Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.
Parallel Translations
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Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are relatives.
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And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
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And Abram said unto Lot: 'Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we are brethren.
Cross-references (26)
Passages linked to Genesis 13:8 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 6:6-7 But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers! Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you, that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?
- Acts 7:26 “The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’
- Psalms 133:1 See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!
- Genesis 11:27-31 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldees, while his father Terah was still alive. Abram and Nahor married wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah. Sarai was barren. She had no child. Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.
- Genesis 45:24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed. He said to them, “See that you don’t quarrel on the way.”
- Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Proverbs 20:3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
- Romans 12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate to one another; in honor preferring one another;
- Ephesians 4:2-3 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,
- 1 Peter 4:8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
- 2 Peter 1:7 and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
- 1 John 2:9-11 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness even until now. He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
- 1 John 3:14-19 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,
- 1 John 4:20-21 If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.
- Exodus 2:13 He went out the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were fighting with each other. He said to him who did the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow?”
- Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.
- Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
- Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining and arguing,
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
- Hebrews 12:14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,
- Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
- James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- 1 Peter 1:22 Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently,
- 1 Peter 2:17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
- 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 8. And Abram said unto Lot. Moses first states,…
8. And Abram said unto Lot. Moses first states, that Abram no sooner perceived the strifes which had arisen, than he fulfilled the duty of a good householder, by attempting to restore peace among his domestics; and that afterwards, by his moderation, he endeavored to remedy the evil by removing it. And although the servants alone were contending, he yet does not say in vain, Let there be no strife between me and thee: because it was scarcely possible but that the contagion of the strife should reach from the domestics to their lords, although they were in other respects perfectly agreed. He also foresaw that their friendship could not long remain entire, unless he attempted, in time, to heal the insidious evil. Moreover, he calls to mind the bond of consanguinity between them; not because this alone ought to avail to promote mutual peace, but that he might more easily bend and mollify the mind of his nephew. For when the fear of God is less effectual with us than it ought to be; it is useful to call in other helps also, which may retain us in our duty. Now however since we all are adopted as sons of God, with the condition annexed, that we should be mutually brethren to each other: this sacred bond is less valued by us than it ought to be, if it does not prove sufficient to allay our contentions.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He cutteth off the occasion of contention: therefore the…
He cutteth off the occasion of contention: therefore the evil ceaseth.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there…
Gen 13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we [be] brethren.
Ver. 8. And Abram said to Lot.] Speech endeth anger, silence nourisheth it. Much malice and grudge would be avoided, and the very poison of it drawn out, did we but give it a vent at first, by reasoning with the party that wronged us, and expostulating the injury, which most times is but a mere mistake. Now many, on the contrary, harbour this viper in their bosoms, till it hath eaten to their hearts; they not only let "the sun go down," but go its whole round "upon their wrath," {Eph 4:26} and cannot find time from one end of the year to the other, to utter their minds, and compound their discords. Not only Abram, but Aristippus shall rise up in judgment against such pseudo-Christians, and condemn them. For when Aeschines and he had been at long debate, {a} and there was, I stout, and thou stout, and neither could find in their hearts to go to the other; Aristippus went at length to Aeschines, and said unto him, "Shall we not agree to be friends, before we make ourselves a common scorn to the whole country?" Whereunto when Aeschines answered, that he was content to be friends with all his heart; Aristippus replied, "Remember then, that although I were the elder and the better man, yet I first sought unto thee." "In very deed," said Aeschines, "thou art a far better man than I; for I began the quarrel, and thou hast been first in making up the breach." And thus these two became fast friends for ever.
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For we are brethren.] This is a cooler; and should be like the angel that stayed Abram’s hand when the blow was coming.
{a} Plutarch De Cohib. Ira, Laer., lib. ii.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Abram said unto Lot. The elder, and wiser, and…
Abram said unto Lot. The elder, and wiser, and worthier person relinquisheth his own right to his inferior for peace sake, leaving us a noble example for our imitation.
Between me and thee, and between; or, or between, & c., and for or, as Exo 21:17; Psa 8:4, 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.
