1Abram left Egypt with his wife and everything he had and went to the Negev. Lot was with him. 2Abram was very rich because he had livestock, silver, and gold. 3He traveled from place to place. He went from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the area between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been originally, 4where he had first made an altar. There Abram worshiped the Lord.

5Lot, who had been traveling with Abram, also had his own sheep, cattle, and tents. 6There wasn’t enough pastureland for both of them. They had so many possessions that they were unable to remain together. 7Quarrels broke out between Abram’s herders and Lot’s herders. (Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in that area.)

8Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have any more quarrels between us or between our herders. After all, we’re relatives. 9Isn’t all this land yours also? Let’s separate. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right, and if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” 10Then Lot looked in the direction of Zoar as far as he could see. He saw that the whole Jordan Plain was well-watered like the Lord’s garden or like Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

11Lot chose the whole Jordan Plain for himself. He moved toward the east. They each went their own way. 12Abram lived in Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain, moving his tents as far as Sodom. 13(The people who lived in Sodom were very wicked. They committed terrible sins against the Lord.)

The LORD’s Third Promise to Abram

14After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, “Look north, south, east, and west of where you are. 15I will give all the land you see to you and to your descendants for an indefinite period of time. 16I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants. 17Go! Walk back and forth across the entire land because I will give it to you.” 18So Abram moved his tents and went to live by the oak trees belonging to Mamre at Hebron. There he built an altar for the Lord.

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Genesis 13

Abram and Lot separate

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

Genesis 13