Abram and Lot

13 So Abram went up from Egypt to (A)the [a]Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him.

Now Abram was (B)very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. And he went [b]on his journeys from the [c]Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, (C)between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the (D)altar which he had made there previously; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. Now (E)Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. And (F)the land could not [d]support both of them [e]while living together, (G)for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. (H)And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now (I)the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.

(J)So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are relatives! Is the entire land not before you? Please separate from me; if you choose the left, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right, then I will go to the left.” 10 Lot raised his eyes and saw all the [f]vicinity of the (K)Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord (L)destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like (M)the garden of the Lord, (N)like the land of Egypt [g]going toward (O)Zoar. 11 So Lot chose for himself all the [h]vicinity of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. So they separated from each other. 12 Abram [i]settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot [j]settled in (P)the cities of the [k]vicinity of the Jordan, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. 13 Now (Q)the men of Sodom were [l]exceedingly wicked (R)sinners against the Lord.

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “(S)Now raise your eyes and look from the place where you are, (T)northward and southward, and eastward and westward; 15 (U)for all the land which you see (V)I will give to you and to your [m]descendants forever. 16 I will make your [n]descendants (W)as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your [o]descendants could also be counted. 17 Arise, (X)walk about in the land through its length and width; for (Y)I will give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and lived by the [p](Z)oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron; and there he built (AA)an altar to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 13:1 I.e., South country
  2. Genesis 13:3 Lit by his stages
  3. Genesis 13:3 I.e., South country
  4. Genesis 13:6 Lit bear
  5. Genesis 13:6 Lit to live
  6. Genesis 13:10 Lit circle
  7. Genesis 13:10 Lit as you go
  8. Genesis 13:11 Lit circle
  9. Genesis 13:12 Lit dwelt
  10. Genesis 13:12 Lit dwelt
  11. Genesis 13:12 Lit circle
  12. Genesis 13:13 Lit wicked and sinners exceedingly
  13. Genesis 13:15 Lit seed
  14. Genesis 13:16 Lit seed
  15. Genesis 13:16 Lit seed
  16. Genesis 13:18 Or terebinths

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