וְגַם־לְל֔וֹט הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָ֑ם הָיָ֥ה צֹאן־וּבָקָ֖ר וְאֹהָלִֽים׃

Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, and cattle, and tents. Lot left Ur of the Chaldeans as the heir of his father, Haran. Consequently, he had property of his own. Although he traveled alongside his uncle Abram, he was not subservient to him.

וְלֹא־נָשָׂ֥א אֹתָ֛ם הָאָ֖רֶץ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה רְכוּשָׁם֙ רָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א יָֽכְל֖וּ לָשֶׁ֥בֶת יַחְדָּֽו׃

And the land could not support them to live together, as their property was substantial, and they were unable to live together. Although at the time the land was relatively uninhabited with large areas available for pasture, the size of flocks that grazed near a settlement was generally in proportion with the size of the settlement. In this situation, when the tribe of nomads arrived with Abram’s large flocks and Lot’s large flocks in addition to those of the locals, there was not enough land available for all of them. However, in addition to these objective limitations, there was another significant factor preventing them from living together.

וַֽיְהִי־רִ֗יב בֵּ֚ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵֽה־אַבְרָ֔ם וּבֵ֖ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵה־ל֑וֹט וְהַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י אָ֖ז יֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

There was also a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. And in this context, the verse notes that the Canaanites and the Perizites then lived in the land. Since Abram did not yet own the land, and other tribes lived there, the quarrel between his herdsmen and Lot’s was potentially dangerous, as the local inhabitants could take advantage of their dispute and attack them.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־ל֗וֹט אַל־נָ֨א תְהִ֤י מְרִיבָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔יךָ וּבֵ֥ין רֹעַ֖י וּבֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים אַחִ֖ים אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃

Abram said to Lot: Please, let there be no quarrel between me and you and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. When herdsmen disagree with one another, each group complains to their master, which could eventually lead to a fight between the heads of the two groups, Abram and Lot. Abram did not wish to become embroiled in a conflict with his relative.

הֲלֹ֤א כָל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הִפָּ֥רֶד נָ֖א מֵעָלָ֑י אִם־הַשְּׂמֹ֣אל וְאֵימִ֔נָה וְאִם־הַיָּמִ֖ין וְאַשְׂמְאִֽילָה׃

Isn’t the whole land before you? Since Abram and Lot were not looking to settle down, but were merely seeking pasture, the entire land was available to them, without restrictions. Please, part from me, and we will head in different directions; we do not need to dwell in the same place. So choose which territory you would like: If you go to the left, I will go to the right; and if you go to the right, I will go left.

וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר׃

At the time, Abram and Lot were situated in the southern Judean hills. Lot raised his eyes, and from that vantage point he saw the expansive view of the valley below, the entire area south of the Jordan River, known as the plain of the Jordan, and saw that it was all watered. This plain was a large, very low area, extremely rich in water. Even nowadays there are fertile areas south of the Dead Sea, where the climate is almost tropical, but before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, the climate in the region was different. At that time, the entire area of what is today called the Dead Sea was one large, well-watered vale. Because of the heat and water, it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, an area rich in vegetation that does not receive its water from rain but from rivers and irrigation canals. This description applied to the entire plain as, until, you come to the small town of Tzoar.

וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ ל֗וֹט אֵ֚ת כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּסַּ֥ע ל֖וֹט מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיִּפָּ֣רְד֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו׃

Lot accepted Abram’s suggestion and chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, a lush, fertile area large enough for his flocks and herds. Lot journeyed from the east of the place where he and Abram were situated, the side that faced the Dead Sea. And they parted one from another, each following a different path.

אַבְרָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן וְל֗וֹט יָשַׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיֶּאֱהַ֖ל עַד־סְדֹֽם׃

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in, among, and between, the cities of the plain of Jordan, and Lot pitched his tent as far as Sodom. At this stage Lot was not yet a resident of Sodom, but a tent-dwelling shepherd who lived near the city and under its patronage.

וְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סְדֹ֔ם רָעִ֖ים וְחַטָּאִ֑ים לַיהוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃

At this point, the text notes the moral qualities of the inhabitants of Sodom, among whom Lot had chosen to live: And even at that time the men of Sodom were known to be extremely wicked and sinful to the Lord.

וַֽיהוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם אַחֲרֵי֙ הִפָּֽרֶד־ל֣וֹט מֵֽעִמּ֔וֹ שָׂ֣א נָ֤א עֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ וּרְאֵ֔ה מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה שָׁ֑ם צָפֹ֥נָה וָנֶ֖גְבָּה וָקֵ֥דְמָה וָיָֽמָּה׃

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot parted from him: Raise now your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward, southward, eastward, and westward;

כִּ֧י אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃

for all the land that you see, I will give to you, and to your descendants forever.

וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּֽם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה׃

I will render your descendants numerous like the dust of the earth; so that only if a man could count the dust of the earth, so your descendants shall be counted.

ק֚וּם הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בָּאָ֔רֶץ לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י לְךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה׃

So therefore, arise, walk in the land to its length and to its breadth, as to you I will give it. Even though the land is currently inhabited by others and is not yet in your possession, you can feel as comfortable in it as a landowner strolling through his estate.

וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ל אַבְרָ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֛א וַיֵּ֛שֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (פ)

Abram did not remain between Beit El and Ai, but he also did not continue wandering. Rather, he turned southward and decided to encamp. He pitched his tent, and came and settled in the plains [ elonei ] of Mamre, which are in Hebron. And he built there an altar to the Lord. While on the move seeking pasture for his flock, Abram spread his faith by constructing altars and publicizing the name of God.