Genesis 13:9

_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 there was a strife. Strife from similar causes frequently breaks out among the Arabs in Mesopotamia, as well as in Syria; and this is a reason which is often heard for changing the situation of their encampments-namely, that the herdsmen have had a quarrel. Abram's character appears here in a most amiable light. Having a strong sense of religion, he was afraid of doing anything that might tend to injure its character or bring discredit on its name, and he rightly judged that such unhappy effects would be produced if two persons whom nature and grace had so closely connected should come to a rupture. THE CANAANITE AND THE PERIZZITE DWELT THEN IN THE LAND. The Canaanite dwelt chiefly in the Phoenician towns in the west; but were...

9._Is not the whole land before thee ? _Here is that moderation of which I have spoken; namely, that Abram for the sake of appeasing strifes voluntarily sacrifices his own right. For as ambition and the desire of victory (354) is the mother of all contentions; so when every one meekly and moderately departs, in some degree, from his just claim, the best remedy is found for the removal of all cause of bitterness. Abram might indeed, with an honorable pretext, have more pertinaciously defended the right which he relinquished, but he shrinks from nothing for the sake of restoring peace: and therefore he leaves the option to his nephew....

5-9 Riches not only afford matter for strife, and are the things most commonly striven about; but they also stir up a spirit of contention, by making people proud and covetous. Mine and thine are the great make-bates of the world. Poverty and labour, wants and wanderings, could not separate Abram and Lot; but riches did so. Bad servants often make a great deal of mischief in families and among neighbours, by their pride and passion, lying, slandering, and talebearing. What made the quarrel worse was, that the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land. The quarrels of professors are the reproach of religion, and give occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. It is best to keep the peace, that it be not broken; but the next best is, if differences do happen, with all speed to quench the fire that is broken out. The attempt to stay this strife was made by Abram, although h...

Verse Genesis 13:9. Is _NOT THE WHOLE LAND BEFORE THEE._] As the patriarch or head of the family, Abram, by prescriptive right, might have _chosen_ his own portion first, and _appointed_ Lot his; but intent upon peace, and feeling pure and parental affection for his nephew, he permitted him to make his choice first....

- Abram and Lot Separate 7. פרזי _perı̂zı̂y_, Perizzi, “descendant of Paraz.” פרז _pārāz_, “leader,” or inhabitant of the plain or open country. 10. ככר _kı̂kar_, “circle, border, vale, cake, talent;” related: “bow, bend, go round, dance.” ירדן _yardēn_, Jardan, “descending.” Usually with the article in prose. צער _tso‛ar_, Tso‘ar, “smallness.” 18. ממרא _mamrē'_, Mamre, “fat, strong, ruler.” חברון _chebrôn_, Chebron, “conjunction, confederacy.” Lot has been hitherto kept in association with Abram by the ties of kinma

EXPOSITION GENESIS 13:1 AND ABRAM WENT UP OUT OF EGYPT, HE AND HIS WIFE. A special mercy that either of them returned, considering the sin they had committed and the peril in which they had been placed. AND ALL THAT HE HAD. Referring principally to the souls, "domestiei" (Poole), acquired in Haran (Genesis 12:5, Genesis 12:16), his material wealth being mentioned afterwards. AND LOT (who does not appear in the preceding paragraph, no part of which relates to him, but is now reintroduced into the narrative, the present portion of the story being connected with his fortunes) WITH HIM INTO THE SOUTH (sc. of

[IS] NOT THE WHOLE LAND BEFORE THEE?.... Signifying, that though there were not room and convenience for them both in that part of the country in which they were, yet there were in other parts; and though the land was given to Abram, he did not desire Lot to depart out of it; nay, he sets it all before him to choose what part he would dwell in, which was great condescension in him: SEPARATE THYSELF, I PRAY THEE, FROM ME; not that he was weary of his company and fellowship with him, but, as things were circumstanced, a separation was necessary for the subsistence of their herds and flocks, and for the peace and comfort of their respective families; nor did he desire him to go out of the land, or be so far from him, that he could be of no advantage to him; but though separate, yet so near him as to give him help and assistance, as there might be occasion for it, and as there was some time...

CHAPTER 13 THE RETURN FROM EGYPT AND SEPARATION FROM LOT _ 1. Back to Bethel (Genesis 13:1)_ 2. The strife (Genesis 13:5) 3. The separation. Lot in Sodom (Genesis 13:8) 4. The third communication of Jehovah (Genesis 13:14) Abram is graciously brought back. Abram could not have remained in Egypt forever. So the believer who has wandered away from the Lord will be restored. How precious the altar at Bethel must have been to him. Dispensationally Abram's going down to Egypt foreshadows the going down of his posterity. Lot's character is brought out in his selfish choice. He had not so much fol

GENESIS 13. THE SEPARATION OF ABRAHAM AND LOT. In the main from J, as is shown by the frequent mention of Yahweh, the reference to the garden of Yahweh, the preparation for the story of Sodom's overthrow in the mention of its exceeding sinfulness, and the phraseology. But Genesis 13:11 _b_ - Genesis 13:12_ a_ (and they. the Plain) belongs to P, which characteristically avoids all explanation of the separation as due to strife; it was occasioned rather by their abounding wealth. Wellhausen regards Genesis 13:14 as an insertion on the ground that J does not represent Yahweh as speaking to Abraham except in a theophany (but cf....

IS NOT THE WHOLE LAND BEFORE THEE? The land of Canaan had been given to Abraham and his seed; he had the divine charter for its possession. He was the patriarch of the tribe, and in every way the superior, yet he offers to yield his rights and give to Lot the first choice. It is the true Christian spirit to "prefer one another," to "seek not our own." He could have said: "The land is mine by divine right. If it is not large enough for you and me, you must seek another country." That would have been the spirit of the world. But, instead, he proposes for Lot to choose what he wants, and he will take what is left. SEPARATE THYSELF. The time had come for separation. Lot and his descendants were to form no part of the chosen nation. He was to become the ancestor of the two tribes of the Moabites and Ammonites, who settled in later times east of the Jordan. It was the policy of Jehovah to se...