In our study of Genesis chapter thirteen, we will see how important it is to choose carefully the people that you allow to be a part of your life.
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Avram went up from Egypt - he, his wife and everything he had, and Lot with him - into the Negev. Avram became wealthy, with much cattle, silver and gold.
We see that Avram is returning to Canaan from Egypt but there is a significance in the order of the things listed that were with him. In chapter 12 we saw Avram leave for Canaan and, in the order of things listed as going with him, his nephew Lot was listed before his possessions but, as he returns to Canaan, Lot is listed after Avram's vast possessions. This indicates a shift in their relationship and, as we are told, Avram has been shown favor by God in the form of increasing wealth.
As he went on his travels from the Negev, he came to Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and 'Ai, where he had first built the altar; and there Avram called on the name of ADONAI.
So, Avram returned to the place where he had camped and worshipped God before but this time he is coming back with a testimony. You see, there had been a famine and during famines the wealth of people goes down but, in Avram's case, he had been blessed by God and was returning much more wealthy than he had been when he left. This demonstrated God's presence and power in his life and would have made an impression on the people that saw him before and after the famine. We see that, once again Avram worshipped at the altar that he had made before.
Lot, who was traveling with Avram, also had flocks, herds and tents. But the land could not support their living together, because their possessions were too great for them to remain together. Moreover, quarreling arose between Avram's and Lot's herdsmen. The Kena'ani and the P'rizi were then living in the land.
We see that Lot was also blessed because he had went with Avram and the land could not support both of the men with their large herds of livestock. Because of this there was quarreling between the men that were in charge of the flocks as their job was to make sure that the herds were properly cared for and that was becoming more and more difficult. We see that two groups of people living in the land were mentioned and they represent two different types of people (submissive or scattered) which will be significant.
Avram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarreling between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours, since we're kinsmen. Isn't the whole land there in front of you? Please separate yourself from me - if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left."
Avram's reaction to the contention between the herdsmen is to bring peace by offering Lot the choice of what land he wanted. The Hebrew root of Canaan speaks of being submissive and Avram is submissive in this situation as he is trusting in God to provide no matter where he ends up and he allows Lot make the choice of land.
Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Yarden was well watered everywhere, before ADONAI destroyed S'dom and 'Amora, like the garden of ADONAI, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Tzo'ar. So Lot chose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other. Avram lived in the land of Kena'an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S'dom. Now the men of S'dom were evil, committing great sins against ADONAI.
Lot looked and saw that the land to the east (the Jordan Valley and the area around the Dead Sea) appeared to be good for his herds as it was well watered and so that was the land he picked. He did not stop and ask for guidance from God; he simply went with what looked good to him. From his point of view, he could not see the wickedness of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah. We also see that Lot lived in the "cities" of the plain meaning he did not just have one home but he had places to stay in more than one city. What this is revealing to us is the fact that Lot was not having a godly influence on the people of the land but, in fact, they were having more of an influence on him than he was on them. We recall the two groups of people that were mentioned earlier and the root of the word Perrizites speaks of being scattered. That is how Lot was living as he was being scattered among the cities of the plain. This is a reminder to all of us that bad company corrupts good morals.
ADONAI said to Avram, after Lot had moved away from him, "Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west. All the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever, and I will make your descendants as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth - so that if a person can count the specks of dust on the earth, then your descendants can be counted. Get up and walk through the length and breadth of the land, because I will give it to you."
Here, God gives Avram more information about the blessing that He proclaimed while he was still back in Haran. When he had arrived in Canaan, God had told him that the land would be given to his offspring but, now, he learns that he will have a vast number of children. Once again, this would have taken a measure of faith to believe as Avram still did not have even one son.
Avram moved his tent and came to live by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hevron. There he built an altar to ADONAI.
Now, Avram moved to Hevron. The name Mamre means richness and Hevron means unity or coming together and we see that Avram once again builds an altar there and worships God.
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