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Genesis 13
The Voice
Genesis 13
The Voice
13 Abram left Egypt with his wife, Lot, and everything he owned, and he went back up into the Negev region. 2 Because of his experience in Egypt, Abram had become quite rich. He had livestock, silver, and gold to carry with him. 3 He journeyed north in stages from the Negev as far as Bethel to the place where he had pitched his tent earlier between Bethel and Ai. 4 He returned to one of the first altar tables he had made in the land, stopped there, and called on the name of the Eternal once again. 5 Lot, who had gone with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so the land was no longer large enough to support the two of them living together as one household. They each had so many possessions that they just couldn’t stay together any longer. 7 Arguments erupted between Abram’s and Lot’s livestock herders as they tried to graze their flocks side-by-side. (During this time, the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living on this land too.)
Abram (to Lot): 8 Let’s not fight. I don’t want there to be any animosity between you and me, or between our herders. After all, we’re family. 9 A vast land is out there and available to you. It is time for us to go our separate ways. You choose your land. If you choose east, I’ll go west. If you choose west, I’ll go east—it’s your call.
Abram is an exemplary man of faith. Being older than Lot, he by custom has first choice of the property, but he waives his right and grants Lot the first choice. Given their recent experiences in the famine, it is no wonder that Lot chooses the lush, fertile soils of the Jordan Valley for his new home. But as Lot moves his family east, he moves farther from Abram and closer to danger.
10 Lot looked around, and he noticed the grassy plains in the Jordan Valley looked well watered and fertile, just as he imagined the Eternal One’s gardens might be or as he knew the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar to be. (This all happened before the Eternal destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose to settle his family on the plains of the Jordan Valley, and he journeyed eastward. This is how Abram and Lot separated from each other and established two different households. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot settled among the cities of the Jordanian Valley. He eventually spread out and pitched his tent as far away as Sodom. 13 (Now you need to know that the people of the city of Sodom were quite wicked—utterly defiant toward God.)
14 After Lot had moved away, the Eternal spoke to Abram.
Eternal One: Look around you now, as far as you can see to the north, south, east, and west. 15 All of the land you see is for you and your descendants to possess forever. 16 I will make your descendants as many as there are specks of dust on the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count how many descendants I’m talking about! 17 Go on now, and walk the entire expanse of the land, for you need to see what I am giving you!
18 So Abram moved his family and belongings again, this time to Hebron, settling near the oaks of Mamre. Abram built yet another altar table to the Eternal here in this new place.
Genesis 13
New International Version
Genesis 13
New International Version
Abram and Lot Separate
13 So Abram went up from Egypt(A) to the Negev,(B) with his wife and everything he had, and Lot(C) went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy(D) in livestock(E) and in silver and gold.
3 From the Negev(F) he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,(G) to the place between Bethel and Ai(H) where his tent had been earlier 4 and where he had first built an altar.(I) There Abram called on the name of the Lord.(J)
5 Now Lot,(K) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.(L) 7 And quarreling(M) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites(N) and Perizzites(O) were also living in the land(P) at that time.
8 So Abram said to Lot,(Q) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,(R) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.(S) 9 Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”(T)
10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain(U) of the Jordan toward Zoar(V) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,(W) like the land of Egypt.(X) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom(Y) and Gomorrah.)(Z) 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan,(AA) while Lot(AB) lived among the cities of the plain(AC) and pitched his tents near Sodom.(AD) 13 Now the people of Sodom(AE) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.(AF)
14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.(AG) 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.(AH) 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.(AI) 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land,(AJ) for I am giving it to you.”(AK)
18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre(AL) at Hebron,(AM) where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.(AN)
Footnotes
- Genesis 13:15 Or seed; also in verse 16
The Voice (VOICE)
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