The War of the Kings
1. In those days 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 these kings came together 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 allied with him came and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
6. and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.
7. Then they turned back and came to 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 Siddim
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 rest fled to the hill country.
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, since he was living in Sodom.
13. Then a fugitive came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were bound by treaty with Abram.
14. When Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15. And during the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
16. So Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other captives.
Melchizedek Blesses Abram
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. 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 Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep 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 anything belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
24. I will take nothing except what my young men have eaten and the share for the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”