Abram and Lot Choose Separate Paths

Abram came up from Egypt with his wife, all he had, and Lot with him. He travelled from the South back to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been before. There, at the altar he had made earlier, Abram called on the name of the Lord.

Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Lot also had flocks, herds, and tents. Their possessions were so great that the land could not support them living together. Soon there was quarrelling between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen, while the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

Abram did not want the conflict to grow. He told Lot that they were relatives and there should not be strife between them or between their herdsmen. Then Abram offered Lot the first choice of the land. If Lot went one way, Abram would go the other way.

Lot looked over the plain of the Jordan and saw that it was well-watered everywhere. So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself and travelled east. Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against the Lord.

After Lot had separated from him, the Lord told Abram to look north, south, east, and west. God said he would give that land to Abram and to his offspring, and that his offspring would be too many to count, like the dust of the earth. Abram moved to the oaks of Mamre in Hebron and built an altar there to the Lord. What do you notice about the way Abram trusted God instead of fighting for the best-looking land?