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Genesis 14

Genesis book home•Chapter 14 of 50•24 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

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Genesis 14 Overview

Genesis 14 describes a regional war in which Lot is captured with Sodom’s population and goods. Abram mobilizes trained servants, pursues the captors, rescues Lot, and returns. Melchizedek king of Salem, priest of the most high God, blesses Abram, and Abram gives him tithes. Abram then refuses the king of Sodom’s goods so that no man can claim to have made Abram rich.

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Before you read Genesis 14

Coming from

Genesis 13 ends with Lot settled near Sodom and Abram dwelling at Hebron under renewed promise.

In this chapter

Abram acts courageously to rescue Lot, recognizes the priest-king Melchizedek, and refuses enrichment from Sodom in order to preserve the integrity of God’s blessing.

Leads into

Genesis 15 answers Abram’s concerns about heir and reward with God’s covenant promise, counted righteousness, and a formal covenant ceremony.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Abram’s household is large enough to field trained servants.

Truth 2

Family loyalty moves Abram to rescue Lot despite their earlier separation.

Truth 3

Melchizedek combines kingship and priesthood in an unusual figure.

Truth 4

Abram identifies victory and possession with the most high God.

Truth 5

Abram refuses the king of Sodom’s wealth while allowing rightful shares to allies.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Psalm 110 presents a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Connection 2

Hebrews 7 develops Melchizedek extensively in relation to Christ’s priesthood.

Connection 3

Genesis 15 follows naturally from Abram’s refusal of reward with God saying, “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

Connection 4

Later Scripture remembers Sodom primarily for wickedness, making Abram’s refusal significant.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Genesis 14 does not identify every ancient king and location with certainty for modern readers; historical geography should be handled carefully.

Keep this clear 2

Melchizedek is explicitly king of Salem and priest of the most high God; speculation beyond the text should be separated from inspired later interpretation in Hebrews.

Keep this clear 3

Abram’s tithe here is a historical act before Mosaic law, not by itself a complete New Testament giving system.

Keep this clear 4

Abram’s military action is a rescue in a specific ancient conflict, not a blanket model for private warfare.

Read Genesis 14 watching for…Explore deeper

Lot’s connection to Sodom now becoming costly.

Abram’s rapid rescue response.

Every title applied to God by Melchizedek and Abram.

Abram’s tithe.

The contrast between Melchizedek’s blessing and the king of Sodom’s offer.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-12Kings fight and Lot is taken 13-16Abram rescues Lot 17-20Melchizedek blesses Abram 21-24Abram refuses the king of Sodom's goods

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;

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.

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

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

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,

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

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.

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;

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.