13:1
From Egypt Abram returned to the Negeb with his wife and all he possessed, and Lot with him.
13:2
Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold.
13:3
By stages he went from the Negeb to Bethel, where he had first pitched his tent, between Bethel and Ai,
13:4
at the place where he had formerly erected the altar. There Abram invoked the name of Yahweh.
13:5
Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too.
13:6
The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to be able to live together.
13:7
Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and those of Lot. (The Canaanites and Perizzites were living in the country at the time.)
13:8
Accordingly Abram said to Lot, 'We do not want discord between us or between my herdsmen and yours, for we are kinsmen.
13:9
Is not the whole land open before you? Go in the opposite direction to me: if you take the left, I shall go right; if you take the right, I shall go left.'
13:10
Looking round, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere -- this was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah-like the garden of Yahweh or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar.
13:11
So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastwards. Thus they parted company:
13:12
Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the cities of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom.
13:13
Now the people of Sodom were vicious and great sinners against Yahweh.
13:14
Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had parted company from him, 'Look all round from where you are, to north and south, to east and west,
13:15
for all the land within sight I shall give to you and your descendants for ever.
13:16
I shall make your descendants like the dust on the ground; when people succeed in counting the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants too!
13:17
On your feet! Travel the length and breadth of the country, for I mean to give it to you.'
13:18
So Abram moved his tent and went to settle at the Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to Yahweh.
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