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.

Learn More

Genesis 13

Abram and Lot Separate

1Then Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev # Gn 12:9 — he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. 2Abram was very rich # Lit heavy in livestock, silver, and gold. 3He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, 4to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of Yahweh there. # Gn 12:7,8

5Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together, # Gn 36:7 7and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. # Gn 26:20 At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land. # Gn 12:6; 15:20-21

8Then Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. # Lit brothers 9Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate 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.”

10Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan Valley # Gn 19:17-29 as far as # Lit Valley as you go to Zoar # Gn 14:2,8; Dt 34:3 was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden # Gn 2:8-10 and the land of Egypt. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. # Gn 19:24-25 11So Lot chose the entire Jordan Valley for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities of the valley and set up his tent near Sodom. 13Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly # Lit evil and sinful against the Lord. # Gn 18:20; Ezk 16:49; 2Pt 2:7-8

14After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, # Gn 28:14 15for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see. # Gn 12:7; 15:18; 17:8; 24:7; 26:4; 28:13; 35:12; Dt 34:4; 2Ch 20:7; Ac 7:5 16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, # Gn 16:10; 28:14; Nm 23:10 so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”

18So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, # Gn 14:13; 18:1; 23:17-19 where he built an altar to the Lord.

Learn More

Choose your language

Genesis 13

Genesis 13