Abram and Lot Separate

13 Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev^(A)—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. ² Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. ³ He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, ⁴ to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of the Lord there.^(B)

⁵ Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. ⁶ But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together,^{(C) 7} and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.^(D) (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.)^(E)

⁸ So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. ⁹ Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

¹⁰ Lot looked out and saw that the entire plain^[a] of the Jordan^(F) as far as Zoar^(G) was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden^(H) and the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)^{(I) 11} So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom. ¹³ (Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely^[b] against the Lord.)^(J)

¹⁴ After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,^{(K) 15} for I will give you and your offspring^[c] forever all the land that you see.^{(L) 16} I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth,^(M) so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. ¹⁷ Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”

¹⁸ So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron,^(N) where he built an altar to the Lord.

Abram Rescues Lot

14 In those days King Amraphel of Shinar,^(O) King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam,^(P) and King Tidal of Goiim^{[d] 2} waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, and King Shemeber of Zeboiim,^(Q) as well as the king of Bela (that is, Zoar^(R)). ³ All of these came as allies to the Siddim Valley (that is, the Dead Sea^(S)). 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^(T) in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham,^(U) the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶ and the Horites^(V) in the mountains of Seir, as far as El-paran^(W) by the wilderness. ⁷ Then they came back to invade En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh^(X)), and they defeated the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar.^(Y)

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,^[e] but the rest fled to the mountains.^{(Z) 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,^(AA) and they went on.

¹³ One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew,^(AB) 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^[f] his 318 trained men, born in his household,^(AC) and they went in pursuit as far as Dan.^{(AD) 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.

Melchizedek’s Blessing

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^(AE)). ¹⁸ Melchizedek, king of Salem,^[g](AF) brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High.^{(AG) 19} He blessed him and said:

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.^(AH)

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.”

Murder Begins in the Heart

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,^[a](A) and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.^{(B) 22} But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister^[b] will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults^[c] his brother or sister will be subject to the court.^[d] Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.^{[e](C) 23} So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to^[f] the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.^{(D) 26} Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.^[g]

Adultery Begins in the Heart

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery.^{[h](E) 28} But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.^{(F) 29} If your right eye causes you to sin,^(G) gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.^{(H) 30} And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Divorce Practices Censured

³¹ “It was also said, Whoever divorces^(I) his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.^{[i](J) 32} But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.^(K)

Tell the Truth

³³ “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors,You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord.^{[j](L) 34} But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; ³⁵ or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King.^{(M) 36} Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.^(N)

Go the Second Mile

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.^{[k](O) 39} But I tell you, don’t resist^[l] an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.^{(P) 40} As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. ⁴¹ And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.^(Q)

Love Your Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor^[m](R) and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies^[n] and pray for those who^[o] persecute you,^{(S) 45} so that you may be^[p] children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.^{(T) 46} For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary?^[q](U) Don’t even the Gentiles^[r] do the same? ⁴⁸ Be perfect,^(V) therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Psalm 5

The Refuge of the Righteous

For the choir director: with the flutes. A psalm of David.