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,
Parallel translations
- WEB Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
- BSB But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
- NKJV But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,
- NASB But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth,
- NLT Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
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
Abram swore by Yahweh, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, declining the king's wealth. His oath shows his exclusive trust in God as his provider.
Overview
Abram adopts Melchizedek's title for God and binds himself by solemn oath. Lifting the hand signifies a vow before the Lord whom he serves. By invoking the Creator and possessor of all things, Abram declares that his hope and supply come from God alone, not from the king of Sodom, modeling the believer's reliance on God rather than the world.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Dan 12:7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
- Judg 11:35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
- Rev 10:5–6And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
- Dan 4:34And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
- Ps 83:18That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
- Ps 24:1The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
- Exod 6:8And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
- Deut 32:40For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
- Gen 21:23–31Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
- Gen 14:19–20And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
- Isa 57:15For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
- Hag 2:8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
- Gen 17:1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
- Gen 21:33And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
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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 14:22 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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