Abram and Lot Separate

13 Then Abram went up from Egypt to the * Negev y—he, his wife, and all he had, and Lot with him. 2 Abram was very rich z in livestock, silver, and gold. 3 He went by stages from the Negev to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been, 4 to the site where he had built the altar. And Abram called on the name of * Yahweh there. a

5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together, b 7 and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. c At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land. d

8 Then Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives. e 9 Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate 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.”

10 Lot looked out and saw that the entire Jordan Valley f as far as g Zoar h was well watered everywhere like the Lord’s garden i and the land of Egypt. This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. j 11 So Lot chose the entire Jordan Valley for himself. Then Lot journeyed eastward, and they separated from each other. 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot lived in the cities of the valley and set up his tent near Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly k against the Lord. l

14 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, m 15 for I will give you and your * offspring forever all the land that you see. n 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, o so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”

18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, p where he built an altar to the Lord.