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The Parting of Abram and Lot

13 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that was with him. And Lot went with him to the Negev. Now Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he went according to his journey from the Negev, then to Bethel, to the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the beginning. And Abram called on the name of Yahweh there. And Lot, who went with Abram, also had herds and tents. And the land could not support them[a] so as to live together, because their possessions were so many that[b] they were not able to live together. And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of the livestock of Abram and the herdsmen of the livestock of Lot. Now at that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there not be quarreling between me and you, and between my shepherds and your shepherds, for we men are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you want what is on the left, then I will go right; if you want what is on the right, I will go left.” 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw the whole plain of the Jordan, that all of it was well-watered land—this was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt in the direction of[c] Zoar. 11 So[d] Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan. And Lot journeyed from the east, and so they separated from each other.[e] 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled in the cities of the plain. And he pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were extremely wicked sinners against Yahweh.[f] 14 And Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are to the north, and to the south, and to the east and to the west, 15 for all the land which you see I will give to you, and to your descendants, forever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth which, if anyone were able to count the dust of the earth, your descendants would be so counted. 17 Arise, go through the length of the land and through its breadth, for I will give it to you.” 18 So[g] Abram pitched his tent, and he came and settled at the oaks of Mamre, which were at Hebron. And there he built an altar to Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:6 Literally “lift them up”
  2. Genesis 13:6 Or “and”
  3. Genesis 13:10 Literally “your going”
  4. Genesis 13:11 Or “And”
  5. Genesis 13:11 Literally “each from his brother”
  6. Genesis 13:13 Literally “were wicked and sinners against Yahweh very”
  7. Genesis 13:18 Or “And”

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt(A) to the Negev,(B) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot(C) went with him. Abram had become very wealthy(D) in livestock(E) and in silver and gold.

From the Negev(F) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,(G) to the place between Bethel and Ai(H) where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar.(I) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.(J)

Now Lot,(K) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.(L) And quarreling(M) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites(N) and Perizzites(O) were also living in the land(P) at that time.

So Abram said to Lot,(Q) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,(R) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.(S) Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”(T)

10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain(U) of the Jordan toward Zoar(V) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,(W) like the land of Egypt.(X) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom(Y) and Gomorrah.)(Z) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan,(AA) while Lot(AB) lived among the cities of the plain(AC) and pitched his tents near Sodom.(AD) 13 Now the people of Sodom(AE) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.(AF)

14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(AG) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.(AH) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(AI) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(AJ) for I am giving it to you.”(AK)

18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre(AL) at Hebron,(AM) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.(AN)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16