Genesis 14:1-9

1 Forsooth it was done in that time, that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar, and Chedorlaomer, king of Elamites, and Tidal, king of folks, (And it happened at that time, that Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar, and Chedorlaomer, king of Elamites, and Tidal, king of Goiim,)

2 began battle against Bera, king of Sodom, and against Birsha, king of Gomorrah, and against Shinab, king of Admah, and against Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and against the king of Bela, that Bela is Zoar (and against the king of Bela, which is now called Zoar).

3 All these came together into the valley of wood, which is now the sea of salt. (And they all came together into the Siddim Valley, which is now the Salt Sea, that is, the Dead Sea.)

4 For in twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they departed from him. (For they served Chedorlaomer for twelve years, and then in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him.)

5 Therefore Chedorlaomer came in the fourteenth year, and [the] kings that were with him, and they smited Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and Zuzims with them (and the Zuzims in Ham), and Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

6 and Horites in the hills of Seir (and the Horites in the hill country of Seir), till to the field places of Elparan, which is in (the) wilderness.

7 And they turned again, and came till to the well of Mishpat; that is Kadesh (And then they returned, and came unto Enmishpat; that is Kadesh). And they smited all the country of (the) men of Amalek, and (also the) Amorites, that dwelled in Hazazontamar.

8 And the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, also and the king of Bela, which is (now called) Zoar, went out, and [they] dressed (the) battle array against them in the valley of wood (and they directed the battle array against them in the Siddim Valley),

9 that is, against Chedorlaomer, king of Elamites, and Tidal, king of folks (king of Goiim), and Amraphel, king of Shinar, and Arioch, king of Ellasar; four kings against five.

Genesis 14:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 14

This chapter gives an account of a war that was waged, and a battle fought between four kings on one side, and five on the other, and of the occasion and issue of it, who were the first kings, and this the first battle the Scriptures speak of, Ge 14:1-11; Lot and his goods being taken and carried off, with those of Sodom, by the conquerors, Abram hearing of it armed his men, and pursued after them, and overtook and overcame them, and rescued Lot and his goods, with others, and returned, Ge 14:12-16; when he was met by the kings of Sodom and Salem, who congratulated him on his victory, Ge 14:17-19; and what passed between him, and those great personages, is related, Ge 14:20-24.