1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
3 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;
4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
14 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:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 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.
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
18 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.
1 And Abram H87 went up H5927 out of Egypt, H4714 he, and his wife, H802 and all that he had, and Lot H3876 with him, into the south. H5045
2 And Abram H87 was very H3966 rich H3513 in cattle, H4735 in silver, H3701 and in gold. H2091
3 And he went H3212 on his journeys H4550 from the south H5045 even to Bethel, H1008 unto the place H4725 where his tent H168 had been H1961 at the beginning, H8462 between Bethel H1008 and Hai; H5857
4 Unto the place H4725 of the altar, H4196 which he had made H6213 there at the first: H7223 and there Abram H87 called H7121 on the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068
5 And Lot H3876 also, which went H1980 with H854 Abram, H87 had flocks, H6629 and herds, H1241 and tents. H168
6 And the land H776 was not able to bear H5375 them, that they might dwell H3427 together: H3162 for their substance H7399 was great, H7227 so that they could H3201 not dwell H3427 together. H3162
7 And there was a strife H7379 between the herdmen H7462 of Abram's H87 cattle H4735 and the herdmen H7462 of Lot's H3876 cattle: H4735 and the Canaanite H3669 and the Perizzite H6522 dwelled H3427 then in the land. H776
8 And Abram H87 said H559 unto Lot, H3876 Let there be H1961 no H408 strife, H4808 I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen H7462 and thy herdmen; H7462 for we H582 be brethren. H251
9 Is not the whole land H776 before thee? H6440 separate thyself, H6504 I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, H8040 then I will go to the right; H3231 or if thou depart to the right hand, H3225 then I will go to the left. H8041
10 And Lot H3876 lifted up H5375 his eyes, H5869 and beheld H7200 all the plain H3603 of Jordan, H3383 that it was well watered H4945 every where, before H6440 the LORD H3068 destroyed H7843 Sodom H5467 and Gomorrah, H6017 even as the garden H1588 of the LORD, H3068 like the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 as thou comest H935 unto Zoar. H6820
11 Then Lot H3876 chose H977 him all the plain H3603 of Jordan; H3383 and Lot H3876 journeyed H5265 east: H6924 and they separated themselves H6504 the one H376 from the other. H251
12 Abram H87 dwelled H3427 in the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 and Lot H3876 dwelled H3427 in the cities H5892 of the plain, H3603 and pitched his tent H167 toward H5704 Sodom. H5467
13 But the men H582 of Sodom H5467 were wicked H7451 and sinners H2400 before the LORD H3068 exceedingly. H3966
14 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Abram, H87 after H310 that Lot H3876 was separated H6504 from him, Lift up H5375 now thine eyes, H5869 and look H7200 from the place H4725 where thou art northward, H6828 and southward, H5045 and eastward, H6924 and westward: H3220
15 For all the land H776 which thou seest, H7200 to thee will I give it, H5414 and to thy seed H2233 for H5704 ever. H5769
16 And I will make H7760 thy seed H2233 as the dust H6083 of the earth: H776 so that H834 if a man H376 can H3201 number H4487 the dust H6083 of the earth, H776 then shall thy seed H2233 also be numbered. H4487
17 Arise, H6965 walk H1980 through the land H776 in the length H753 of it and in the breadth H7341 of it; for I will give H5414 it unto thee.
18 Then Abram H87 removed his tent, H167 and came H935 and dwelt H3427 in the plain H436 of Mamre, H4471 which is in Hebron, H2275 and built H1129 there an altar H4196 unto the LORD. H3068
1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South.
2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
3 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 Ai,
4 unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of Jehovah.
5 And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 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.
7 And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.
8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we are brethren.
9 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 take' the right hand, then I will go to the left.
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar.
11 So Lot chose him all the Plain of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly.
14 And Jehovah 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:
15 for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 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 may thy seed also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it.
18 And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built there an altar unto Jehovah.
1 And Abram goeth up from Egypt (he and his wife, and all that he hath, and Lot with him) towards the south;
2 and Abram `is' exceedingly wealthy in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
3 And he goeth on his journeyings from the south, even unto Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the commencement, between Bethel and Hai --
4 unto the place of the altar which he made there at the first, and there doth Abram preach in the name of Jehovah.