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For we be brethren, 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.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Abram said unto Lot,.... Being either an ear…
And Abram said unto Lot,.... Being either an ear witness himself of the contentions of their servants, or having it reported to him by credible persons, he applied himself to Lot, in order to make peace, being a wise and good man; and though he was senior in years, and superior in substance, and higher in the class of relation, and upon all accounts the greatest man, yet he makes the proposal first, and lays a scheme before Lot for their future friendship, and to prevent quarrels, and the mischievous consequences of them:
let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee; there had been none yet, but it was very likely there would, if the dissension should go on between their servants; they could not well avoid interesting themselves in it, when it related to their respective properties; and there must be a right and wrong in such cases to be looked into and adjusted, which might occasion a difference between them; and this Abram was desirous of preventing, and therefore bespeaks his kinsman in this loving, affectionate, and condescending language:
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and or between my herdmen and thy herdmen; as he understood there was, and which, if not timely put an end to, might be of bad consequence to them both, especially as to their peace and comfort, giving this excellent reason to enforce his request:
for we be brethren; or "men brethren we be" (u); we are men, let us act like such, the rational and humane part; they were brethren being men, so by nature all are brethren; by natural relation, Lot being the son of his brother Haran; brethren in religion, of the same faith in the one true and living God, and worshippers of him; and therefore on all accounts, by the ties of nature, relation, and religion, they were obliged to seek and cultivate peace and love.
(u) "viri fratres vos", Pagninus Montanus, Drusius, Schmidt.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 8. For we be brethren.] We are of…
Verse 8. For we be brethren.] We are of the same family, worship the same God in the same way, have the same promises, and look for the same end. Why then should there be strife? If it appear to be unavoidable from our present situation, let that situation be instantly changed, for no secular advantages can counterbalance the loss of peace.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Gen 13:8-9. Although Abram was the elder, wiser, and…
Gen 13:8-9. Although Abram was the elder, wiser, and every way worthier person than Lot, yet he voluntarily, and without reluctance or hesitation, relinquishes his own right to his inferior for the sake of peace, that no scandal might be brought on the true religion, hereby leaving a noble example for our imitation. Let there be no strife between me and thee —
So nearly related as kinsmen, and as worshippers and children of the one living and true God. Betwixt us a contention will be very indecent, and of scandalous tendency.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Abram therefore, for fear of raising a quarrel with…
Abram therefore, for fear of raising a quarrel with the Pherezites also, who might complain that these strangers were eating up what they had before taken possession of, suggests to his nephew the propriety of their taking different courses. Being the older, he divides, and the younger chooses, according to an ancient and laudable custom. (St. Augustine, City of God xvi. 20.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 8. Abram said — Abram’s words and proposition on…
8. Abram said — Abram’s words and proposition on the occasion are most magnanimous, and every way worthy of the father of the faithful. “He walks,” says Murphy, “in the moral atmosphere of the Sermon on the Mount. Mat_5:38-42.”
We be brethren — Hebrews, Men brethren are we. Compare Act_15:13; Act_23:1. Their kinship and religious affinity would authorize this warm expression.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 8. for we are brethren] i.e. kinsmen; Abram being…
8. for we are brethren] i.e. kinsmen; Abram being Lot’s uncle. Cf. Gen_14:14, “and when Abram heard that his brother (i.e. Lot) was taken captive.”
Abram, as the elder, takes the lead in the conference: his proposal is made with generosity and dignity. Lot, though the younger, is to have his choice.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (8, 9) Let there be no strife.—It is evident…
(8, 9) Let there be no strife.—It is evident that Lot was beginning to take part with his herdmen, and regard himself as an injured man. But Abram meets him with the utmost generosity, acknowledges that their growth in wealth rendered a separation necessary, and gives him his choice. And Lot accepts it. Instead of feeling that it was due to his uncle’s age and rank to yield to him the preference, he greedily accepts the offer, selects the region that seemed to offer the greatest earthly advantages, but finds in the long run that it has perils which far outweigh its promises of wealth and pleasure.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And Abram said unto Lot. Perceiving probably that Lot"s…
And Abram said unto Lot. Perceiving probably that Lot"s face was not towards him as usual, and being desirous to avert the danger of collision between his nephew and himself. Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and (i.e. either identifying himself and his nephew with their subordinates, or fearing that the strife of their subordinates might spread to themselves, hence, as) between my herd-men and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Literally, men brethren (cf. Gen_11:27, Gen_11:31; Exo_2:13; Psa_133:1) Abram and Lot were kinsmen by nature, by relationship, and by faith (vide 2Pe_2:7)
HOMILIES BY F. HASTINGS Ver. 8.
