The War of the Kings 1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel the king of Shinar, Arioch the king of El-lasar, Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and Tidal the king of nations, 2[that] they made war with Bera the king of Sodom, and with Birsha the king of Gomorrah, Shinab the king of Admah, and Shemeber the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3All these were joined in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea. 4Twelve years had they served Chedorlaomer; and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5And 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-Kirjathaim, 6and the Horites on their mount Seir, to El-Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites that dwelt at Hazazon-Tamar. 8And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went out, and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim, 9with Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and Tidal the king of nations, and Amraphel the king of Shinar, and Arioch the king of Ellasar -- four kings with the five. Lot Seized by the Four Kings 10And the vale of Siddim was full of pits of asphalt. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there: and they that remained fled to the mountain. 11And they took all the property of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and departed. 12And they took Lot and his property, Abram's brother's son, and departed. For he dwelt in Sodom. Abram Rescues Lot 13And one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew. And he dwelt by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol, and the brother of Aner. And these were Abram's allies. 14And Abram heard that his brother was taken captive; and he led out his trained [servants], born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued [them] as far as Dan. 15And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is to the left of Damascus. 16And he brought back all the property, and brought again his brother Lot and his property, and the women also, and the people. Melchizedek Blesses Abram 17And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after he had returned from smiting Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, into the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's valley. 18And Melchisedec king of Salem brought out bread and wine. And he was priest of the Most High God. 19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heavens and earth. 20And blessed be the Most High God, who has delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him the tenth of all. 21And the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the souls, and take the property for thyself. 22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to Jehovah, the Most High God, possessor of heavens and earth, 23if from a thread even to a sandal-thong, yes, if of all that is thine, I take [anything] ...; that thou mayest not say, I have made Abram rich; 24save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men that went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, let them take their portion. |