Genesis 13
13
Abram and Lot Separate
1So Abram, his wife and Lot left Egypt. They took everything they owned and traveled to southern Canaan. 2Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold.
3He left southern Canaan and went back to Bethel. He went where he had camped before, between Bethel and Ai. 4It was the place where Abram had built an altar before. So he worshiped the Lord there.
5During this time Lot was traveling with Abram. Lot also had many sheep, cattle and tents. 6Abram and Lot had so many animals that the land could not support both of them together. 7Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders began to argue. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at this time.
8So Abram said to Lot, “There should be no arguing between you and me. Your herders and mine should not argue either. We are brothers. 9We should separate. The whole land is there in front of you. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
10Lot looked all around and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. It was like the Lord’s garden, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11So Lot chose to move east and live in the Jordan Valley. In this way Abram and Lot separated. 12Abram lived in the land of Canaan. But Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan Valley. He moved very near to Sodom. 13Now the people of Sodom were very evil. They were always sinning against the Lord.
14After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, “Look all around you. Look north and south and east and west. 15All this land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. 16I will make your descendants as many as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust on the earth, he could count your people. 17Get up! Walk through all this land. I am now giving it to you.”
18So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the great trees of Mamre. This was at the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.
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Genesis 13
13
Abram Returns to Canaan
1So Abram left Egypt. He traveled through the Negev with his wife and everything he owned. Lot was also with them. 2At this time Abram was very rich. He had many animals and much silver and gold.
3Abram continued traveling around. He left the Negev and went back to Bethel. He went to the place between the city of Bethel and Ai,#13:3 Ai The name of this town means “the ruins.” where he and his family had camped before. 4This was where Abram had built an altar earlier. So he worshiped the Lord there.
Abram and Lot Separate
5During this time Lot was also traveling with Abram. Lot had many animals and tents. 6Abram and Lot had so many animals that the land could not support both of them together. 7(The Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in this land at the same time.) The shepherds of Abram and Lot began to argue.
8So Abram said to Lot, “There should be no arguing between you and me or between your people and my people. We are all brothers. 9We should separate. You can choose any place you want. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
10Lot looked and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. At that time the Jordan Valley all the way to Zoar was like the Lord’s Garden. This was good land, like the land of Egypt.) 11So Lot chose to live in the Jordan Valley. The two men separated, and Lot began traveling east. 12Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities in the valley. Lot moved as far as Sodom and made his camp there. 13The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.
14After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, “Look around you. Look north, south, east, west. 15All this land that you see I will give to you and your people who live after you. This will be your land forever. 16I will make your people so many that they will be like the dust of the earth. If people could count all the particles of dust on earth, they could count your people. 17So go. Walk through your land. I now give it to you.”
18So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the big trees of Mamre. This was near the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to honor the Lord.
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International