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GENESIS CHAPTER 13
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Genesis.
This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more
importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective
comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
(v. 13:1 NKJV) "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south[= lit., "Negev"]
(v. 13:2 NKJV) Abram was very rich [lit., 'very heavy'] in livestock, in silver and in gold.
(v. 13:3 NIV) From the Negev he went from place to place [lit., he went to his pullings up] until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai, where his tent had been earlier.
(v. 13:4 NKJV) to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD [= Heb. "yehwAh"]."
(v. 12:17 NKJV) "But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. (v. 12:18 NKJV) And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? (v. 12:19 NKJV) Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? [That] I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way. (v. 12:20 NKJV) So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had. (v. 13:1 NKJV) And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south (lit. to the Negev). (v. 13:2 NKJV) Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. (v. 13:3 NIV)From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai, where his tent had been earlier (v. 13:4 NKJV) to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD [= Heb. "yehwAh"]." =
(v. 13:1 Hebrew) "wayya'al ...........'avrAm mimmitsrayim hû .weishtô ........
............................."and he went up Abram ..from Egypt .....he .and his wife
wekhal-'asher-lô ........welôt ....'immô ....hanneghbAh"
.and all which to him ..and Lot with him to the Negeb"
Abram moves northward from Egypt through the Negev desert area, wandering from place to place, instead of trusting in the LORD and settling down. Abram delays calling upon the name of the LORD in spite of the LORD's supernatural rescue from Egypt, until he arrives back at the altar he had built at Bethel near Ai on his first journey to Canaan.
**** EXCERPT FROM GENESIS CHAPTER 12 ****
(v. 12:6 NKJV) Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth [lit. large] tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. (v. 12:7 NKJV) Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your seed I will give this land.' And there he built an another altar to the LORD, Who had appeared to him. (v. 12:8 NKJV) And he moved [lit. moved on] from there to the mountain east [lit. seaward] of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west [lit. seaward] and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD." =
So Abram moves through the central hill country to a mountain east of Bethel with Bethel itself on the west. Bethel was one of the sacred places of the Canaanites which was used to practice idolatry, Abram pitched his tent with Ali on the east, a village among some ruins about 10 miles north of Jerusalem. There Abram builds an altar to the LORD which served among other things for Abrams calling on the name of the LORD and to testify to the Canaanites of the God Abram worshipped and served.
The Hebrew word "wayyiqorA beshEm" is literally "and he called on the name of Yahweh." To call on the name of someone is to convey a trust in the capacity and reputation of the individual toward some end. It was customary when one called on the name of the LORD to make proclamation of the LORD in public by name - a witness and testimony of the LORD to the Canaanites. Hence we have in view, Abram trusting in the capacity of the LORD to deliver him unto what the LORD had promised him and all that that entails. The very fact that Abram had left Ur and Haran and traveled to a foreign and potentially hostile land, and built altars so he could call upon the LORD corroborates this.
*** END OF EXCERPT ***
The famine in the land of Canaan that Abram fleed into Egypt no longer appears to be an issue with Abram. Evidently the provisions Abram acquired from Pharaoah through the LORD's supernatural deliverance of Abram and Sarai sufficed.
(v. 13:5 NKJV) "Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.
(v. 13:6 NKJV) Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
(v. 13:7 NKJV) And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsman of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
(v. 13:8 NKJV) So Abram said to Lot, 'Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsman and your herdsman; for we are brethren.
(v. 13:9 NKJV) Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.'
(v. 13:10 NKJV) And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain [= " 'eth-kol-kikkar," literally al the circle of] of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.
(v. 13:11 NKJV) The Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
(v. 13:12NKJV) Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom.
(v. 13:13 NKJV) But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD"
(v. 12:1 NKJV) "Now the LORD had said to Abram: 'Get out of [lit. go from] your country, from your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show youv. (13:6 NKJV) Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. (v. 13:7 NKJV) And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsman of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. (v. 13:8 NKJV) So Abram said to Lot, 'Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsman and your herdsman; for we are brethren" =
There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot due to the limited space since the Canaanites and Perizzites dwelt in the land, (v. 13:7b), and since the herds of Abram and Lot were so great. Abram offered to reconcile with Lot by separating from him. He gives Lot first choice of where to resettle, but does not protect and honor the promise of the Lord to give him the land of Canaan. Recall that by the grace of the LORD were these two individuals enabled to be so prosperous via His causing the Pharaoh of Egypt to provide such herds and flocks in the first place. Now because of the great wealth, Abram, who evidently shared it with Lot, are having strife amongst the herdsmen. They cannot get along even though they are brethren. The LORD had told Abram to separate from his relatives and here was a good reason why. Notice that the Canaanites and Perizzites are indicated as dwelling in the land, so Abram and Lot are not alone in the land where they had just begun to settle down - they chose to occupy the land that was not going to create a problem with the Canaanites and Perrizites instead of trusting in the LORD's protection.
