22
But Abramוַ אַבְרָםsaidיֹּאמֶרto the kingאֶל מֶלֶךְof Sodom,סְדֹם“I have raisedהֲרִימֹתִיmy handיָדִיto YHWH,אֶל יְהוָהEl Elyon,אֵל עֶלְיוֹןownerקֹנֵהof the heavensשָׁמַיִםand earth,וָאָרֶץ
Genesis 14:22
Study it in the app“But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to YHWH, El Elyon, owner of the heavens and earth,”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 14:22, word by word
- But Abramאַבְרָםavram
Abram
Abram, the name of Abraham before God changed it (Genesis 17:5). It means "exalted father".
Where else “avram” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- to the kingמֶלֶךְmelech
king
A king who rules a people.
Where else “melech” appears- of Sodomסְדֹםsedom
Sodom
See it on the mapWhere else “sedom” appears- “I have raisedהֲרִימֹתִיharimoti
lift up
To put on high: to raise the voice, praise God, or be God lifting up the lowly.
Where else “harimoti” appears- my handיָדִyadi
hand
The part of the body with which one takes, gives and works; also what one does.
Where else “yadi” appears- to YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- El Elyonאֵלel
El, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
Where else “el” appears- El Elyonעֶלְיוֹןelyon
Most High, Elyon
"Elyon": the highest, the Most High. It is a title of God: there is no one above him. As an adjective, upper, high.
Where else “elyon” appears- ownerקֹנֵהkone
own
To be the owner of something; the one who possesses it.
Where else “kone” appears- of the heavensשָׁמַיִםshamayim
sky
The high space seen above the earth, where the birds, clouds, sun and stars are.
Where else “shamayim” appears- and earthאָרֶץarets
earth
The whole world, everything under the sky.
Where else “arets” appears
Places in this verse
Sodom ?
Today: disputed; perhaps south or northeast of the Dead Sea
A city of the Jordan plain; its site is not known for certain, perhaps near the Dead Sea.
Its people were very wicked (Gen 13:13). God destroyed it with fire, and saved Lot (Gen 19:24-25).
The context
21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself.”
22 · This verse (above)
23that I will not take a thread or even a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you will not say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
To study Genesis 14 in a group
1. What it says
What did Abram do when he heard that his relative Lot had been taken captive (vv. 14-16)?
2. What it means
What does Melchizedek, king of Salem, do, and what does he say when he blesses Abram (vv. 18-20)?
3. How I live it
How can you help a relative or friend in trouble without expecting anything in return, as Abram did (vv. 22-24)?