Genèse 14

¹ In those days King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim

² waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, and King Shemeber of Zeboiim, as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar).

³ All of these came as allies to the Siddim Valley (that is, the Dead Sea).

⁴ They were subject to Chedorlaomer for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

⁵ In 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,

⁶ and the Horites in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran by the wilderness.

⁷ Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they defeated the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.

⁸ 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) went out and lined up for battle in the Siddim Valley

⁹ against King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar — four kings against five.

¹⁰ Now the Siddim Valley contained many asphalt pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, but the rest fled to the mountains.

¹¹ The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on.

¹² They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.

Note · Genèse 14.1–12

La guerre atteint ceux qui ne la dirigent pas

La succession des noms et des campagnes peut être difficile à suivre. Son enjeu narratif devient clair avec la capture de Lot et de ses biens. Le conflit des puissants a des conséquences sur des maisons particulières. Lot est concerné parce qu’il demeure dans la zone touchée, non parce que le texte le déclare responsable de la guerre.

¹³ One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram.

¹⁴ When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.

¹⁵ And he and his servants deployed against them by night, defeated them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus.

¹⁶ He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.

Note · Genèse 14.13–16

Une intervention pour libérer

Abram agit après avoir appris la capture de son proche. Ses serviteurs et ses alliés participent à la délivrance. Le passage raconte une intervention située ; il ne suffit pas à établir une autorisation générale de guerre au nom de la foi ou de la parenté.

¹⁷ After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley).

¹⁸ Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High.

¹⁹ He blessed him and said:
Abram is blessed by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth,

²⁰ and blessed be God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Note · Genèse 14.17–20

Une bénédiction reçue d’un autre

Melchisédek est présenté comme roi et prêtre. Le récit ne donne ni son origine familiale ni une identité secrète. La lecture chrétienne d’Hébreux 7 utilise précisément certains silences du récit pour éclairer le sacerdoce du Christ ; elle ne doit pas être confondue avec des précisions biographiques présentes dans la Genèse.

²¹ Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”

²² But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

²³ that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

²⁴ I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me — Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre — they can take their share.”

Note · Genèse 14.21–24

Refuser pour soi sans disposer de la part d’autrui

Abram refuse que le roi de Sodome puisse s’attribuer l’origine de sa richesse. Il distingue cependant son choix de la part de ses alliés et des besoins déjà engagés. Une conviction personnelle ne lui donne pas le droit d’effacer les intérêts de ceux qui ont participé à l’action.