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Chapter 13

Abram and Lot Part. From Egypt Abram went up to the Negeb with his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot went with him.(A) [a]Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.(B) From the Negeb he traveled by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly stood, the site where he had first built the altar; and there Abram invoked the Lord by name.(C)

Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not live together. There 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.

So Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herders and my herders, for we are kindred. Is 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.” 10 Lot 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. 11 Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain and set out eastward. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain, pitching his tents near Sodom. 13 Now the inhabitants of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.(D)

14 After 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;(E) 15 all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.(F) 16 I 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.(G) 17 Get up and walk through the land, across its length and breadth, for I give it to you. 18 Abram 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.(H)

Footnotes

  1. 13:2–18 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).

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.

Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them living together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together, and there was strife between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.

Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 11 So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward; thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring[a] forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks[b] of Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:15 Heb seed
  2. Genesis 13:18 Or terebinths

Abram and Lot Separate

13 Abram went north out of Egypt to the southern part of Canaan with his wife and everything he owned, and Lot went with him. Abram was a very rich man, with sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as silver and gold. Then 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 and had built an altar. There he worshiped the Lord.

Lot also had sheep, goats, and cattle, as well as his own family and servants. And so there was not enough pasture land for the two of them to stay together, because they had too many animals. So 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.)

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

10 (A)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[a] or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself and moved away toward the east. That is how the two men parted. 12 Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities in the valley and camped near Sodom, 13 whose people were wicked and sinned against the Lord.

Abram Moves to Hebron

14 After Lot had left, the Lord said to Abram, “From where you are, look carefully in all directions. 15 (B)I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see, and it will be yours forever. 16 I 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! 17 Now, go and look over the whole land, because I am going to give it all to you.” 18 So Abram moved his camp and settled near the sacred trees of Mamre at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:10 A reference to the Garden of Eden.

Abram and Lot

13 So Abram went up from Egypt to (A)the [a]Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him.

Now Abram was (B)very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. And he went [b]on his journeys from the [c]Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, (C)between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the (D)altar which he had made there previously; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now (E)Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. And (F)the land could not [d]support both of them [e]while living together, (G)for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. (H)And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now (I)the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.

(J)So 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! Is 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.” 10 Lot raised his eyes and saw all the [f]vicinity of the (K)Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord (L)destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like (M)the garden of the Lord, (N)like the land of Egypt [g]going toward (O)Zoar. 11 So Lot chose for himself all the [h]vicinity of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. So they separated from each other. 12 Abram [i]settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot [j]settled in (P)the cities of the [k]vicinity of the Jordan, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. 13 Now (Q)the men of Sodom were [l]exceedingly wicked (R)sinners against the Lord.

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “(S)Now raise your eyes and look from the place where you are, (T)northward and southward, and eastward and westward; 15 (U)for all the land which you see (V)I will give to you and to your [m]descendants forever. 16 I will make your [n]descendants (W)as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your [o]descendants could also be counted. 17 Arise, (X)walk about in the land through its length and width; for (Y)I will give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and lived by the [p](Z)oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron; and there he built (AA)an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:1 I.e., South country
  2. Genesis 13:3 Lit by his stages
  3. Genesis 13:3 I.e., South country
  4. Genesis 13:6 Lit bear
  5. Genesis 13:6 Lit to live
  6. Genesis 13:10 Lit circle
  7. Genesis 13:10 Lit as you go
  8. Genesis 13:11 Lit circle
  9. Genesis 13:12 Lit dwelt
  10. Genesis 13:12 Lit dwelt
  11. Genesis 13:12 Lit circle
  12. Genesis 13:13 Lit wicked and sinners exceedingly
  13. Genesis 13:15 Lit seed
  14. Genesis 13:16 Lit seed
  15. Genesis 13:16 Lit seed
  16. Genesis 13:18 Or terebinths

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt(A) to the Negev,(B) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot(C) went with him. Abram had become very wealthy(D) in livestock(E) and in silver and gold.

From the Negev(F) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,(G) to the place between Bethel and Ai(H) where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar.(I) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.(J)

Now Lot,(K) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.(L) And quarreling(M) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites(N) and Perizzites(O) were also living in the land(P) at that time.

So Abram said to Lot,(Q) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,(R) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.(S) Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”(T)

10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain(U) of the Jordan toward Zoar(V) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,(W) like the land of Egypt.(X) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom(Y) and Gomorrah.)(Z) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan,(AA) while Lot(AB) lived among the cities of the plain(AC) and pitched his tents near Sodom.(AD) 13 Now the people of Sodom(AE) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.(AF)

14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(AG) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.(AH) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(AI) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(AJ) for I am giving it to you.”(AK)

18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre(AL) at Hebron,(AM) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16