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].

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

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

Abram was very rich in livestock, 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,

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,

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

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

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

Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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.]

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

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

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

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 lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, 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 exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.

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.

Yahweh 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,

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

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

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].

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.

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

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

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.

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