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Abram and Lot Part Ways

13 Abram traveled from Egypt, along with his wife and everyone who belonged to his household[a]—including Lot—to the Negev.[b]

Now Abram had become quite wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold. He journeyed by stages from the Negev[c] to Bethel, the place where his tent had formerly been, between Bethel and Ai, where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks of sheep, herds, and tents. But the land could not support them living together, because they had so many livestock that they could not stay together. There was strife between the herdsmen in charge of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen in charge of Lot’s livestock. Also, at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

So Abram told Lot, “Please, let’s not have strife between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.[d] Isn’t the whole land available to you? Let’s separate: If you go[e] to the left, then I will go to the right; if you go[f] to the right, then I will go to the left.”

10 Lot looked around and noticed that the whole Jordan plain as far as Zoar was well-watered like the garden of the Lord or like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan plain. Then Lot traveled eastward, and they separated from each other.

12 So Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent in the vicinity of Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were particularly evil and sinful in their defiance of[g] the Lord.

14 After Lot had separated from Abram, the Lord told Abram, “Look off to the north, south[h], east, and west[i] from where you’re living, 15 because I’m going to give you and your descendants all of the land that you see—forever! 16 I’ll make your descendants as plentiful as[j] the specks of[k] dust of the earth, so that if one could count the specks of[l] dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted. 17 Get up! Walk throughout the length and breadth of the land, because I’m going to give it to you.”

18 So Abram moved his tent and settled beside the oaks of Mamre that are by Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:1 Lit. who pertained to him
  2. Genesis 13:1 I.e. the southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
  3. Genesis 13:3 I.e. the southern region of Israel; cf. Josh 10:40
  4. Genesis 13:8 Lit. brothers
  5. Genesis 13:9 The Heb. lacks you go
  6. Genesis 13:9 The Heb. lacks you go
  7. Genesis 13:13 Lit. sinful before
  8. Genesis 13:14 Lit. the Negev
  9. Genesis 13:14 Lit. the sea
  10. Genesis 13:16 The Heb. lacks plentiful as
  11. Genesis 13:16 The Heb. lacks the specks of
  12. Genesis 13:16 The Heb. lacks the specks of

13 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

Is 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.

10 And 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.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

14 And 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:

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

16 And 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.

17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

18 Then 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.