In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar,
Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, these kings
made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab
king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that
is, Zoar). And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim
(that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer,
but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year
Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the
Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-
kiriathaim, and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as
El-paran on the border of the wilderness. Then they turned back and
came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country
of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in
Hazazon-tamar.
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) went out,
and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim with Chedorlaomer
king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and
Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. Now the Valley of
Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and
Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill
country. So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and
Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. They also
took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom,
and his possessions, and went their way.
Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was
living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of
Aner. These were allies of Abram. When Abram heard that his kinsman
had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his
house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he
divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and
defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he
brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman
Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings
who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the
Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). And Melchizedek king
of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most
High.) And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of
Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for
yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my
hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth,
that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that
is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will
take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of
the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their
share.”
