Genesis 13:12

12 (And) Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan; soothly Lot dwelled in [the] towns about Jordan, and abode in Sodom (and lived near 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 And so Lot raised [up] his eyes, and saw about all the country of Jordan, which was all-moisted, before that the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, as (the) paradise of the Lord, and as Egypt, as men come into Zoar. (And so Lot raised up his eyes, and saw the Jordan Valley all about, and that it was well-watered, and that all the way to Zoar it was like the Garden of the Lord, that is, like the Garden of Eden, and like Egypt, for this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11 And Lot chose to him the country about Jordan, and departed from the east; and they were parted each from his brother. (And Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and left for the east; and so they parted from each other, yea, each from his kinsman.)
12 (And) Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan; soothly Lot dwelled in [the] towns about Jordan, and abode in Sodom (and lived near Sodom).
13 Forsooth (the) men of Sodom were full wicked, and sinners greatly before the Lord (and greatly sinned against the Lord).
14 And the Lord said to Abram, after that Lot was parted from him (And after that Lot had left, the Lord said to Abram), Raise [up] thine eyes forthright, and see from the place in which thou art now, to the north and south, (and) to the east and west;
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.