Four Kings Against Five
14 1 Now in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 these kings 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 All these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea). a a v3 The Salt Sea is later known as the Dead Sea. 4 For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their hill country of Seir, as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar. 8 So 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 drew up their battle lines against them in the Valley of Siddim, 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.
10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of them fell into the pits while the rest fled to the hill country. b b v10 Bitumen is a natural tar-like substance found in that region. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, along with all their food, and went on their way. 12 They also took Lot, Abram's nephew, along with his possessions, and went their way, for Lot was living in Sodom.
13 Then a man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner; these men were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he mustered the 318 trained men born in his household and chased them as far as Dan. 15 That night he and his servants divided their forces and attacked, then chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He brought back all the goods, and he also recovered his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
Home From the Battle
17 After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of El Elyon, our Father Most High. c c v18 Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, foreshadows Jesus — Hebrews 7 names him as the eternal priest-king whose order Jesus fulfills. 19 He blessed Abram and said: 'Blessed be Abram by El Elyon, our Father Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.' 20 'And blessed be El Elyon, our Father Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21 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 in a solemn oath to the Sovereign Father, El Elyon, Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you can never say, "I am the one who made Abram rich." 24 I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten and the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.'