Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Part. 1From Egypt Abram went up to the Negeb with his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot went with him.#Gn 12:9. 2#In this story of Abraham and Lot going their separate ways, Abraham resolves a family dispute by an act that shows both trust in God and generosity toward his nephew. The story suggests Lot rather than Abraham is the natural choice to be the ancestor of a great family; he is young and he takes the most fertile land (outside the land of Canaan). In contrast to Lot, who lifts his eyes to choose for himself (vv. 10–11), Abraham waits for God to tell him to lift his eyes and see the land he will receive (v. 14). Chaps. 18–19 continue the story of Abraham and Lot. Abraham’s visionary possession of the land foreshadows that of Moses (Dt 3:27; 34:4). Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.#Ps 112:1–3; Prv 10:22. 3From the Negeb he traveled by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly stood, 4the site where he had first built the altar; and there Abram invoked the Lord by name.#Gn 12:8.

5Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not live together. 7There were quarrels between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

8So Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herders and my herders, for we are kindred. 9Is not the whole land available? Please separate from me. If you prefer the left, I will go to the right; if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.” 10Lot looked about and saw how abundantly watered the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar, like the Lord’s own garden, or like Egypt. This was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 11Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain and set out eastward. Thus they separated from each other. 12Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain, pitching his tents near Sodom. 13Now the inhabitants of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.#Gn 18:20; Ez 16:49; 2 Pt 2:6–8; Jude 7.

14After Lot had parted from him, the Lord said to Abram: Look about you, and from where you are, gaze to the north and south, east and west;#Gn 28:14. 15all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.#Gn 12:7; Mt 5:5; Lk 1:55, 73; Acts 7:5; Rom 4:13; Gal 3:16. 16I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted.#Gn 22:17; Nm 23:10. 17Get up and walk through the land, across its length and breadth, for I give it to you. 18Abram moved his tents and went on to settle near the oak of Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.#Gn 14:13.

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Genesis 13

CHAPTER 13

1Therefore Abram ascended from Egypt, he, and his wife, and all things that he had; and Lot went with him, to the south coast.

2Forsooth he was full rich in possessions of silver, and of gold.

3And he turned again by the way in which he came from the south into Bethel, till to the place, in which before he had set a tabernacle, betwixt Bethel and Hai,

4in the place of the altar which he made before, and inwardly called there the name of the Lord.

5But also flocks of sheep, and droves of oxen, and tabernacles were to Lot, that was with Abram;

6and the land might not take them, that they should dwell together, for the cattle of them was much, and they might not dwell in common.

7Wherefore also strife was made betwixt the keepers of [the] flocks of Abram and of Lot. Forsooth Canaanites and Perizzites dwelled in that land in that time.

8Therefore Abram said to Lot, I beseech thee, that no strife be betwixt me and thee, and betwixt my shepherds and thy shepherds; for we be brethren.

9Lo! all the land is before thee, I beseech, depart thou from me; if thou go to the left side, I shall hold the right side; if thou choose the right side, I shall go to the left side.

10And so Lot raised [up] his eyes, and saw about all the country of Jordan, which was all-moisted, before that the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, as paradise of the Lord, and as Egypt, as men come into Zoar.

11And Lot chose to him the country about Jordan, and departed from the east; and they were parted each from his brother.

12Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan; soothly Lot dwelled in [the] towns about Jordan, and abode in Sodom.

13Forsooth men of Sodom were full wicked, and sinners greatly before the Lord.

14And the Lord said to Abram, after that Lot was parted from him, Raise [up] thine eyes forthright, and see from the place in which thou art now, to the north and south, to the east and west;

15I shall give all the land which thou seest to thee, and to thy seed, till into without end.

16And I shall make thy seed as the dust of the earth; if any man may number the dust of the earth, also he shall be able to number thy seed.

17Therefore rise thou, and pass through the land in his length and breadth, for I shall give it to thee.

18Therefore Abram, moving his tabernacle, came and dwelled beside the valley of Mamre, which is in Hebron; and he builded there an altar to the Lord.

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