Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Separate

1Abram went north out of Egypt to the southern part of Canaan with his wife and everything he owned, and Lot went with him. 2Abram was a very rich man, with sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as silver and gold. 3Then he left there and moved from place to place, going toward Bethel. He reached the place between Bethel and Ai where he had camped before 4and had built an altar. There he worshiped the Lord.

5Lot also had sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as his own family and servants. 6And so there was not enough pasture land for the two of them to stay together, because they had too many animals. 7So quarrels broke out between the men who took care of Abram's animals and those who took care of Lot's animals. (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were still living in the land.)

8Then Abram said to Lot, “We are relatives, and your men and my men shouldn't be quarreling. 9So let's separate. Choose any part of the land you want. You go one way, and I'll go the other.”

10 # Gn 2.10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan Valley, all the way to Zoar, had plenty of water, like the Garden of the Lord#13.10: Garden of the Lord: A reference to the Garden of Eden. or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11So Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself and moved away toward the east. That is how the two men parted. 12Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities in the valley and camped near Sodom, 13whose people were wicked and sinned against the Lord.

Abram Moves to Hebron

14After Lot had left, the Lord said to Abram, “From where you are, look carefully in all directions. 15#Ac 7.5 I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see, and it will be yours forever. 16I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth! 17Now, go and look over the whole land, because I am going to give it all to you.” 18So Abram moved his camp and settled near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

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Genesis 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.

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