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Genesis 13 (CSB)
Map of Abraham's travels (with explanation)
Welcome to As He Leads - a Bible Study Podcast for Busy Women. I'm Rachel and I apologize for the long break between episodes again! In real time, it is now January 13th, 2026, and the end of 2025 was just crazy! ...
Now, there's a bit going on in this chapter, not as full as some, but it definitely has some things to talk about. First, we have to remember that Abram's command originally was to leave his home, leave his family, and go to the land that God would tell him about. And yet, he brought Lot, servants, all kinds of things. Lot is still with him all these years later, through Abram's deception of the Egyptians, through the moving around in Canaan. And now, after all of their travels, all of their nomadic lifestyle, they are back in Canaan. The famine is over, and their group of people is so big, they can't be supported by the land.
I'm using a lot of John MacArthur's notes today because he wrote some things that make sense and are easy to understand. His Genesis book that covers Genesis 12 through 33 on page 17 in reference to verse 6, where it says that the land was not able to support them. Bible scholars have given a conservative estimate of Abram's traveling household, and it would be at least 1,000 people.
He also had flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, people who worked for him, and the people who worked for him also had their own possessions, tents, cooking utensils, and animals for travel. So on and so forth. Add to this Lot's household.
The reminder that the Canaanites and Perizzites were still in the land is kind of a nod to the fact that they weren't walking around unseen. Abram, with his large group of people, would have drawn attention. Add in the fighting between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot… That's not bearing well as a witness. ...
So, Abram is kind of the sole representation of Yahweh at this point. So, the fighting between his guys and the Lot’s guys is not a good representation of the God of the Universe.
When we get to the point where Abram says to Lot, “We've got to split up. You've got to go your way, and I'm going to go mine,” he gives Lot the choice. In a patriarchal society like this, in those kinds of societies, the older man has seniority, and his word is law. Abram set that aside and allowed Lot to choose which way he would go, and Abram would go the opposite way.
It's kind of significant. People, in my experience at least, aren't fond of giving up control. Once they have control, they use it sometimes for good, sometimes not so good. But Abram gave up control of where he would go even, with all his people under him, and allowed Lot to choose first.
Now Lot, as a younger man, as many young men and young women, wanted power. He wanted wealth. He wanted that status that came with wealth. That's why, when he lifted his eyes, which is a significant Old Testament phrase, he saw what he wanted most. He picked out the choice land and wealth.
If you've ever looked at aerial footage of Israel and the Gaza area, there's not a lot of green spots over there. There's a lot of green just around the rivers and seasonally around the wadis. These dry valleys are great for camping in during the warmer months, but during the rainy months they can quickly turn into a river. Lot followed his desire for wealth and comfort all the way to Sodom.
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