Genesis 13

1 Abram went up out of Egypt: he, his wife, and all his possessions, and Lot with him, into the Negev.

So Abram and Sarai left Egypt, and they took along all his possessions, and Lot went with them to the Negev [Desert].

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

Abram was very rich. He owned a lot of livestock, silver and gold.

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

They continued traveling from place to place from the Negev [Desert] toward Bethel [town] to the place between Bethel and Ai where they had previously set up their tents,

4 to the place where he had first built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of God.

and where Abram had made a stone altar and worshiped Yahweh.

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

Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks of sheep and goats and herds of cattle, and tents.

6 The land was not able to support them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to remain together.

But they had so many animals that they could not all stay in the same area. There was not enough land to provide water and food for all their animals.

7 There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived in the land at that time.

Furthermore, the descendants of Canaan and Perizzi were also living in that area, and the land really belonged to them. And the men who took care of Abram’s animals started quarreling with the men who took care of Lot’s animals.

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

So Abram said to Lot, “Since we are close relatives, it is not good for us two to quarrel, or for the men who take care of your animals to quarrel with the men who take care of my animals.

9 Isn't 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."

There is plenty of land for both of us. So we should separate. You can choose whatever part you want [RHQ]. If you want the area over there, I will stay here. If you want the area here, I will go over there.”

10 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, like the garden of God, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Lot looked around toward Zoar [town], and saw that there was plenty of water all over the plain near the Jordan [River]. It was like the park/garden in Eden, and like the land in Egypt. [That was before Yahweh destroyed [the cities of] Sodom and Gomorrah which were on that plain.]

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

So Lot chose the land in the plain of the Jordan [River]. He left his uncle, Abram, and moved east.

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 stayed in the Canaan area, and Lot started to live near the cities in the plain of the Jordan [River], and he set up his tents near Sodom [city].

13 Now the people of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly against God.

[You need to know that] people who lived there were extremely wicked.

14 And God said to Abram after Lot had departed from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,

After Abram and Lot separated, Yahweh said to Abram, “Look around at this whole area where you are. Look north and south, look east and west.

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

I will give to you and your descendants all the land that you see; I will give it to you forever.

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

I will cause your descendants to be as numerous as particles of dust! [It will be easier] to count the particles of dust than it will be to count your descendants [HYP].

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

Walk through the land in every direction, because I am going to give it all 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 God.

So Abram [and his men] took down their tents and moved to Hebron and started to live by the huge trees [at the town] Mamre. He placed a stone altar there to [make sacrifices to] Yahweh.