Genesis 14:21

21 Da sprach der König von Sodom zu Abram: Gib mir die Leute; die Güter behalte dir.

Genesis 14:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 14:21

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram
After the conversation between him and Melchizedek was over: give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself;
meaning by "persons" or "souls", as in the original, his own subjects that had been taken and carried away by the four kings, and were now brought back by Abram; and by "the goods", those of his own and his subjects, which their conquerors had spoiled them of, but were now recovered, and which he was very willing Abram should have as his right, according to the laws of war, and as a reward of his labours; and very modestly asks for the other, which he did not deny but he might claim as the fruits of his victory: and this also shows, that the king of Sodom, though a Heathen prince, and perhaps a wicked man, yet had more regard to the persons of his subjects than to his own or their goods: the word for "goods" includes all the substance and possession of a man, gold, silver, cattle, and all movables ^F23.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 21. 2.

Genesis 14:21 In-Context

19 Und segnete ihn und sprach: Gesegnet seist du, Abram, dem höchsten Gott, der Himmel und Erde geschaffen hat;

20 und gelobt sei Gott der Höchste, der deine Feinde in deine Hand beschlossen hat. Und demselben gab Abram den Zehnten von allem.

21 Da sprach der König von Sodom zu Abram: Gib mir die Leute; die Güter behalte dir.

22 Aber Abram sprach zu dem König von Sodom: Ich hebe mein Hände auf zu dem HERRN, dem höchsten Gott, der Himmel und Erde geschaffen hat,

23 daß ich von allem, was dein ist, nicht einen Faden noch einen Schuhriemen nehmen will, daß du nicht sagst, du hast Abram reich gemacht; {~}