1 S o Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him.

So Abram left Egypt and went to the Negev, with his wife and all that belonged to him. And Lot went with him.

2 N ow Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.

Now Abram was very rich in cattle, silver and gold.

3 H e went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

He traveled from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

4 t o the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

where he had made an altar. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

5 N ow Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.

Now Lot, who went with Abram, had flocks and cattle and tents of his own.

6 A nd the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together.

There was not enough land to feed all the animals while they lived together. They owned so many things that they were not able to stay together.

7 A nd there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land.

There was fighting between those who cared for Abram’s animals and those who cared for Lot’s animals. The Canaanite and the Perizzite were living in the land at that time.

8 S o Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.

So Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no fighting between you and me or between the men who take care of our animals, for we are brothers.

9 I s not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”

Is not the whole land in front of you? Let each of us go a different way. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

10 L ot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere— this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.

Lot looked and saw that the Jordan valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

11 S o Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other.

So Lot chose all the Jordan valley for himself. And as Lot traveled east, they went apart from each other.

12 A bram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom.

Abram made his home in the land of Canaan. Lot made his home in the cities of the valley and moved his tents as far as Sodom,

13 N ow the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.

whose men were sinful, sinning against the Lord.

14 T he Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “ Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had left him, “Raise your eyes and look from where you are to the north and south and east and west.

15 f or all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever.

For I will give all the land that you see to you and to your children and to your children’s children forever.

16 I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.

I will make your family after you like the dust of the earth. So if anyone could number the dust of the earth, then he could number your children’s children.

17 A rise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.”

Rise up and walk far and wide upon the land. For I will give it to you.”

18 T hen Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Then Abram moved his tent and came to live among the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.