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| 1 So Abram came up out of Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, towards the South. |
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| 2 Now, Abram, was very rich,–in cattle, in silver, and in gold. |
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| 3 And he went his way, by his removals, from the South, even as far as to Bethel,–as far as the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai: |
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| 4 unto the place of the altar, which he made there at first,–and Abram called, there, on the name of Yahweh. |
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| 5 Now, Lot also, who was going with Abram, had flocks and herds, and tents. |
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| 6 And the land suffered them not to dwell together,–because, their substance, had become, great, so that they could not dwell together. |
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| 7 And there arose a strife betwixt the herdmen of Abram, and the herdmen of Lot. Now, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, were then dwelling in the land. |
And the Canaanite – The Lowlanders. R2848:4
And the Perizzite – The Highlanders. R2848:4
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| 8 So then Abram said unto Lot, Pray let not cause of strife arise betwixt me and thee, or betwixt my herdmen and thy herdmen; for, brethren, are we. |
There be no strife – "Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matt. 5:9) R3939:2
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| 9 Is not, all the land, before thee? I pray thee, separate thyself from me,–if to the left hand, then I will go to the right, if 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 So Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the circuit of the Jordan, that, the whole of it, was well-watered,–before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the Garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as thou enterest into 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 And Lot chose for himself all the circuit of the Jordan, so Lot brake up eastwards,–and they separated themselves, each man from his brother: |
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, fixed his dwelling in the land of Canaan,–but, Lot, fixed his dwelling among the cities of the circuit, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. |
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| 13 Now, the men of Sodom, were base and sinful,–against Yahweh, exceedingly. |
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| 14 And, Yahweh, said unto Abram, after that Lot had separated himself from him, Lift up, I pray thee, 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 art beholding–to thee, will I give it, and to thy seed, unto times age-abiding; |
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, thy seed also, may 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 Rise! go up and down in the land, to the length thereof, and to the breadth thereof, for, to thee, will I give it. |
Through the land – "All the land of Canaan., (Gen. 17:8) C245
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| 18 So Abram moved his tent, and came in and dwelt among the oaks of Mamre, which were in Hebron,–and built there an altar to Yahweh. |
Built there an altar – In typical acknowledgment of sin and hope of the coming sin-offering. R2849:5
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