Genesis 13
13
Abram and Lot Separate
1Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev#Gn 12:9 — he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. 2Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 3He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, 4to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of the Lord there.#Gn 12:7,8
5Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together,#Gn 36:7 7and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.#Gn 26:20 (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.)#Gn 12:6; 15:20–21
8So Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. 9Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: 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 out and saw that the entire plain#13:10 Lit circle; i.e., probably the large round plain where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea, also in v. 11 of the Jordan#Gn 19:17–29 as far as Zoar#Gn 14:2,8; Dt 34:3 was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden#Gn 2:8–10 and the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)#Gn 19:24–25 11So Lot chose the entire plain of the Jordan for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom. 13(Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely#13:13 Lit evil and sinful against the Lord.)#Gn 18:20; Ezk 16:49; 2Pt 2:7–8
14After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,#Gn 28:14 15for I will give you and your offspring#13:15 Lit seed forever all the land that you see.#Gn 12:7; 15:18; 17:8; 24:7; 26:4; 28:13; 35:12; Dt 34:4; 2Ch 20:7; Ac 7:5 16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth,#Gn 16:10; 28:14; Nm 23:10 so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”
18So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron,#Gn 14:13; 18:1; 23:17–19 where he built an altar to the Lord.
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Genesis 13
13
1-2So Abram left Egypt and went back to the Negev, he and his wife and everything he owned, and Lot still with him. By now Abram was very rich, loaded with cattle and silver and gold.
3-4He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God.
5-7Lot, who was traveling with Abram, was also rich in sheep and cattle and tents. But the land couldn’t support both of them; they had too many possessions. They couldn’t both live there—quarrels broke out between Abram’s shepherds and Lot’s shepherds. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living on the land at the time.
8-9Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we’re family. Look around. Isn’t there plenty of land out there? Let’s separate. If you go left, I’ll go right; if you go right, I’ll go left.”
10-11a Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God’s garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east.
11b-12 That’s how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom.
13The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God.
14-17After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I’ll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I’m giving it all to you.”
18Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.