The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

Now it happened in that time that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus, and Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations,

went to war against Bera, king of Sodom, and against Birsha, king of Gomorrah, and against Shinab, king of Admah, and against Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and against the king of Bela, that is Zoar.

All these came together in the wooded valley, which is now the Sea of Salt.

For they had served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they withdrew from him.

Therefore, in the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer arrived, and the kings who were with him. And they struck the Rephaim at Ashteroth of the two horns, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim at Shaveh-Kiriathaim.

and the Chorreans in the mountains of Seir, even to the plains of Paran, which is in the wilderness.

And they returned and arrived at the fountain of Mishpat, which is Kadesh. And they struck the entire region of the Amalekites, and the Amorites who dwelt in Hazazontamar.

And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and indeed the king of Bela, which is Zoar, went forth. And they directed their point against them in the wooded valley,

namely, against Chedorlaomer, king of the Elamites, and Tidal, king of the Nations, and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Pontus: four kings against five.

Abram Rescues Lot

Now the wooded valley had many pits of bitumen. And so the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah turned back and they fell there. And those who remained, fled to the mountain.(a)

(b)

Then they took all the substance of the Sodomites and the Gomorrhites, and all that pertained to food, and they went away,(c)

along with both Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his substance.

And behold, one who had escaped reported it to Abram the Hebrew, who lived in the steep valley of Mamre the Amorite, who was the brother of Eshcol, and the brother of Aner. For these had formed an agreement with Abram.

When Abram had heard this, namely, that his brother Lot had been taken captive, he numbered three hundred and eighteen of his own armed men and he went in pursuit all the way to Dan.(d)

And dividing his company, he rushed upon them in the night. And he struck them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

And he brought back all the substance, and Lot his brother, with his substance, likewise the women and the people.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

(Psalm 110:1–7; Hebrews 7:1–10)

Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter at Chedorlaomer, and the kings who were with him at the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king.

Then in truth, Melchizedek, the king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine, for he was a priest of the Most High God;(e)

he blessed him, and he said: “Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, who created heaven and earth.

And blessed be the Most High God, through whose protection the enemies are in your hands.” And he gave him tithes from everything.

Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me these souls, and take the rest for yourself.”

And he responded to him: “I lift up my hand to the Lord God, the Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,

that from one thread within a blanket, even to a single shoelace, I will not take anything from that which is yours, lest you say, ‘I have enriched Abram,’

except that which the young men have eaten, and the shares for the men who came with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. These will take their shares.”

Footnotes

(a)14:10 These two armies did not want to fight amidst the tar pits, so they turned back and were caught in battle by the enemy, having to way to retreat. The word ‘cecideruntque’ indicates that they fell in battle, not that they fell into the tar pits.(Conte)

(b)14:10 Of slime. Bituminis:This was a kind of pitch, which served for mortar in the building of Babel, Gen. 11:3, and was used by Noe in pitching the ark.(Challoner)

(d)14:14 These 318 were not servants, but a group of armed men who worked for Abram, guarding his possessions and his servants. There were no police in those days, and someone with a very large contingent of servants and a very large family needed armed men to protect them. These men are analogous to a large corporation having its own security guards. Also, it was brave and daring for such a small and lightly armed group, without experience in warfare, to actually attack a large army deployed in the field.(Conte)

(e)14:18 Salem (Shalom) means peace; Melchizedek is the king of peace and a foreshadowing of Christ, the King of Peace.(Conte)

In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim,

they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (also called Zoar).

All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (also called the Salt Sea).

They served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to El Paran, which is by the wilderness.

They returned, and came to En Mishpat (also called Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar.

The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim

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

Abram Rescues Lot

Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and some fell there. Those who remained fled to the hills.

They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went their way.

They took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. At that time, he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner. They were allies of Abram.

When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan.

He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.

Melchizedek Blesses Abram

(Psalm 110:1–7; Hebrews 7:1–10)

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

Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.

He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.

Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.

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

Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,

that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’

I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.”