Genesis 14

1. At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim
2. went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah Shinab kind of Admah, Shemeber kind of Zeboiim, and the king Bela (that is, Zoar).
3. All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of SIddim (the Salt Sea).
4. For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5. In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Repahites in Ashteroth Karmaim,  the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim
6. and the Hroites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paan near the desert.
7. Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and they conquered the wholde territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.
8. Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king Admah the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is , Zoar) marched out and drew up the their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim
9. against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar - four kings against five.
10. Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills.
11. The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food: then they went away.
12. They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since hewas living in Sodom.
13. One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.
14. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.
16. He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
17. After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
18. Then Melchizeded king of salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,
19. and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed by Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
20. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
21. The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."
22. But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath
23. that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'
24. I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me - to Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them have their share."

My Thoughts -
To many times I forget to stop and think about how my decisions now may effect me and those I love in the future. Abram knew that it was important not to allow the other kings in the area to have a reason to try to control the decisions he made in the future. By refusing to take anything from the kind of Sodom Abram ensured that this king had no valid reason to try to control him in the future (verses 22 - 24). This allowed him to follow God's leading without reservation.