The War of the Kings

1. 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,

2. that they 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 (that is, Zoar).

3. All these joined together in the vale of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).

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

5. And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him,
and smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim,
and the Zuzim in Ham,
and the Emim in Shaveh-Kiriathaim,

6. and the Horites in their mountain Seir,
to Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

7. And they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh),
and smote all the country of the Amalekites,
and also the Amorites, who dwelt in Hazazon-tamar.

Lot Taken Captive

8. And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah,
and the king of Admah,
and the king of Zeboiim,
and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar)
went out, and joined together to fight with them in the vale of Siddim.

9. And the vale of Siddim was full of slime pits;
and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled,
and fell there, and the rest fled to the mountains.

10. And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food,
and went their way.

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

Abram Rescues Lot

12. And it came to pass, when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive,
that he armed his servants, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen,
and pursued them unto Dan.

13. And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants,
and smote them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

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

Abram Meets Melchizedek

15. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings with him,
at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s valley.

16. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine;
and he was priest of God Most High.

17. And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
possessor of heaven and earth;

18. and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”
And Abram gave him a tenth of all.

Abram and the King of Sodom

19. And the king of Sodom said to Abram,
“Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”

20. And Abram said to the king of Sodom,
“I have lifted up my hand to Jehovah, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,

21. that I will not take from a thread to a sandal strap,
and that I will not take anything that is yours,
lest you say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

22. Only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre—let them take their portion.”