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.

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Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Separate

1So Abram, his wife and Lot left Egypt. They took everything they owned and traveled to southern Canaan. 2Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold.

3He left southern Canaan and went back to Bethel. He went where he had camped before, between Bethel and Ai. 4It was the place where Abram had built an altar before. So he worshiped the Lord there.

5During this time Lot was traveling with Abram. Lot also had many sheep, cattle and tents. 6Abram and Lot had so many animals that the land could not support both of them together. 7Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders began to argue. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at this time.

8So Abram said to Lot, “There should be no arguing between you and me. Your herders and mine should not argue either. We are brothers. 9We should separate. The whole land is there in front of you. 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 all around and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. It was like the Lord’s garden, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11So Lot chose to move east and live in the Jordan Valley. In this way Abram and Lot separated. 12Abram lived in the land of Canaan. But Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan Valley. He moved very near to Sodom. 13Now the people of Sodom were very evil. They were always sinning against the Lord.

14After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, “Look all around you. Look north and south and east and west. 15All this land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. 16I will make your descendants as many as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust on the earth, he could count your people. 17Get up! Walk through all this land. I am now giving it to you.”

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

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Genesis 13

Genesis 13