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

1So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him. 2#Ge 24:35; Ps 112:1–3Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver and in gold.

3He continued on his journey from the Negev and came to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4#Ge 12:7–8to the place where he first made an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.

5Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6#Ge 36:6–7But the land was not able to support them both dwelling together because their possessions were so great. 7#Ge 12:6; 26:20And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelled in the land at that time.

8#Ps 133:1; Ac 7:26So Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife, I ask you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. 9#Ge 20:15; 34:10Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you will go to the left, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right, then I will go to the left.”

10#Dt 34:3; Ge 14:8; 14:2Lot lifted up his eyes, and looked at all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 11Then Lot chose for himself the entire valley of the Jordan and journeyed east, and the two of them separated from each other. 12#Ge 19:29; 14:12Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the valley and pitched his tent as far as Sodom. 13#Ge 18:20Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the Lord.

14#Ge 28:14; Dt 3:27After Lot had departed from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Lift up now your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward. 15#Ge 12:7; 2Ch 20:7All the land that you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever. 16#Ge 28:14; Nu 23:10I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be numbered. 17Arise, and walk throughout the land across its length and its width, for I will give it to you.”

18#Ge 14:13; 8:20So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar to the Lord there.

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Genesis 13

Genesis 13