Abram and Lot's Herds Cause Conflict
Study note
Abram returns from Egypt to the southern part of Canaan, then moves north to Bethel where he had previously built an altar. Both Abram and Lot have become so wealthy in livestock that the land cannot support both of their herds. Their herdsmen begin to quarrel. The mention of Canaanites and Perizzites in the land reminds the reader that Abram's family is living among other peoples.
1 So Abram traveled up from Egypt back into the southern part of Canaan — him, his wife, and everything they had. Lot came along too. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
2 By this time, Abram was extremely rich, with huge herds of livestock plus lots of silver and gold. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
3 He traveled in stages from the south all the way back to Bethel. He went to the very spot between Bethel and Ai where he had camped before. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai;
4 That was the same place where he had originally built an altar. Abram prayed to the Lord there. Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
5 Lot, who had been traveling alongside Abram, also owned plenty of sheep, cattle, and tents. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 But the land simply could not support both of them living right next to each other. They had so many animals and so much things that there wasn't enough room. 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.
7 Arguments started breaking out between Abram's herders and Lot's herders. On top of that, the Canaanites and Perizzites were already living in the area. 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.
Abram and Lot Separate
Study note
Abram, as the elder, could have claimed first choice, but instead he generously offers Lot the first pick of the land. Lot looks out and sees the well-watered Jordan Valley, which looks as lush as the Garden of Eden or the land of Egypt. Lot chooses this rich land and moves his tent near Sodom. The text ominously notes that the people of Sodom were extremely wicked. Lot's choice based on appearance rather than wisdom will lead to serious problems later.
8 Abram told Lot, "Let's not have any fighting between us, or between your workers and mine. After all, we're family." 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.
9 "Look at all this land spread out in front of you! Let's go our separate ways. Pick whichever direction you want — left or right — and I'll take the other one." 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 Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan River valley was green and full of water. It was like God's own garden or the rich land of Egypt, all the way down to Zoar. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. 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 So Lot picked the Jordan valley for himself and headed east. That is how the two of them split up. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. Lot moved toward the cities of the plain and set up his tents close to Sodom. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13 The people of Sodom, though, were terrible. They sinned constantly against the Lord. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
God Renews His Promise to Abram
Study note
After Lot leaves, God tells Abram to look in every direction. All the land he can see will belong to him and his descendants forever. God promises that Abram's descendants will be as countless as the dust of the earth. God invites Abram to walk through the entire land, claiming it as his own. Abram moves to Hebron and settles near the great trees of Mamre, where he builds another altar to the Lord.
14 After Lot had gone, the Lord told Abram, "Look in every direction from where you are standing — north, south, east, and west." 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 "Every bit of land that you can see, I am giving to you and your descendants. It's yours forever." For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 "I will make your descendants as countless as the specks of dust on the ground. If someone could count every grain of dust, then they could count your descendants too!" 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 "Get up and walk across this land in every direction, because I am handing it over to you." Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
18 So Abram picked up and moved his camp to the area near the big oak trees at Mamre, close to Hebron. He built an altar there to honor the Lord. 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.