Genesis 13: A Chapter of Choices, Promises, and Worship
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth–el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth–el and Hai;
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.
And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
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.
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.
Genesis 13 marks a turning point in Abram's journey of faith. Fresh from his less-than-stellar performance in Egypt (Genesis 12), where he prioritized self-preservation over trust in God, Abram returns to Canaan. This chapter highlights themes of conflict resolution, the allure of worldly gain versus spiritual promise, and the importance of worship in response to God's faithfulness. It’s a chapter filled with practical lessons for believers today.
From Egypt to Bethel: Returning to the Land (Genesis 13:1-4)
Genesis 13:1-4 describes Abram's return journey. Having been sent away from Egypt, Abram and his family journeyed to the Negev (13:1), then from the Negev to Bethel (13:3), gradually making their way back toward the land of promise. Significantly, Abram is now richer than before, having acquired livestock, silver, and gold in Egypt (Genesis 13:2). This wealth, however, becomes a source of potential conflict. He retraces his steps to Bethel, the location where he previously built an altar and called on the name of the Lord, demonstrating a desire to reconnect with God after his detour in Egypt.
Strife and Separation: Choosing Relationship over Riches (Genesis 13:5-9)
Abram's growing wealth, coupled with that of his nephew Lot (Genesis 13:5), leads to a dispute between their herdsmen. The land simply cannot sustain their combined flocks (Genesis 13:6). Rather than allowing the conflict to escalate, Abram takes a proactive and remarkably generous approach. Abram recognized that he and Lot had to separate. Surprisingly, though, Abram chose to preserve relationship over keeping the economic upper hand. He allows Lot to choose where he wants to settle (Genesis 13:9), putting Lot's desires before his own. This was an incredibly generous decision: in that culture, as head of the household, Abram had every right to make the first choice himself. Abram's willingness to yield demonstrates a commitment to peace and unity, reflecting a heart that values relationship more than material gain. It's a powerful example of conflict resolution rooted in humility and faith.
Lot's Choice: The Allure of the World (Genesis 13:10-13)
Lot surveys the land and chooses the fertile plain of the Jordan River, attracted by its well-watered landscape and potential for prosperity (Genesis 13:10). However, his choice comes with a significant spiritual cost. He pitches his tents near Sodom, a city known for its wickedness (Genesis 13:13). Lot looked at the two options and saw that the entire plain of the Jordan as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere (Genesis 13:10). He saw the material wealth in front of him, but failed to see what he should have—that it couldn’t last. God was going to judge the region soon, because the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the LORD (13:13). Yet Lot chose to get close to sin for the material gain and beauty of a moment, journeying eastward toward Sodom and Gomorrah (13:11).
Lot's decision serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing immediate gratification over long-term spiritual well-being. In Genesis, moving east was always a bad sign, and that is precisely the direction in which Lot was headed. It highlights the subtle yet powerful way that worldly desires can lead us astray, drawing us closer to environments that compromise our faith and values.
God's Promise Reaffirmed: A Vision Beyond the Visible (Genesis 13:14-17)
After Lot's departure, the Lord speaks to Abram again, reaffirming and expanding upon His covenant promises. Earlier, Lot lifted up his eyes and saw only what can be seen with the physical senses. Here, however, God lifted up Abram’s eyes to see the spiritual promise of God (13:14). The great lesson for Israel—and for us—here is that we must get God’s perspective on our situations, not relying on our own. We perceive only the temporary; God sees the eternal. God promises to give Abram and his descendants all the land he can see, an inheritance that will be as numerous as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:15-16).
What God offered to Abram was long-term: I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see (13:15). Moreover, God seemed to increase his promise, now telling Abram that his descendants would multiply so dramatically that they would be as innumerable as the dust of the earth (13:16). Best of all, Abram wouldn’t have to do anything to make this happen. I will give it to you (13:17), God plainly told him. The beautiful part of obeying God is that you don’t have to take what’s yours; he gives it to you freely. This promise is particularly significant given Abram's age and childlessness. God instructs Abram to walk through the land, symbolically claiming it as his own (Genesis 13:17). This act of faith demonstrates Abram's trust in God's word, even when the fulfillment seems impossible.
Settling in Hebron: A Place of Worship and Faith (Genesis 13:18)
Abram moves his tent to Hebron, near the oaks of Mamre, and builds an altar to the Lord (Genesis 13:18). Abram moved his tent near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, building there another altar to the LORD. He heard God’s promise and received it, worshiping God because of his word and finding security in that word. This act of worship underscores Abram's renewed commitment to God. Unlike he’d done during his time in Egypt, Abram was now moving by faith, not by sight, which would be the foundation not only of his obedience but also of the obedience that God wants for all who follow him (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). Hebron becomes a place of communion with God, a testament to Abram's growing faith and dependence on divine provision. This stands in stark contrast to Lot, who prioritized worldly comfort and proximity to sin.
Genesis 13 offers valuable lessons about priorities, choices, and the importance of trusting God's promises. Abram's willingness to prioritize relationship over riches, coupled with his act of worship in Hebron, serves as an inspiring example of faith in action. Lot's story reminds us of the dangers of being lured by worldly attractions and the potential consequences of compromising our values. Ultimately, Genesis 13 invites us to examine our own choices and to seek God's perspective in all areas of our lives.
