The battle began! The men of Sodom had no idea that the pits where they made the mortar that held their bricks together would become their own death traps. As the invading armies chased them, the king of Sodom and many of his men fell into their own slime pits. The ones who were left fled to the mountain, trying to escape from the enemy. Chedorlaomer (ked-or-lay-oh' mer) and his armies pushed on, capturing the men of Sodom and stealing everything they owned, including their wives and their children. One soldier who fled to the mountains was able to escape and carry the bad news to Abram. Weary from the battle and out of breath from the journey, the soldier finally reached Abram's tent. Abram sat him down and gave him a cool drink of water. "I am so sorry to tell you, but the enemy has taken your nephew Lot prisoner," the soldier blurted out between breaths. "They also took his wife and his children captive and have stolen everything he owned."