HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 384
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17 But the Lord sent terrible plagues upon
Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai,
Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram
and accused him sharply. “What have you done
to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me
she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is
my sister,’ and allow me to take her as my wife?
Now then, here is your wife. Take her and get out
of here!” 20 Pharaoh ordered some of his men to
escort them, and he sent Abram out of the country, along with his wife and all his possessions.
Abram and Lot Separate
So Abram left Egypt and traveled north
into the Negev, along with his wife and
Lot and all that they owned. 2 (Abram was very
rich in livestock, silver, and gold.) 3 From the
Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped
before. 4 This was the same place where Abram
had built the altar, and there he worshiped the
Lord again.
5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had
also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep
and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents.
6 But the land could not support both Abram
and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so
close together. 7 So disputes broke out between
the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time
Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in
the land.)
8 Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow
this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! 9 The whole
countryside is open to you. Take your choice of
any section of the land you want, and we will
separate. If you want the land to the left, then
I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the
land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.”
10 Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of
the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The
whole area was well watered everywhere, like
the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of
Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 Lot chose for himself the
whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went
there with his flocks and servants and parted
company with his uncle Abram. 12 So Abram
settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his
tents to a place near Sodom and settled among
the cities of the plain. 13 But the people of this
area were extremely wicked and constantly
sinned against the Lord.
14 After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram,
“Look as far as you can see in every direction—
north and south, east and west. 15 I am giving all
this land, as far as you can see, to you and your
descendants* as a permanent possession. 16 And
I will give you so many descendants that, like
the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!
13
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17 Go
and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.”
18 So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and
settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre.
There he built another altar to the Lord.
Abram Rescues Lot
About this time war broke out in the region. King Amraphel of Babylonia,* King
Arioch of Ellasar, King Kedorlaomer of Elam,
and King Tidal of Goiim 2 fought against King
Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King
Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim,
and the king of Bela (also called Zoar).
3 This second group of kings joined forces in
Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead
Sea*). 4 For twelve years they had been subject
to King Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year
they rebelled against him.
5 One year later Kedorlaomer and his allies arrived and defeated the Rephaites at Ashterothkarnaim, the Zuzites at Ham, the Emites at
Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites at Mount
Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to Enmishpat (now called Kadesh) and conquered
all the territory of the Amalekites, and also the
Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar.
8 Then the rebel kings of Sodom, Gomorrah,
Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (also called Zoar)
prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead
Sea.* 9 They fought against King Kedorlaomer
of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel
of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar—four
kings against five. 10 As it happened, the valley
of the Dead Sea was filled with tar pits. And as
the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah
fled, some fell into the tar pits, while the rest
escaped into the mountains. 11 The victorious
invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah
and headed for home, taking with them all the
spoils of war and the food supplies. 12 They also
captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in
Sodom—and carried off everything he owned.
13 But one of Lot’s men escaped and reported
everything to Abram the Hebrew, who was living near the oak grove belonging to Mamre the
Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and
Aner, were Abram’s allies.
14 When Abram heard that his nephew Lot
had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained
men who had been born into his household.
Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he
caught up with them at Dan. 15 There he divided
his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far
as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he
14
13:15 Hebrew seed; also in 13:16. 14:1 Hebrew Shinar; also
in 14:9. 14:3 Hebrew Salt Sea. 14:8 Hebrew Siddim Valley
(see 14:3); also in 14:10.