UNROLL
Two great flocks of sheep and goats grazing on neighboring stony slopes at golden hour, two clusters of black tents with a dry valley between them.

The Book of

Genesis 13

Two herds, one hillside, and not enough grass. Abram lets his nephew choose first, and trusts God with what is left.

18 verses≈ 3 min2 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–11BeginningsCreation, fall, flood, Babel
  2. 12–24AbrahamThe call and the promiseChapter 13
  3. 25–36Isaac and JacobThe promise passed on
  4. 37–50JosephGod meant it for good

Abram and Lot Part Ways

So Abram went up out of Egypt into the Negev—he and his wife and all his possessions—and Lot was with him. And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.

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From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched, to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are kinsmen.

Genesis 13:8

Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

Reflect

Peace before rights

Abram was the elder and the one God had called. He could have taken the best land. Instead he said, “Please let there be no contention between you and me,” and let Lot choose first. Is there a quarrel in your life where you are holding on to your rights? What would it look like to make peace first and trust God with the outcome? Write it down.

Lot Proceeds toward Sodom

A man seen from behind on a high ridge, looking down over hills falling away to the wide green plain of the Jordan in morning haze.

And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company.

0:20

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD.

Pray

Guard my eyes

“Lot looked out and saw” a plain “well watered like the garden of the LORD,” and he chose it for himself. He didn’t ask what kind of people lived there. Ask God to guard your eyes and your choices: to see past what looks good to what is good, and to keep you from drifting, one tent peg at a time, toward what will harm you.

God Renews the Promise to Abram

An old man seen from behind on a high rocky hilltop at morning, the hill country rolling away in every direction.

After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

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

Genesis 13:16

Get up and walk around the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you.”

all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever

Genesis 13:14–15

So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.

Jordan RiverBethelAiSodom (site uncertain)Zoar (site uncertain)Hebron

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Abram stays, Lot goes east

From the hills between Bethel and Ai, Lot looks down on “the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar,” and sets out east toward Sodom. Abram stays in the hill country, then moves south to live “near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron.” Where Sodom and Zoar stood is uncertain.

Question

Quick question

Abram offered Lot the first choice of the land.

Which way did Lot go when he and Abram parted company?

You’ve experienced

Genesis 13

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A verse to carry with you

Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

Genesis 13:14–15

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