Melchizedek Blesses Abram

As Abram returns, the king of Sodom comes out to meet him, but Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, brings bread and wine and blesses both Abram and God Most High for the victory.

A¹⁷fter Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). ¹⁸Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine — since he was priest of God Most High — ¹⁹and he blessed Abram and said: ²⁰and blessed be God Most High,

When the king of Sodom offers Abram the recovered goods, Abram refuses on oath to the LORD God Most High, accepting only his allies’ proper share so no one can claim to have made him rich.

²¹The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.” ²²But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, ²³that I will not accept even a thread, or a strap of a sandal, or anything that belongs to you, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ ²⁴I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share for the men who went with me— Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. They may take their portion.”