And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
Parallel translations
- WEB The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together; for their substance was great, so that they could not live together.
- BSB But the land was unable to support both of them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to coexist.
- NKJV Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
- NASB And the land could not support both of them while living together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together.
- NLT But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The land could not support both men's great possessions together. Their combined wealth forces a parting.
Overview
The abundance of both Abram and Lot exceeds the land's capacity to sustain them side by side. What is a blessing becomes a source of practical strain. The situation sets the stage for Abram's gracious resolution, showing that earthly prosperity must be held loosely in light of God's promises.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Gen 36:6–7And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
- Eccl 5:10–11He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
- 1 Tim 6:9But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
- Luke 12:17–18And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 13:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.