seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 13:5 Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. 7 And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
Abram had acquired quite a herd before they went to Egypt. Then the Pharaoh gave Abram even more animals, gold and silver. Lot had his own heard as well. On top of that, sheep will eat every sprig of grass in sight, right down to the root. So fighting for fresh grazing had to result. Add to that the fact that God never told Abram to drag his cousin Lot along with him. That's why there was fighting. They needed room. Their fighting was setting the wrong example for the pagans around them.
Studylight.org explains it this way.
God commanded Abram to leave his family behind when he came to the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1), but Abram brought his nephew Lot along with him. Trouble like this was the result.
This conflict came after Abram did the right thing. When we get right with God, we can often expect attack from the devil.
Something had to be done about this strife between the estates of Abram and Lot, because they could not continue a conflict like this before the unbelieving inhabitants of Canaan.
When the Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land, and saw the men of Abram and Lot fighting, they must have thought, Oh, theyre just like us. They say they worship another God, a God they say is the true God, but I see they are really just like us.
Many people will never listen to what any believer says because of what some believers are. (Barnhouse)
This is the first mention of wealth in the Bible. There was a great difference between the riches of Abram and the riches of Lot. They both had great wealth, but Lots wealth possessed him. Abram had great possessions, but they did not possess him.
This conflict came after Abram did the right thing. When we get right with God, we can often expect attack from the devil.
Something had to be done about this strife between the estates of Abram and Lot, because they could not continue a conflict like this before the unbelieving inhabitants of Canaan.
When the Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land, and saw the men of Abram and Lot fighting, they must have thought, Oh, theyre just like us. They say they worship another God, a God they say is the true God, but I see they are really just like us.
Many people will never listen to what any believer says because of what some believers are. (Barnhouse)
This is the first mention of wealth in the Bible. There was a great difference between the riches of Abram and the riches of Lot. They both had great wealth, but Lots wealth possessed him. Abram had great possessions, but they did not possess him.
This came from sacred-texts.com.
They could not dwell together - 1. Because their flocks were great. 2. Because the Canaanites and the Perizzites had already occupied a considerable part of the land. 3. Because there appears to have been envy between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. To prevent disputes among them, that might have ultimately disturbed the peace of the two families, it was necessary that a separation should take place.
