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.