Abram and Lot Separate

13 Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev(A)—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of the Lord there.(B)

Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 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) 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)

So 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. 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 plain[a] of the Jordan(F) as far as 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 plain of the Jordan 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 on the plain and set up his tent near Sodom. 13 (Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely[b] 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[c] 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 13:10 Lit circle; i.e., probably the large round plain where the Jordan River empties into the Dead Sea, also in v. 11
  2. 13:13 Lit evil and sinful
  3. 13:15 Lit seed

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.(A)

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,(B) to the place where he had made an altar at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.(C) Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, and the land could not support both of them living together because their possessions were so great that they could not live together. Thus strife arose 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.(D)

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.(E) 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 destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.(F) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward, and 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.(G) 13 Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.(H)

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,(I) 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.(J) 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.(K) 17 Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”(L) 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks[a] of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 13.18 Or terebinths