Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Part Ways

1So Abram went up out of Egypt into the Negev—he and his wife and all his possessions—and Lot was with him. 2And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.

3From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched, 4to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

5Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6But the land was unable to support both of them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to coexist. 7And there was discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in the land.

8So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are brothers. 9Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself 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.”

Lot Proceeds toward Sodom

10And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company.

12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the Lord.

God Renews the Promise to Abram

14After Lot had departed, the Lord said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, 15for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.#13:15 Cited in Galatians 3:16

16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17Get up and walk around the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you.”

18So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks #13:18 Or Terebinths or Great Trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.

Genesis 13

Abram Returns to Canaan

1So Abram left Egypt. He traveled through the Negev with his wife and everything he owned. Lot was also with them. 2At this time Abram was very rich. He had many animals and much silver and gold.

3Abram continued traveling around. He left the Negev and went back to Bethel. He went to the place between the city of Bethel and Ai,#13:3 Ai The name of this town means “the ruins.” where he and his family had camped before. 4This was where Abram had built an altar earlier. So he worshiped the Lord there.

Abram and Lot Separate

5During this time Lot was also traveling with Abram. Lot had many animals and tents. 6Abram and Lot had so many animals that the land could not support both of them together. 7(The Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living in this land at the same time.) The shepherds of Abram and Lot began to argue.

8So Abram said to Lot, “There should be no arguing between you and me or between your people and my people. We are all brothers. 9We should separate. You can choose any place you want. 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 and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. At that time the Jordan Valley all the way to Zoar was like the Lord’s Garden. This was good land, like the land of Egypt.) 11So Lot chose to live in the Jordan Valley. The two men separated, and Lot began traveling east. 12Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities in the valley. Lot moved as far as Sodom and made his camp there. 13The Lord knew that the people of Sodom were very evil sinners.

14After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, “Look around you. Look north, south, east, west. 15All this land that you see I will give to you and your people who live after you. This will be your land forever. 16I will make your people so many that they will be like the dust of the earth. If people could count all the particles of dust on earth, they could count your people. 17So go. Walk through your land. I now give it to you.”

18So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the big trees of Mamre. This was near the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to honor the Lord.

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Genesis 13

Genesis 13