Genesis 13

Abram Inherits Canaan

1Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and #Gen. 12:4; 14:12, 16Lot with him, #Gen. 12:9to the South. 2#Gen. 24:35; 26:14; Ps. 112:3; Prov. 10:22Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3And he went on his journey #Gen. 12:8, 9from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4to the #Gen. 12:7, 8; 21:33place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram #Ps. 116:17called on the name of the Lord.

5Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6Now #Gen. 36:7the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7And there was #Gen. 26:20strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. #Gen. 12:6; 15:20, 21The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.

8So Abram said to Lot, #1 Cor. 6:7; (Phil. 2:14, 15)“Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9#Gen. 20:15; 34:10Is not the whole land before you? Please #Gen. 13:11, 14separate from me. #(Rom. 12:18)If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

10And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all #Gen. 19:17–29; Deut. 34:3the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord #Gen. 19:24destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) #Gen. 2:8, 10; Is. 51:3like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward #Gen. 14:2, 8; 19:22; Deut. 34:3Zoar. 11Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot #Gen. 19:24, 25, 29dwelt in the cities of the plain and #Gen. 14:12; 19:1pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13But the men of Sodom #Gen. 18:20, 21; Ezek. 16:49; 2 Pet. 2:7, 8were exceedingly wicked and #Gen. 6:11; 39:9; Num. 32:23sinful against the Lord.

14And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot #Gen. 13:11had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—#Gen. 28:14northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15for all the land which you see #Gen. 12:7; 13:17; 15:7, 18; 17:8; Deut. 34:4; Acts 7:5I give to you and #2 Chr. 20:7; Ps. 37:22your descendants forever. 16And #Gen. 22:17; Ex. 32:13; Num. 23:10I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

18#Gen. 26:17Then Abram moved his tent, and went and #Gen. 14:13dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, #Gen. 23:2; 35:27which are in Hebron, and built an #Gen. 8:20; 22:8, 9altar there to the Lord.

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Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Separate

1So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. 2(Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) 3From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. 4This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the Lord again.

5Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. 6But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. 7So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.)

8Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! 9The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.”

10Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram. 12So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. 13But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.

14After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. 15I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants#13:15 Hebrew seed; also in 13:16. as a permanent possession. 16And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! 17Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.”

18So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord.

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