Abram Rescues Lot

14 In those days Amraphel king of Shinar,(A) Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam,[a](B) and Tidal[b] king of Goiim[c] waged war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim,(C) as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar(D)). All of these came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea(E)). They were subject to Chedorlaomer for 12 years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim(F) in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham,(G) the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites(H) in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran(I) by the wilderness. Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh(J)), and they defeated all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.(K)

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 lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them,[d] but the rest fled to the mountains.(L) 11 The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on. 12 They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom,(M) and they went on.

13 One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew,(N) who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with[e] Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled[f] his 318 trained men, born in his household,(O) and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.(P) 15 And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:1 A region in southwest Iran
  2. Genesis 14:1 The name Tidal may be related to the Hittite royal name Tudhaliya.
  3. Genesis 14:1 Or nations
  4. Genesis 14:10 Sam, LXX; MT reads fell there
  5. Genesis 14:13 Lit were possessors of a covenant of
  6. Genesis 14:14 Sam; MT reads poured out

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