Genesis 13:12

12 Avram lived in the land of Kena'an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S'dom.

Genesis 13:12 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 13:12

Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan
In that part of the land strictly so called, where the family of the Canaanites had their abode; for otherwise taking Canaan in a more general sense, the plain of Jordan, and cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, were in the land of Canaan. And Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain;
in the neighbourhood of them, or near those cities, which were built on the plain of Jordan, for he could not dwell in more than one, if in one; for it looks as if at his first settlement he did not dwell in any, but near them all, especially Sodom: since it follows, and pitched [his] tent toward Sodom,
or "even unto Sodom" ^F1; and it may be rendered, as it is by some, "he pitched his tents" ^F2, for himself, his family, and his servants, his shepherds and his herdsmen, which reached unto Sodom, and where he afterwards dwelt, at least at the gate of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (Mdo de) "usque Sodom", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.
F2 (lhayw) "movens tentoria", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator & Tigurine version; so Jarchi.

Genesis 13:12 In-Context

10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Yarden was well watered everywhere, before ADONAI destroyed S'dom and 'Amora, like the garden of ADONAI, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Tzo'ar.

11 So Lot chose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other.

12 Avram lived in the land of Kena'an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S'dom.

13 Now the men of S'dom were evil, committing great sins against ADONAI.

14 ADONAI said to Avram, after Lot had moved away from him, "Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west.