Upon Avraham's triumphant return from battle, Avraham declares to the King of Sedom: "I have lifted my hand to the Lord." It is commonly understood that the phrase refers to the declaration of an oath. Targum Onkelos, however, understood the phrase as "I have lifted my hand in prayer." Why does Avraham speak of his prayers to God before relinquishing his rights to the spoils of Sedom?
Avraham emphasizes his exclusive dependence on God, that his material benefits are ultimately acquired only as a result of his prayers to the Almighty.
We read in Parashat Lekh-Lekha of Avraham's military campaign against the four eastern kingdoms who had captured his nephew, Lot, along with rest of the residents of Sedom. Upon Avraham's triumphant return from battle, the king of Sedom greets him and offers to allow Avraham to keep all of Sedom's property that he had retrieved from the city's captors, in exchange for the people. Avraham responds by declaring, "I have lifted my hand to the Lord, the Supreme God, owner of heavens and earth, that I shall not take from all that is yours – from a thread until a shoelace – so that you shall not say, 'I made Avraham wealthy'" (14:22-3). In order to ensure that the king of Sedom does not take credit for Avraham's wealth, Avraham chose to give the king all the property and people he had retrieved; he demanded only that his allies – Aner, Eshkol and Mamrei – receive a portion of Sedom's spoils, without taking anything for himself.
It is commonly understood that the phrase harimoti yadi el Hashem – "I have lifted my hand to the Lord – refers to the declaration of an oath; lifting one's hand even today is used to signify the acceptance of an oath. Targum Onkelos, however, translates this clause as, "Areimit yedi bi-tzlo" – "I have lifted my hand in prayer." Apparently, Onkelos understood this phrase not as an introduction to the next clause – "I shall not take from all that is yours" – but rather as an independent statement. Avraham here declares that he outstretches his hands to the Almighty in prayer, and then, in the next verse, announces his refusal to accept any spoils from the property of Sedom. The obvious question arises, of what relevance is prayer in this context? Why does Avraham speak of his prayers to God before relinquishing his rights to the spoils of Sedom?
Rav Yosef Shaul Nathanson, in his Divrei Shaul (Mahadura Tanina), suggests that Avraham here explains to the Sedomite king the attitude with which he approaches material acquisitions, which forms the basis of his refusal to accept spoils. Even when it comes to a "thread" or "shoelace," Avraham looks to the Almighty, rather than any human being, as the source of all his material needs, and it is this outlook that he seeks to establish and disseminate throughout the world. Suspecting that the king of Sedom would later credit himself for Avraham's wealth, Avraham had no choice but to refuse the spoils, in order to firmly establish the fact that God it is his true benefactor. He therefore begins by avowing his exclusive dependence on God, that his material benefits are ultimately acquired only as a result of his prayers to the Almighty.
We might add that the Divrei Shaul's approach helps explain why Avraham refers to God in this context as koneh shamayim va-aretz – "owner of the heavens and earth." He seeks to emphasize the fact that he looks to and depends upon God, rather than people, and in order to reinforce this notion he must not allow the Sedomite ruler to portray himself as Avraham's benefactor. Avraham therefore underscores God's authority over heaven and earth, and He exerts unlimited control over all the earth's resources and it is He who determines how those resources are distributed.