Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.”
Parallel translations
- WEB The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”
- KJV And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
- BSB The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.”
- NASB Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the possessions for yourself.”
- NLT The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The king of Sodom offered Abram the goods if he returned the people. This tempting proposal tests whether Abram will rely on God or worldly wealth.
Overview
In contrast to Melchizedek's blessing, the king of Sodom proposes a deal that would enrich Abram. The offer seems generous but carries the risk of entangling Abram with Sodom's corrupt king. The contrast sets up Abram's refusal, showing that he prizes God's promise over the riches of a doomed city, and that faith refuses to be indebted to the ungodly.
Cross-references & the web
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 14:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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