Genesis 13

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

So Abram came up out of Egypt he and his wife and all that he had and Lot with him, towards the South.

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

Now, Abram, was very rich, —in cattle, in silver and in gold.

3 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,

And he went his way, by his removals, from the South even as far as to Bethel, —as far as the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai:

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

unto the place of the altar, which he made there at first, —and Abram called there, on the name of Yahweh.

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

Now, Lot also, who was going with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.

6 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.

And the land suffered them not to dwell together, —because their substance had become, great, so that they could not dwell together.

7 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.

And there arose a strife betwixt the herdmen of Abram, and the herdmen of Lot. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite, were then dwelling in the land.

8 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.

So then Abram said unto Lot Pray let not cause of strife arise betwixt me and thee, or betwixt my herdmen and thy herdmen; for brethren, are we.

9 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.”

Is not, all the land, before thee? I pray thee, separate thyself from me, —if to the left hand, then I will go to the right, if to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 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.]

So Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the circuit of the Jordan, that the whole of it, was well-watered, —before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the Garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as thou enterest into Zoar.

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

And Lot chose for himself all the circuit of the Jordan, so Lot brake up eastwards, —and they separated themselves, each man from his brother:

12 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].

Abram, fixed his dwelling in the land of Canaan, —but, Lot, fixed his dwelling among the cities, of the circuit, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

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

Now, the men of Sodom were base and sinful, —against Yahweh, exceedingly.

14 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.

And, Yahweh, said unto Abram after that Lot had separated himself from him, Lift up, I pray thee thine eyes and look, from the place where thou art, —northward and southward and eastward and westward;

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

for all the land which thou art beholding—to thee, will I give it, and to thy seed unto times age-abiding;

16 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].

and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, —so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, thy seed also, may be numbered.

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

Rise! go up and down in the land, to the length thereof and to the breadth thereof, for to thee, will I give it.

18 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.

So Abram moved his tent and came in and dwelt among the oaks of Mamre, which were in Hebron, —and built there an altar to Yahweh.