1Abram went up from Egypt toward the arid southern plain with his wife, with everything he had, and with Lot. 2Abram was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold. 3Abram traveled, making and breaking camp, from the arid southern plain to Bethel and to the sacred place there, where he had first pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai, 4that is, to the place at which he had earlier built the altar. There he worshipped in the LORD’s name. 5Now Lot, who traveled with Abram, also had flocks, cattle, and tents. 6They had so many possessions between them that the land couldn’t support both of them. They could no longer live together. 7Conflicts broke out between those herding Abram’s livestock and those herding Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.

8Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have disputes between me and you and between our herders since we are relatives. 9Isn’t the whole land in front of you? Let’s separate. If you go north, I will go south; and if you go south, I will go north.” 10Lot looked up and saw the entire Jordan Valley. All of it was well irrigated, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar (this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah). 11So Lot chose for himself the entire Jordan Valley. Lot set out toward the east, and they separated from each other. 12Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled near the cities of the valley and pitched his tent close to Sodom. 13The citizens of Sodom were very evil and sinful against the LORD.

14After Lot separated from him, the LORD said to Abram, “From the place where you are standing, look up and gaze to the north, south, east, and west, 15because all the land that you see I give you and your descendants forever. 16I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth. If someone could count the bits of dust on the earth, then they could also count your descendants. 17Stand up and walk around through the length and breadth of the land because I am giving it to you.” 18So Abram packed his tent and went and settled by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.

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Genesis 13

Abraham and Lot

1And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai; 4unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

5And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 8And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. 10And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

14And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

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Genesis 13

Genesis 13