Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 13

1. AND Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into the South

(i. e.) Into the Southern part of Canaan, from whence he came, Gen. 12. 9. and which in Scripture is called simply the South, Ios. 10. 40. and 11. 16. Otherwise he went rather into the North: but the Scripture, being written for the Iews, doth frequently accommodate the names of the quarters of the world to them.

3. And he went on his journeys from the South, even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai.

Or rather, according to his journeys which he took as he came, going in the same road, and resting in the same place, of which he had experience.

4. Unto the place of the altar which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD .

(i. e.) Where the Altar was: for the Altar it self was either fallen down, as being probably built of Earth, as afterwards. Exod. 20. 24. or overthrown by the wicked Canaanites.

(i. e.) Worshipped God by Prayer, and Preaching to his Family, Gen. 18. 19. and offering sacrifices. See Gen. 4. 26. and 12. 8.

Marginal references: Chap. 12. 7.

7. And there was a strife between the herds-men of Abrams cattel, and the herds-men of Lots cattle: and the Canaanite , and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land .

(i. e.) The Canaanites, as Gen. 12. 6. the singular number for the plural, as Psal. 78. 45. and 105. 33, 40.

(i. e.) Were the Lords and Owners of it, and therefore Abram and Lot could not take what pastures they pleased, but such as the others left them, which was not sufficient for their conveniency. It may also be added as a reason of Abram's following motion, because that idolatrous people were present, and diligently observed all their contentions and other miscarriages, and would doubtless take occasion thence to disparage the true Religion. And it must be remembred, that these are the words not of Abram, but of Moses; who, knowing that the Canaanites were then speedily to be turned out of the Land, intimates that the case was otherwise in Abrams days, when the Canaanites were possest, and were likely to continue the Possessors and Lords of the Land.

8. And Abram said unto Lot , Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and my herds-men and thy herds-men, for we be Brethren .

The elder and wiser and worthier person relinquisheth his own right to his inferiour for peace sake, leaving us a noble example for our imitation.

Or, or, between, &c. and for or, as Exod. 21. 17. and Psal. 8. 5. compared with Mat. 15. 14. Heb. 2. 6. for there was no strife between Abram and Lot; though he feared it might pass from the feet to the head.

(i. e.) Both by nature near kinsmen, as the word brother is oft used; and in the Faith and Religion too; amongst whom contentions are very indecent and scandalous.

Marginal references: Heb. men brethren. See Chap. 11. 27. Exod. 2. 13. Act. 7. 26.

9. Is not the whole land before thee ? separate thy self, 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.

(i. e.) Open to thy view, and free to chuse which part thou pleasest, as thou canst agree with the owners. I give thee full power to chuse before me. See a like phrase, Gen. 20. 15. and 34. 10, 21. and 47. 6.

This and the following supplement are easily gathered both from the words of this and the 11 verse, and from the nature of the thing. And, the Hebrew Language being a concise or short language, such supplements are frequently necessary and very usual, Compare 2 Chron. 10. 12. with 1 King. 12. 11. and 2 Sam. 23. 8. with 1 Chron. 11. 11.

10. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan , that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, even as the garden of the LORD , like the land of Egypt , as thou comest unto Zoar .

A great plain so called, because there the pleasant River Iordan divided it self into divers little streams or rivulets, which having no visible out-let into the Sea, by degrees, and in several places insinuated themselves into the Earth, which made it very fruitful and excellent for Lot's purpose. But this lovely plain was afterwards transformed by divine vengeance into a filthy Lake or dead Sea, Gen. 19.

(i. e.) Either 1. Like that famous Garden of Eden which God himself planted, Gen. 2. 10. The like comparison we meet with, Isa. 51. 3. Ezek. 28. 13. and 31. 8. Or 2. Like some excellent Garden: for excellent things are thus expressed, as the host of God, 1 Chron. 12. 22. i. e. a great host: Cedars of God, Psal. 80. 10.

A Land of eminent fertility by the influence of that great River Nilus: Antiently celebrated as the Granary of other Countries. See Ez[illegible: 1+ letters]k. 31.

