Bereshis 13:4

4 Unto the makom of the Mizbe’ach, which he had built there at the first; and there Avram called on the Shem of Hashem.

Bereshis 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 13:4

Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the
first
When he first came to that place, and before he went down to Egypt: it is not said he came to the altar, but "to the place", where it had stood, for it seems now to have been demolished, either having fallen of itself, being made of earth, or had been destroyed by the Canaanites, since Abram left it; or perhaps it might be pulled down by Abram himself before he went from thence, that it might not be used and polluted by the idolatrous Canaanites. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord;
prayed unto him, and gave him thanks for the preservation of him and his wife in Egypt; for the support of himself and his family there during the famine in Canaan; for the increase of his worldly substance, and for the protection of him, and all that belonged to him, in his journey from Egypt thither; and for all the instances of his grace, and the rich experiences of his goodness he had favoured him with; (See Gill on Genesis 12:8) where the same form of expression is used.

Bereshis 13:4 In-Context

2 And Avram was very rich in cattle, in kesef, and in zahav.

3 And he went on his journeys from the Negev even to Beit-El, unto the makom where his ohel had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and Ai;

4 Unto the makom of the Mizbe’ach, which he had built there at the first; and there Avram called on the Shem of Hashem.

5 And Lot also, which walked with Avram, had tzon, and herds, and ohalim.

6 And ha’aretz was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together; for their rechush was rav, so that they could not dwell together.