Genesis 14:22
in Genesis 14But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah, 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,
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This verse in Genesis 14
Commentary
8 notes on this verseI have lift up mine hand - The primitive mode of appealing to God, and calling him to witness a particular transaction; this no doubt generally obtained among the faithful till circumcision, the sign of the covenant, was established. After this, in swearing, the hand was often placed on the circumcised part; see Gen 24:2, Gen 24:9.
This site's exposition
Give me the people
on Genesis 14:21-22
The king of Sodom offers a trade. Abram answers with an oath sworn by lifting his hand, the oldest form of oath in the book. He swears by the title he had just heard from Melchizedek, God Most High, and to it he joins the covenant name, the LORD.
This site's exposition
I have raised my hand to the LORD
Adam Clarke calls the raised hand the first way the faithful called God to witness a transaction. After circumcision was given, an oath could be sworn with a hand placed under the thigh, as at Genesis 24:2. Abram names his oath to the king's face.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
But the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself." But he replied to him, "I raise my hand to the Lord, God most high, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
It is good to learn of others how to order our speech concerning God, and to imitate those who speak well in divine things. (2.) The ceremony used in this oath; I have lift up my hand - In religious swearing we appeal to God's knowledge of our truth and sincerity, and imprecate his wrath if we swear falsely; and the lifting up of the hands is expressive of both.
Rich countries are a desirable prey, and idle luxurious countries are an easy prey, to growing greatness. The Sodomites were the posterity of Canaan whom Noah had pronounced a servant to Shem, from whom Elam descended; thus soon did that prophecy begin to e fulfilled.
In all our prayers we must praise God, and join hallelujahs with all our hosannas. These are the spiritual sacrifices we must offer up daily, and upon particular occasions. God as the most high God must have the glory of all our victories.
And Abram said to the king of Sodom,....
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אַבְרָ֖ם | ʾavram | Abram | H87 → | 61 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| סְדֹ֑ם | sedom | Sodom | H5467 → | 39 times |
| הֲרִימֹ֨תִי | harimoti | I raise | H7311 → | 190 times |
| יָדִ֤י | yadi | hand my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵ֣ל | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| עֶלְי֔וֹן | elyon | Most High | H5945 → | 53 times |
| קֹנֵ֖ה | koneh | [the] creator of | H7069 → | 84 times |
| שָׁמַ֥יִם | shamayim | heaven | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וָאָֽרֶץ׃ | vaaretz | and earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אַבְרָ֖םAbram
ʾavramH87 →61 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
סְדֹ֑םSodom
sedomH5467 →39 times
הֲרִימֹ֨תִיI raise
harimotiH7311 →190 times
יָדִ֤יhand my
yadiH3027 →1618 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵ֣לGod
ʾelH410 →241 times
עֶלְי֔וֹןMost High
elyonH5945 →53 times
קֹנֵ֖ה[the] creator of
konehH7069 →84 times
שָׁמַ֥יִםheaven
shamayimH8064 →421 times
וָאָֽרֶץ׃and earth
vaaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Daniel 12:7And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever,…
it leads to
- Daniel 7:25
He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…
- Revelation 12:14
But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times,…
- Daniel 8:24
His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men along with the holy people.
- Revelation 10:5–7
Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven.
- Daniel 7:25
Through
Daniel 4:34But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives…
it leads to
- Revelation 4:10
the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
- Psalms 145:13
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful in all His words and kind in all His actions.
- Daniel 12:7
And the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by Him who lives forever,…
- Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms…
- Revelation 4:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.