(v. 13:5 NKJV) "Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. (v. 13:6 NKJV) Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. (v. 13:7 NKJV) And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsman of Lot's livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. (v. 13:8 NKJV) So Abram said to Lot, 'Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsman and your herdsman; for we are brethren. (v. 13:9 NKJV) Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.' (v. 13:10 NKJV) And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain [= " 'eth-kol-kikkar," literally all the circle of] Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. (v. 13:11 NKJV) Then Lot chose for himself all the plain [= " 'eth-kol-kikkar," literally all the circle of] Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. (v. 13:12NKJV) Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. (v. 13:13 NKJV) But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD" =
Abram approaches Lot in a conciliatory manner and suggests they separate giving Lot first choice of an area to occupy - a notably gracious gesture considering that Abram is the family patriarch and could have taken first choice. As a matter of fact, Abram does not consider that he is giving Lot the opportunity to choose the land of Canaan which the LORD promised to Abram, not Lot, in effect risking nullifying those promises being fulfilled through Abram unless Lot chooses to do otherwise. Lot chooses to go east to the "plain of Jordan", (NKJV), literally, 'all the circle of the Jordan', an expression which encompasses the whole valley and surrounding areas of the Jordan River. This area is outside of the promised land which at the time was "well watered everywhere...like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar." This was at that time a fertile area. On the other hand, author Moses notes that this was the time before the valley of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed wherein Scripture indicates will be the area around the Dead Sea. An important principle is corroborated again: that the LORD's promises to Abram are unilateral and secure by the LORD's own hand. Although man's behavior is volitional in nature which may or may not conform to those promises, the LORD will intervene supernaturally in order to see to it that His promises are fulfilled. In the case of Lot choosing to go outside the promised land to Sodom where the men were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD, the moment of jeopardy of fulfilling the LORD's promised had passed and the promises remained secure. It is clear in this section why the LORD asked for Abram to separate himself from his relatives.
(v. 13:14 NKJV) "And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward:
(v. 13:15 NKJV) for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendant [lit., seed] forever.
(v. 13:16 NKJV) And I will make your descendants [lit., seed] as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
(v. 13:17 NKJV) Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.
(v. 13:18 NKJV) Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth [= Heb. "'Elônê ", lit. great trees] of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD."
(v. 13:14 NKJV) "And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward: (v. 13:15 NKJV) for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendant [lit., seed] forever. (v. 13:16 NKJV) And I will make your descendants [lit., seed] as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. (v. 13:17 NKJV) Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you. (v. 13:18 NKJV) Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth [= Heb. "'Elônê ", lit. great trees] of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD." =
[Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, R. Laird Harris, Ed, Moody Press, Chicago, 1980, pp. 252-4]:
"zera'. Sowing, seed, offspring...
The most important theological usage [of this word rendered 'seed'] is found ... commencing with Gen 3:15, [where] the word 'seed' is regularly used as a collective noun in the singular (never plural). This technical term is an important aspect of the promise doctrine, for Hebrew never uses the plural of this root to refer to 'posterity' or 'offspring.'... Thus the word designates the whole line of descendants as a unit, yet it is deliberately flexible enough to denote either one person who epitomizes the whole group, (i.e., the man of promise and ultimately Christ), or the many persons in that whole line of natural and/or spiritual descendants."
As soon as Lot had separated from Abram, which was in accord with what the LORD had been saying to Abram to go from his relatives, (cf. 12:1), He told Abram to lift his eyes North, South, East and West which brought the promised land before the eyes of Abram, (cf. 13:14). He then reiterated His promise to Abram to give him and his seed, an individual of the future who would be a supernaturally provided physical descendant of Abram, the promised land forever. Recall that Abram and Sarai have not had any children, Sarai was barren, (cf. 11:30). This implies through this future individual descendant of Abram a promise of justification to Abram unto eternal life, a righteousness that Abram must be declared to have in order to have the blessing of eternal life with the LORD and possess the land forever, i.e., an eternal kingdom supernaturally enabled by and of the LORD. Whereupon, in verse 13:16, the LORD provided an illustration to Abram that indicated further that His promises included eternal life: Abram's descendants would be as innumerable as the dust of the earth. This can only have significance for Abram if he is to live forever to possess the promised land forever and see his innumerable descendants. Evidently this future individual descendant of Abram Who is to be supernaturally provided by the LORD through Abram and Sarai, (considering her barrenness and his incapacity to procreate). This seed will possess the land forever and be instrumental in providing Abram with the righteousness of the LORD in order for Abram to have eternal life.
The LORD then commanded Abram to walk the whole length and width of the land - an extra ordinary request for it was many hundreds of square miles. Evidently, Abram complied and had walked for quite some time. Verse 13:18 then portrays Abram moving his tent to Hebron near the great trees of Mamre where he built an altar to the LORD. Hebron is 22 miles south of Jerusalem. Building an altar to the LORD is an act which honors the LORD and what He had been promising to Abram. Note that the Hebrew word "beElOnê" is literally "by the great trees of" as opposed to a specific species of great tree like "the oak tree of", (NAS), or "the terebinth tree of", (NKJV) or "the plain of", (KJV).
(v. 12:6 NKJV) Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth [= Heb. " 'Elôn' ", lit. great tree] of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land."
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