Genesis 13: A Short Story with an Eternal Promise

Then Faith pulled up his temporary dwelling and travelled through the land that Mercy had given him... 

Gen 13:1 And going up, Avram (Father of faith; Father of a nation; Father exalted) out of Egypt (Mitzrayim: Double distress, double stronghold), he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot (covering) with him, into the south (Ha-Negbach: the south of the land of Israel).
 
Faith and all his household rose up out of distress and bondage and Covering went with him into the land G-d had promised to give to him.
 
Avram, like his progeny ethnic Israel (Overcomes in G-d), leaves Egypt with greater wealth than that which he arrived with (Exodus 3:22; 12:36).
 
The Jewish sages say that Avram was in Egypt for three months (Seder Olam Rabba, p. 2.).
 
Avram’s “going up” is both literally and metaphorically true. He ascended from a land of distress and spiritual pollution to a land of hope and promise.
 
Gen 13:2 And Avram (Father of faith; Father of a nation; Father exalted) was heavy exceedingly with cattle, money, and gold. Gen 13:3 And on his journeys (L’masaayv) walking, after breaking camp, he travelled from the south as far as Beit-el (House of G-d, House of Judges), unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-el (House of G-d, House of Judges) and Ai (Ruin);
 
Faith brought great wealth out of his captivity and moving on he returned to a place he had been before and camped between the House of G-d and the house of ruin in a land of decision.
 
The Hebrew phrase, “L’masaayv”, meaning, “On his journeys” infers that the collective journeys of Avram are seen in retrospect and viewed as a pre-existent plan of HaShem.
 
Both Avram and Lot left Egypt with riches according to HaShem’s blessing upon Avram. What follows are two distinctly different responses to G-d given riches. Avram, while weighed down with riches, still seeks peace and purpose in G-d’s direction, whereas Lot seeks more riches in a land of wickedness, separated from the blessing of G-d.
 
Gen 13:4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had fashioned there at the first: and he called there, Avram (Father of faith; Father of a nation; Father exalted), in (on) the name of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
He came to the place where he had first built an altar for covering sacrifice and Faith called out in the name of Mercy.
 
Avram returned to the altar of covering and understanding his position in G-d he calls both, “in the name” and, “on the name” of HaShem. Avram is already aware that his every step is held in the security of G-d’s plan of redemption and that all is reliant on HaShem.
 
Gen 13:5 And also Lot (covering) went walking with Avram (Father of faith; Father of a nation; Father exalted), and had flocks, and herds, and tents.
 
Covering went with Faith and carried additional wealth alongside him.
 
Gen 13:6 And couldn’t bear, the land to have them dwell in restful union: for their property had become too great, and they could not endure to rest in union.
 
The land cried out under the weight of human riches and the faithful struggled to dwell together in unity.
 
Gen 13:7 And there was a strife between the shepherds of Avram’s (Father of a nation; Father exalted) cattle and the shepherds of Lot's (covering) cattle: and the Kenaani (Zealous low landers, slave merchants) and the Perizzi (villagers) at that time, dwelled in the earth.
 
And there was strife between the shepherds of Faith and the shepherds of Covering, and they were being observed by the slave merchants and common people.
 
Both Rashi and the Pesikta Rabbasi place the blame for the altercations between the shepherds upon the shoulders of Lot’s shepherds and subsequently see Lot as being responsible as the leader of his community. The Shepherds of lot are said to be treacherous, and as a result of their dishonesty they were rebuked by Avram’s shepherds, which resulted in the strife that occurred between them.
 
The Kenaani and Perizzi are mentioned partly in order to qualify the lack of space for Avram and Lot’s herds but also as an allusion to the enemies Israel will face on her journey to the Promised Land. Moses and Joshua are recording this information retrospectively based on oral tradition that had been passed down to them combined with the illumination of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit).
 
Gen 13:8 And said Avram (Father of a nation; Father exalted) Lot (covering), “Please, Let there be no strife, between us, or in the midst of my shepherds and your shepherds; for we are human beings, brothers.”
 
And Faith said to Covering, “Please don’t let there be conflict between you and I or between your shepherds and my shepherds. We are brothers.”
 
Avram clearly desired peace between Lot and himself, even to the point of giving away any opportunity he might have had to take first pick of the land that surrounded them. This is an act of humility that precedes the giving of the land by HaShem. Avram seems to have understood that Lot and his retinue would not be capable of living at peace with Avram and his household, thus the only wise course of action was for them to separate. While it is not explicit in the text, the idea that Lot and his descendants would be a hindrance both to Avram and Israel in the future, is certainly inferred.
 
The Midrash on Numbers 21:5 says that G-d in His wisdom decreed that Israel was not to be friendly with Lots descendants, and that anyone who should them mercy would suffer misery and conflict.
 
