,(AQ) as far as El Paran(AR) near the desert. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh),(AS) and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites,(AT) as well as the Amorites(AU) who were living in Hazezon Tamar.(AV)

Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah,(AW) the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim(AX) and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)(AY) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim(AZ) against Kedorlaomer(BA) king of Elam,(BB) Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim(BC) was full of tar(BD) pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah(BE) fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.(BF) 11 The four kings seized all the goods(BG) of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot(BH) and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13 A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew.(BI) Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre(BJ) the Amorite, a brother[c] of Eshkol(BK) and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative(BL) had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained(BM) men born in his household(BN) and went in pursuit as far as Dan.(BO) 15 During the night Abram divided his men(BP) to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.(BQ) 16 He recovered(BR) all the goods(BS) and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer(BT) and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom(BU) came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).(BV)

18 Then Melchizedek(BW) king of Salem(BX) brought out bread(BY) and wine.(BZ) He was priest of God Most High,(CA) 19 and he blessed Abram,(CB) saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,(CC)
    Creator of heaven and earth.(CD)
20 And praise be to God Most High,(CE)
    who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.(CF)

21 The king of Sodom(CG) said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods(CH) for yourself.”

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom,(CI) “With raised hand(CJ) I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High,(CK) Creator of heaven and earth,(CL) 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you,(CM) not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshkol and Mamre.(CN) Let them have their share.”

The Lord’s Covenant With Abram

15 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram(CO) in a vision:(CP)

“Do not be afraid,(CQ) Abram.
    I am your shield,[d](CR)
    your very great reward.[e](CS)

But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord,(CT) what can you give me since I remain childless(CU) and the one who will inherit[f] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?(CV) And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant(CW) in my household(CX) will be my heir.”

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.(CY) He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars(CZ)—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[g] be.”(DA)

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.(DB)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16
  2. Genesis 14:1 That is, Babylonia; also in verse 9
  3. Genesis 14:13 Or a relative; or an ally
  4. Genesis 15:1 Or sovereign
  5. Genesis 15:1 Or shield; / your reward will be very great
  6. Genesis 15:2 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  7. Genesis 15:5 Or seed

And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, 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 Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.

14 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

That these 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.

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

And there 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 (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

15 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.