וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ אַמְרָפֶ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־שִׁנְעָ֔ר אַרְי֖וֹךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶלָּסָ֑ר כְּדָרְלָעֹ֙מֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֵילָ֔ם וְתִדְעָ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ גּוֹיִֽם׃

It was in the days of Amrafel king of Shinar, a large kingdom in the area of Babylonia; Ariokh king of Elasar, probably a region northeast of Babylonia; Kedorlaomer king of Elam, also northeast of Babylonia; and Tidal king of Goyim. It is possible that this title means that Tidal reigned over a conglomeration of different tribes or nations [ goyim ], a phenomenon known even in ancient times.

עָשׂ֣וּ מִלְחָמָ֗ה אֶת־בֶּ֙רַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֔ם וְאֶת־בִּרְשַׁ֖ע מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמֹרָ֑ה שִׁנְאָ֣ב ׀ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַדְמָ֗ה וְשֶׁמְאֵ֙בֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ צביים [צְבוֹיִ֔ים] וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִיא־צֹֽעַר׃

They, those kings, waged war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Adma, and Shemever king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela, which is the same city that was later called Tzoar.

כָּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ חָֽבְר֔וּ אֶל־עֵ֖מֶק הַשִּׂדִּ֑ים ה֖וּא יָ֥ם הַמֶּֽלַח׃

All these, the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Adma, Tzevoyim and Bela, joined forces at the valley of Sidim, one of the plural forms of sadeh , meaning field, which is in the place now known as the Dead Sea.

שְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה עָבְד֖וּ אֶת־כְּדָרְלָעֹ֑מֶר וּשְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֖ה מָרָֽדוּ׃

For twelve years they served Kedorlaomer, who is singled out probably because he was the strongest member of the coalition of northern kings. It can be assumed that these areas had been conquered by the kings of the north prior to Abram’s arrival in Canaan. And in the thirteenth year, they rebelled. It appears that in addition to the kings of the five cities previously mentioned, the entire region revolted against these foreign rulers with their strange language and culture, who had come from afar with imperialist aspirations. Similarly, many years later, when Nebuchadnezzar took control of the Land of Israel, its various leaders came together and established alliances in order to strengthen one another against the foreign ruler and restore their independence.

וּבְאַרְבַּע֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה שָׁנָ֜ה בָּ֣א כְדָרְלָעֹ֗מֶר וְהַמְּלָכִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּכּ֤וּ אֶת־רְפָאִים֙ בְּעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת קַרְנַ֔יִם וְאֶת־הַזּוּזִ֖ים בְּהָ֑ם וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֵימִ֔ים בְּשָׁוֵ֖ה קִרְיָתָֽיִם׃

And in the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came to suppress these rebellions, and smote the Refaim, remnants of the Anakim, in Ashterot Karnayim, northern modern-day Jordan, and the Zuzim, another name for Refaim in a place called Ham, and the Eimim, yet another name for Refaim in Shaveh Kiryatayim. Moving from place to place, the kings of the north waged battles against local rulers and defeated them one after the other.

וְאֶת־הַחֹרִ֖י בְּהַרְרָ֣ם שֵׂעִ֑יר עַ֚ד אֵ֣יל פָּארָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃

And the Horites, an important nation among the early settlers of Canaan, one of whose tribes lived in their mountain Se’ir, in the land of Edom. Later Esau and his family conquered the area from this tribe and intermingled with them. It seems that the army of the coalition of kings advanced from north to south along the eastern side of the Jordan River. They routed all the kings and tribes they encountered there, until Eil Paran, which is adjacent to, at the edge of, the wilderness of Sinai.

וַ֠יָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אֶל־עֵ֤ין מִשְׁפָּט֙ הִ֣וא קָדֵ֔שׁ וַיַּכּ֕וּ אֶֽת־כָּל־שְׂדֵ֖ה הָעֲמָלֵקִ֑י וְגַם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב בְּחַֽצְצֹ֥ן תָּמָֽר׃

They then turned back, and came to En Mishpat, which is also called Kadesh. After defeating all the rulers on the eastern side of the Jordan River, the kings turned northward again and smote the entire field of the Amalekites, a region in Edom. Although Amalek was not yet born, his descendants would later live there, and the place is described according to its future name. And they also smote the Emorites, who lived in Hatzatzon Tamar, another name for Ein Gedi. The kings of the north traveled from place to place, striking any nation or tribe that stood in their way. Their vast experience and military might undoubtedly gave them a substantial advantage over the local kings of small fiefdoms.

וַיֵּצֵ֨א מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֜ם וּמֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמֹרָ֗ה וּמֶ֤לֶךְ אַדְמָה֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ צביים [צְבוֹיִ֔ם] וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִוא־צֹ֑עַר וַיַּֽעַרְכ֤וּ אִתָּם֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בְּעֵ֖מֶק הַשִּׂדִּֽים׃

The king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Adma, the king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela, which is Tzoar, went out; and they waged a war with them, the kings of the north, in the valley of Sidim, which was a flat area suitable for combat.

אֵ֣ת כְּדָרְלָעֹ֜מֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ עֵילָ֗ם וְתִדְעָל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ גּוֹיִ֔ם וְאַמְרָפֶל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שִׁנְעָ֔ר וְאַרְי֖וֹךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶלָּסָ֑ר אַרְבָּעָ֥ה מְלָכִ֖ים אֶת־הַחֲמִשָּֽׁה׃

They fought with Kedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goyim, and Amrafel king of Shinar, and Ariokh king of Elasar; four kings against the five. Although the local kings outnumbered the foreign ones, the actual balance of power dramatically favored the kings of the north, who represented four powerful kingdoms against the rulers of five small cities. It should be noted, however, that as was customary among mighty kings at the time, the king himself did not participate in the battle. He simply sent a spearhead force to quash the rebellion.

