Summary
9 – Covenant of the Rainbow; the sin of Noah & Canaan
10 – The Table of Nations; the 3 sons of Noah
11 – The Tower of Babel, and the division of the earth
12 – The Call of Abraham; his faith, and unfaithfulness
13 – The Separation of Abram and Lot
14 – The War of the Kings of the Plain; Lot’s capture
15 – Abram/Sarai promised a son
16 – Abram/Sarai/Hagar give birth to a son, Ishmael
Genesis 13:8-9
Genesis 13:8-9
8 So
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. 9 Is 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.”
Genesis 13:10-13
10 Lot
lifted up his eyes and saw all the [f]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. 11 So Lot
chose for himself all the [g]valley of the Jordan, and Lot
journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each
other. 12 Abram [h]settled in the land of Canaan, while
Lot [i]settled in the cities of the[j]valley, and moved his tents as
far as Sodom.
Genesis 13:10 Lit circle
Genesis 13:11 Lit circle
Genesis 13:12 Lit dwelt
Genesis 13:12 Lit dwelt
Genesis 13:10-13
Abram having offered Lot the choice, he at once
accepted it. Passion and selfishness make men rude. Lot
looked to the goodness of the land; therefore he
doubted not that in such a fruitful soil he should
certainly thrive. But what came of it? Those who, in
choosing relations, callings, dwellings, or settlements,
are guided and governed by the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eye, or the pride of life, cannot expect God's
presence or blessing. They are commonly disappointed
even in that which they principally aim at. In all our
choices this principle should rule,
Genesis 13:10-13
“That is best for us, which is best for our souls.” Lot
little considered the badness of the inhabitants [of the
fruitful plains]. The men of Sodom were impudent,
daring sinners. This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride,
fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness, Ezekiel
16:49. God often gives great plenty to great sinners. It
has often been the vexatious lot of good men to live
among wicked neighbors; and it must be the more
grievous, if, as Lot here, they have brought it upon
themselves by a wrong choice. (Matthew Henry Commentary)
Genesis 13:10-13
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister
Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of
idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she
strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
1. Pride
2. Fullness of bread (abundance, physical needs met)
3. Abundance of idleness (schole’ – leisure at school)
4. No concern for the poor and needy
Genesis 13:10-13
Abram is learning that God could be trusted to care for
his needs, no matter where he is. He offers Lot the
choice of where they will each move to.
Instead of deferring to Abram, as he should have done,
Lot seizes upon the opportunity to his own advantage
(or so he thought).
Perhaps he had been infected with the luxury and
excitement of Egypt, and was no longer content to be a
‘stranger and pilgrim in the land” (Heb. 11:13).
Genesis 13:10-13
Genesis 13:10 says that the Jordanian plain was ‘as the
garden of the LORD” like the land of Egypt & the Nile
• Lot has seen the beauty of Mesopotamia (Babylon)
• He has seen the beauty of Haran (Lebanon)
• He has been to Egypt and seen the beauty of the Nile
Perhaps he rationalized as many believers today do,
thinking that he could be a ‘witness’ for the Lord there,
while enjoying the creature comforts the community
offered; theatre, parties, social life galore
Genesis 13:10-13
Hebrews 11:9-10 “By faith [Abraham] lived as an alien in
the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in
tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same
promise; for he was looking for the city which has
foundations, whose architect and builder is God”
Lot headed east, down toward the Jordan River plain
Abram headed west, back up into the hill country of
Canaan, near Hebron---where he could view the plains
below, as well as the inland sea, we now call the Dead
Sea
Genesis 13:10-13
“Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled
in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as
Sodom”
Lot didn’t move quickly into Sodom
He lived in his tent, but within easy traveling distance
He was near enough to enjoy the advantages of the city
life, but not yet actually a part of their immoral lives
Genesis 13:10-13
“Christians today often follow the same path, hoping to
have both the spiritual blessings of a separated walk
with God and the carnal advantages of fellowship with
the world. Sooner or later, however, one has to decide
which it will be. He cannot have it both ways. Neither
God nor the world will allow it. Lot first ‘pitched his
tent toward Sodom,’ but soon he ‘dwelt in Sodom’ (Gen.
14:12), and finally ‘sat in the gate of Sodom’ (Gen. 19:1) as
one of its business leaders. Thus began the tragedy
which would ultimately destroy him and his family”
(Morris, p. 304)
Genesis 13:10-13
Those are best prepared for the visits of Divine grace,
whose spirits are calm, and not ruffled with passion.
God will abundantly make up in spiritual peace, what we
lose for preserving neighborly peace. When our family is
separated from us, yet God is not. Observe also the
promises with which God now comforted and enriched
Abram. Of two things he assures him; a good land, and a
numerous descendants to enjoy it. The prospects seen
by faith are more rich and beautiful than those we see
around us.
