Genesis 13:6

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.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
land	הָאָ֖רֶץ ha.'A.retz	H776	the earth (at large · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
bear	נָשָׂ֥א na.Sa'	H5375	to lift · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
dwell	לָשֶׁ֣בֶת la.She.vet	H3427	properly · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
together	יַחְדָּ֑ו yach.Dav	H3162	properly · adverb
substance	רְכוּשָׁם֙ re.khu.Sham	H7399	property (as gathered) · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
great	רָ֔ב Rav	H7227	abundant (in quantity · adjective, masculine singular absolute
could	יָֽכְל֖וּ ya.khe.Lu	H3201	to be able · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person common plural
dwell	לָשֶׁ֥בֶת la.She.vet	H3427	properly · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
together	יַחְדָּֽו yach.Dav	H3162	properly · adverb

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Genesis 36:6-7 And 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…
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Luke 12:17-18 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and per…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 13:5-9

We have here an unhappy falling out between Abram and Lot, who had hitherto been inseparable companions (see Gen 13:1, and Gen 12:4), but now parted. I. The occasion of their quarrel was their riches. We read (Gen 13:2) how rich Abram was; now here we are told (Gen 13:5) that Lot, who went with Abram, was rich too; and therefore God blessed him with riches because he went with Abram. Note, 1. It is good being in good company, and going with those with whom God is, Zac 8:23. 2. Those that are partners with God's people in their obedience and sufferings shall be sharers with them in their joys and comforts, Isa 66:10. Now, they both being very rich, the land was not able to bear them, that the…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 13:4

there Abram called on the name of the Lord--He felt a strong desire to reanimate his faith and piety on the scene of his former worship: it might be to express humility and penitence for his misconduct in Egypt or thankfulness for deliverance from perils--to embrace the first opportunity on returning to Canaan of leading his family to renew allegiance to God and offer the typical sacrifices which pointed to the blessings of the promise.

Adam Clarke on Genesis 13:6

Their substance was great - As their families increased, it was necessary their flocks should increase also, as from those flocks they derived their clothing, food, and drink. Many also were offered in sacrifice to God. They could not dwell together - 1. Because their flocks were great. 2. Because the Canaanites and the Perizzites had already occupied a considerable part of the land. 3. Because there appears to have been envy between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. To prevent disputes among them, that might have ultimately disturbed the peace of the two families, it was necessary that a separation should take place.

John Gill on Genesis 13:6

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together,.... That part of the country where Abram and Lot were could not afford them room enough for their several tents; or however could not furnish them with sufficient pasturage for their flocks and herds, they were so numerous; at least could not do it so as to be contiguous to each other, that there was a necessity of one of them going further off: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together; we have before an account of the substance of each of them, how great it was; and here now is noted an inconvenience which arises from a large increase of riches, that relations and friends are obliged to part…

The Church Fathers

In fact, since [Lot] had already deliberately begun to deviate from his uncle, the land could not support both of them dwelling together; indeed, no space can be large enough for those who love discord.… Even limited spaces are more than adequate for those who are meek and peace-loving, while for those whose mentality is one of discord even wide open spaces are too restricted.
— Ambrose of Milan, On Abraham

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Meekness — A calm temper of mind, not easily provoked (James 3:13). Peculiar promises are made to the meek (Matt. 5:5; Isa. 66:2). The cultivation of this spirit is enjoined (Col. 3:12; 1 Tim. 6:11; Zeph. 2:3),…
Lot · .Separates from Abraham, and lo — .Separates from Abraham, and lo
Riches · Examples of saints possessing: Lot — Examples of saints possessing: Lot
Strife · .Between Abraham and Lot’ s herdsmen — .Between Abraham and Lot’ s herdsmen

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Genesis 13:6

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 13:5-9

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 13:4

Adam Clarke on Genesis 13:6

John Gill on Genesis 13:6

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Genesis 13:6

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 13:5-9

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 13:4

Adam Clarke on Genesis 13:6

John Gill on Genesis 13:6

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Genesis 13:5-6

Keil & Delitzsch on Genesis 13:5-7

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Genesis 13:5-7

Rashi on Genesis 13:6