Genesis 13
13
Abram and Lot Part. 1From Egypt Abram went up to the Negeb with his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot went with him.#Gn 12:9. 2#In this story of Abraham and Lot going their separate ways, Abraham resolves a family dispute by an act that shows both trust in God and generosity toward his nephew. The story suggests Lot rather than Abraham is the natural choice to be the ancestor of a great family; he is young and he takes the most fertile land (outside the land of Canaan). In contrast to Lot, who lifts his eyes to choose for himself (vv. 10–11), Abraham waits for God to tell him to lift his eyes and see the land he will receive (v. 14). Chaps. 18–19 continue the story of Abraham and Lot. Abraham’s visionary possession of the land foreshadows that of Moses (Dt 3:27; 34:4). Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.#Ps 112:1–3; Prv 10:22. 3From the Negeb he traveled by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly stood, 4the site where he had first built the altar; and there Abram invoked the Lord by name.#Gn 12:8.
5Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not live together. 7There were quarrels between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.
8So Abram said to Lot: “Let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herders and my herders, for we are kindred. 9Is not the whole land available? Please separate from me. If you prefer the left, I will go to the right; if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.” 10Lot looked about and saw how abundantly watered the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar, like the Lord’s own garden, or like Egypt. This was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 11Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain and set out eastward. Thus they separated from each other. 12Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain, pitching his tents near Sodom. 13Now the inhabitants of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.#Gn 18:20; Ez 16:49; 2 Pt 2:6–8; Jude 7.
14After Lot had parted from him, the Lord said to Abram: Look about you, and from where you are, gaze to the north and south, east and west;#Gn 28:14. 15all the land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.#Gn 12:7; Mt 5:5; Lk 1:55, 73; Acts 7:5; Rom 4:13; Gal 3:16. 16I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants too might be counted.#Gn 22:17; Nm 23:10. 17Get up and walk through the land, across its length and breadth, for I give it to you. 18Abram moved his tents and went on to settle near the oak of Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.#Gn 14:13.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Genesis 13
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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