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 rescues Lot

14 While Amraphel was king of Shinar, Ellasar’s King Arioch, Elam’s King Chedorlaomer, and Goiim’s King Tidal declared war on Sodom’s King Bera, Gomorrah’s King Birsha, Admah’s King Shinab, Zeboiim’s King Shemeber, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar. These latter kings formed an alliance in the Siddim Valley (that is, the Dead Sea[a]). For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they revolted. In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings of his alliance came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites in the mountains of Seir as far as El-paran near the desert. Then they turned back, came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and attacked the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

Then the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bera (that is, Zoar) took up battle positions in the Siddim Valley 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 Siddim Valley was filled with tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah retreated, they fell into them; and the rest fled to the mountains. 11 They took everything from Sodom and Gomorrah, including its food supplies, and left. 12 They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom, and everything he owned, and took off. 13 When a survivor arrived, he told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks of the Amorite Mamre, who was the brother of Eshcol and Aner, Abram’s treaty partners.

14 When Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he took all of the loyal men born in his household, three hundred eighteen, and went after them as far as Dan. 15 During the night, he and his servants divided themselves up against them, attacked, and chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all of the looted property, together with his relative Lot and Lot’s property, wives, and people.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:3 Or Salt Sea