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The Holy Bible

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The Book of Genesis

Chapter 14

  

Abram Rescues Lot

1
IN

those days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim  2  waged war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).  3  All of these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).  4  For twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5 In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him went out and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,  6  and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El-paran near the wilderness.  7  Then they turned back and went to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they defeated all the territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazezon-tamar.

8 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 lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim  9  against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasarfour kings against five.  10  Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomarrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the mountains.  11  The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and then they went away.  12  They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went away.

13  Then one who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. He was living near the great oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and of Aner, and they were allied with Abram.  14  When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he assembled 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.  15  During the night Abram divided his forces and he and his servants attacked and routed them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.  16  Then he brought back all the goods, and also his nephew Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

Melchizedek’s Blessing

17  After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

18  Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.

He was priest of God Most High,  19  and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

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

22  But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath  23  that I will take nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich’.  24  I will take nothing but what my men have eaten, and the share that belongs to men who went with meAner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”