‘And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negev.' The sentence confirms immediately that Abram had been accompanied by his family tribe and by his nephew. They return to the Negev, to the land that God had promised Abram.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.' This is said rather triumphantly. The contest with Pharaoh has been to his benefit. We are surely to see that this great wealth is at least partly due to his visit to Egypt. Rather than destroying him it has enriched him, and this can only... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he went on his journeys from the Negev, even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at the beginning, and there Abram called on the name of Yahweh.' Relieved and full of praise in his heart to Go... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. And the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together, for their substance was so great that they could not dwell together.' The riches gathered in Egypt have altered the situation. There is no longer room for both... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And there was strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.' Part of the problem is caused by the presence of others, for they must share land with Canaanites and Perizzites. Thus what is available causes t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife, I beg you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen. For we are close relatives. Is not the whole land in front of you? Separate yourself, I pray, from me. If you will take the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you tak... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the Circle of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar.' Lot carries out his research carefully (he could not do this by literally just ‘looking... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So Lot chose for himself all the Circle of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.' So Lot makes his choice. He will dwell among the cities of the plain. He is prepared to leave the place that first welcomed them, to which God had led them, for what he... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of ‘the Circle' and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and great sinners against Yahweh.' There is no doubt that the writer sees the significance of their choices. The one remaining in the place allotted b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes now and look from the place where you are northward and southward, and eastward and westward. For all the land which you see, to you I will give it and to your seed for ever. And I will make your seed as the dust of the e... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you.' Wherever Abram walks he can look around and say, ‘one day this will all belong to my children's children, for Yahweh has given it to me'. And walk around he must for it is the necessity of his manner... [ Continue Reading ]