Genesis 14

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

2 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).

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

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

5 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,

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

7 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.

8 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

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

10 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.

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

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

13 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.

14 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.

15 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.

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

17 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).

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

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

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

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

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

23 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.’

24 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.”

Around Genesis 14

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Genesis 14 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Four kings from the east march against five kings of the cities near the Salt Sea, and the five lose. The victors carry off the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and with them Lot, Abram’s nephew. A survivor brings word to Abram, who gathers his three hundred eighteen trained men, pursues the raiders by night and brings back the goods, Lot, and the people.

On his return two kings come out to meet him. The first is Melchizedek king of Salem, “priest of God Most High”, who brings out bread and wine and blesses Abram, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.” Abram gives him a tenth of everything. The second is the king of Sodom, who tells Abram to keep the goods and return the people. Abram refuses to take even “a thread nor a sandal strap”, so that no one can say he made Abram rich.

Background

Melchizedek appears out of nowhere and vanishes again. He is remembered in Psalm 110 and discussed in Hebrews 7, where Christians see him as a figure who points to Christ. Many readers take Salem to be Jerusalem. The story shows Abram acting as a rescuer and refusing a reward from a king who dishonors God, though he lets his allies take their share. Christians and Jews read the tithe and the blessing as signs of how Abram stood before God.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 20 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes