Abram and Lot Part Ways
1. So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot went with him.
2. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.
3. And he journeyed from place to place, from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been pitched earlier, between Bethel and Ai,
4. to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called upon the name of the LORD.
5. Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.
6. But the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they were unable to coexist.
7. So there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. And at that time the Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.
8. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers.
9. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”
Lot Proceeds toward Sodom
10. 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.)
11. So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. And the two men parted company:
12. Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD.
God Renews the Promise to Abram
14. 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.
15. For all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.
16. 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.
17. Arise, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”
18. So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.