Gen 13:9 “Is not all the earth before your face/faces? Separate yourself from me please: if you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.”
 
“The whole earth is in front of you, I release you from any sense of obligation to me, choose where you want to live and I will live in the land that remains.”
 
“The Torah loves peace and Avraham exemplified peace, but any person who seeks peace in opposition to the wisdom of the Torah courts disaster. Avraham bowed to G-d’s wisdom when he said to Lot, “Let there be no strife… separate from me” –R’ Aharon Kotler
 
Gen 13:10 And lifted up Lot (covering) his eyes, and saw all the irrigation on the face, before destroyed HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) S’dom (burning) and Amorah (submersion), it was as the garden of HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), like the land of Egypt (Mitzrayim: Double distress, double stronghold), as entering Tzoar (insignificance).
 
Covering looked all around and saw a well irrigated area of farm land which was like the garden of Mercy, like Eden to the visible eye, but spiritually it was like the land of bondage they had just escaped from and it lead to insignificance.
 
Lot chose the richest part of the land, knowing that it was a place of wickedness and idolatry. The text says the people of S’dom, “were evil and constant offenders before HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), exceedingly.” Perhaps, as many do today, Lot thought that he could enjoy the riches of the wicked without being influenced by them. His saw what was good in his own eyes and pursued it by separating himself from the blessing of G-d.
 
Gen 13:11 Then elected Lot (covering) looking up all round ha-Yardein (Jordan: the descender); and Lot (covering) journeyed east: and separated his people from the people of his brother.
 
So Covering chose all the land that he saw and descended, separating himself and his people from his brother’s people.
 
In a figurative sense, Lot was leaving the moral restraint of Avram’s community and separating himself to follow after the lust of his eyes.
 
Lot looked up with his eyes and sought land for himself, as opposed to Avram (v.14) who waits upon G-d’s instruction to look, and receives the land that G-d gives him.
 
Gen 13:12 Avram (Father of a nation; Father exalted) dwelled in the land of Kenaan (Zealous low landers, slave merchants), and Lot (covering) dwelled in the terror around, and pitched his tent toward S’dom (Burning).
 
Therefore, Faith dwelled in the land of the slave merchants and Covering dwelt in a place where terror surrounded him because he pitched his tent near a burning furnace of judgement.
 
As the result of the destruction of S’dom in Chapter 9, the area became the desolate Dead Sea region that we know today. There is a powerful spiritual lesson to be learned from the choice made by Lot. Our eyes often fail to see the unseen things of G-d, thus, like Avram, we are better to call on the name of HaShem than to follow the lusting eyes of our fallen humanity.
 
“Though Lot contained the spiritual sparks that would produce Ruth, the ancestress of King David, he parted from Avram. In time the rift between their progeny would become so absolute that his male descendants from Ammon and Moab would be prohibited from entering the congregation of Israel [Deut. 23:4].” –Peskita Zutresa
 
Gen 13:13 But the men of S’dom (Burning) were evil and constant offenders before HaShem (YHVH: Mercy), exceedingly.
 
The people of burning were pure evil, constantly committing crimes against others and against Mercy. Their wickedness was excessive.
 
“Their countenance is known to witness against them; and they declare their sin as S’dom, they hide it not. Woe unto their souls! For they have rewarded evil unto themselves.”
–Isaiah 3:9
 
Gen 13:14 And HaShem (YHVH: Mercy) said to Avram (Father of a nation; Father exalted), after Lot (covering) was separated from him, “Lift up now your eyes, and look, see, perceive, inspect and consider from the place where you are standing, to the north, and to the south, and to the east, and to the sea: Gen 13:15 For all the land which you see, is for you a gift from Me, and for sowing on eternally.
 
After Covering had left Faith, Mercy said to Faith, “Lift up your eyes which are downcast and look at the place where you stand, touch it, smell it. Look around you, as far as you can see to the north, south, east and toward the ocean. All of this I am giving you, you’ve done nothing to deserve it, nor do I require you to do anything but accept it. All of it is yours for the purpose of sowing eternal life.”
 
Avram had an extensive view from his location at the top of Mount Ephraim.
 
The repetition of the promise (12:7) is a confirmation to Avram that makes clear that the land is given to him and his descendants alone and not to Lot and his progeny. G-d has already seen the descent of Lots progeny into idolatry, outside of time and space, and therefore is speaking the blessing of Avram into time at this point to secure the knowledge of the gifted land for future generations.
 
Gen 13:16 And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered.
 
“Faith, I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, uncountable and eternal. Arise, don’t be downtrodden, and walk forward through the entire land that I’ve gifted to you. For as surely as I am Mercy, I have established this land for you and your offspring.”
 
This proclamation concerns every Jew/Hebrew in every generation until the day of HaShem. Therefore it may well be both literally and metaphorically true. Though humanity cannot count the generations of ethnic Israel, G-d can.
 