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth–el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth–el and Hai;
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.
And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
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.
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.
Genesis 13 marks a turning point in Abram's journey of faith. Fresh from his less-than-stellar performance in Egypt (Genesis 12), where he prioritized self-preservation over trust in God, Abram returns to Canaan. This chapter highlights themes of conflict resolution, the allure of worldly gain versus spiritual promise, and the importance of worship in response to God's faithfulness. It’s a chapter filled with practical lessons for believers today.
From Egypt to Bethel: Returning to the Land (Genesis 13:1-4)
Genesis 13:1-4 describes Abram's return journey. Having been sent away from Egypt, Abram and his family journeyed to the Negev (13:1), then from the Negev to Bethel (13:3), gradually making their way back toward the land of promise. Significantly, Abram is now richer than before, having acquired livestock, silver, and gold in Egypt (Genesis 13:2). This wealth, however, becomes a source of potential conflict. He retraces his steps to Bethel, the location where he previously built an altar and called on the name of the Lord, demonstrating a desire to reconnect with God after his detour in Egypt.
Strife and Separation: Choosing Relationship over Riches (Genesis 13:5-9)
Abram's growing wealth, coupled with that of his nephew Lot (Genesis 13:5), leads to a dispute between their herdsmen. The land simply cannot sustain their combined flocks (Genesis 13:6). Rather than allowing the conflict to escalate, Abram takes a proactive and remarkably generous approach. Abram recognized that he and Lot had to separate. Surprisingly, though, Abram chose to preserve relationship over keeping the economic upper hand. He allows Lot to choose where he wants to settle (Genesis 13:9), putting Lot's desires before his own. This was an incredibly generous decision: in that culture, as head of the household, Abram had every right to make the first choice himself. Abram's willingness to yield demonstrates a commitment to peace and unity, reflecting a heart that values relationship more than material gain. It's a powerful example of conflict resolution rooted in humility and faith.
Lot's Choice: The Allure of the World (Genesis 13:10-13)
Lot surveys the land and chooses the fertile plain of the Jordan River, attracted by its well-watered landscape and potential for prosperity (Genesis 13:10). However, his choice comes with a significant spiritual cost. He pitches his tents near Sodom, a city known for its wickedness (Genesis 13:13). Lot looked at the two options and saw that the entire plain of the Jordan as far as Zoar was well watered everywhere (Genesis 13:10). He saw the material wealth in front of him, but failed to see what he should have—that it couldn’t last. God was going to judge the region soon, because the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the LORD (13:13). Yet Lot chose to get close to sin for the material gain and beauty of a moment, journeying eastward toward Sodom and Gomorrah (13:11).
Lot's decision serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing immediate gratification over long-term spiritual well-being. In Genesis, moving east was always a bad sign, and that is precisely the direction in which Lot was headed. It highlights the subtle yet powerful way that worldly desires can lead us astray, drawing us closer to environments that compromise our faith and values.
God's Promise Reaffirmed: A Vision Beyond the Visible (Genesis 13:14-17)
After Lot's departure, the Lord speaks to Abram again, reaffirming and expanding upon His covenant promises. Earlier, Lot lifted up his eyes and saw only what can be seen with the physical senses. Here, however, God lifted up Abram’s eyes to see the spiritual promise of God (13:14). The great lesson for Israel—and for us—here is that we must get God’s perspective on our situations, not relying on our own. We perceive only the temporary; God sees the eternal. God promises to give Abram and his descendants all the land he can see, an inheritance that will be as numerous as the dust of the earth (Genesis 13:15-16).
What God offered to Abram was long-term: I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see (13:15). Moreover, God seemed to increase his promise, now telling Abram that his descendants would multiply so dramatically that they would be as innumerable as the dust of the earth (13:16). Best of all, Abram wouldn’t have to do anything to make this happen. I will give it to you (13:17), God plainly told him. The beautiful part of obeying God is that you don’t have to take what’s yours; he gives it to you freely. This promise is particularly significant given Abram's age and childlessness. God instructs Abram to walk through the land, symbolically claiming it as his own (Genesis 13:17). This act of faith demonstrates Abram's trust in God's word, even when the fulfillment seems impossible.
Settling in Hebron: A Place of Worship and Faith (Genesis 13:18)
Abram moves his tent to Hebron, near the oaks of Mamre, and builds an altar to the Lord (Genesis 13:18). Abram moved his tent near the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, building there another altar to the LORD. He heard God’s promise and received it, worshiping God because of his word and finding security in that word. This act of worship underscores Abram's renewed commitment to God. Unlike he’d done during his time in Egypt, Abram was now moving by faith, not by sight, which would be the foundation not only of his obedience but also of the obedience that God wants for all who follow him (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). Hebron becomes a place of communion with God, a testament to Abram's growing faith and dependence on divine provision. This stands in stark contrast to Lot, who prioritized worldly comfort and proximity to sin.
Genesis 13 offers valuable lessons about priorities, choices, and the importance of trusting God's promises. Abram's willingness to prioritize relationship over riches, coupled with his act of worship in Hebron, serves as an inspiring example of faith in action. Lot's story reminds us of the dangers of being lured by worldly attractions and the potential consequences of compromising our values. Ultimately, Genesis 13 invites us to examine our own choices and to seek God's perspective in all areas of our lives.