וְעֵ֣מֶק הַשִׂדִּ֗ים בֶּֽאֱרֹ֤ת בֶּאֱרֹת֙ חֵמָ֔ר וַיָּנֻ֛סוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה וַיִּפְּלוּ־שָׁ֑מָּה וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים הֶ֥רָה נָּֽסוּ׃

The valley of Sidim, albeit fertile, was full of clay pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, into the pits; and those who remained, who had not fallen into the pits, fled to the highlands.

וַ֠יִּקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־רְכֻ֨שׁ סְדֹ֧ם וַעֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאֶת־כָּל־אָכְלָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ׃

They, the four kings from the north, took all the property of Sodom and Gomorrah, Adma, Tzevoyim, and Tzoar. They passed through these cities without meeting any resistance and looted their property, and all their food, which they fed to their armies. And they then turned away and went northward back toward their place of origin.

וַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶת־ל֧וֹט וְאֶת־רְכֻשׁ֛וֹ בֶּן־אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְה֥וּא יֹשֵׁ֖ב בִּסְדֹֽם׃

They took Lot, who was the son of Abram’s brother, and his property and they went; and he lived in Sodom. Since he had not long been associated with residents of these cities, Lot apparently did not want to get involved in the war. He did not even take an interest when the kings of Elam and Shinar fought the nearby king of Sodom. Nevertheless, the soldiers of Kedorlaomer and Amrafel did not care that Lot was a nomad who had also come from the north. As he was living in the place of the rebellion and he owned property, they captured him as well and plundered his possessions.

וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩ שֹׁכֵ֨ן בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א הָאֱמֹרִ֗י אֲחִ֤י אֶשְׁכֹּל֙ וַאֲחִ֣י עָנֵ֔ר וְהֵ֖ם בַּעֲלֵ֥י בְרִית־אַבְרָֽם׃

The survivor, an unidentified individual, had fled from the battlefield and escaped the war, as always happens during military conflicts. According to the Talmud, this refugee was Og king of Bashan. He came and told Abram the Hebrew; and he was dwelling on the plains of Mamre the Emorite, who was the brother of Eshkol, and the brother of Aner, and they were allies of Abram. Abram had developed close relationships with his neighbors, Mamre and his men, who ruled over Hebron or the nearby plains of Mamre. These relations included a mutual pact for protection. The support of his allies apparently strengthened Abram’s resolve.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃

Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive. The war itself did not interest Abram; it was the capture of Lot that spurred him into action. And he marshaled his retainers, called upon them to leave their homes and join him. At least some of these men had been born in his house and grown up in his camp. The group of soldiers who answered his call amounted to a total of three hundred and eighteen. And Abram pursued the kings’ camp, which had headed north after finishing their business in Sodom, until Dan, a region in northern Canaan also called by a later name reflecting the area’s inhabitants centuries later.

וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃

On returning from their string of victories, during which they had vanquished the rebels, the kings encamped near Dan. This well-watered region was perfectly suited for a short stay. The kings were likely pleased by their successes and rested complacently. He, Abram, arrayed his men against them at night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them until Hova. The location of Hova is unknown. The only detail the verse provides is that it is a place which is to the left, north, of Damascus.

וַיָּ֕שֶׁב אֵ֖ת כָּל־הָרְכֻ֑שׁ וְגַם֩ אֶת־ל֨וֹט אָחִ֤יו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ֙ הֵשִׁ֔יב וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃

He returned all the goods. The looted property was there for the taking, as the soldiers who fled for their lives left it behind. And also his brother Lot and his property he returned, and also the women and the people. Plundered goods and captives were part of the victors’ spoils in military campaigns of this type. The kings of the north took men for slaves, and women for all their needs. Abram released all these captives and returned to the Hebron region.

וַיֵּצֵ֣א מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹם֮ לִקְרָאתוֹ֒ אַחֲרֵ֣י שׁוּב֗וֹ מֵֽהַכּוֹת֙ אֶת־כְּדָרלָעֹ֔מֶר וְאֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ אֶל־עֵ֣מֶק שָׁוֵ֔ה ה֖וּא עֵ֥מֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

The king of Sodom, who was presumably disheveled and suffering from war wounds, went out to meet him, Abram, perhaps from one of the bitumen pits. The king of Sodom hoped to restore some of his losses through negotiations with Abram, who was now the rising power in the region, after his return from smiting Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, to the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king.

וּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֙דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הוֹצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֥ל עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

And Malkitzedek king of Shalem, another name for Jerusalem, brought out bread and wine, a customary ritual performed as a festive greeting. In this manner Malkitzedek, who was from a different region than the king of Sodom, also sought to honor Abram as a great hero after his victory over the kings of the north. And he, Malkitzedek, was not only a king, but also a priest of God, the Most High. Although he lived among the local pagans, he was one of the few who worshipped the one God, referred to as El, the Most High. El is translated here as simply God. Thus Malkitzedek, who is identified by rabbinic tradition as Shem son of Noah was one of a small group of individuals who did not worship idols, and whose faith was close to that of Abram.

וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֖הוּ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּר֤וּךְ אַבְרָם֙ לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

As a priest, he, Malkitzedek blessed him. It is possible that Abram did not wish to be blessed by the king of Sodom, but as Malkitzedek was a priest of God, Abram accepted his blessing. And he said: Blessed is Abram to God, the Most High, master of heaven and earth,

וּבָרוּךְ֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּ֥ן צָרֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ר מִכֹּֽל׃

and blessed is God, the Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand. Malkitzedek formally blessed both Abram for his character, which was blessed by God, and God for providing the victory. He gave him a tenth of everything. Abram treated the priest with respect and bestowed upon him a substantial gift, a tenth of all the property he had restored.