1At the time of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2these kings made war on Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3All these joined forces in the valley of Siddim (that is the Salt Sea). 4Twelve years they had been dominated by Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and the king who were his allies, came and fought and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emin in Shaveh-kiriathaim 6and the Horites in their Mount Seir as far as Elparan which is near the desert.
7They then turned back and came to the Spring of Judgment (that is, Kadesh) and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, as well as that of the Amorites who lived in Hazazontamar. 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 took up battle positions in the valley of Siddim 9against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against five.
10Now there were many bitumen pits in the valley of Siddim, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them and the rest took refuge in the mountains. 11The enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, all their provisions and went off. 12They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his possessions and went off.
13One who escaped came to tell Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and of Aner: these were allies of Abram.
Abraham and Melchizedek
14 ① As soon as Abram heard that his brother had been taken away captive, he assembled and led forth his trained men born in his house, three hundred and eighteen men and set off in pursuit as far as Dan. 15He grouped his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed and followed them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16Then he brought back all his possessions, his kinsman Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the people.
17On his return after defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is the Valley of the King).
18Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought bread and wine; he was a priest of God Most High, 19and he blessed Abram saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth! 20And blessed be God Most High who has delivered your enemies into your hands!”
And Abram gave him a tenth part of everything.
21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 22Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I raise my hand to Yahweh God Most High, creator of heaven and earth, to swear 23that not one thread or thong of a sandal, or any thing that is yours, would I take. Lest you say, ‘Abram became rich at my expense,’ 24I claim nothing for myself! Only what the young men have eaten and the share that is due to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre, the men who came with me.”
- Gen 14,14 What is the origin of the legend in this chapter, a legend which was inserted much later into the history of Abraham? Did it come from the desire to add to Abraham's glory by attributing a military feat to him? In any case, God, the author of the Bible, wanted this apparently unimportant story to convey two things: Melchizedek was a priest of God Most High. He had not received the word of God, as Abraham had; yet, in his own way he knew the one who had called Abraham and he also recognized Abraham. Those whom God calls are never isolated because they always meet other friends of God. Abraham paid the tenth part, but went away richer with the joy of having heard from the lips of this stranger words which confirmed God's blessing on him (see Lk 1:39). I will take nothing of what is yours. Abraham will take nothing from the inhabitants of Canaan, but only the blessing that Melchizedek gives him, who is, according to the story, King of Salem the future Jerusalem, the holy city. Melchizedek brought bread and wine. What a strange person Melchizedek is! In Israel, kings were not priests nor did they offer bread and wine in their sacrifices. But Psalm 110 and then the letter to the Hebrews (5:6 and chapter 7) see Melchizedek as a figure of Christ, the only Priest. Abraham, despite his greatness, only prepared for the coming of the one who would obtain the blessing promised by God for all nations. Here Christ is foretold in a veiled form as the priest and king who consecrates the bread and the wine.
