1Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev Desert. He took his wife and everything he had. Lot went with him.2Abram had become very rich. He had a lot of livestock and silver and gold.3Abram left the Negev Desert. He went from place to place until he came to Bethel. Then he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier.4There he called on the name of the LORD at the altar he had built.5Lot was moving around with Abram. Lot also had flocks and herds and tents.6But the land didn’t have enough food for both Abram and Lot. They had large herds and many servants, so they weren’t able to stay together.7The people who took care of Abram’s herds and those who took care of Lot’s herds began to argue. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.8So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not argue with each other. The people taking care of your herds and those taking care of mine shouldn’t argue with one another either. After all, we’re part of the same family.9Isn’t the whole land in front of you? Let’s separate. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right. If you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.’10Lot looked around. He saw that the whole River Jordan valley towards the town of Zoar had plenty of water. It was like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.11So Lot chose the whole River Jordan valley for himself. Then he started out towards the east. The two men separated.12Abram lived in the land of Canaan. Lot lived among the cities of the River Jordan valley. He set up his tents near Sodom.13The people of Sodom were evil. They were sinning greatly against the LORD.14The LORD spoke to Abram after Lot had left him. He said, ‘Look around from where you are. Look north and south, east and west.15I will give you all the land you see. I will give it for ever to you and your family who comes after you.16I will make them like the dust of the earth. Can dust be counted? If it can, then your family can be counted.17Go! Walk through the land. See how long and wide it is. I am giving it to you.’18So Abram went to live near the large trees of Mamre at Hebron. There he pitched his tents and built an altar to honour the LORD.
Genesis 13
English Standard Version
Abram and Lot Separate
1So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. (Ge 12:9)2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. (Ge 24:35; Ps 112:1; Pr 10:22)3And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,4to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. (Ge 12:7)5And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,6so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, (Ge 36:6)7and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land. (Ge 12:6; Ge 26:20)8Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.[1] (Ac 7:26; 1Co 6:1)9Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” (Ge 20:15; Ge 34:10)10And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) (Ge 2:8; Ge 14:2; Ge 14:8; Ge 19:17; Ge 19:22; Ge 19:24; Ge 19:25; Ge 19:28; De 34:3; 1Ki 7:46; Isa 51:3; Eze 28:13; Joe 2:3; Mt 3:5)11So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.12Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom.13Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord. (Ge 18:20; Eze 16:49; 2Pe 2:7)14The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, (Ge 28:14)15for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. (Ge 12:7; Ge 15:18; Ge 17:8; Ge 24:7; Ge 26:4; Ge 28:13; Ge 35:12; De 34:4; 2Ch 20:7; Ac 7:5)16I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. (Ge 15:5; Ge 22:17; Ge 28:14; Ge 32:12; Nu 23:10; 1Ki 3:8)17Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”18So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks[2] of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. (Ge 12:6; Ge 14:13; Ge 35:27)