“Just as the dust outlives all who tread upon it, so G-d promised Avram that his offspring would outlive all the nations that would persecute them.” –Midrash
 
G-d is stating emphatically, that the people of Israel and the land of Israel are destined for one another. The tragic failure of many Christian scholars in denying the land to ethnic Israel based on the twisting of Scripture, is one of the greatest hindrances to Jewish evangelism and the reconciliation of the nations. This land gifted by G-d to ethnic Israel is as immutable as salvation, it is already established outside of time and space and is simply spoken into history here to give Avram the sure and certain hope of G-d’s redemption. It cannot be overstated, individual salvation and national reconciliation are intrinsically linked to the physical land of Israel and the ethnic people to whom G-d gifted it.
 
Gen 13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto you.
 
Ramban notes that this is both a promise and an instruction. G-d promises to protect Avram as he walks the length and breadth of the land and Avram is instructed to open G-d’s gift by walking through the land and receiving it freely.
 
Gen 13:18 Then Avram (Father of a nation; Father exalted) removed his tent, and came and dwelt by the tree of Mamrei (Strength, fatness, health), which is in Chevron (Alliance), and built there an altar (of blood atonement) unto HaShem (YHVH: Mercy).
 
Then Faith pulled up his temporary dwelling and travelled through the land that Mercy had given him to dwell by the tree of strength and health. Making an alliance with Mercy, he built an altar to acknowledge his need for blood covering before Mercy, that he might receive the gift of Mercy.
 
This is the third altar (Mizbeach: from the root zabach-to slaughter, kill) of atonement fashioned by Avram. Three is a Hebraic symbol for completion and wholeness. It reflects a complex unity and a well-established principle. Here it is seen as a confirmation of Avram’s understanding of the need for atonement by the shedding of blood. These events are taking place long before the commandment requiring blood covering, issued by G-d at Sinai.
 
Introduction to Allegorical Reading
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At first glance it may seem that the allegorical reading of this account contradicts the plain meaning, however, this is not the case. The allegorical reading has a far reaching message that reconciles the demise of Lots progeny through Ruth the ancestress of Lot. Lot, the covering, finds the ultimate fulfilment of his name in the lineage of Ruth, who becomes the great grandmother of King David and subsequently claims a place in the lineage of the Messiah Yeshua Whose sacrificial death offers the blood covering for all sin.
 
An Allegorical Paraphrase of Genesis 13: using the meanings of the Hebrew proper nouns.

Faith and all his household rose up out of distress and bondage and Covering went with him into the land G-d had promised to give to him. Faith brought great wealth out of his captivity and moving on he returned to a place he had been before and camped between the House of G-d and the house of ruin in a land of decision. He came to the place where he had first built an altar for covering sacrifice and Faith called out in the name of Mercy. Covering went with Faith and carried additional wealth alongside him. The land cried out under the weight of human riches and the faithful struggled to dwell together in unity. And there was strife between the shepherds of Faith and the shepherds of Covering, and they were being observed by the slave merchants and common people. And Faith said to Covering, “Please don’t let there be conflict between you and I or between your shepherds and my shepherds. We are brothers. The whole earth is in front of you, I release you from any sense of obligation to me, choose where you want to live and I will live in the land that remains.” Covering looked all around and saw a well irrigated area of farm land which was like the garden of Mercy, like Eden to the visible eye, but spiritually it was like the land of bondage they had just escaped from and it lead to insignificance. So Covering chose all the land that he saw and descended, separating himself and his people from his brother’s people. Therefore, Faith dwelled in the land of the slave merchants and Covering dwelt in a place where terror surrounded him because he pitched his tent near a burning furnace of judgement. The people of burning were pure evil, constantly committing crimes against others and against Mercy. Their wickedness was excessive. After Covering had left Faith, Mercy said to Faith, “Lift up your eyes which are downcast and look at the place where you stand, touch it, smell it. Look around you, as far as you can see to the north, south, east and toward the ocean. All of this I am giving you, you’ve done nothing to deserve it, nor do I require you to do anything but accept it. All of it is yours for the purpose of sowing eternal life.” “Faith, I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, uncountable and eternal. Arise, don’t be downtrodden, and walk forward through the entire land that I’ve gifted to you. For as surely as I am Mercy, I have established this land for you and your offspring.” Then Faith pulled up his temporary dwelling and travelled through the land that Mercy had given him to dwell by the tree of strength and health. Making an alliance with Mercy, he built an altar to acknowledge his need for blood covering before Mercy, that he might receive the gift of Mercy.
 
While the plain meaning of the text is clear and confirms from the outset the G-d given land of Ethnic Israel, descended from Avram, there is also an obvious allegorical reading that indicates the relationship between Ethnic Israel (Avram) and the Gentile Church (Lot).
  
© 2016 Yaakov Brown