Genesis

The War of the Kings

1 In those days Amraphel king of Shinar,a  Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim

2 went  to 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 The latter five came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Seab).

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 allied with him went  out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham,  the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,

6 and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.

7 Then  they turned back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they  conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites  who lived in Hazazon-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) marched out and arrayed  themselves for battle in the Valley of Siddimc  

9 against  Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of  Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.

Abram Rescues Lot

10 Now  the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom  and Gomorrah fled, some men fell into the pits, but the survivors fled  to the hill country.

11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and they went on their way.

12 They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since Lot was living in Sodom.

13 Then an escapee came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the Oaksd  of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by treatye  to Abram.

14 And  when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the  318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as  far as Dan.

15 During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

16 He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.

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

17 After  Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied 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—since he was priest of God Most Highf —

19 and he blessed Abram and said:

“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 Melchizedek a tenth of everything.

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

22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

23 that  I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything  that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

24 I  will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share for the  men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their  portion.”