1 So Abram left Egypt and went back into the Negev along with Sarai, Lot, and everyone with them, as well as all their possessions. 2 Abram was very rich, having many herds of livestock and a great deal of silver and gold. 3 He left the Negev and traveled in stages to Bethel, back to the place where he'd camped before, between Bethel and Ai. 4 This was where he'd first built an altar. He worshiped the Lord there as he had done previously. 5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had many flocks, herds, and tents, 6 so much so that the available land couldn't support both of them—they had so much livestock they couldn't stay together anymore. 7 Abram's and Lot's herdsmen were arguing, and in addition the Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please don't let's have arguments between us, or between our herdsmen, because we're family. 9 You see all this land that's available right in front of you? We have to split up. If you choose to go to the left, I'll go to the right. If you choose to go to the right, I'll go to the left.” 10 Lot looked over the whole Jordan valley towards Zoar, and saw that it was well-watered, looking like the Garden of Eden, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose the whole Jordan valley and went east, and the two separated from each other. 12 Abram went to live in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled down among the towns in the valley, setting up his tents near Sodom. 13 (The people of Sodom were very wicked, committing terrible sins that offended the Lord.) 14 After separating from Lot, the Lord told Abram, “Look around you from where you're standing, to the north, south, east, and west. 15 I'm giving all this land you see to you and your descendants forever. 16 You will have so many descendants that they'll be like the dust of the earth. If anyone could count dust then they could count the number of your descendants! 17 Go and walk through the whole land in all directions because I'm giving it to you.” 18 So Abram went to live at Hebron, setting up his tents among the oaks at Mamre, where he built an altar to the Lord.
Genesis 13 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Abraham
Called by God, he left home in faith to become the father of a chosen people.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 12–25
Lot
Abraham's nephew who chose the plain of Jordan and settled near Sodom.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 11–14; 19
Places
Hebron
One of the region's oldest cities, holding the patriarchs' burial cave (Machpelah). It was David's first royal capital, over Judah.
Cited in the guide: Genesis 23:19; Genesis 13:18; 2 Samuel 5:3
Cross references (18)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Joshua 10:40; Genesis 12:9–20; 2 Samuel 24:7; Genesis 21:33; Genesis 20:1
- 2 Genesis 24:35; Psalm 112:1–3; Genesis 26:12–13; Proverbs 10:22; Job 22:21–25
- 3 Genesis 12:6; Genesis 12:8–9
- 4 Jeremiah 29:12; Ephesians 6:18–19; Isaiah 58:9; Genesis 12:7–8; Psalm 116:2
- 5 Genesis 4:20; Jeremiah 49:29; Genesis 25:27
- 6 Genesis 36:6–7; Luke 12:17–18; Ecclesiastes 5:10–11; 1 Timothy 6:9
- 7 Genesis 26:20; Genesis 12:6; James 3:16; James 4:1; Genesis 34:30
- 8 1 Corinthians 6:6–7; Acts 7:26; Psalm 133:1; Genesis 11:27–31; Proverbs 20:3
- 9 Genesis 20:15; 1 Peter 3:8–12; Genesis 34:10; Hebrews 12:14; Romans 12:18
- 10 Deuteronomy 34:3; Isaiah 51:3; Genesis 14:8; Genesis 2:8–10; Joel 2:3
- 11 Genesis 13:9; Hebrews 10:25; Proverbs 27:10; 1 Peter 2:17; Psalm 119:63
- 12 Genesis 19:29; Genesis 19:1; Genesis 14:12; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Genesis 19:25
- 13 2 Peter 2:10; Jude 7; 2 Peter 2:6–8; Romans 1:27; Isaiah 3:8–9
- 14 Deuteronomy 3:27; Genesis 28:14; Isaiah 49:18; Isaiah 60:4; Genesis 13:10
- 15 2 Chronicles 20:7; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 15:18; Genesis 35:12; Acts 7:5
- 16 Genesis 28:14; Numbers 23:10; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12; Exodus 32:13
- 17 Genesis 13:15; Numbers 13:17–24
- 18 Genesis 14:13; Genesis 18:1; Genesis 35:27; Genesis 8:20; Genesis 12:7–8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, [so that] if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered." And again [the Scripture] saith, "God brought forth Abram, and spake unto him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars if thou be able to number them; …
For all the earth which thou seest, I will give to thee and to thy seed, even for ever." And again He says, "Arise, and go through the length and breadth of the land, since I will give it unto thee;" and [yet] he did not receive an inheritance in it, not even a footstep, but was always a stranger …
Arise, and walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it." It does not clearly appear whether in this promise that also is contained by which he is made the father of all nations.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Read the Scriptures, and thou shall find Abraham to have been a rich man. In order that thou mayest know, that not riches are blamed; Abraham had much gold, silver, cattle, household, was a rich man, and unto his bosom Lazarus, a poor man, was borne up.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
It is certain that the poor man was carried into the bosom of Abraham: of Abraham himself Scripture saith that he had here very much gold and silver, and was rich on the earth. If every one that is rich is hurried away to be tormented, how could Abraham have gone before that poor man, so as to be ready …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)