Genesis 14:21

Study note

Setting — The king of Sodom speaks to Abram immediately after Abram's victory and his tithe to Melchizedek. He proposes a transaction to return the captured citizens while allowing Abram to retain the spoils of war.

The words — The Hebrew הַ/נֶּ֔פֶשׁ (ha./Ne.fesh) literally denotes "the person[s]" or captured lives, while וְ/הָ/רְכֻ֖שׁ (ve./ha./re.Khush) means "and the possession[s]" or acquired goods. These terms establish the king's offer as a direct exchange of human lives for material wealth.

The thread — This negotiation echoes later biblical tests of loyalty where leaders must choose between worldly gain and divine allegiance, such as the covenant stipulations in Deuteronomy 7:25-26 or Jesus' refusal of earthly power in Matthew 4:8-9.

Why it lands — The text presents a clear choice between pragmatic compromise and prior spiritual commitment. It requires the reader to determine whether accepting unclean wealth violates established devotion to God.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.