And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

GENESIS 14:16KJV
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Genesis 14:16 (KJV)

What does Genesis 14:16 mean?

Genesis 14:16 describes the result of Abram’s rescue mission: the people and property taken by the invading kings are brought back. The recovery reaches beyond Abram’s own household to include others who had been carried away.

The narrator gives this result after describing Abram’s pursuit of the kings. Lot is named separately, making clear why Abram had a personal reason to act. The mention of women and other people also shows that the recovery involved more than possessions.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 14:16

  • “brother” — אָח (ʾaḥ): This word can mean a brother or a more distant male relative. Here it refers to Lot, whom Genesis 11:27 identifies as Abram’s nephew.
  • “goods” — רְכוּשׁ (rekhush): This word refers to movable possessions or property. Its use for both “all the goods” and Lot’s goods helps distinguish the wider recovery from what belonged to Lot personally.
  • “people” — עַם (ʿam): This word can refer to a group of people. Here it points to others brought back alongside the women and Lot, without naming each person.

Why Genesis 14:16 matters

  • Lot’s capture was part of a larger loss. Genesis 14:12 says he was taken with his goods, while verse 11 describes the taking of goods from Sodom and Gomorrah.
  • The verse prepares the reader for a question about ownership. When the king of Sodom later asks Abram for the people and offers him the goods in Genesis 14:21, those are among the things Abram has just brought back.

Where else these words appear

“goods” Hebrew H7399 · used in 27 verses

  • Genesis 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
  • Genesis 46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
  • 2 Chronicles 32:29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.

“Lot” Hebrew H3876 · used in 30 verses

  • Genesis 11:27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
  • Genesis 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
  • Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.