en Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth
his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and
pursued as far as Dan. And he divided himself against them by night,
he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah,
which is on the left hand of Damascus. And he brought back all the
goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the
women also, and the people.

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the
slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him. And
Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine: and he was
priest of God Most High. And he blessed him, and said, "Blessed be
Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be
God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand." And he
gave him a tenth of all.

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, "Give me the persons and take
the goods to thyself." And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have
lifted up my hand unto the Lord, God Most High, possessor of heaven
and earth, that I will not take a thread or a shoelatchet nor aught
that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, 'I have made Abram rich': {27}
save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the
men which went with me; let them take their portion."

GOD'S PROMISES.

_The Making of the Covenant_.

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision,
saying, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward."

And Abram said, "O Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I am
childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is my servant,
Eliezer of Damascus?"

And Abram said, "Behold, to me thou hast given no child: and, lo, one
born in my house is mine heir." And, behold, the word of the Lord came
unto him, saying, "This man shall not be thine heir; but he that shall
be thine own son shall be thine heir."

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, "Look now toward heaven,
and number the stars, if thou be able to number them": and he said
unto him, "So shall thy family be."

And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for
righteousness. And he said unto him, "I am the Lord who brought thee
out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." And
he said, "O Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?"

And he said unto him, "Take me an heifer of three years old, and a
s