Abram and Lot return with great riches out of Egypt, 1-5. Strife arises between Abram's herdsmen and those of Lot, 6, 7. Abram meekly refers it to Lot to choose his part of the country, 8, 9, and Lot goes to Sodom, 10-13. God renews the promise to Abram, 14-17. He moves to Hebron and there builds an altar, 18.
1 And Abram returned from Egypt—he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him—into the south.
2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai, 4 To the place of the altar which he had made there at the first. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. 5 And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them so that they might dwell together, for their substance was so great that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.
8 And Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and you and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. 9 Is the whole land not 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 will depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as far as to Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan and Lot journeyed east. And they separated themselves one from the other. 12 Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners before the LORD.
14 And the LORD said to Abram after Lot was separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are northward, southward, eastward, and westward. 15 All the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your offspring forever. 16 And I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your offspring shall also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its breadth, for I will give it to you." 18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Genesis, Chapter 13[➚]
[v.11] - "Then Lot chose for himself" - Consider in verse 10 how Lot came to his decision and compare that to what the Aposle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, which says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Lot chose based upon what he saw of the land. We later find out that Lot pitched his tent towards Sodom, which the men thereof were exceedingly wicked, and sinners before the LORD (verse 13). Lot's decision eventually led to a great loss to him, for God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis, ch. 19), the cities of the plains where Lot went when he parted from Abraham. All that was left to Lot were his two daughters (Genesis 19:30). Lot did not act in faith in choosing his way and he suffered greatly for it. Abraham, on the other hand, took a step of faith and put his fate in the hands of the Lord. He ultimately prospered and received God's promise (Genesis 12:1-3) of abundant posterity and blessings.