Abram and Lot Part Ways

¹So Abram left Egypt, traveling into the Negev with his wife, everything he owned, and Lot accompanying him. ²Abram had become extremely wealthy, possessing livestock, silver, and gold. ³From the Negev, he continued traveling from place to place until he reached Bethel, the spot where he had originally set up his tent, between Bethel and Hai. ⁴This was the location of the altar he had built earlier, and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. ⁵Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also owned flocks, herds, and tents. ⁶The land could not support both of them living in the same area, because their possessions were so extensive that they were unable to remain together. ⁷Conflict broke out between those who tended Abram's livestock and those who tended Lot's livestock. At that time, the Canaanite and the Perizzite were also living in the region. ⁸Abram told Lot, "Please, let there be no conflict between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, since we are family." ⁹"The entire land lies open before you. Please, go your own way apart from me. If you choose the left, I will take the right. If you head right, I will go left." ¹⁰Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan valley was richly watered everywhere—this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—resembling the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Zoar. ¹¹So Lot selected the entire Jordan valley for himself and headed east. In this way, the two of them parted company. ¹²Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot made his home among the cities of the valley, setting up his tent near Sodom. ¹³But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and were sinners before the LORD. ¹⁴After Lot had gone his separate way, the LORD spoke to Abram: "Raise your eyes and look out from where you are standing—to the north, south, east, and west." ¹⁵"Every part of the land that you can see, I will give to you and to your descendants forever." ¹⁶"I will make your descendants as numerous as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count every particle of dust, only then could your descendants be counted." ¹⁷"Get up and walk across the land, covering its full length and width, because I will give it to you." ¹⁸So Abram moved his tent and went to live in the plain of Mamre in Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.