New International Version Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” New Living Translation The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.” English Standard Version Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Berean Standard Bible Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” Berean Literal Bible Is not all the land before you? Separate, please, from me—if to the left, then I will go to the right; and if to the right, then I will go to the left.” King James Bible Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. New King James Version Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” New American Standard Bible Is the entire land not before you? Please separate from me; if you choose the left, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right, then I will go to the left.” NASB 1995 “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.” NASB 1977 “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me: if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.” Legacy Standard Bible Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.” Amplified Bible Is not the entire land before you? Please separate [yourself] from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you choose the right, then I will go to the left.” Berean Annotated Bible Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left. Christian Standard Bible Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” American Standard Version Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left. Contemporary English Version There is plenty of land for you to choose from. Let's separate. If you go north, I'll go south; if you go south, I'll go north." English Revised Version Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left. GOD'S WORD® Translation Isn't all this land yours also? Let's separate. If you go to the left, I'll go to the right, and if you go to the right, I'll go to the left." Good News Translation So let's separate. Choose any part of the land you want. You go one way, and I'll go the other." International Standard Version Isn't the whole land available to you? Let's separate: If you go to the left, then I will go to the right; if you go to the right, then I will go to the left." NET Bible Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go to the left, then I'll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I'll go to the left." New Heart English Bible Isn't the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Webster's Bible Translation Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou wilt depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleIs not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” World English Bible Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIs not all the land before you? Please be parted from me; if to the left, then I to the right; and if to the right, then I to the left.” Berean Literal Bible Is not all the land before you? Separate, please, from me—if to the left, then I will go to the right; and if to the right, then I will go to the left.” Young's Literal Translation Is not all the land before thee? be parted, I pray thee, from me; if to the left, then I to the right; and if to the right, then I to the left.' Smith's Literal Translation Is not all the land before thy face? Now be separated from me; if to the left hand, I will go to the right; and if to the right hand, I will go to the left. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBehold the whole land is before thee: depart from me I pray thee: if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will take the right: if thou choose the right hand, I will pass to the left. Catholic Public Domain Version Behold, the entire land is before your eyes. Withdraw from me, I beg you. If you will go to the left, I will take the right. If you choose the right, I will pass to the left.” New American Bible Is not the whole land available? Please separate from me. If you prefer the left, I will go to the right; if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.” New Revised Standard Version Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBehold the whole land is before you, separate yourself from me; if you choose the left hand, then I will choose the right hand; or if you depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Behold, all the land is before you. Separate from me; if you are to the right, I am to the left, and if you are to the left, I am to the right.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou take the right hand, then I will go to the left.' Brenton Septuagint Translation Lo! is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself from me; if thou goest to the left, I will go to the right, and if thou goest to the right, I will go to the left. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context Abram and Lot Part Ways…8So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are brothers. 9Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” Cross References Is not the whole land before you? Deuteronomy 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess the land that the LORD swore He would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to their descendants after them.” Joshua 1:3 I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses. Deuteronomy 11:24 Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea. Now separate yourself from me. Genesis 31:49-52 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said, “May the LORD keep watch between you and me when we are absent from each other. / If you mistreat my daughters or take other wives, although no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me.” / Laban also said to Jacob, “Here is the mound, and here is the pillar I have set up between you and me. … Acts 15:39 Their disagreement was so sharp that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, Genesis 36:6 Later, Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the people of his household, along with his livestock, all his other animals, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan, and he moved to a land far away from his brother Jacob. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; Deuteronomy 5:32 So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or to the left. Joshua 1:7 Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go. Proverbs 4:27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.” Deuteronomy 17:11 according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you. Numbers 20:17 Please let us pass through your land. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will stay on the King’s Highway; we will not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.” Genesis 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Genesis 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates— Genesis 17:8 And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 26:3-4 Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. / I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, Treasury of Scripture Is not the whole land before you? separate yourself, I pray you, from me: if you will take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. Is not. Genesis 20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. Genesis 34:10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein. if thou wilt. Psalm 120:7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war. Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Jump to Previous Company Depart Hand I'll Let's Part Parted Please Right Separate Thyself Ways Whole WiltJump to Next Company Depart Hand I'll Let's Part Parted Please Right Separate Thyself Ways Whole WiltGenesis 13 1. Abram and Lot return with great riches out of Egypt.6. Strife arises between Abram's herdsmen and those of Lot. 8. Abram allows Lot to choose his part of the country, 10. and Lot goes toward Sodom. 14. God renews his promise to Abram. 18. He moves to Hebron, and there builds an altar. Is not the whole land before you? Abram places the choice before Lot, trusting that the Lord will fulfill His promise to give the land to Abram’s descendants. Though the available pastureland was limited for their combined herds, Abram did not cling to personal advantage. Deu 1:8 See, I have placed the land before you. Enter and possess… Now separate yourself from me. Their households and livestock had grown too large to remain together without continued strife among their herdsmen. Separation preserved peace between the two families and allowed each group to find adequate grazing land. Gen 31:49-52 It was also called Mizpah, because Laban said,… If you go to the left, I will go to the right; As the elder and the one to whom God had given the promise, Abram could have chosen first. Instead, he yielded that right to Lot, confident that God’s blessing did not depend on securing the most desirable territory. Deu 5:32 So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you;… if you go to the right, I will go to the left.” Abram’s willingness to accept either direction reveals his dependence on God rather than on appearances. Lot would choose the well-watered Jordan Valley, near Sodom, while Abram remained in Canaan and continued in the land God had promised him. Isa 30:21 And whether you turn to the right or to the left,… Persons / Places / Events 1. Abram (Abraham)The central figure in this passage, Abram is a man of faith and obedience to God. He is known for his willingness to trust God’s promises and his role as the patriarch of the Israelite nation. 2. Lot Abram’s nephew, who traveled with him from Ur to Canaan. Lot’s choice of land in this passage sets the stage for future events in his life. 3. Canaan The land promised by God to Abram and his descendants. It is the setting for this account and a significant location in biblical history. 4. Bethel and Ai The region where Abram and Lot were dwelling before their separation. Bethel is a place of worship and significance in Abram’s journey. 5. The Separation The event where Abram and Lot part ways due to the inability of the land to support both their herds and households. This separation is pivotal in the unfolding of God’s plan for Abram. Teaching Points Faith and Trust in God’s ProvisionAbram’s willingness to let Lot choose first demonstrates his trust in God’s provision. Believers are encouraged to trust God’s plans and timing, even when it requires selflessness. The Importance of Peace and Unity Abram’s proposal to separate peacefully with Lot highlights the value of maintaining peace and unity within families and communities. Christians are called to be peacemakers. Wise Decision-Making Lot’s choice based on immediate benefits serves as a cautionary tale about making decisions without considering long-term spiritual consequences. Believers should seek God’s wisdom in their choices. God’s Sovereignty and Faithfulness Despite the separation, God’s promises to Abram remain intact. This reassures believers of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness, regardless of circumstances. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Genesis 13:9?2. How does Genesis 13:9 demonstrate Abraham's humility and peacemaking approach? 3. What can we learn from Abraham's offer to Lot about resolving conflicts? 4. How does Genesis 13:9 reflect the biblical principle of selflessness? 5. In what ways can we apply Abraham's example in our daily relationships? 6. How does this passage connect with Jesus' teachings on peacemaking in Matthew 5:9? 7. How does Genesis 13:9 reflect on the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully? 8. What does Genesis 13:9 teach about generosity and selflessness in relationships? 9. How does the land division in Genesis 13:9 relate to God's promises to Abraham? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 13? Verse 9. - Is not the whole land before thee? The Bethel plateau commands an extensive view of Palestine (vide on ver. 10). Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. Thus giving Lot the choice of the country. If thou wilt take the left hand (literally, if to the left hand (sc. thou wilt go), the Hebrew term being in the accusative after a verb of motion (Kalisch, p. 344) - then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. CHAPTER 13:10-13 Abram’s words in Genesis 13:9 reveal a heart anchored in God’s promise, committed to peace, and confident enough to yield personal advantage. He sees the vast land as a gift from the Lord, chooses separation to prevent strife, and lets Lot decide first, trusting the Lord to fulfill every covenant word. In doing so, Abram models generous faith, humble leadership, and unwavering reliance on God’s sovereign provision.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Is notהֲלֹ֤א (hă·lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no the whole כָל־ (ḵāl) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every land הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land before you? לְפָנֶ֔יךָ (lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 6440: The face Now נָ֖א (nā) Interjection Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then' separate yourself הִפָּ֥רֶד (hip·pā·reḏ) Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 6504: To break through, spread, separate from me. מֵעָלָ֑י (mê·‘ā·lāy) Preposition-m | first person common singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against If אִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you go to the left, הַשְּׂמֹ֣אל (haś·śə·mōl) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8040: Dark, the north, the left hand I will go to the right; וְאֵימִ֔נָה (wə·’ê·mi·nāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Strong's 3231: To go to or choose the right, to use the right hand if וְאִם־ (wə·’im-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not you go to the right, הַיָּמִ֖ין (hay·yā·mîn) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 3225: The right hand, side, the south I will go to the left.” וְאַשְׂמְאִֽילָה׃ (wə·’aś·mə·’î·lāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Strong's 8041: To use the left hand, pass in that direction) Additonal Resources Genesis 13:9 Blue Letter BibleGenesis 13:9 Bible Gateway Genesis 13:9 Bible.com Genesis 13:9 NIV |
    |