5 And also to Lot, who is going with Abram, there hath been sheep and oxen and tents;
6 and the land hath not suffered them to dwell together, for their substance hath been much, and they have not been able to dwell together;
7 and there is a strife between those feeding Abram's cattle and those feeding Lot's cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite `are' then dwelling in the land.
8 And Abram saith unto Lot, `Let there not, I pray thee, be strife between me and thee, and between my shepherds and thy shepherds, for we `are' men -- brethren.
9 Is not all the land before thee? be parted, I pray thee, from me; if to the left, then I to the right; and if to the right, then I to the left.'
10 And Lot lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the whole circuit of the Jordan that it `is' all a watered country (before Jehovah's destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, as Jehovah's garden, as the land of Egypt,) in thy coming toward Zoar,
11 and Lot chooseth for himself the whole circuit of the Jordan; and Lot journeyeth from the east, and they are parted -- a man from his companion;
12 Abram hath dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot hath dwelt in the cities of the circuit, and tenteth unto Sodom;
13 and the men of Sodom `are' evil, and sinners before Jehovah exceedingly.
14 And Jehovah said unto Abram, after Lot's being parted from him, `Lift up, I pray thee, thine eyes, and look from the place where thou `art', northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward;
15 for the whole of the land which thou are seeing, to thee I give it, and to thy seed -- to the age.
16 And I have set thy seed as dust of the earth, so that, if one is able to number the dust of the earth, even thy seed is numbered;
17 rise, go up and down through the land, to its length, and to its breadth, for to thee I give it.'
18 And Abram tenteth, and cometh, and dwelleth among the oaks of Mamre, which `are' in Hebron, and buildeth there an altar to Jehovah.
1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, towards the south.
2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
3 And he went on his journeys from the south as far as Bethel; as far as the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai;
4 to the place of the altar that he had made there at the first. And there Abram called on the name of Jehovah.
5 And Lot also who went with Abram had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 And the land could not support them, that they might dwell together, for their property was great; and they could not dwell together.
7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land.
8 And Abram said to Lot, I pray thee let there be no contention between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen, for we are brethren.
9 Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if to the left, then I will take the right; and if to the right, then I will take the left.
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of the Jordan that it was thoroughly watered, before Jehovah had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; as the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as one goes to Zoar.
11 And Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan; and Lot went toward the east. And they separated the one from the other:
12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan; and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched tents as far as Sodom.
13 And the people of Sodom were wicked, and great sinners before Jehovah.
14 And Jehovah said to Abram, after that Lot had separated himself from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
15 for all the land that thou seest will I give to thee, and to thy seed for ever.
16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if any one can number the dust of the earth, thy seed also will be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through the land according to the length of it and according to the breadth of it; for I will give it to thee.
18 Then Abram moved [his] tents, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron. And he built there an altar to Jehovah.
1 Abram went up out of Egypt: he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South.
2 Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
3 He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
4 to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the name of Yahweh.
5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together: for their substance was great, so that they could not live together.
7 There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived then in the land.
8 Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.
9 Isn't the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left."
10 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.
11 So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.
12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
13 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.
14 Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
15 for all the land which you see, I will give to you, and to your offspring forever.
16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you."
18 Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahweh.
1 And Abram went up out of Egypt with his wife and all he had, and Lot with him, and they came in to the South.
2 Now Abram had great wealth of cattle and silver and gold.
3 And travelling on from the South, he came to Beth-el, to the place where his tent had been before, between Beth-el and Ai;
4 To the place where he had made his first altar, and there Abram gave worship to the name of the Lord.
5 And Lot, who went with him, had flocks and herds and tents;
6 So that the land was not wide enough for the two of them: their property was so great that there was not room for them together.
7 And there was an argument between the keepers of Abram's cattle and the keepers of Lot's cattle: at that time the Canaanites and Perizzites were still living in the land.
8 Then Abram said to Lot, Let there be no argument between me and you, and between my herdmen and your herdmen, for we are brothers.
9 Is not all the land before you? then let us go our separate ways: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; or if you take the right, I will go to the left.
