FRAMEWORKS:
Genesis 13: Division in the Land
v.1-4
Abram restored to the Land
v.5-9
Affluence causes quarrelling
v.10-13
Lot chooses unwisely
v.14-18
The Lord re-confirms the Land
v.1-4
Abram restored to the Land
v.1
So
Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything
he had, and Lot went with him.
v.2
Abram
had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
v.3,4
From
the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel,
to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and
where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name
of the Lord.
[Notes:
Abram
returns from Egypt, wealthier than when he had gone there. He
still has his nephew, Lot, with him and travels back up to near
Bethel where the Lord had spoken to him previously.]
v.5-9
Affluence causes quarrelling
v.5
Now
Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds
and tents.
v.6
But
the land could not support them while they stayed together, for
their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay
together.
v.7
And
quarreling arose between Abram's herders and Lot's. The Canaanites
and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
v.8
So
Abram said to Lot, “Let's not have any quarreling between you
and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.
v.9
Is
not the whole land before you? Let's part company. If you go to
the left, I'll go to the right; if you go to the right, I'll go
to the left.”
[Notes:
Lot
had also become affluent with flocks and herds, apparently benefitting
from being associated with Abram in Egypt. However this now becomes
a problem for they have too many animals between them to graze
in the same place, and their herdsmen had obviously argued about
that. Abram takes the initiative, not wanting division between
he and Lot and so suggests they part and graciously allows Lot
first choice of what land to go to.]
v.10-13
Lot chooses unwisely
v.10
Lot
looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward
Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land
of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
v.11
So
Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out
toward the east. The two men parted company:
v.12
Abram
lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities
of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.
v.13
Now
the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against
the Lord.
[Notes:
So
Lot looks and sees good grasslands east and south east and so
goes and eventually settles in the area of Sodom, thought to be
near the southern end of the Dead Sea, not a very righteous area
to settle. Abram remains further north.]
v.14-18
The Lord re-confirms the Land
v.14
The
Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around
from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.
v.15
All
the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.
v.16
I
will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if
anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
v.17
Go,
walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving
it to you.”
v.18
So
Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where
he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the Lord.
[Notes:
Once
Lot has gone, the Lord speaks again to Abram and confirms that
all the land around him that he can see will be his and for his
offspring. Note every time there is mention of his ‘offspring'
[v.15,16 it is a reiteration of having children]. So he settles
at Hebron in the southern area of Canaan.]
Lessons
or Challenges to Ponder from Genesis Chapter 13
1.
Lot is the example of a self-concerned nephew who unwisely puts
himself in a place – more than once – where he gets into trouble
and his very life is threatened. Can we see him as an example
NOT to follow?
2.
Abram, on the other hand, is an example of an uncle of grace who
allows his protégé the option to make his (unwise)
choices, even when it means he has to go to go and dig him out
of the mess he gets in. Was there a better way?
Continue to Chapter 14