They captured Lot, Abram’s nephew who had been living in Sodom, and took him and all his possessions.
One who escaped came to Abram the Hebrew and told him what had happened to Lot. Abram was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite. Mamre had two brothers, Eshcol and Aner, who were allied by treaty with Abram. When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been taken captive by the four kings, he mobilized all the men in his camp, 318 in all who had been born and trained in his own household, and he pursued the invaders as far north as Dan. Then, during the night, Abram strategically divided his forces and defeated them. His forces attacked them and routed them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all the stolen possessions and brought back his nephew Lot, together with the women and all the prisoners.
After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram at the valley of the Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek, who was both a priest of the Most High God and the king of Salem, brought out to Abram bread and wine. He spoke over him a special blessing, saying,
“Blessed is Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And blessed be God Most High,
whose power delivered your enemies into your hands!”
Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all he possessed. Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Just give me the people you rescued; keep all the spoils for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I raised my hand to YAHWEH, God Most High, and I pledged a solemn oath to the Possessor of heaven and earth that I would keep nothing for myself that belongs to you, not even a thread of a garment or sandal strap. That way, you will never be able to say, ‘I was the one that made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what my young men have eaten, and the share of those who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.”
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