The War of the Kings 1 UST During that time Amraphel was the king over{ the land of} Shinar, Arioch was the king over Ellasar, Chedorlaomer was the king over{ the land of} Elam, and Tidal was the king over the Goiim{ people}. BSB BSB: In those days Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim
2 UST Those{ four} kings{ joined forces and} went to war against{ five other kings, including} Bera{ who was} the king over{ the city of} Sodom, Birsha{ who was} the king over{ the city of} Gomorrah, Shinab{ who was} the king over{ the city of} Admah, Shemeber{ who was} the king over{ the city of} Zeboyim, and the king over{ the town of} Bela, which{ is also called} Zoar. BSB BSB: 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 UST Those{ five kings} all united their armies{ as allies}{ and fought against the four kings} in the Siddim Valley, where the Salt Sea{ is now}. BSB BSB: The latter five came as allies to the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
4 UST { For} twelve years the five kings had paid tribute to{ King} Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they started to rebel{ against him}. BSB BSB: For twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 UST Then during the fourteenth year{ King} Chedorlaomer and the{ three} kings who{ were} his allies{ united their armies and} went{ to war}{ against all their enemies}.{ First} they defeated the Raphaites in{ the city of} Ashteroth- Karnaim, then the Zuzites in{ the city of} Ham, the Emites in{ the city of} Shaveh- Kiriathaim, BSB BSB: In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh-kiriathaim,
6 UST and the Horites{ who lived} in the Seir Mountains{ all the way} to{ the city of} El Paran, which{ is located} near the desert. BSB BSB: and the Horites in the area of Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is near the desert.
7 UST Next those{ four} kings{ and their armies} turned around and went to{ the city of} En Mishpat, which{ is also called} Kadesh. They conquered the entire territory where the Amalekites lived, as well as the Amorites, who lived in{ the city of} Hazezon Tamar. BSB BSB: Then they turned back to invade 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 UST Then the king over{ the city of} Sodom, the king over{ the city of} Gomorrah, the king over{ the city of} Admah, the king over{ the city of} Zeboiim, and the king over{ the town of} Bela, which{ is also called} Zoar, marched out{ with their armies} into the Siddim Valley and got ready to fight BSB BSB: 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 UST against Chedorlaomer{ who was} the king over{ the land of} Elam, Tidal{ who was} the king over the Goiim, Amraphel{ who was} the king over{ the land of} Shinar, and Arioch{ who was} the king over{ the kingdom of} Ellasar.{ Then} the four kings attacked the five{ kings}{ and started defeating them}. BSB BSB: 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 UST Now there were many tar pits in the Siddim Valley. As the kings over{ the cities of} Sodom and Gomorrah{ and their soldiers} were running away{ from the battle}, some{ of their soldiers} died there{ in the tar pits}. Those who escaped ran away to the mountains{ to hide}. BSB BSB: 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 survivors fled to the hill country.
11 UST Then the four kings seized all the{ people’ s} belongings in{ the cities of} Sodom and Gomorrah, including all their food, and carried it away. BSB BSB: The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food, and they went on their way.
12 UST They also carried off Abram’ s nephew Lot and his belongings, since he was living in{ the city of} Sodom. BSB BSB: They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since Lot was living in Sodom.
13 UST But someone{ from Sodom} escaped{ from the battle} and went to Abram the Hebrew and reported{ to him}{ what had happened}.{ At that time} Abram was{ still} living near the oak trees that were owned by Mamre the Amorite,{ who was} the brother of Eshcol and Aner. Those{ three} men had made a pact with Abram{ to be his allies}. BSB BSB: Then an escapee 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 to Abram.
15 UST There during the night Abram and his men divided{ into groups},{ surprise} attacked the{ four} kings{ and their soldiers}, and defeated them. Then they chased them as far as{ the town of} Hobah, which{ is located} north of{ the city of} Damascus. BSB BSB: During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
16 UST As a result, Abram recovered all the{ people’ s} belongings{ that the four kings had taken}. He also rescued his nephew Lot and his belongings, as well as the women and{ all} the other people{ whom the kings had captured}. 14:17-24 BSB BSB: He retrieved all the goods, as well as his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the rest of the people.
Melchizedek Blesses Abram (Psalm 110:1–7; Hebrews 7:1–10)
17 UST After Abram defeated{ King} Chedorlaomer and the{ other}{ three} kings who were Chedorlaomer’ s allies, he started to return{ home}. When he reached the Shaveh Valley, which{ is also called} the King’ s Valley, the king over{ the city of} Sodom came there and welcomed him. BSB BSB: After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18 UST Melchizedek{ who was} the king over{ the city of} Salem{ also came there, and he} brought food and wine{ for Abram and his men to eat and drink}.{ King} Melchizedek{ was also} a priest who served the God who is greater{ than all other gods}. BSB BSB: Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
19 UST So he blessed Abram by saying{ to him},“May the greatest God, who owns heaven and earth, bless you. BSB BSB: and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
20 UST Praise the greatest God, because he enabled you to defeat your enemies!” Then Abram gave{ King} Melchizedek ten percent of everything{ that he had recovered in the battle}. BSB BSB: and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
21 UST After that, the king over{ the city of} Sodom said to Abram,“{ Please} return to me the people{ whom you rescued}, but keep for yourself{ their} belongings{ that you recovered}.” BSB BSB: The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.”
22 UST But Abram replied to him,“I raise my hand{ and swear} to Yahweh,{ who is} the greatest God{ and} the One who owns heaven and earth, BSB BSB: 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 UST { that} I will not{ accept} anything that is yours{ or your people’ s}, not even a{ piece of} string or the strap from a sandal. That way you can never say that you{ were the one who} made me rich. BSB BSB: that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’
24 UST { So} I{ will} only{ keep} what my warriors ate and the part{ of the plunder} that Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre deserve for being my allies.{ Please} let them have their part{ of the plunder}.” BSB BSB: I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share for the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion.”