Genesis 13
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 13
Growth in Faith. 1 From Egypt Abram traveled to the Negeb along with his wife and all his belongings. Lot was with him. 2 Abram was very rich, having many animals, silver, and gold.
3 He then gradually made his way from the Negeb to Bethel, up to the place where he had previously encamped between Bethel and Ai. 4 This was the place where he had built an altar and called upon the name of the Lord.
5 Lot, who traveled with Abram, also had many flocks and herds and tents. 6 The area where they were was not rich enough for them to dwell together, for they had too many possessions for them to live in the same camp. 7 Because of this a quarrel arose between the herdsmen of Abram and those of Lot. (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in that land.)
8 Abram said to Lot, “Let us not have strife between you and me, between my herdsmen and yours, for we are relatives.[a] 9 Does not the entire land lie before you? You should separate from me. If you wish to go to the left, I will go to the right; if you wish to go to the right, I will go to the left.”
10 Lot looked around and saw that the Jordan Valley was fertile and there was water everywhere. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) It was as beautiful as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, all the way down to Zoar. 11 So Lot chose the Jordan Valley for himself, and he moved his tents to the east. Thus, they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan and Lot dwelt in the cities of the valley and pitched his tents near Sodom. 13 The inhabitants of Sodom were perverse and committed many sins against the Lord.
14 The Lord spoke to Abram after Lot had separated from him saying, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look around to the north and south, to the east and the west. 15 Everything that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth. If one could count all of the dust of the earth, then that person would be able to count all your descendants. 17 Rise and travel throughout the land, for I will give it to you.”
18 Abram moved his camp and dwelt near the Oak of Mamre at Hebron. He built an altar to the Lord there.
Footnotes
- Genesis 13:8 Lot is the son of Haran, Abraham’s brother (Gen 11:27, 31); the degree of kinship does not prevent Abraham and Lot being called brothers in some translations.
Genesis 13
English Standard Version
Abram and Lot Separate
13 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, (A)into the Negeb.
2 (B)Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to (C)the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. 5 And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, 6 so that (D)the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, 7 (E)and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time (F)the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.
8 Then Abram said to Lot, (G)“Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, (H)for we are kinsmen.[a] 9 (I)Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the (J)Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like (K)the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of (L)Zoar. (This was before the Lord (M)destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom (N)were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.
14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, (O)northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give (P)to you and (Q)to your offspring forever. 16 (R)I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and (S)settled by the (T)oaks[b] of Mamre, which (U)are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 13:8 Hebrew we are men, brothers
- Genesis 13:18 Or terebinths
Genesis 13
New King James Version
Abram Inherits Canaan
13 Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and (A)Lot with him, (B)to the [a]South. 2 (C)Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journey (D)from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the (E)place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram (F)called on the name of the Lord.
5 Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6 Now (G)the land was not able to [b]support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was (H)strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. (I)The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8 So Abram said to Lot, (J)“Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 (K)Is not the whole land before you? Please (L)separate from me. (M)If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”
10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all (N)the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord (O)destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) (P)like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward (Q)Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot (R)dwelt in the cities of the plain and (S)pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom (T)were exceedingly wicked and (U)sinful against the Lord.
14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot (V)had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—(W)northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see (X)I give to you and (Y)your [c]descendants forever. 16 And (Z)I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
18 (AA)Then Abram moved his tent, and went and (AB)dwelt by [d]the terebinth trees of Mamre, (AC)which are in Hebron, and built an (AD)altar there to the Lord.
Footnotes
- Genesis 13:1 Heb. Negev
- Genesis 13:6 Lit. bear
- Genesis 13:15 Lit. seed
- Genesis 13:18 Heb. Alon Mamre
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
