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Abramאַבְרָםlivedיָשַׁבin the landבְּאֶרֶץof Canaan,כְּנָעַןand Lotוְלוֹטlivedיָשַׁבin the citiesבְּעָרֵיof the plainהַכִּכָּרand moved his tentוַיֶּאֱהַלas far asעַדSodom.סְדֹם
Genesis 13:12
Study it in the app“Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom.”
Abram lets Lot choose, to avoid a quarrel between their herdsmenConflict and Reconciliation
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 13:12, word by word
- Abramאַבְרָםavram
Abram
Abram, the name of Abraham before God changed it (Genesis 17:5). It means "exalted father".
Where else “avram” appears- livedיָשַׁבyashav
dwell
To make one's home in a place.
Where else “yashav” appears- in the landאֶרֶץerets
land
A region or nation, above all Israel's.
Where else “erets” appears- of Canaanכְּנָעַןkenaan
Canaan
See it on the mapWhere else “kenaan” appears- and Lotלוֹטlot
Lot
Lot, nephew of Abram, son of Haran; he settled in Sodom and was saved from its destruction. Father of Moab and Ammon.
Where else “lot” appears- in the citiesעָרֵיare
city
A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.
Where else “are” appears- of the plainכִּכָּרkikar
plain
Literally "the circle": the lowland around the Jordan.
Where else “kikar” appears- and moved his tentיֶּאֱהַלyeehal
pitch a tent
Pitch a tent, camp.
Where else “yeehal” appears- Sodomסְדֹםsedom
Sodom
See it on the mapWhere else “sedom” appears
Places in this verse
1Canaan
Today: Israel, West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, western Syria
The land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, today Israel, Palestine and parts of Lebanon.
God promised this land to Abraham and his descendants (Gen 17:8). Israel entered it after forty years in the wilderness (Josh 5:12).
2Sodom ?
Today: disputed; perhaps south or northeast of the Dead Sea
A city of the Jordan plain; its site is not known for certain, perhaps near the Dead Sea.
Its people were very wicked (Gen 13:13). God destroyed it with fire, and saved Lot (Gen 19:24-25).
The context
11So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward; and they separated, each from his brother.
12 · This verse (above)
13Now the men of Sodom were evil and great sinners against YHWH.
To study Genesis 13 in a group
1. What it says
How did Abram settle the conflict with Lot, and which place did each one choose (vv. 8-12)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Abram that he let Lot choose the land first (vv. 8-9)?
3. How I live it
How can you yield in a disagreement today in order to protect a relationship?