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,
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,
- KJV 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,
- 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,
- 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 12:7I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have finished breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
- Judg 11:35When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are one of those who trouble me; for I have opened my mouth to Yahweh, and I can’t go back.”
- Rev 10:5–6The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky,
- Dan 4:34At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him who lives forever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
- Ps 83:18that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth.
- Ps 24:1A Psalm by David. The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.
- Exod 6:8I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am Yahweh.’”
- Deut 32:40For I lift up my hand to heaven and declare, as I live forever,
- Gen 21:23–31Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
- Gen 14:19–20He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:
- Isa 57:15For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Hag 2:8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says Yahweh of Armies.
- Gen 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.
- Gen 21:33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, 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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