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Genesis: Abram and Lot Separate
December 16, 2017

Last week we saw how Abram, his wife, and nephew travels to Canaan and Egypt. This week the story is extended and comes to the point where Abram and Lot separate

After leaving Egypt together with his wife and nephew Lot, the group traveled to between Bethel and Hai, back to where they had been before going to Egypt, and came back to the altar that Abram had previously made. They worshiped God and both Abram and Lot realized they had been given so much material possessions that they decided it would be too crowded to live close to each other.

Genesis 13:1-6
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 Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel 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.

Adding into the decision was strife between Abram's and Lot's workers as well as the local people; a three-way free-for-all dispute. Both Abram and Lot decided to end the strife through separation. Sometimes separation is the only way to maintain peace. Abram remained in Canaan, and Lot traveled to live closer to Sodom.

Genesis 13:7-12
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.

Even at this time the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners. Once Lot had left to Sodom, God showed Abram the land and promised everything he could see to Abram's descendants.

Genesis 13:13-18
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.

Abram then moved to the plain of Mamre and built an altar to worship God.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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