亞伯蘭與羅得分道揚鑣

13 亞伯蘭帶著妻子、侄兒羅得和所有的一切離開埃及去南地。 這時候亞伯蘭已經擁有很多牲畜和金銀。 3-4 他從南地漸漸遷移到伯特利,到了他從前在伯特利和艾中間搭帳篷和築壇的地方。他又在那裡求告耶和華。 和亞伯蘭同行的羅得也有牛群、羊群和帳篷。 他們的牲畜很多,那地方容納不下,他們無法住在一起。 亞伯蘭的牧人和羅得的牧人彼此爭執。那時,迦南人和比利洗人也住在那裡。

亞伯蘭對羅得說:「我們不該彼此爭執,我們的牧人也不該互相爭執,因為我們是骨肉至親。 整片土地不就在你面前嗎?我們分開吧。如果你往左邊去,我就往右邊走;如果你往右邊去,我就往左邊走。」 10 羅得舉目眺望,看見整個約旦河平原,遠至瑣珥,水源充足。在耶和華還沒有毀滅所多瑪和蛾摩拉之前,那地方就好像耶和華的伊甸園,又像埃及。 11 於是,羅得選了整個約旦河平原,向東遷移,他們便分開了。 12 亞伯蘭住在迦南,羅得則住在平原的城邑裡,並漸漸把帳篷遷移到所多瑪附近。 13 所多瑪人極其邪惡,在耶和華眼中罪惡滔天。

14 羅得離開後,耶和華對亞伯蘭說:「從你站的地方向東西南北眺望, 15 你所能看見的地方,我都要賜給你和你的後代,直到永遠。 16 我要使你的後代多如地上的塵土,人若能數算地上的塵土,才能數算你的後代。 17 你起來走遍這片土地,因為我要把這片土地賜給你。」 18 亞伯蘭就把帳篷遷移到希伯崙 幔利的橡樹那裡居住,在那裡為耶和華築了一座祭壇。

13 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

And he was very rich in possession of gold and silver.

And he returned by the way that he came, from the south to Bethel, to the place where before he had pitched his tent between Bethel and Hai:

In the place of the altar which he had made before; and there he called upon the name of the Lord.

But Lot also, who was with Abram, had flocks of sheep, and herds of beasts, and tents.

Neither was the land able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, and they could not dwell together.

Whereupon also there arose a strife between the herdsmen of Abram and of Lot. And at that time the Chanaanite and the Pherezite dwelled in that country.

Abram therefore said to Lot: Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren.

Behold the whole land is before thee: depart from me I pray thee: if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will take the right: if thou choose the right hand, I will pass to the left.

10 And Lot, lifting up his eyes, saw all the country about the Jordan, which was watered throughout, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, as the paradise of the Lord, and like Egypt as one comes to Segor.

11 And Lot chose to himself the country about the Jordan, and he departed from the east: and they were separated one brother from the other.

12 Abram dwelt in the land of Chanaan; and Lot abode in the towns that were about the Jordan, and dwelt in Sodom.

13 And the men of Sodom were very wicked, and sinners before the face of the Lord, beyond measure.

14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him: Lift up thy eyes, and look from the place wherein thou now art, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west.

15 All the land which thou seest, I will give to thee, and to thy seed for ever.

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

17 Arise and walk through the land in the length, and in the breadth thereof: for I will give it to thee.

18 So Abram removing his tent came and dwelt by the vale of Mambre, which is in Hebron: and he built there an altar to the Lord.

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