The War of the Kings

1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar,† Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and Birsha king of Gomorrah, and Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).

3All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).† 4Two and ten years they had served Chedorlaomer, and in the three and tenth year they rebelled.

5And in the four and tenth year came Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, and they struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, and the Zuzites in Ham, and the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6and the Horites in their mountain of Seir, as far as El-Paran, which is by the wilderness. 7And they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they struck all the territory of the Amalekite, and also the Amorite who was dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.

8And the king of Sodom went out, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). And they arrayed in battle with them in the Valley of Siddim—† 9against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against the five.

Abram Rescues Lot

10And the Valley of Siddim had pits, pits of tar; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains.

11And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and they went on their way. 12And they took Lot, son of Abram's brother, and his goods, and they departed; and he was dwelling in Sodom.

13And the escapee came, and he told Abram the Hebrew, and he was dwelling by the Oaks† of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were possessors of a covenant† with Abram. 14And Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, and he drew out his trained men, those born in his house, eight and ten and three hundred, and he went in pursuit as far as Dan.

15And he divided himself against them by night—he and his servants—and he struck them and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16And he brought back all the goods, and also Lot, his brother, and his goods; he also brought back the women and the people.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram
(Psalm 110:1–7; Hebrews 7:1–10)

17And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from striking Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and he was priest of El-Elyon.† 19And he blessed him and said:

“Blessed be Abram to El-Elyon,

Possessor of the heavens and earth,

20and blessed be El-Elyon,

who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

And he gave to him a tenth of everything.

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

22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to YHWH El-Elyon, Possessor of the heavens and earth, 23from a thread even to a strap of a sandal, that I will not take anything that is yours—lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’— 24Except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion.”