וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻ֖שׁ קַֽח־לָֽךְ׃

After seeing Abram’s considerable generosity in his gift to Malkitzedek, the king of Sodom said to Abram: Give me the people, and take the property for yourself. Let me have the residents of my city, Sodom, as I am responsible for them, and we will waive any claim to the plunder. You can keep any property the kings looted from us, which you rescued from them.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָ֖ם אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֑ם הֲרִימֹ֨תִי יָדִ֤י אֶל־יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

Abram said to the king of Sodom: I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, master of heaven and earth. The raising of one’s hand or hands to the heavens is a gesture indicating an oath.

אִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֣א תֹאמַ֔ר אֲנִ֖י הֶעֱשַׁ֥רְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָֽם׃

Surely, be it even a thread of a garment or a shoelace, I will not take of anything that is yours, so that you will not say: I made Abram rich. I do not want my wealth to be attributed to you and to the property of Sodom. Consequently, I shall return all the property to you

בִּלְעָדַ֗י רַ֚ק אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽכְל֣וּ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְחֵ֙לֶק֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלְכ֖וּ אִתִּ֑י עָנֵר֙ אֶשְׁכֹּ֣ל וּמַמְרֵ֔א הֵ֖ם יִקְח֥וּ חֶלְקָֽם׃ (ס)

without regard to me, leave me out of the calculations, do not take me into account (see also 41:16). Only that which the young men have already eaten from the property we have restored, as they needed it for their sustenance on their way back from the north to Jerusalem; this property shall not be restored. And also the portion of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre, Abram’s friends and allies, who were probably not among his three hundred and eighteen soldiers. Since they joined with Abram and supported his cause, they deserved a portion of the spoils and Abram did not wish to deprive them of it. Therefore, he said: I insist that they shall take their portion. But as for me, although as the victorious commander I am rightfully entitled to the majority of the spoils, I relinquish my entire portion.

אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּֽמַּחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

After these matters, after Abram’s war with the great kings of the north, he may have been concerned that the powerful rulers might return to Canaan for another military campaign in order to take revenge. And so the word of the Lord came to Abram in a prophetic vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am a shield for you, and I will protect you from all harm. Additionally, your future reward for your deeds is very great.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהוִה֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃

Abram said: My Lord God, what will You give me? I go childless. You have promised me an exceedingly great reward, but what can I do with it when I have no children? And the steward of my house, the one in charge of all my dealings since I have no son, is Eliezer of, who comes from,23 Damascus.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֔ם הֵ֣ן לִ֔י לֹ֥א נָתַ֖תָּה זָ֑רַע וְהִנֵּ֥ה בֶן־בֵּיתִ֖י יוֹרֵ֥שׁ אֹתִֽי׃

Abram said: Behold, to me You have not given descendants, and a member of my household is my heir. Since I do not have a son, and my steward will inherit me, this reward has no meaning for me. Although Eliezer is indeed a faithful and decent man, he is not my child.

וְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א יִֽירָשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ׃

Behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: This man who is the steward of your house shall not be your heir; rather, one who shall emerge from your loins, he shall be your heir.

וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃

He took him, or instructed him to go, outside, and said: Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, and see if you can count them. And after Abram had looked toward the heavens, He said to him: So shall be your descendants; they will be as numerous as the stars.

וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה׃

Although this seemed impossible to Abram, as he and his wife were elderly, he believed in the Lord; and He, God, considered it, Abram’s faith, for him as righteousness, as a correct, upright, and proper act.