The Battle of the Four Kings against Five, and the Capture of Lot. At last the victors over so many peoples attack the confederacy of five kings. In the words four kings against five the author may be suggesting that the kings from the East fought on unequal terms. But, if so, he quite misconceived the situation; really it was five trumpery kinglets against an imperial force. There is much bitumen in the district, and masses of it used to float on the surface (pp. 32f.), hence the author infers that what is now the bed of the sea was once pitted with petroleum wells. In these the two chief kings perish, the rest (? of the kings or the survivors of the slaughter) escape to the mountain. The story is far from clear, and no account of the battle itself is given. The conquerors leave with the spoil and with Lot, with other captives also, as we learn explicitly from Genesis 14:21. Lot is named because Abraham's action is entirely for his sake.
Genesis 14:8-12
8 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;
9 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.
10 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.
11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.