Genesis 13:10-13
God bade him walk through the land, not to think of
fitting in it, but expect to be always unsettled, and
walking through it to a better Canaan. He built an altar,
in token of his thankfulness to God. When God meets us
with gracious promises, he expects that we should
attend him with humble praises. In outward difficulties,
it is very profitable for the true believer to mediate on
the glorious inheritance which the Lord has for him at
the last. (Matthew Henry Commentary)
Genesis 13:10-13
13 Now
the men of Sodom were wicked[k]exceedingly
and sinners against the LORD.
• [k] - Lit wicked and sinners exceedingly
Genesis 13:1-13
Q: Where are these cities of the plain?
Sodom: (from root word ‘to scorch’ or ‘burn’ B-D-B)
Gomorrah: “submersion”
Admah: “red earth”
Zeboim: “hyena”
Bela: (also called “Zoar”, meaning ‘little’)
Genesis 13:1-13
Some believe that "the Plain" is the shallow southern end
of the Dead Sea, and that the waters cover the remains.
Underwater archaeology may or may not confirm this
assertion.
An area around the northern end of the Dead Sea was
later favored, mainly on the grounds that only this region
is fully within the range of vision from Bethel, from which
vantage point Lot made his fatal choice (Gen. 13:10-12).
Abraham’s field of view from a point east of Hebron, from
which he looked in the morning toward Sodom and
Gomorrah (19:28), may lead to the same conclusion.
But what the patriarch later saw was the column of smoke
from some form of disaster---not the river or plain, or city
Genesis 13:1-13
• In the book "Ancient Secrets of the Bible” (Charles E.
Sellier and Brian Russell page 37-39, and 91-92) report
that the Ebla tablets were unearthed in northern
Syria in 1976. They numbered about twenty thousand
clay tablets from the city of Ebla at the height of
power in 2,300 B.C., with a population of 260,000
people before it’s destruction around 2,250 B.C.
Genesis 13:1-13
• They are known today as the Eblaite Geographic
Atlas containing a list of 290 place names from the
travels of a merchant before 2,300 B.C. One of the
names in the list refers to the name ‘Sadam’ or the
biblical Sodom presumed to be below the Dead Sea.
The tables suggest that the ruins of Bab edh-Dhra as
Sodom but it did not state that the ruins of Numeria
were Gomorrah (which was a short lived city
anyway).
Genesis 13:1-13
The five cities of the plain (‘the circle’) of Jordan, were
populated around 2065 B.C. at which point they were
abandoned, as archaeology confirms. They were in the
Vale of Siddim (Gen. 14:3) possibly the southern end of
the Dead Sea, now covered by water.
The site of Bab ed-Dra’ (Babedh-Dhra) on the Dead Sea
belongs to the age of Sodom and Gomorrah as its
remains date from about the last third of the third
millennium, when occupation here came to an abrupt
end.
Genesis 13:1-13
Genesis 13:1-13
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men
who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that
which is known about God is evident within them; for God
made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the
world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine
nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through
what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For
even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God
or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations,
and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be
wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the
incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible
man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling
creatures.
24 Therefore
God gave them over in the lusts of their
hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would
be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the
truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the
creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.
Amen.
26 For
this reason God gave them over to degrading
passions; for their women exchanged the natural
function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same
way also the men abandoned the natural function of the
woman and burned in their desire toward one another,
men with men committing indecent acts and receiving
in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
28 And
just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any
longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those
things which are not proper,
29 being
filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed,
evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are
gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant,
boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without
understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;
32 and
although they know the ordinance of God, that those
who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only
do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who
practice them.
Genesis 13:14-18
14 The
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; 15 for all the land which you see, I will
give it to you and to your descendants 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. 17 Arise, walk
about the land through its length and breadth; for I will
give it to you.” 18 Then 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.
Genesis 13:14-18
The separation of Lot from Abram was in accordance to
the will and purpose of God
Lot will not share in the the promise of God, even
though afterwards, Lot is spared and saved twice by
Abram---for Abram’s sake
What was a bad move for Lot was a good move for
Abram. He could now devote his full attention to
serving God, and walking in His will
It has been several years since God spoke to Abram, and
he had some tough lessons to learn, but he did learn
them
Genesis 13:14-18
God graciously confirms His covenant with Abram
This included all the land that he could see in every
direction; he is probably on top of lofty Mt. Hebron
God told him to walk through the land, through the
length and breadth---as a conqueror claiming his
territory, as in faith, taking possession of it.