(i. e.) To Bela, Gen. 14. 2. afterwards called Zoar, Gen. 19. 22. and here so called by a Prolepsis. But these words are not to be joyned with the words immediately going before, as if Egypt was commended for its fertility in that part of it, from which men go to Zoar, but with the more remote words, and the sense is, as the words of the Text are transplaced and rendred by some, that the plain of Iordan was (before the Lord destroyed it and its Cities Sodom and Gomorrha) watered every where, even to Zoar; or, even until thou comest, i. e. till a man come to Zoar. i. e. all the way which leads from the place where Abram then was to Zoar. And such transpositions are not unusual, as we shall see hereafter.

11. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan: And Lot journyed East , and they separated themselves the one from the other.

Heb. From the East, Or, Eastward, as the Hebrew particle m[illegible: 1+ letters], is sometimes used: See Gen. 2. 8. 2 Sam. 2. 2. compared with 1 Chron. 13. 6.

Marginal references: Heb. a man [illegible: 1 word] his brother.

13. But the men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Eminent, noted and impudent sinners. See Gen. 18, 20. Ezek. 16. 49. which is here added, as a secret reproof to Lot, who was either careless in his enquiry into the dispositions and manners of those among whom he intended to fix his abode; which for many reasons he should have searched ou[illegible: 1+ letters]: Or he was willing to expose himself to all the hazards which he might incurre by their Neighbourhood and familiarity [illegible: 1 word] the sweetness and fertility of the Soil. An errour which is frequently committed by men in the choice of their Habitations, and which oft costs them dear, as it did Lot in the following story.

Marginal references: Ezek. 16. 49.

14. And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him , Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, North-ward, and South-ward, and East-ward, and West-ward.

To Comfort him now when he was alone, and in a worse soil than Lot had chosen.

15. For all the Land which thou seest : to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. .

Object. Abram could see but a little part of the Land▪ Answ. 1. He might now possibly be upon a Mountain from whence he might have a large prospect every way. 2. He gave him all that he saw, but not onely that, but also the rest of the Land, and therefore he bids him walk through and view the whole Land, ver. 17.

Quest. How was the Land given to Abram, when it is expresly said, He i. e. God, gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on, Acts 7. 5. Ans. 1. God gave Abram the right to it, though not the actual possession of it, until the time that God appointed. [illegible: 1+ letters]. As God gave the right of the Kingdom to David, but not the possession till Sauls Death. 2. God explains himself, to thee and to thy Seed, i. e. to thee, that is, to thy Seed, and that for thy sake, the particle and being put oft for, that is, as 1 Chron. 21. 12. compared with 2 Sam. 24. 13. Eph. 1. 3. and in many other places, as we shall see.

Quest. How for ever when after some hundreds of years they were turned out of it? Answ. 1. This promise was made to them upon condition of their Obedience which is oft expressed in other places, as Levit. 18. 26. Deut. 4. 25, 26. Isa. 48. 18, 19. 2. The word Olam rendred for ever doth not always signifie Eternity, but a long continuance, as is evident from Gen. 17. 13. and 48. 4. Exod. 21. 6. Psal. 132. 14. and many other places of Scripture; and in particular when it is applied to the Jewish Rites and priviledges it commonly signifies no more, than during the standing of that Commonwealth, or untill the coming of the Messias, and so it may here be understood.

Marginal references: Chap. 12. 7. and 26. 4. Deut. 34. 4.

18. Then Abram removed his Tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre , which is in Hebron , and built there an Altar unto the LORD.

An Amorite of great note, from whom the City Hebron was called Mamre, Gen. 23. 19. a Friend and Confederate of Abram, Gen. 14. 13. by whom it is thought he was brought to the knowledge and Worship of the true God.

Or, [illegible: 1+ letters]ear Hebron: For so the Hebrew B[illegible: 1+ letters]th is sometimes taken.

Marginal references: Heb. plains Or, oken ho[illegible: 1+ letters]ts.; Chap. 35. 27.