20130802 Friday, August 2 2013
Genesis 13: The Parting of Abram and Lot

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"The land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together"

Abram's sojourn in Egypt resulted in his family (his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot) becoming very wealthy.

"12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 12:11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12:12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

12:14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 12:15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 12:16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.

12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. 12:18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 12:19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way. 12:20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had." (Genesis 12:10-20 KJV)

Abram returned to the southern area (the "negev"; see The Negev Of Israel) of the land of Canaan, where he would remain for the rest of his life. "And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold."

"13:1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

13:3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 13:4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD." (Genesis 13:1-4 KJV)

Whether the Egyptians had provided to Lot directly, or whether Abram had shared his new wealth with Lot is not specified. Nevertheless, "the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together" and as a result, "there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle."

"13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

13:7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land." (Genesis 13:5-7 KJV)

Abram then generously offered Lot the first choice of where to settle, while Abram would go in the other direction.

"13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:8-9 KJV)

Lot's choice would not have been wise Abram's choice. Lot was not unrighteous - he just hadn't learned his lessons yet. While the area around Sodom was beautiful and well watered, just as many such "Sodom" places today, it was a "beautiful" place of moral depravity and evil. Lot made his choice, and soon regretted it: "2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" (2 Peter 2:6-8 KJV).

"13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other." (Genesis 13:10-11 KJV)

So it was that "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom."

"13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly." (Genesis 13:12-13 KJV)

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) then made a further promise to Abram, regarding his "seed" (see also The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq).

"13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee." (Genesis 13:14-17 KJV)

Abram then moved his encampment to the area around Hebron, where he remained for the rest of his life (see Camped Out In Canaan).

"13:18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD." (Genesis 13:18 KJV)

Fact Finder: How were herds of cattle involved in the early history of Abraham and his descendants?
See The Herds Of Abraham, Isaac And Jacob