Genesis 14 · Verse 21

Genesis 14:21

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
Genesis 14:21, King James Version

Genesis 14:21 in other translations

BSBThe king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.”
WEBThe king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, and take the goods for yourself.”
ASVAnd the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
YLTAnd the king of Sodom saith unto Abram, ‘Give to me the persons, and the substance take to thyself,'
DARBYAnd the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the souls, and take the property for thyself.
BBEAnd the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the prisoners and take the goods for yourself.
WebsterAnd the king of Sodom said to Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

What does Genesis 14:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. the king of Sodom said ... Give me the persons--According to the war customs still existing among the Arab tribes, Abram might have retained the recovered goods, and his right was acknowledged by the king of Sodom. But with honest pride, and a generosity unknown in that part of the world, he replied with strong phraseology common to the East, "I have lifted up mine hand" [that is, I have sworn] unto the Lord that I will not take from a thread even to a sandal-thong, and that that I will not take any thing that [is] thine, lest thou shouldst say, I have made Abram rich" [Ge 14:22, 23].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 14:21-24
Observe the king of Sodom's grateful offer to Abram, Give me the souls, and take thou the substance. Gratitude teaches us to recompense to the utmost of our power, those that have undergone fatigues, run hazards, and been at expense for our service and benefit. Abram generously refused this offer. He accompanies his refusal with a good reason, Lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: which would reflect upon the promise promise and covenant of God, as if He would not have enriched Abraham without the spoils of Sodom. The people of God must, for their credit's sake, take heed of doing any thing that looks mean or mercenary, or that savors of covetousness and self-seeking. Abraham can trust the Possessor of Heaven and earth to provide for him.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Genesis 14:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
סְדֹ֖םse.DomSodomH5467
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַבְרָ֑ם'av.RamAbramH87
תֶּן\־ten-giveH5414
לִ֣יlito <the> me
הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁha.Ne.feshthe person[s]H5315
וְהָרְכֻ֖שׁve.ha.re.Khushand the possession[s]H7399
קַֽח\־kach-takeH3947
לָֽךְ\׃Lakhfor <the> yourself

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
persons. Heb. souls.
21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 14:20

    And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

  • Genesis 14:21

    And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

  • Genesis 14:22

    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,

Read all of Genesis 14

Genesis 14:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces el rey de Sodoma dijo á Abram: Dame las personas, y toma para ti la hacienda.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le roi de Sodome dit à Abram: Donne-moi les personnes, et prends les biens pour toi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der König von Sodom sprach zu Abram: Gib mir die Seelen, und die Habe nimm für dich.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dixit autem rex Sodomorum ad Abram: Da mihi animas, cetera tolle tibi.