1På det tidspunkt udbrød der krig i landet. Amrafel, kongen af Shinear, Arjok, kongen af Ellasar, Kedorlaomer, kongen af Elam, og Tidal, kongen af Gojim,2kæmpede mod Bera, kongen af Sodoma, Birsha, kongen af Gomorra, Shinab, kongen af Adma, Shemeber, kongen af Sebojim, og kongen af Bela—også kaldet Zoar.3De sidstnævnte konger allierede sig og mobiliserede deres hære i Siddims dal ved Det Døde Hav.[1]4I 12 år havde de været undertrykt af Kedorlaomer, men i det trettende år gjorde de oprør,5og nu i det fjortende år var Kedorlaomer og hans allierede på vej imod dem. Efter at disse allierede hære havde slået refaitterne i Ashterot-Karnajim, zuzitterne i Ham, emitterne på Kirjatajimsletten6og horitterne i Seirs bjerge og forfulgt dem helt til El-Paran ved ørkenens udkant,7vendte de om og kom til En-Mishpat—det senere Kadesh—hvor de slog amalekitterne og de amoritter, der boede i Hatzetzon-Tamar.8Men nu rykkede kongerne af Sodoma, Gomorra, Adma, Sebojim og Bela altså ud i Siddims dal imod9kong Kedorlaomer og hans allierede. Det var fire konger mod fem.10Siddims dal var imidlertid fuld af asfaltgruber, og da Sodomas og Gomorras konger blev slået på flugt, faldt nogle af deres folk ned i gruberne, mens resten flygtede op i bjergene.11Sejrherrerne kunne nu uden videre plyndre Sodoma og Gomorra for ejendele og levnedsmidler, hvorefter de drog bort.12De tog Lot, Abrams nevø, og alt hvad han ejede, med sig—for han boede jo i Sodoma.13En mand, som var undsluppet, kom og fortalte hebræeren Abram, hvad der var sket. Abram boede stadig i egelunden, der tilhørte amoritten Mamre, som var bror til Eshkol og Aner—Abrams allierede.14Da Abram hørte, at Lot var taget til fange, sammenkaldte han alle sine mandlige slaver, 318 i alt, og satte efter Kadorlaomers folk, til han indhentede dem oppe ved Dan.15Han og folkene spredte sig, og i nattens løb overrumplede de fjenderne, slog dem og forfulgte dem helt til Hoba nord for Damaskus.16Det lykkedes på den måde Abram at befri Lot og de øvrige krigsfanger, og han tog alt det med tilbage, som fjenderne havde taget i krigsbytte.
Melkizedek velsigner Abram
17Da Abram vendte tilbage efter sejren over Kedorlaomer og de andre konger, kom Sodomas konge ham i møde i Shavedalen—også kaldet Kongedalen.18Også Melkizedek, Jerusalems konge, som var den højeste Guds præst, kom ham i møde. Han havde brød og vin med.19-20Han velsignede Abram med følgende ord: „Lovet være den højeste Gud, han, som er himlens og jordens skaber, han, som gav dig sejr over dine fjender. Må den højeste Guds velsignelse hvile over dig, Abram.” Så gav Abram ham en tiendedel af alt krigsbyttet.21Sodomas konge sagde til Abram: „Giv mig bare mine tilfangetagne folk tilbage. Krigsbyttet må du beholde.”22Men Abram svarede: „Jeg sværger ved Herren, den højeste Gud, himlens og jordens Skaber,23at jeg ikke vil tage noget, som tilhører dig, ikke så meget som en tråd eller en sandalrem! Du skal ikke senere kunne sige, at du gjorde Abram rig.24Men lad mine unge mænd få betaling for deres arbejde, og giv mine allierede, Aner, Eshkol og Mamre, deres del af krigsbyttet.”
1In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, (1.Mos 10,10; 1.Mos 10,22; 1.Mos 11,2; Es 11,11; Ap G 2,9)2these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). (1.Mos 13,10; 1.Mos 14,8; 1.Mos 19,22; 5.Mos 29,23)3And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). (4.Mos 34,12; 5.Mos 3,17; Josva 3,16)4Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, (1.Mos 15,20; 5.Mos 1,4; 5.Mos 2,10; 5.Mos 2,11; 5.Mos 2,20; 5.Mos 3,11)6and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. (1.Mos 21,21; 4.Mos 12,16; 4.Mos 13,3; 5.Mos 2,12; 5.Mos 2,22)7Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar. (1.Mos 16,14; 1.Mos 20,1; 4.Mos 13,26; 2.Krøn 20,2)8Then 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 out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim9with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five.10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. (1.Mos 11,3; 1.Mos 19,17; 1.Mos 19,30; 2.Mos 2,3)11So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. (1.Mos 14,16; 1.Mos 14,21)12They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. (1.Mos 12,5; 1.Mos 13,12)13Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks[1] of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. (1.Mos 12,6; 1.Mos 13,18)14When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. (1.Mos 15,3; 1.Mos 17,12; 1.Mos 17,23; 1.Mos 17,27; Dom 18,29; Præd 2,7)15And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus.16Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people. (1.Mos 14,11)
Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
17After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). (2.Sam 18,18)18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) (Salm 57,2; Salm 110,4; Ap G 16,17; Heb 5,6; Heb 5,10; Heb 7,1; Heb 7,11; Heb 7,17)19And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor[2] of heaven and earth; (Matt 11,25; Heb 7,6)20and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (1.Mos 28,22; Heb 7,4)21And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.”22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand[3] to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, (2.Mos 6,8; 4.Mos 14,30; 5.Mos 32,40; Ez 20,5; Ez 20,15; Ez 20,23; Ez 20,28; Dan 12,7; Åb 10,5)23that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ (Ester 9,15)24I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.” (1.Mos 14,13)