God’s Promise to Abram

17 Then after his return from the [a]defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, (A)the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, (B)the King’s Valley). 18 And (C)Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out (D)bread and wine; now he was a (E)priest of [b]God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram of [c]God Most High,
[d](F)Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be [e]God Most High,
Who has handed over your enemies to you.”

And (G)he gave him a tenth of everything. 21 Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the [f]people to me and take the possessions for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have [g]sworn to the Lord [h](H)God Most High, [i](I)Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that (J)I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you do not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 [j]I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, (K)Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 14:17 Lit striking
  2. Genesis 14:18 Heb El Elyon
  3. Genesis 14:19 Heb El Elyon
  4. Genesis 14:19 Or Creator
  5. Genesis 14:20 Heb El Elyon
  6. Genesis 14:21 Lit soul
  7. Genesis 14:22 Lit lifted up my hand
  8. Genesis 14:22 Heb El Elyon
  9. Genesis 14:22 Or Creator
  10. Genesis 14:24 Lit Not to me except

17-20 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and his allied kings, the king of Sodom came out to greet him in the Valley of Shaveh, the King’s Valley. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine—he was priest of The High God—and blessed him:

Blessed be Abram by The High God,
    Creator of Heaven and Earth.
And blessed be The High God,
    who handed your enemies over to you.

Abram gave him a tenth of all the recovered plunder.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me back the people but keep all the plunder for yourself.”

22-24 But Abram told the king of Sodom, “I swear to God, The High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, this solemn oath, that I’ll take nothing from you, not so much as a thread or a shoestring. I’m not going to have you go around saying, ‘I made Abram rich.’ Nothing for me other than what the young men ate and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; they’re to get their share of the plunder.”

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17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

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