Genesis 13:1-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 13:1-4

I. Here is Abram's return out of Egypt, Gen. 13:1. He came himself and brought all his with him back again to Canaan. Note, Though there may be occasion to go sometimes into places of temptation, yet we must hasten out of them as soon as possible. See Ruth 1:6. II. His wealth: He was very rich, Gen. 13:2. He was very heavy, so the Hebrew word signifies; for riches are a burden, and those that will be rich do but load themselves with thick clay, Hab. 2:6. There is a burden of care in getting... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 13:5-9

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, Zech. 8:23. 2. Those that... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 13:10-13

We have here the choice that Lot made when he parted from Abram. Upon this occasion, one would have expected, 1. That he should have expressed an unwillingness to part from Abram, and that, at least, he should have done it with reluctancy. 2. That he should have been so civil as to have remitted the choice back again to Abram. But we find not any instance of deference or respect to his uncle in the whole management. Abram having offered him the choice, without compliment he accepted it, and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 13:14-18

We have here an account of a gracious visit which God paid to Abram, to confirm the promise to him and his. Observe, I. When it was that God renewed and ratified the promise: After that Lot was separated from him, that is, 1. After the quarrel was over; for those are best prepared for the visits of divine grace whose spirits are calm and sedate, and not ruffled with any passion. 2. After Abram's humble self-denying condescensions to Lot for the preserving of peace. It was then that God came to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 13:1

And Abram went up out of Egypt ,.... That country lying low, and so more easy to be watered by the river Nile, as it was, and Canaan being higher; whither he went, but not till the famine in Canaan ceased: he went out of Egypt, as the Jewish F16 Seder Olam Rabba, p. 2. chronologers say, after he had been there three months; but Artapanus F17 Apud Euseb. Evangel. Praepar. l. 9. c. 18. p. 420. an Heathen writer, says, he stayed there twenty years: he and his wife, and all that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 13:2

And Abram was very rich ,.... He was rich in spiritual things, in faith, and in all other graces, and was an heir of the kingdom of heaven; and in temporal things, as it sometimes is the lot of good men to be, though but rarely, at least to be exceeding rich, as Abram was; or "very heavy" F18 כבד מאד "gravis valde", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt. , as the word signifies, he was loaded with wealth and riches, and sometimes an abundance of riches are a burden to a man, and,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 13:3

And he went on in his journeys from the south ,.... He took the same tour, went the same road, stopping at the same resting places, as when he went down to Egypt; having learned, as Jarchi observes, the way of the earth, that a man should not change his host. Though some, as Ben Gersom, understand it of his taking his journeys as were suitable for his cattle, as they were able to bear them, and not overdrive them, lest he should kill them, but made short stages, and frequently stopped and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 13:4

Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first ,.... When he first came to that place, and before he went down to Egypt: it is not said he came to the altar, but "to the place", where it had stood, for it seems now to have been demolished, either having fallen of itself, being made of earth, or had been destroyed by the Canaanites, since Abram left it; or perhaps it might be pulled down by Abram himself before he went from thence, that it might not be used and polluted by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 13:5

And Lot also, which went with Abram ,.... into Egypt, and was now come back with him: had flocks, and herds, and tents ; flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle, of oxen, asses and camels, and tents for himself and his servants to dwell in, and put his substance in. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 13:6

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together ,.... That part of the country where Abram and Lot were could not afford them room enough for their several tents; or however could not furnish them with sufficient pasturage for their flocks and herds, they were so numerous; at least could not do it so as to be contiguous to each other, that there was a necessity of one of them going further off: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together ;... read more

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