Genesis 13
13
Abram and Lot
1So Abram went up from Egypt to the #13:1 I.e., South countryNegev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him.
2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 3And he went #13:3 Lit by his stageson his journeys from the #13:3 I.e., South countryNegev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4to the place of the altar which he had made there previously; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. 5Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6And the land could not #13:6 Lit bearsupport both of them #13:6 Lit to livewhile living together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. 7And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.
8So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are relatives! 9Is the entire land not before you? Please separate from me; if you choose the left, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right, then I will go to the left.” 10Lot raised his eyes and saw all the #13:10 Lit circlevicinity of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt #13:10 Lit as you gogoing toward Zoar. 11So Lot chose for himself all the #13:11 Lit circlevicinity of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. So they separated from each other. 12Abram #13:12 Lit dweltsettled in the land of Canaan, while Lot #13:12 Lit dweltsettled in the cities of the #13:12 Lit circlevicinity of the Jordan, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. 13Now the men of Sodom were #13:13 Lit wicked and sinners exceedinglyexceedingly wicked sinners against the Lord.
14The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now raise your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward, and eastward and westward; 15for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your #13:15 Lit seeddescendants forever. 16I will make your #13:16 Lit seeddescendants as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your #13:16 Lit seeddescendants could also be counted. 17Arise, walk about in the land through its length and width; for I will give it to you.” 18Then Abram moved his tent and came and lived by the #13:18 Or terebinthsoaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.
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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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