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

2. these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).

3. All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea).

4. Twelve years they had been subject to Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

5. 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 Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

6. the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El Paran near the desert,

7. and the Amalekites in Hazezon Tamar.

8. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.

9. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboyim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out and joined forces in the Valley of Siddim

10. (that is, the Dead Sea).

11. The Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of them fell into these pits, and the rest fled to the hills.

12. Then the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went away.

13. They also took Lot, Abram’s nephew, who was living in Sodom, and his possessions, since he was one of the wealthiest men living there.

14. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

15. During the night Abram divided his forces and defeated them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

16. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

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

19. and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

20. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

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

22. But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

23. that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

24. I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”