Genesis 13:7-17

7 so Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen began to argue. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at this time.

8 Abram said to Lot, "There should be no arguing between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, because we are brothers.

9 We should separate. The whole land is there in front of you. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left."

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.

15 All this land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.

16 I will make your descendants as many as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust on the earth, he could count your people.

17 Get up! Walk through all this land because I am now giving it to you."

Genesis 13:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 13

This chapter gives an account of the return of Abram from Egypt to the land of Canaan, and to the same place in it he had been before, Ge 13:1-4 and of a strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot, and the occasion of it, Ge 13:5-7 which was composed by the prudent proposal of Abram, Ge 13:8,9 upon which they parted; Abram continued in Canaan, and Lot chose the plain of Jordan, and dwelt near Sodom, a place infamous for wickedness, Ge 13:10-13 after which the Lord renewed to Abram the grant of the land of Canaan to him, and to his seed, Ge 13:14-17 and then he removed to the plain of Mamre in Hebron, and there set up the worship of God, Ge 13:18.