10 And Lot, lifting up his eyes and looking an the valley of Jordan, saw that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord had sent destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah; it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, on the way to Zoar.
11 So Lot took for himself all the valley of Jordan, and went to the east, and they were parted from one another.
12 Abram went on living in the land of Canaan, and Lot went to the lowland towns, moving his tent as far as Sodom.
13 Now the men of Sodom were evil, and great sinners before the Lord.
14 And the Lord had said to Abram, after Lot was parted from him, From this place where you are take a look to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west:
15 For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your seed for ever.
16 And I will make your children like the dust of the earth, so that if the dust of the earth may be numbered, then will your children be numbered.
17 Come, go through all the land from one end to the other for I will give it to you.
18 And Abram, moving his tent, came and made his living-place by the holy tree of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and made an altar there to the Lord.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Genesis 13
Commentary on Genesis 13 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 13
This chapter gives an account of the return of Abram from Egypt to the land of Canaan, and to the same place in it he had been before, Genesis 13:1 and of a strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot, and the occasion of it, Genesis 13:5 which was composed by the prudent proposal of Abram, Genesis 13:8 upon which they parted; Abram continued in Canaan, and Lot chose the plain of Jordan, and dwelt near Sodom, a place infamous for wickedness, Genesis 13:10 after which the Lord renewed to Abram the grant of the land of Canaan to him, and to his seed, Genesis 13:14 and then he removed to the plain of Mamre in Hebron, and there set up the worship of God, Genesis 13:18.
And Abram went up out of Egypt,.... That country lying low, and so more easy to be watered by the river Nile, as it was, and Canaan being higher; whither he went, but not till the famine in Canaan ceased: he went out of Egypt, as the JewishF16Seder Olam Rabba, p. 2. chronologers say, after he had been there three months; but ArtapanusF17Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 18. p. 420. an Heathen writer, says, he stayed there twenty years:
he and his wife, and all that he had; servants and cattle:
and Lot with him: from whence it is clear that he went down with him into Egypt, and it is highly probable had great respect and favour shown him on account of his relation to Abram and Sarai; for it appears by what follows, that he was become very rich: and they all went up
into the south; into the southern part of the land of Canaan, for otherwise they came to the north; for as Egypt lay south with respect to Canaan, Canaan was north from Egypt; but they journeyed to that part of that land which was commonly called the south, either Negeb, as here, or Daroma; See Gill on Zechariah 7:7.
And Abram was very rich,.... He was rich in spiritual things, in faith, and in all other graces, and was an heir of the kingdom of heaven; and in temporal things, as it sometimes is the lot of good men to be, though but rarely, at least to be exceeding rich, as Abram was; or "very heavy"F18כבד מאד "gravis valde", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt. , as the word signifies, he was loaded with wealth and riches, and sometimes an abundance of riches are a burden to a man, and, instead of making him more easy, create him more trouble; and, as we may observe presently, were the occasion of much trouble to Abram and Lot. Abram's riches lay
in cattle, in silver, and in gold; cattle are mentioned first, as being the principal part of the riches of men in those days, such as sheep and oxen, he and she asses and camels, see Genesis 12:16 and besides these he had great quantities of silver and gold: the Jews sayF19Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 2. 1. he coined money in his own name, and that his coin had on one side an old man and an old woman, and on the other side a young man and a young woman. His riches no doubt were greatly increased by the gifts and presents he received from the king of Egypt during his stay there.
And he went on in his journeys from the south,.... He took the same tour, went the same road, stopping at the same resting places, as when he went down to Egypt; having learned, as Jarchi observes, the way of the earth, that a man should not change his host. Though some, as Ben Gersom, understand it of his taking his journeys as were suitable for his cattle, as they were able to bear them, and not overdrive them, lest he should kill them, but made short stages, and frequently stopped and rested. And thus he went on through the southern part of the land, until he came
even to Bethel; as it was afterwards called, though now Luz, Genesis 28:19.
unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning; when he first came into the land of Canaan, to a mountain
between Bethel and Hai; afterwards called Mount Ephraim, and was four miles from Jerusalem on the northF20Bunting's Travels, &c. p. 59. ; see Genesis 12:8.
