Genesis 13
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Abram and Lot Separate
13 Then Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev(A)—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. 2 Abram was very rich[a] in livestock, silver, and gold. 3 He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, 4 to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of Yahweh there.(B)
5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 But 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,(C) 7 and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock.(D) At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.(E)
8 Then 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.[b] 9 Isn’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.”
10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan Valley(F) as far as[c] Zoar(G) was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden(H) and the land of Egypt. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.(I) 11 So Lot chose the entire Jordan Valley for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities of the valley and set up his tent near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly[d] against the Lord.(J)
14 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,(K) 15 for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see.(L) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth,(M) so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”
18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron,(N) where he built an altar to the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 13:2 Lit heavy
- Genesis 13:8 Lit brothers
- Genesis 13:10 Lit Valley as you go to
- Genesis 13:13 Lit evil and sinful
Genesis 13
The Voice
13 Abram left Egypt with his wife, Lot, and everything he owned, and he went back up into the Negev region. 2 Because of his experience in Egypt, Abram had become quite rich. He had livestock, silver, and gold to carry with him. 3 He journeyed north in stages from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where he had pitched his tent earlier between Bethel and Ai. 4 He returned to one of the first altar tables he had made in the land, stopped there, and called on the name of the Eternal once again. 5 Lot, who had gone with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so the land was no longer large enough to support the two of them living together as one household. They each had so many possessions that they just couldn’t stay together any longer. 7 Arguments erupted between Abram’s and Lot’s livestock herders as they tried to graze their flocks side-by-side. (During this time, the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living on this land too.)
Abram (to Lot): 8 Let’s not fight. I don’t want there to be any animosity between you and me, or between our herders. After all, we’re family. 9 A vast land is out there and available to you. It is time for us to go our separate ways. You choose your land. If you choose east, I’ll go west. If you choose west, I’ll go east—it’s your call.
Abram is an exemplary man of faith. Being older than Lot, he by custom has first choice of the property, but he waives his right and grants Lot the first choice. Given their recent experiences in the famine, it is no wonder that Lot chooses the lush, fertile soils of the Jordan Valley for his new home. But as Lot moves his family east, he moves farther from Abram and closer to danger.
10 Lot looked around, and he noticed the grassy plains in the Jordan Valley looked well watered and fertile, just as he imagined the Eternal One’s gardens might be or as he knew the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar to be. (This all happened before the Eternal destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose to settle his family on the plains of the Jordan Valley, and he journeyed eastward. This is how Abram and Lot separated from each other and established two different households. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities of the Jordanian Valley. He eventually spread out and pitched his tent as far away as Sodom. 13 (Now you need to know that the people of the city of Sodom were quite wicked—utterly defiant toward God.)
14 After Lot had moved away, the Eternal spoke to Abram.
Eternal One: Look around you now, as far as you can see to the north, south, east, and west. 15 All of the land you see is for you and your descendants to possess forever. 16 I will make your descendants as many as there are specks of dust on the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count how many descendants I’m talking about! 17 Go on now, and walk the entire expanse of the land, for you need to see what I am giving you!
18 So Abram moved his family and belongings again, this time to Hebron, settling near the oaks of Mamre. Abram built yet another altar table to the Eternal here in this new place.
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