Abram and Lot Split Up

They left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev--Abram with his wife and Lot and all that they owned, for Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Then they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where they had camped before.

Lot, who had been orphaned when his father Haran was killed, was traveling with Abram and he was also very wealthy with sheep, cattle, and many tents.
In fact, the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together, such a nice problem to have. There were too many animals for the available pastureland. So an argument broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land. Then Abram talked it over with Lot. "This arguing between our herdsmen has got to stop," he said. "After all, we are close relatives! And it would not be a good idea for the locals to think there was division between the two, they had accumulated much wealth and much wealth makes you a target.

I'll tell you what we'll do. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want that area over there, then I'll stay here. If you want to stay in this area, then I'll move on to another place."

Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. Lot chose that land for himself--the Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram.

< = = = I thought it was a desert?

Much of the land is. This is eleven generations after the great flood, so there was probably more water then than today. And the Dead Sea probably wasn't dead yet, it would have been full of fresh water with the flood, and will be hundreds of years till the salt can build up due to evaporation.

So while Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom, among the cities of the plain.