Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 30
24
Genesis 15
PG 14
FLYOVER
PG 20
DIRECT
PG 22
SCENIC
15:1-21
15:1-21
15:1-21
5
9
11
THE LORD’S COVENANT PROMISE TO ABRAM
God’s flood did not wash away sin completely. Sin spreads among the people until
they once again are living in open defiance of God. Still, God loves his world and
wants to reconnect with it. So he finds a new man, Abram, and makes a covenant
with him. He promises to bless Abram, and through him, God will bless the whole
world. Abram believes and obeys God; as a result his whole life changes. But as
God’s big story continues, Abram grows anxious that he has no son to inherit
God’s blessings. Then one day Abram has a vision from the Lord.
Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (also called Zoar)
prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead
Sea.* 9 They fought against King Kedorlaomer
of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel
of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four
kings against five. 10 As it happened, the valley
of the Dead Sea was filled with tar pits. And as
the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah
fled, some fell into the tar pits, while the rest
escaped into the mountains. 11 The victorious
invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomor
rah and headed for home, taking with them all
the spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They
also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who
lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he
owned.
13
But one of Lot’s men escaped and reported
everything to Abram the Hebrew, who was living near the oak grove belonging to Mamre the
Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and
Aner, were Abram’s allies.
14
When Abram heard that his nephew
Lot had been captured, he mobilized the
318 trained men who had been born into his
household. Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s
army until he caught up with them at Dan.
15
There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but
Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of
Damascus. 16 Abram recovered all the goods
that had been taken, and he brought back his
nephew Lot with his possessions and all the
women and other captives.
MELCHIZEDEK BLESSES ABRAM
After Abram returned from his victory over
Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of
17
Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of
Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).
18
And M
elchizedek, the king of Salem and a
priest of God Most High,* brought Abram some
bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram
with this blessing:
20
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
And blessed be God Most High,
who has defeated your enemies for you.”
Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all
the goods he had recovered.
21
The 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.”
22
Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I
solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth, 23 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.’ 24 I 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.”
THE LORD’S COVENANT PROMISE
TO ABRAM
15
Some time later, the Lord spoke to
Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do
not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and
your reward will be great.”
2
But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord,
14:8 Hebrew Siddim Valley (see 14:3); also in 14:10. 14:18 Hebrew
El-Elyon; also in 14:19, 20, 22.
