Genesis
Chapter 13
1-12
1 From Egypt Abram went up to the Negeb with his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot accompanied him.
2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.
3 From the Negeb he traveled by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly stood,
4 the site where he had first built the altar; and there he invoked the LORD by name.
5 Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,
6 so that the land could not support them if they stayed together; their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
7 There were quarrels between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and those of Lot's. (At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were occupying the land.)
8 So Abram said to Lot: "Let there be no strife between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are kinsmen.
9 Is not the whole land at your disposal? Please separate from me. If you prefer the left, I will go to the right; if you prefer the right, I will go to the left."
10Lot looked about and saw how well watered the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar, like the LORD'S own garden, or like Egypt. (This was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11 Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain and set out eastward. Thus they separated from each other;
12 Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain, pitching his tents near Sodom.
Reflection: God was so good to them that they had to separate. They both must have had huge amounts of flocks for them not to be able to graze together. Abram was wise to not let it come between them. He was willing to go the "wrong" way if it was to make Lot happy. I know that I am often jealous and envious of what others get. I need to be more thankful for the gifts I receive and to be thankful for the goodness that comes to others. I need to work to serve my fellow man and be willing to offer them the "better" portion trusting that God will still take care of me.
I thought the passage was definitely showing the genorsity of Abram. It reminds me that we are to serve others. As a patriarch, he knew what was best for the family and served the entire family by offering to separate
ReplyDeleteI thought this commentary was very interesting.
The Navarre Bible commentary says that St John Chrysostom points out that family peace was being undermined by prosperity: Their flocks grew bigger, great wealth accrued to them, and immediately harmony between them was disrupted --where there had been peace and the bonds of affection, now there was trouble and hostility. You see, whenever there is a question of mine and yours, there are grounds for the utmost trouble and a basis for hosility: by contrast, where there isnt the case, habits of peace and harmony exist together without confusion." ( Homiliae in Genesim)