Bible Strands

Genesis 13:9

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 Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Abram addresses Lot after their herdsmen clash, offering him the choice of travel direction to prevent further strife between their families.

The words — The Hebrew הִפָּרֵד (hippared) means "separate," and לְפָנֶיךָ (lefanekha) translates literally as "before you," structuring the land as open ground for Lot's selection.

The thread — This territorial offer appears in Genesis 20:15 when Abimelech grants land to Abraham, in Genesis 34:10 when the Shechemites invite Jacob’s sons to settle, and Hebrews 12:14 later commands pursuing peace with everyone.

Why it lands — The passage records Abram voluntarily yielding the first choice of land to Lot, requiring the reader to see how deliberately limiting one's own rights can prevent conflict and preserve kinship.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הֲלֹ֤אha./Lo'¿/ notכָל־khol-[is] allהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ha./'A.retzthe/ landלְפָנֶ֔יךָle./fa.Nei./kha<to>/ before/ youהִפָּ֥רֶדhi.Pa.redseparateנָ֖אna'pleaseמֵעָלָ֑יme./'a.La/ifrom / with <the>/ meאִם־'im-ifהַשְּׂמֹ֣אלha./se.Molthe/ leftוְאֵימִ֔נָהve./'ei.Mi.nahso/ let me go rightוְאִם־ve./'im-and/ ifהַיָּמִ֖יןhai./ya.Minthe/ rightוְאַשְׂמְאִֽילָה׃ve./'as.me.'I.lahand/ I will go left

King James 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 depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

Cross-references