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 went up from Egypt and went into the Negev, he, his wife, and all that he had. Lot also went with them.

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

Now Abram was very rich in animals, 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 continued on his journey from the Negev to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been before, between Bethel and Ai.

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

He went to the place where the altar was that he had built previously. Here he called 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, who was traveling with Abram, also 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 support them both living close together, because their possessions were very many, so that they could not stay 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.

Also, there was a dispute between the herdsmen of Abram's animals and the herdsmen of Lot's animals. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living 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.

So Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; after all, we are family.

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 the whole land before you? Go ahead and separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right, 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 looked around, and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere all the way to Zoar, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt. This was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

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

So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan and traveled east, and the relatives separated from each other.

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 among the cities of the plain. He set up his tents as far away as Sodom.

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

Now the men of Sodom were very wicked 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 had departed from him, “Look from the place where you are standing to the north, south, east, and west.

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

All this land which you see, I will give to you and to your descendants 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 descendants as abundant as the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could 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 length and breadth of the land, 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.

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