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first,.... When he first came to that place, and before he went down to Egypt: it is not said he came to the altar, but "to the place", where it had stood, for it seems now to have been demolished, either having fallen of itself, being made of earth, or had been destroyed by the Canaanites, since Abram left it; or perhaps it might be pulled down by Abram himself before he went from thence, that it might not be used and polluted by the idolatrous Canaanites.
And there Abram called on the name of the Lord; prayed unto him, and gave him thanks for the preservation of him and his wife in Egypt; for the support of himself and his family there during the famine in Canaan; for the increase of his worldly substance, and for the protection of him, and all that belonged to him, in his journey from Egypt thither; and for all the instances of his grace, and the rich experiences of his goodness he had favoured him with; See Gill on Genesis 12:8 where the same form of expression is used.
And Lot also, which went with Abram,.... into Egypt, and was now come back with him:
had flocks, and herds, and tents; flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle, of oxen, asses and camels, and tents for himself and his servants to dwell in, and put his substance in.
And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together,.... That part of the country where Abram and Lot were could not afford them room enough for their several tents; or however could not furnish them with sufficient pasturage for their flocks and herds, they were so numerous; at least could not do it so as to be contiguous to each other, that there was a necessity of one of them going further off:
for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together; we have before an account of the substance of each of them, how great it was; and here now is noted an inconvenience which arises from a large increase of riches, that relations and friends are obliged to part, and cannot dwell together; what one would think would make them more comfortable together, is the cause and occasion of their separation.
And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle,.... Not between the two masters, but between their servants, their upper servants, that had the care of their herds to feed them, and water them; and it is very probable their strife was about pasturage and watering places, the one endeavouring to get them from the other, or to get the best; which is much more likely than what Jarchi suggests, that the herdmen of Lot were wicked men, and fed their cattle in the fields of others, and the herdmen of Abram reproved them for their robbery; but they said, the land is given of Abram, and he hath no heir, but Lot is his heir, and what robbery is this? and to this sense are the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem:
and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land; which observation is made by Moses to point to a reason why they could not both of them have a sufficiency for their large flocks and herds, because the country was in the possession of others; and though there was to spare, yet not enough for them both. The Canaanite, though it was a general name for the people of the whole land, yet was given to a particular family in it, and was derived from their first founder Canaan, the son of Ham; the Perizzite was another family or tribe of the same nation, who had their name from פרוז, "a village"; these being Pagans or villagers, living in huts, or houses, or tents scattered up and down in the fields, and were a rough, inhuman, and unsociable sort of people, and therefore it could not be expected that they would oblige them with much pasturage and water for their flocks: and besides, this may be remarked, partly to show the danger that Abram and Lot were in through the dissension of their herdmen, since those people that were so nigh might take the advantage of their quarrels among themselves, and fall upon them both, and destroy them, and therefore a reconciliation was necessary; and partly to observe the reproach that was like to come upon them, and upon the true religion, for their sakes, should they differ among themselves, which such sort of men would gladly catch at, and improve against them.
And Abram said unto Lot,.... Being either an ear witness himself of the contentions of their servants, or having it reported to him by credible persons, he applied himself to Lot, in order to make peace, being a wise and good man; and though he was senior in years, and superior in substance, and higher in the class of relation, and upon all accounts the greatest man, yet he makes the proposal first, and lays a scheme before Lot for their future friendship, and to prevent quarrels, and the mischievous consequences of them:
let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee; there had been none yet, but it was very likely there would, if the dissension should go on between their servants; they could not well avoid interesting themselves in it, when it related to their respective properties; and there must be a right and wrong in such cases to be looked into and adjusted, which might occasion a difference between them; and this Abram was desirous of preventing, and therefore bespeaks his kinsman in this loving, affectionate, and condescending language:
and or between my herdmen and thy herdmen; as he understood there was, and which, if not timely put an end to, might be of bad consequence to them both, especially as to their peace and comfort, giving this excellent reason to enforce his request:
for we be brethren; or "men brethren we be"F21אנשים אחים אנחנו "viri fratres vos", Pagninus Montanus, Drusius, Schmidt. ; we are men, let us act like such, the rational and humane part; they were brethren being men, so by nature all are brethren; by natural relation, Lot being the son of his brother Haran; brethren in religion, of the same faith in the one true and living God, and worshippers of him; and therefore on all accounts, by the ties of nature, relation, and religion, they were obliged to seek and cultivate peace and love.
