Chedorlaomer

1This happened in the days of four kings. Amraphel was king of Shinar. Arioch was king of Ellasar. Chedorlaomer was king of Elam. Tidal was king of nations.

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

NoteLong ago each city had its own king. He ruled that city and the land near it.

2These four kings went to war against five other kings. They fought Bera king of Sodom and Birsha king of Gomorrah. They fought Shinab king of Admah and Shemeber king of Zeboiim. They also fought the king of Bela, the town also called Zoar.

That these 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.

NoteSodom and Gomorrah were towns down in the low valley land. Lot had moved there to live.

3All these kings came together in the Valley of Siddim. That valley is the Salt Sea.

All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

NoteThe Salt Sea is a lake with very salty water. Nothing can live in it. Today it is called the Dead Sea.

4For twelve years those kings served Chedorlaomer. In the thirteenth year they turned against him.

Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

NoteTo serve a king meant obeying him. Each year they had to send him gold, food, or animals.

5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him. They beat the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim. They beat the Zuzims in Ham. They beat the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim.

And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

NoteThese long names are groups of people. Each group lived in its own town or land.

6They also beat the Horites in their mountain land of Seir. They went as far as Elparan, out by the empty desert land.

And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

NoteSeir was a rocky land with hills, south of where Abram lived.

7Then they turned back and came to Enmishpat, the place also called Kadesh. They beat all the land of the Amalekites. They also beat the Amorites who lived in Hazezontamar.

And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.

NoteOne place could have two names. Enmishpat and Kadesh were the same spot.

8Then the king of Sodom went out to fight. So did the kings of Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. So did the king of Bela, the town also called Zoar. They lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim.

And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

9They fought Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of nations. They also fought Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar. It was four kings against five kings.

With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10The Valley of Siddim was full of thick, sticky tar pits. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah ran away, and they fell there. The men who were left ran to the mountain.

And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

NoteTar is thick, black, sticky stuff that comes up out of the ground. Men and animals could get stuck in it.

11The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah. They took all their food too, and then they went on their way.

And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

NoteGoods means everything people owned. Clothes, tools, dishes, and animals were all goods.

12They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother. Lot lived in Sodom. They took his things too, and then they left.

And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

NoteLot was the son of Abram's brother, so Lot was Abram's nephew.

13One man got away and came and told Abram the Hebrew. Abram was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite. Mamre was the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. These men had an agreement with Abram to help each other.

And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

NoteHebrew was the name for Abram and the family that came from him.

14Abram heard that his relative had been taken away. So he got his trained servants ready to go. There were 318 of them, all born in his own house. He went after the kings as far as the town of Dan.

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

NoteThese servants had been born in Abram's camp and grew up there. They were part of his big household.

15In the night Abram split his men into groups. He and his servants attacked the kings and beat them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

NoteDamascus is a very old city. It was far to the north of Abram's home.

16He brought back all the goods. He brought back his relative Lot and Lot's things too. He brought back the women and the other people as well.

And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

17Abram came back from beating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him. They met in the Valley of Shaveh, which is called the King's Valley.

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.