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Abraham, the peaceable man.
there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee." Abraham had a nephew who attached himself to his fortunes and shared his fate. Food, fodder, and water became scarce. The flocks of Lot and of Abraham are more than the land can sustain; the herdsmen of each strive together. Servants will often be more bitter towards the servants of a rival of their master, than those immediately concerned. Pathetic is the appeal of the patriarch for the maintenance of peace.
I IT IS A MOST DESIRABLE THING TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH OTHERS. We are commanded to do so: "As much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men." We may not sacrifice any good principle for the sake of ease, but we are to strive to maintain peace. In matters of faith a man may have to take up at times such a position that others will speak ill of him, but in regard to the neighborly life he must by all means cultivate amity and concord. Little is ever gained by standing on "our rights." Scandal is always the fruit of quarrelling. The worldly-minded are sure to plume themselves on their superior goodness when the spiritually-minded contend. In many homes there is jangling, sneering, and strife; scathing remarks like hot cinders from Vesuvius fall carelessly around. Tyrannous tempers become like tornados, and moodiness kills like the choke-damp of an ill-ventilated mine. Among nations there should be maintenance of peace. The common sense of most should "hold the fretful realm in awe." In the Church strife should cease. It will when each sect seeks to make men Christ-like and not uniform bigots.
II THERE ARE ALWAYS MEANS OF MAINTAINING PEACE WHEN IT IS DESIRED. Abraham acted most unselfishly with this view; he yielded his claim to a choice. Lot owed much to Abraham, yet he seized an advantage. Lot looks towards Sodom; the strip of green beside the lake and reaching to Jordan reminds him of the land of Nile. The spirit of Egypt, whence he had lately come, is in him; he chooses Sodom, but with its green pastures he has to take its awful corruption. Abraham turns away in the direction alone left to him. He has his tent, his altar, the promises, and his God; he will live in peace. His Father will not forsake him; indeed God very speedily renews his promises to Abraham, and thus the unselfishness of a peaceful man met with an appropriate reward. H.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Let there be no strife between you and me
Let there be no strife between you and me
"Let's not quarrel"
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strife
arguments or fights
between your herdsmen and my herdsmen
"let's stop the men who take care of our animals from quarreling"
after all, we are family
"because we are family"
family
"kinsmen" or "relatives." Lot was Abraham's nephew.
Is not the whole land before you?
This rhetorical question can be translated as a positive statement. AT: "The whole land is available for you to use." (See: Rhetorical Question)
Go ahead and separate yourself from me
Abraham was speaking kindly to Lot and encouraging him to do something that would help them both. "Let's separate."
If you go to the left, then I will go to the right
Possible meanings are 1) "If you go one way, then I will go the other" or 2) "If you go to the north, I will go to the south." Abram let Lot choose the part of the land he wanted, and Abram would take what remained.
translationWords
Abraham
Lot
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 13:8-13 Abram, to whom the land was promised, might…
13:8-13 Abram, to whom the land was promised, might have told Lot to find his own place. Abram’s generosity was an act of faith; he knew that even if he gave the whole land away, God would still give it to him and his descendants. Abram did not have to cling to things, whereas Lot’s choices were self-seeking.
13:8 Abram was concerned that there be no conflict (Hebrew meribah) between them, as they were close relatives (literally brothers). Moses later reproved Israel over the incident in the wilderness at Meribah (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13) and instructed them on exercising faith in such situations. Meribah thereafter became a watchword for testing and striving with the Lord in unbelief (see Ps 95).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.