Genesis 13

Ge 13:1-18.

RETURN FROM

EGYPT.

1. went up . . . south--Palestine being a highland

country, the entrance from Egypt by its southern boundary is a

continual ascent.

2. very rich--compared with the pastoral tribes to which Abraham

belonged. An Arab sheik is considered rich who has a hundred or two

hundred tents, from sixty to a hundred camels, a thousand sheep and

goats respectively. And Abram being very rich, must have far exceeded

that amount of pastoral property. "Gold and silver" being rare among

these peoples, his probably arose from the sale of his produce in

Egypt.

3. went on his journeys--His progress would be by slow marches

and frequent encampments as Abram had to regulate his movements by the

prospect of water and pasturage.

unto the place . . . between Beth-el and Hai--"a

conspicuous hill--its topmost summit resting on the rocky slopes below,

and distinguished by its olive groves--offering a natural base for the

altar and a fitting shade for the tent of the patriarch" [STANLEY].

4. there Abram called on the name of the Lord--He felt a strong

desire to reanimate his faith and piety on the scene of his former

worship: it might be to express humility and penitence for his

misconduct in Egypt or thankfulness for deliverance from perils--to

embrace the first opportunity on returning to Canaan of leading his

family to renew allegiance to God and offer the typical sacrifices

which pointed to the blessings of the promise.

7. And there was a strife--Abraham's character appears here in a

most amiable light. Having a strong sense of religion, he was afraid of

doing anything that might tend to injure its character or bring

discredit on its name, and he rightly judged that such unhappy effects

would be produced if two persons whom nature and grace had so closely

connected should come to a rupture

[Ge 13:8].

Waiving his right to dictate, he gave the freedom of choice to Lot. The

conduct of Abraham was not only disinterested and peaceable, but

generous and condescending in an extraordinary degree, exemplifying the

Scripture precepts

(Mt 6:32;

Ro 12:10, 11;

Php 2:4).

10. Lot lifted up his eyes--Travellers say that from the top of

this hill, a little "to the east of Beth-el"

[Ge 12:8],

they can see the Jordan, the broad meadows on either bank, and the

waving line of verdure which marks the course of the stream.

11. Then Lot chose him all the plain--a choice excellent from a

worldly point of view, but most inexpedient for his best interests. He

seems, though a good man, to have been too much under the influence of

a selfish and covetous spirit: and how many, alas! imperil the good of

their souls for the prospect of worldly advantage.

14, 15. Lift up now thine eyes . . . all the land which

thou seest--So extensive a survey of the country, in all

directions, can be obtained from no other point in the

neighborhood; and those plains and hills, then lying desolate before

the eyes of the solitary patriarch, were to be peopled with a mighty

nation "like the dust of the earth in number," as they were in

Solomon's time

(1Ki 4:20).

18. the plain of Mamre . . . built . . . an

altar--the renewal of the promise was acknowledged by Abram by a

fresh tribute of devout gratitude.