Is not the whole land before thee?.... Signifying, that though there were not room and convenience for them both in that part of the country in which they were, yet there were in other parts; and though the land was given to Abram, he did not desire Lot to depart out of it; nay, he sets it all before him to choose what part he would dwell in, which was great condescension in him:
separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; not that he was weary of his company and fellowship with him, but, as things were circumstanced, a separation was necessary for the subsistence of their herds and flocks, and for the peace and comfort of their respective families; nor did he desire him to go out of the land, or be so far from him, that he could be of no advantage to him; but though separate, yet so near him as to give him help and assistance, as there might be occasion for it, and as there was some time after, which appears from the history of the following chapter.
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; or as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan are,"if thou wilt go to the north, I will go to the south, or if thou wilt go to the south, I will go to the north:'for when a man stands with his face to the east, the principal part, the north is on his left hand, and the south on his right; and this was an usual way of speaking in the eastern countries; but they were not, as Grotius observes, Aristotelians, who make the east the right hand, and the west the left. This was an instance of the peaceable disposition of Abram, and of his humility and condescension to give his nephew leave, who was in all respects inferior to him, to make his choice, to go which way he would, and take what part of the country he pleased.
And Lot lifted up his eyes,.... He immediately fell in with Abram's proposal, but had not the ingenuity to return back the choice to Abram which he gave him, but took the advantage of it; nor did he show any uneasiness or unwillingness to part from Abram, though so near a relation, and so wise and good a man, and by whose means greatly he had obtained his riches; but without giving himself any concern about this, he at once cast about in his mind where to make his choice; he considered within himself which was the best part of the country, and most convenient for his flocks and herds, and where he was most likely to increase his substance; for this phrase chiefly has respect to the eyes of the understanding, he made use of, consulted with himself with his rational powers what was fittest to be done; unless we can suppose him situated on some considerable eminence, from whence he could have a view of the whole country he made choice of, as follows:
and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where; a large plain, full of rich pasturage, which had its name from the river Jordan, which by various windings and turnings ran through it, and which at harvest time overflowed its banks, and greatly contributed to the richness of the soil:
before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah: as he afterwards did by fire from heaven, and then that part of the plain on which those cities stood was turned into a sulphurous lake:
even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt; as any most excellent garden that is full of plants and trees, well watered, and well cultivated, and taken care of; as things most excellent are sometimes expressed by having the name of God, or the Lord, added to them, as the "cedars of God", &c. or as the garden of Eden, which was planted by the Lord, abounding with all kind of trees, and was well watered by a river running through it: and some think that the plain of Jordan, and the parts thereabout, were the real garden of Eden; wherefore one learnedF23Nic. Abram. Pharus Ver. Test. p. 59. man takes the "as" here not to be a note of similitude, but of reality, and not merely comparative but causal, giving a reason why it was so watered, being the garden God; so that the plain was not like unto, but really was the garden of Eden: and another observesF24Texelii Phoenix, l. 3. c. 7. p. 262. , that the words should be rendered, "so was the garden of the Lord, as the land of Egypt", and that the repetition of the similitude only makes one comparison, and not two; not that the plain of Jordan is first compared with the garden of the Lord, and then with the land of Egypt; but the plain of Jordan, or garden of the Lord, is only compared with the land of Egypt; and with that undoubtedly it is compared, it being once a year overflowed by the river Jordan, as the land of Egypt was with the Nile, and was a most delightful and fruitful spot like that:
as thou comest unto Zoar; which is not to be connected with the land of Egypt, for Zoar was at a great distance from Egypt, but with the plain of Jordan, well watered everywhere till you come to Zoar, at the skirts of it, and which is by an anticipation called Zoar; for at this time, when Abram and Lot parted, it was called Bela, and afterwards, on another account, had the name of Zoar; see Genesis 14:2.
