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The Torah · Old Testament

Genesis 14

Lot is rescued and Abram meets two kings

General context

A war between four kings and five leads to the capture of Lot and the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah. An escapee brings news to Abram, who arms 318 trained servants from his household and pursues the captors. He attacks by night and recovers Lot, the goods and the other people. On his return, Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the most high God, brings bread and wine and blesses him. A tithe follows the blessing. The king of Sodom offers Abram the goods, but Abram refuses so that the king cannot claim to have made him rich. He allows for provisions already eaten and his allies' portions.

Cited passages: Genesis 14:1, Genesis 14:2, Genesis 14:9, Genesis 14:11, Genesis 14:12, Genesis 14:13, Genesis 14:14, Genesis 14:15, Genesis 14:16, Genesis 14:17, Genesis 14:18, Genesis 14:19, Genesis 14:20, Genesis 14:21, Genesis 14:22, Genesis 14:23, Genesis 14:24

Genesis 14 (KJV)

1And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

2That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

3All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

4Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

6And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness.

7And they returned, and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar.

8And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

9With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

11And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

12And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

13And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

14And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

15And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

16And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.

18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

24Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The account dates the conflict by twelve years of service to Chedorlaomer, rebellion in the thirteenth year and his campaign in the fourteenth. The opposing groups meet in the valley of Siddim, identified in the account with the salt sea. Abram has allies named Mamre, Eshcol and Aner. His 318 trained household servants are counted, but the total number of allied fighters is not given. Melchizedek is named as both king of Salem and priest; this chapter provides no family history for him.

Cited passages: Genesis 14:3, Genesis 14:4, Genesis 14:5, Genesis 14:8, Genesis 14:9, Genesis 14:13, Genesis 14:14, Genesis 14:18, Genesis 14:24

Literary context

The opening lists kings and places before Lot's capture brings the conflict into Abram's household story. Rescue and the recovery of goods lead into two royal encounters. Melchizedek blesses Abram and credits the most high God with delivering his enemies into his hand. Abram's reply to the king of Sodom repeats the description of God as possessor of heaven and earth. The recovered goods then become the subject of Abram's refusal, with an explicit reason concerning who may claim to have made him rich. The exception for his companions keeps that refusal distinct from their shares.

Cited passages: Genesis 14:1, Genesis 14:2, Genesis 14:5, Genesis 14:6, Genesis 14:7, Genesis 14:12, Genesis 14:14, Genesis 14:16, Genesis 14:17, Genesis 14:18, Genesis 14:19, Genesis 14:20, Genesis 14:21, Genesis 14:22, Genesis 14:23, Genesis 14:24

Key moments

  1. Lot is taken captive (Genesis 14:12). The victors take Lot, Abram's nephew, and his goods from Sodom.
  2. Abram recovers the captives (Genesis 14:16). Abram brings back Lot, the goods, the women and the other people.
  3. Melchizedek brings bread and wine (Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek is introduced as king of Salem and priest of the most high God.
  4. Abram refuses the goods (Genesis 14:23). Abram refuses the king of Sodom's goods so the king cannot say he made Abram rich.

For reflection

How does Abram's stated reason for refusing the goods shape your reading of the two royal encounters?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here:

  • Chedorlaomer
  • Amraphel
  • Aner
  • Arioch
  • Eshcol
  • Tidal
  • Bera
  • Birsha
  • Father of Mamre
  • Hori
  • Mamre
  • Shemeber
  • Shinab