GénesisCapítulo 14

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In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim,

these kings went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, that is, Zoar.

All these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim, that is, the Salt Sea.

For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came with the kings who were allied with him, and they defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim at Ham, the Emim at Shaveh-kiriathaim,

and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness.

Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat, that is, Kadesh, and they struck down all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

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, marched out and drew up their battle lines against them in the Valley of Siddim—

against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar: four kings against five.

Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, while the rest escaped to the hills.

The victors seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions, and went on their way.

They also took Lot, Abram's nephew, and his possessions, and departed—for he was living in Sodom.

One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and Aner; these were allies of Abram.

When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his trained men, born in his household, three hundred eighteen of them, and pursued as far as Dan.

During the night he divided his forces against them, he and his servants, and attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

He recovered all the goods, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the King's Valley.

And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,

and he blessed him, saying: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth;

and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and keep the goods for yourself."

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand in an oath to the LORD, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth,

that I will accept nothing that belongs to you, not a thread or a sandal strap, so that you can never say, 'I made Abram rich.'

I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share belonging to the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share."

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Resumen2

Capítulo 14

Main Theme: Abram rescues Lot from hostile kings and is blessed by Melchizedek, the priest of God Most High.

Content: Four kings under the leadership of Kedorlaomer attack five kings near the Dead Sea and take Lot captive. Abram pursues the enemies with 318 men, defeats them, and frees Lot along with all his possessions. Upon returning, Abram meets Melchizedek, king of Salem, who blesses him, and Abram gives him a tenth. Abram refuses the offer from the king of Sodom regarding war spoils so that he owes nothing to him.

Key Words/Images:

Melchizedek: A mysterious king-priest from Salem who blesses Abram and receives a tenth, serving as a foreshadowing of Christ.
Tithing: Abram's voluntary gift to Melchizedek shows recognition of God as the giver of victory.
El Elyon (God Most High): God's title as Creator and Owner of heaven and earth.
Abram's Refusal: By refusing war spoils, Abram demonstrates that his wealth comes from God alone.

Contexto histórico

Historical and Cultural Context for Genesis 14

People

The four eastern kings formed a coalition led by Chedorlaomer, king of Elam (southwestern Iran). Amraphel of Shinar (Babylonia), Arioch of Ellasar, and Tidal of Goiim made up the rest of the alliance. These names have a Mesopotamian sound, and several scholars have attempted to identify them with known historical figures, but no certain identification has been made. The royal names follow naming patterns known from the second millennium B.C., which supports the ancient background of the narrative.

Melchizedek (Hebrew: מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, "king of righteousness") is king of Salem and priest of El Elyon ("God Most High"). Salem is traditionally identified with Jerusalem. The fact that one person combined kingship and the priesthood was common in Canaanite culture, where kings often served as cultic leaders. Melchizedek's sudden appearance and disappearance in the text have given rise to much theological reflection, especially in Psalm 110 and Hebrews.

Abram is here called "the Hebrew" (הָעִבְרִי) for the first time, a term that likely marks him as a foreigner or immigrant from the Canaanites' perspective. His allies—Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner—were Amorites who had entered into a covenant alliance (בַּעֲלֵי בְרִית) with him, testifying to international alliances in the patriarchal period.

Places

Emek ha-Siddim ("the Valley of Siddim") is located in the area near the Salt Sea (Dead Sea). The text mentions that the valley was full of "bitumen pits" (בֶּאֱרֹת חֵמָר), which corresponds to the natural bitumen deposits found in the Dead Sea region. The area may have been located in what is now the submerged southern part of the Dead Sea.

Dan in verse 14 is the northernmost point to which Abram pursued his enemies. This place name is likely a editorial update, since the city first received this name in Judges 18:29—the original name of the place was Laish.

Hobah (north of Damascus) and the King's Valley (Emek Shaveh, near Jerusalem) mark the geographical scope of the military operation, from far north to the central highlands.

Events and Customs

Tithing to Melchizedek: Abram's gift of a tithe (מַעֲשֵׂר) to Melchizedek represents an acknowledgment of the priest's spiritual authority and blessing. The practice of tithing was widespread in the ancient Near East, not only as a religious duty but also as tribute to superiors. That Abram gave the tithe voluntarily, without being a vassal, shows his respect for Melchizedek's divine representation.

Bread and wine: Melchizedek's offering of bread and wine may have been a victory feast or a covenant meal. In the ancient Near East, shared meals often marked peaceful intentions and covenant relationships between parties.

Abram's refusal of war spoils: In the ancient Near East, the victor had the right to all war spoils. That Abram refused to accept anything from the king of Sodom—not "a thread or a sandal strap"—was a demonstrative act marking that his wealth came from the Lord alone, not from pagan kings.

Key Terms

El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, "God Most High") was a Canaanite divine title used by Melchizedek. Abram identifies this god with YHWH (Yahweh) in verse 22, showing a theological connection between the patriarchs' God and the supreme deity also recognized outside Israel's tradition. The title "creator of heaven and earth" (קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ) is also found in Phoenician texts about the god El.

Chanichim (חֲנִכָיו, "his trained men"): This rare word, which appears only here in the Bible, describes the 318 men born in Abram's household. The word suggests trained, initiated servants who functioned as a private military force—a practice known from other ancient texts.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The Ebla tablets (ca. 2400–2300 B.C.) from Syria have been claimed to mention several of the cities in the Pentapolis of the Plain (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, Zoar), but this interpretation is disputed among scholars. Regardless of this debate, archaeological findings confirm that the area around the Dead Sea was inhabited during the Early Bronze Age.

The Mari texts (ca. 1800–1750 B.C.) document similar military coalitions and campaigns in which four or five kings allied against other small states, just as described in this chapter. The balance of power between Mesopotamia and the western regions (including Canaan) depicted in the chapter reflects known geopolitical patterns from that period.

Personas15

Dan (The place name Dan mentioned in Genesis 14:14, not a person)1 Lot2 Melchizedek1 Mamre2 Amraphel2 Shemeber1 Aner2 Bera1 Kedorlaomer5 Tidal2 Arioch2 Abraham8 Eshcol2 Shinab1 Birsha1

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Palabras clave10

Abram — A biblical figure, later called Abraham, who is an important patriarch in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Lot — Abraham's nephew who lived in Sodom and was taken captive during the war between the kings.
Melchizedek — King of Salem and priest of God Most High, who blessed Abram after his victory over the kings.
Kedorlaomer — The king of Elam who led a coalition of kings against Sodom and Gomorrah and took Lot captive.
Salem — An ancient city, identified with Jerusalem, where Melchizedek was both king and priest.
Gomorrah — One of the two biblical cities, along with Sodom, that were destroyed by God because of their wickedness and sin.
Alliance — An agreement or pact between two or more parties, often to cooperate toward a common goal or protect one another.
Captive — A person held in captivity, often as a result of war or conflict.
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