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan,.... Because of its good pasturage, and because of the plenty of water there; the want of both which was the inconvenience he had laboured under, and had occasioned the strife between his and Abram's servants:
and Lot journeyed east, or "eastward"; for the plain of Jordan, and that part of the land on which Sodom and Gomorrah stood, were to the east of Bethel: the phrase is by some rendered "from the east"F25מקדם "ab Oriente", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Cocceius, Schmidt. , and the particle used most commonly so signifies; and Jarchi observes, that he journeyed from east to west; and Aben Ezra says, that Sodom was at the west of Bethel, in which he is most certainly wrong, for it was most clearly in the eastern part of the land; wherefore others, that follow this version, interpret it, that he went from the east of Bethel, or he went into that country situated at the east with respect to the land of Canaan; but it is best to render it as we do, east or eastward, to or towards the eastF26"Orientem versus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Cartwrightus. :
and they separated themselves the one from the other; that is, Abram and Lot, they parted good friends by consent; and the one went with his family, flocks, and herds, to one place, and settled there; and the other in another place, and so further animosities and contentions were prevented.
Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan,.... In that part of the land strictly so called, where the family of the Canaanites had their abode; for otherwise taking Canaan in a more general sense, the plain of Jordan, and cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, were in the land of Canaan.
And Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain; in the neighbourhood of them, or near those cities, which were built on the plain of Jordan, for he could not dwell in more than one, if in one; for it looks as if at his first settlement he did not dwell in any, but near them all, especially Sodom: since it follows:
and pitched his tent toward Sodom, or "even unto Sodom"F1עד סדם "usque Sodom", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt. ; and it may be rendered, as it is by some, "he pitched his tents"F2ויאהל "movens tentoria", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator & Tigurine version; so Jarchi. , for himself, his family, and his servants, his shepherds and his herdsmen, which reached unto Sodom, and where he afterwards dwelt, at least at the gate of it.
But the men of Sodom were wicked,.... Which either he knew not, and so ignorantly made this bad choice, to take up his abode among such very wicked men, which occasioned a great deal of grief, trouble, and vexation to him; or if he knew it, the pleasing prospect of convenience for his cattle, and of enriching himself, was a temptation to him, and prevailed upon him to take such a step; and so Jarchi interprets it, "although" they were so, Lot was not restrained from dwelling among them:
and sinners before the Lord exceedingly; exceeding great sinners, guilty of the most notorious crimes, and addicted to the most scandalous and unnatural lusts that can be thought of; and these they committed openly and publicly in the sight of God, in the most daring and impudent manner, and in defiance of him, without any fear or shame. The Targum of Jonathan reckons up many of their sins, as defrauding of one another in their substance, sinning in their bodies, incest, unclean copulation, shedding of innocent blood, worshipping of idols, and rebelling against the name of the Lord; see Isaiah 3:9.
And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him,.... The Lord appeared unto him as he had before, and with an articulate voice spoke unto him, to comfort him upon the separation of his kinsman from him, and to renew the grant of the land of Canaan to him and his seed, and to assure him, that though Lot had chosen the most delightful and fruitful part of the country, yet it should not be an inheritance to him and his posterity, but the whole land should be Abraham's and his seed's.
Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art; being upon Mount Ephraim, between Bethel and Hai, see Genesis 12:8; from whence his view of the land might be extended very far:
northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; the north of the land of Canaan was Mount Lebanon, the south of it Edom or Idumea, the east the plain and river of Jordan, the west the Mediterranean sea; and the word for "westward" here is "to the sea"F3וימה "et ad mare", Montanus, Schmidt. ; northward of it was Babylon, southward Egypt, eastward Arabia, and westward the Mediterranean sea.
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it,.... Not only so much of it as his eye could reach, but all of it, as far as it went, which way soever he looked; and this he gave him to sojourn in now where he pleased, and for his posterity to dwell in hereafter; he gave him the title to it now, and to them the possession of it for future times:
and to thy seed for ever; the meaning is, that he gave it to his posterity to be enjoyed by them until the Messiah came, when a new world would begin; and which Abram in person shall enjoy, with all his spiritual seed, after the resurrection, when that part of the earth will be renewed, as the rest; and where particularly Christ will make his personal appearance and residence, the principal seed of Abram, and will reign a thousand years; see Gill on Matthew 22:32; besides, this may be typical of the heavenly Canaan given to Abram, and all his spiritual seed, and which shall be enjoyed by them for evermore.
