Genesis 14

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 14 of 50

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

2 they 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.

3 All these were joined together to the valley of Siddim, which is the Salt Sea.

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Chapter Summary

1 The battle of four kings against five. 12 Lot is taken prisoner. 14 Abram rescues him. 18 Melchizedek blesses Abram. 20 Abram gives him tithe. 22 The rest of the spoil he returns to the king of Sodom.

Key Hebrew Words

מֶ֫לֶךְ king H4428 · TWOT 1199a
מִלְחָמָה battle, war H4421 · TWOT 1104c
כֹּהֵן priest H3548 · TWOT 959a
בָּרַךְ bless H1288 · TWOT 285
מַעֲשֵׂר tithe, tenth part H4643 · TWOT 1711h
בְּרִית covenant, alliance H1285 · TWOT 282a

People & Context

Abram

The Hebrew who arms his trained men, rescues captive Lot, tithes to Melchizedek, and refuses Sodom's spoil

Melchizedek

King of Salem and priest of the Most High God who brings out bread and wine and blesses Abram

Lot

Abram's nephew, living in Sodom, taken captive by the four kings and rescued by Abram

Chedorlaomer

King of Elam who leads the four-king coalition, subjugates the cities, and is defeated by Abram

Bera

King of Sodom who flees the battle, then meets Abram and offers him the recovered goods

Amraphel

King of Shinar, one of the four allied kings warring against the five cities of the plain

Timeline

The Battle of the Kings

Four kings (Amraphel, Arioch, Chedorlaomer, Tidal) wage war against five kings (Bera of Sodom, Birsha of Gomorrah, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela/Zoar) in the Valley of Siddim. The five kings had rebelled after serving Chedorlaomer for twelve years. The four kings defeat the five, take all the goods and food of Sodom and Gomorrah, and take Lot and his goods prisoner, as Lot was living in Sodom.

Genesis 14:1-12
Abram Rescues Lot

A fugitive tells Abram that his nephew Lot has been captured. Abram, with his 318 trained men born in his household, pursues the kings as far as Dan. He divides his forces by night, strikes them, and pursues them to Hobah, bringing back all the goods, Lot, and the women and people.

Genesis 14:13-16
Melchizedek Blesses Abram

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, brings out bread and wine and blesses Abram, and blesses the Most High God who delivered Abram's enemies. Abram gives Melchizedek a tithe of everything.

Genesis 14:18-20

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