Genesis 13

1 Abram went up out of Egypt—he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him—into the South.

So Abram left Egypt and went back into the Negev along with Sarai, Lot, and everyone with them, as well as all their possessions.

2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

Abram was very rich, having many herds of livestock and a great deal of silver and gold.

3 He went on his journeys from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

He left the Negev and traveled in stages to Bethel, back to the place where he'd camped before, between Bethel and Ai.

4 to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the LORD’s name.

This was where he'd first built an altar. He worshiped the Lord there as he had done previously.

5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents.

Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had many flocks, herds, and tents,

6 The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together.

so much so that the available land couldn't support both of them—they had so much livestock they couldn't stay together anymore.

7 There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land at that time.

Abram's and Lot's herdsmen were arguing, and in addition the Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

8 Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.

So Abram said to Lot, “Please don't let's have arguments between us, or between our herdsmen, because we're family.

9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

You see all this land that's available right in front of you? We have to split up. If you choose to go to the left, I'll go to the right. If you choose to go to the right, I'll go to the left.”

10 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.

Lot looked over the whole Jordan valley towards Zoar, and saw that it was well-watered, looking like the Garden of Eden, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

11 So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one other.

So Lot chose the whole Jordan valley and went east, and the two separated from each other.

12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

Abram went to live in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled down among the towns in the valley, setting up his tents near Sodom.

13 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the LORD.

(The people of Sodom were very wicked, committing terrible sins that offended the Lord.)

14 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,

After separating from Lot, the Lord told Abram, “Look around you from where you're standing, to the north, south, east, and west.

15 for I will give all the land which you see to you and to your offspring forever.

I'm giving all this land you see to you and your descendants forever.

16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring may also be counted.

You will have so many descendants that they'll be like the dust of the earth. If anyone could count dust then they could count the number of your descendants!

17 Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its width; for I will give it to you.”

Go and walk through the whole land in all directions because I'm giving it to you.”

18 Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.

So Abram went to live at Hebron, setting up his tents among the oaks at Mamre, where he built an altar to the Lord.