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth,.... An hyperbolical expression denoting the great multitude of Abram's posterity, as they were in the days of Solomon, and as they will be in the latter day; and especially as this may respect all the spiritual seed of Abram, Jews and Gentiles, and as they will be in the spiritual reign of Christ, see Hosea 1:10,
so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed be numbered; but as it is impossible to do the one, so the other is not practicable, see Numbers 23:10.
Arise, walk through the land,.... And take a survey of it, and see what a land it is, how good and how large, and take possession of it for himself and his, though he was only to be a sojourner in it; and so the Targum of Jonathan adds, and making in it a possession, which in civil law was done by walking:
in the length of it, and in the breadth of it; the extent of it is variously settled by geographers; some giving it no more than about one hundred and seventy or eighty miles in length, from north to south, and about one hundred and forty in breadth from east to west, where broadest, as it is towards the south, and but about seventy where narrowest, as it is towards the north: but it is observedF4 from the latest and most accurate maps, that it appears to extend near two hundred miles in length, and about eighty in breadth about the middle, and ten or fifteen more or less where it widens or shrinks:
for I will give it unto thee; that is, to his seed, the whole of it, in its utmost extent, as to length and breadth; which if he pleased for his own satisfaction he might take a tour through, whereby he would be a judge what was bestowed on him and hiscf13 (d) Vid. Universal History, vol. 2. p. 385.
Then Abram removed his tent,.... From the mountain between Bethel and Hai, Genesis 13:3,
and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, or "in the oaks of Mamre"F5באלני ממרא "juxta quercetum Mamre", Tigurine version, Pagninus, Montanus; so Ainsworth. ; in a grove of oaks there, as being shady and pleasant to dwell among or under, and not through any superstitious regard to such trees and places where they grew; which has obtained since among the Heathens, and particularly among the Druids, who have their name from thence. Indeed such superstitions might take their rise from hence, being improved and abused to such purposes; and both JeromF6De loc. Heb. fol. 87. E. tom. 3. and SozomenF7Eccles. Hist. l. 2. c. 4. p. 447. speak of the oak of Abram being there in the times of Constantine, and greatly resorted to, and had in great veneration; and they and others make mention of a turpentine tree, which it is pretended sprung from a walking stick of one of the angels that appeared to Abram at this place, greatly regarded in a superstitious way by all sorts of persons: this plain or grove of oaks, here spoken of, was called after a man whose name was Mamre, an Amorite, a friend and confederate of Abram:
which is in Hebron; or near it, an ancient city built seven years before Zoan or Tanis in Egypt, Numbers 13:22; it was first called Kirjath Arbab, but, in the times of Moses, Hebron, Genesis 23:2. The place they call the Turpentine, from the tree that grows there, according to SozomenF8lbid. , was fifteen furlongs distant from Hebron to the south; but JosephusF9De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 9. sect. 7. says it was but six furlongs, or three quarters of a mile; who speaking of Hebron says,"the inhabitants of it say, that it is not only more ancient than the cities of that country, but than Memphis in Egypt, and is reckoned to be of 2300 years standing: they report, that it was the habitation of Abram, the ancestor of the Jews, after he came out of Mesopotamia, and that from hence his children descended into Egypt, whose monuments are now shown in this little city, made of beautiful marble, and elegantly wrought; and there is shown, six furlongs from it, a large turpentine tree, which they say remained from the creation to that time.'A certain travellerF10Baumgarten. Peregrinatio, l. 2. c. 4. p. 79. tells us, that the valley of Mamre was about half a mile from old Hebron; from Bethel, whence Abram removed to Mamre, according to Sir Walter RaleighF11History of the World, par. 1. B. 2. sect. 3. p. 132. , was about twenty four miles; but BuntingF12Travels, p. 57. makes it thirty two:
and built there an altar unto the Lord; and gave thanks for the prevention of strife between Lot and him, and for the renewal of the grant of the land of Canaan to him and his seed; and performed all acts of religious worship, which the building of an altar is expressive of.