Genesis 13:12

12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan Valley, very near to Sodom.

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.


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 all around and saw the whole Jordan Valley and that there was much water there. It was like the Lord's garden, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11 So Lot chose to move east and live in the Jordan Valley. In this way Abram and Lot separated.
12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived among the cities in the Jordan Valley, very near to Sodom.
13 Now the people of Sodom were very evil and were always sinning against the Lord.
14 After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, "Look all around you -- to the north and south and east and west.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.