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| 1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. |
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| 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. |
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| 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; |
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| 4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. |
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| 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
And the Canaanite – The Lowlanders. R2848:4
And the Perizzite – The Highlanders. R2848:4
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| 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. |
There be no strife – "Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matt. 5:9) R3939:2
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| 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. |
Before thee – "The liberal soul shall be made fat." (Prov. 11:25) R3939:3
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| 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. |
Garden of the LORD – The Dead Sea area is to be watered by a river from Jerusalem. R2507:3
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| 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. |
Then Lot – Manifesting covetousness and worldly-mindedness, perhaps from a desire to please his wife and daughters. R3939:4
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| 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. |
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| 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. |
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| 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: |
And the LORD said – Confirming the covenant previously made. B45
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| 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. |
For all the land – The promises made to Abram were earthly. A293; R4966:2, R5171:4, R5859:2; CR116:6
The Ancient Worthies did not look for heavenly things. HG131:6
Will I give it – At a future time from Stephen. (Acts 7:5) HG131:6
To thee – Primarily to Abraham himself. R5178:1
Abraham must have a resurrection for God's Word to come true. R5291:2
To thy seed forever – Although it was given to them by Joshua to be their inheritance this did not fulfill the conditions of the promise. R5178:1
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| 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. |
As the dust – This promise was to an earthly people. R5171:4
Then – Implying a far-distant period ample for the multiplication of the seed. C245
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| 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. |
Through the land – "All the land of Canaan., (Gen. 17:8) C245
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| 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. |
Built there an altar – In typical acknowledgment of sin and hope of the coming sin-offering. R2849:5
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