New Living Translation
Genesis 14:23
23that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’
Genesis 14:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
- New International Version (NIV)that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’—
Context of Genesis 14:23
21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” 22Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ 24I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.”
Read all of Genesis 14Genesis 14:23 word by word
אִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֣א תֹאמַ֔ר אֲנִ֖י הֶעֱשַׁ֥רְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That I will notאִם'im · if: surely noH518
- from a threadחוּטchûţ · threadH2339
- even to a shoelatchetשְׂרוֹךְώerôk · thongH8288
- even to a shoelatchetנַ֫עַלna‛al na‛ălâh · sandalH5275
- takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- thine, lest thou shouldest sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I have madeעָשַׁר‛âshar · to enrichH6238
- Abramאַבְרָם'abrâm · AbramH87
Cross-references for Genesis 14:23
- 1 Kings 13:8But the man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything in this place.
- 2 Kings 5:16But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused.
- Esther 9:15Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
- 2 Corinthians 12:14Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children.
- 2 Corinthians 11:12But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.
- Hebrews 13:5Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Commentaries on Genesis 14:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23From a thread even to a shoelatchet - This was certainly a proverbial mode of expression, the full meaning of which is perhaps not known. Among the rabbinical writers חוט chut, or חוטי chuti, signifies a fillet worn by young women to tie up their hair; taken in this sense it will give a good meaning here. As Abram had rescued both the men and women carried off by the confederate kings, and the king of Sodom had offered him all the goods, claiming only the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-24Verses 1-24 - Abram Rescues Lot 1. אמרפל 'amrāpel Amraphel; related: unknown. אלריוך 'aryôk Ariok, “leonine?” related: ארי 'arı̂y “a lion:” a name re-appearing in the time of Daniel Daniel 2:14. אלסר 'elāsār Ellasar (related: unknown) is identified with Larsa or Larancha, the ́ Larissa or ́ Larachōn of the Greeks, now Senkereh, a town of lower Babylonia, between Mugheir (Ur) and Warka (Erek) on the left bank of the Frat. כדרלעמר kedārlā‛omer…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-24Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-24Abram understood that accepting the king of Sodom's offer (see study note on 14:1–2) might make him an ally or subject, as Lot had been. This could put God’s promises at risk. Faith looks beyond the world’s riches to the greater blessings that God will give.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-241. And it came to pass--This chapter presents Abram in the unexpected character of a warrior. The occasion was this: The king of Sodom and the kings of the adjoining cities, after having been tributaries for twelve years to the king of Elam, combined to throw off his yoke. To chastise their rebellion, as he deemed it, Chedorlaomer, with the aid of three allies, invaded the territories of the refractory princes, defeated them in a pitched battle where the…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 14:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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