Relationship Between Abraham and Lot in Genesis
Abraham (then Abram) and Lot shared a close familial bond, with Lot being Abraham's nephew, the son of Abraham's deceased brother Haran [2]. After Haran's death in Ur of the Chaldees, Abraham, his wife Sarai, and Lot journeyed with Terah, Abraham's father, to Haran in Mesopotamia. Following Terah's death, Abraham, Sarai, and Lot continued their journey [2].
Their relationship faced a significant challenge due to their increasing wealth. Both Abraham and Lot had accumulated substantial possessions, including numerous herdsmen and livestock [4]. This prosperity led to disputes between their respective herdsmen over pasturage and watering places [10]. The Midrash Rabbah suggests that Abraham's herdsmen were careful to muzzle their animals to prevent them from eating others' vegetation, while Lot's herdsmen were not, leading to accusations of theft [11].
To prevent further strife, Abraham initiated a separation, proposing to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives" [1]. John Gill notes that Abraham, despite being older and superior in status, made the first move to resolve the conflict [5]. Augustine of Hippo also highlights this separation as a way to avoid "pugnacious discord" within their families, emphasizing that it occurred "without breach of charity" [6].
Abraham offered Lot the choice of land. Lot chose the fertile plain of Jordan, which was well-watered and suitable for pasturage, and journeyed eastward towards Sodom [7]. This decision led Lot to settle near the notoriously wicked city of Sodom [8]. The Midrash Rabbah presents differing rabbinic views on Abraham's decision to part ways with Lot. Rabbi Yuda suggests that God was displeased with Abraham for distancing his kinsman, while Rabbi Neḥemya argues that God approved, as it allowed Abraham to focus on his divine mission [9].
Lot's descendants, the Ammonites, are later mentioned in scripture, tracing their lineage back to Lot [3]. The narrative of Abraham and Lot illustrates the complexities of family relationships, the challenges of shared prosperity, and the importance of peaceful resolution in the face of conflict.
Sources
- Genesis “Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives. -- Genesis 13:8”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Abraham — (father of a multitude) was the son of Terah, and founder of the great Hebrew nation. (B.C. 1996-1822.) His family, a branch of the descendants of Shem, was settled in Ur of the Chaldees, beyond the Euphrates, where Abraham was born. Terah had two other sons, Nahor and Haran. Haran died before his father in Ur of the Chaldees, leaving a son, Lot; and Terah, taking with him Abram, with Sarai his wife and his grandson Lot, emigrated to Haran in Mesopotamia, where he died. On the death of his father, Abram, then in the 75th year of his age, with Sarai and Lot, ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ammonite — The usual name of the descendants of Ammon, the son of Lot (Gen. 19:38). From the very beginning (Deut. 2:16-20) of their history till they are lost sight of (Judg. 5:2), this tribe is closely associated with the Moabites (Judg. 10:11; 2 Chr. 20:1; Zeph. 2:8). Both of these tribes hired Balaam to curse Israel (Deut. 23:4). The Ammonites were probably more of a predatory tribe, moving from place to place, while the Moabites were more settled. They inhabited the country east of the Jordan and north of Moab and the Dead Sea, from which they had expelled the Z”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 13:5: We have here an unhappy falling out between Abram and Lot, who had hitherto been inseparable companions (see Gen 13:1, and Gen 12:4), but now parted. I. The occasion of their quarrel was their riches. We read (Gen 13:2) how rich Abram was; now here we are told (Gen 13:5) that Lot, who went with Abram, was rich too; and therefore God blessed him with riches because he went with Abram. Note, 1. It is good being in good company, and going with those with whom God is, Zac 8:23. 2. Those that are partners with God's people in their obedience and sufferings shall be sh”
- Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 13:8: And Abram said unto Lot,.... Being either an ear witness himself of the contentions of their servants, or having it reported to him by credible persons, he applied himself to Lot, in order to make peace, being a wise and good man; and though he was senior in years, and superior in substance, and higher in the class of relation, and upon all accounts the greatest man, yet he makes the proposal first, and lays a scheme before Lot for their future friendship, and to prevent quarrels, and the mischievous consequences of them: let there be no strife, I pray thee, betwee”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 20.--OF THE PARTING OF LOT AND ABRAHAM, WHICH THEY AGREED TO WITHOUT BREACH OF CHARITY.: On Abraham's return out of Egypt to the place he had left, Lot, his brother's son, departed from him into the land of Sodom, without breach of charity. For they had grown rich, and began to have many herdmen of cattle, and when these strove together, they avoided in this way the pugnacious discord of, their families. Indeed, as human affairs go, this cause might even have given rise to some strife between themselves. Consequently these are th”
- Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 13:11: Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan,.... Because of its good pasturage, and because of the plenty of water there; the want of both which was the inconvenience he had laboured under, and had occasioned the strife between his and Abram's servants: and Lot journeyed east, or "eastward"; for the plain of Jordan, and that part of the land on which Sodom and Gomorrah stood, were to the east of Bethel: the phrase is by some rendered "from the east" (y), and the particle used most commonly so signifies; and Jarchi observes, that he journeyed from east to west; and ”
- Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 13 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 13 This chapter gives an account of the return of Abram from Egypt to the land of Canaan, and to the same place in it he had been before, Gen 13:1 and of a strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot, and the occasion of it, Gen 13:5 which was composed by the prudent proposal of Abram, Gen 13:8 upon which they parted; Abram continued in Canaan, and Lot chose the plain of Jordan, and dwelt near Sodom, a place infamous for wickedness, Gen 13:10 after which the Lord renewed to Abram the grant of the land of Canaan to him, and to h”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 41:8: “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot parted from him: Raise now your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward” (Genesis 13:14). “The Lord said to Abram…” – Rabbi Yuda says: There was anger towards our forefather Abraham when he distanced his nephew Lot from him. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘He attaches himself to everyone else, 41 Abraham always sought to bring people closer to God. but to his own kinsman, Lot, he does not attach himself?’ Rabbi Neḥemya said: [On the contrary,] The Holy One bless”
- Genesis (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Genesis 13:7: And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle,.... Not between the two masters, but between their servants, their upper servants, that had the care of their herds to feed them, and water them; and it is very probable their strife was about pasturage and watering places, the one endeavouring to get them from the other, or to get the best; which is much more likely than what Jarchi suggests, that the herdmen of Lot were wicked men, and fed their cattle in the fields of others, and the herdmen of Abram reproved them for the”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 41:5: “There was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. And the Canaanites and the Perizites then lived in the land” (Genesis 13:7). “There was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock” – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: Abraham’s animals would go out muzzled, 31 To prevent them from eating other people’s vegetation, which would amount to theft. but Lot’s animals would not go out muzzled. Abraham’s herdsmen would say to them: ‘Has the”