Genesis 14:1-12

Abram rescues Lot

1-4 Now there were many kings living in that land, at that time. They fought against each other. One fight happened when Kedorlaomer had ruled over the other kings for 12 years. And in the next year, five kings made one group and they fought against him. Kedorlaomer joined with three other kings. So it was four kings against five other kings.

The four kings were Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goyim. Those kings fought a war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela. (Bela is another name for the town of Zoar.) They fought in Siddim Valley. (That is the Valley of the Salt Sea.)

5 One year later, Kedorlaomer and the kings with him won against the Rephaites. This was in Ashteroth Karnaim. They won against the Zuzites in Ham. They won against the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim. 6 And they won against the Horites in the country of Seir. This was as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 They then went back. They went to En Mishpat. (That is Kadesh.) They took the whole land of the Amalekites. They also took the land of the Amorites who were living in Hazezon Tamar.

8 Then, the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is Zoar) went to fight. That was in Siddim Valley. 9 They fought against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar. There were four kings fighting against five kings. 10 Siddim Valley had many holes in the ground. The holes were filled with tar. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah ran away. Some of their men fell into the deep tar. The other men ran away to the hills. 11 The four kings took everything in Sodom and Gomorrah, including all the food. Then they went away. 12 Abram's nephew, Lot, was living in Sodom at that time. They took him away from there as their prisoner. They also took everything that belonged to him.