Genesis 13:10 · Bible study
Genesis 13:10 Commentary: Lot's Choice of the Well-Watered Plain
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Lot sees the plain of Jordan like the garden of the Lord and Egypt, but the narrator foreshadows destruction. What did Lot miss?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Lot chose the fertile plain of Jordan based on visible prosperity, but the narrator’s parenthetical about Sodom’s destruction warns that such decisions ignore moral reality.
- Key words: kikkar (plain, circle), mashqeh (well-watered, irrigated), gan Yahveh (garden of the Lord, Eden).
- Main debate: Whether the phrase “like the garden of the Lord” compares the plain to Eden or simply uses a superlative (“divine garden”); most commentators prefer the Eden reference.
- Theological theme: The danger of choosing by sight rather than faith; the tension between temporal blessing and spiritual danger.
- Best use: A sermon on discernment, small-group study on decision-making, or a lesson on evaluating opportunities beyond surface appearances.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
WEB World English Bible 2000
Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Lot lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the whole circuit of the Jordan that it is all a watered country (before Jehovah's destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, as Jehovah's garden, as the land of Egypt,) in thy coming toward Zoar,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of the Jordan that it was thoroughly watered, before Jehovah had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; as the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as one goes to Zoar.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Lot lifting up his eyes, saw all the country about the Jordan, which was watered throughout, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, as the paradise of the Lord, and like Egypt as one comes to Segor.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y alzó Lot sus ojos, y vió toda la llanura del Jordán, que toda ella era de riego, antes que destruyese Jehová á Sodoma y á Gomorra, como el huerto de Jehová, como la tierra de Egipto entrando en Zoar.
E levantou Ló seus olhos, e viu toda a planície do Jordão, que toda ela era bem regada, antes que destruísse o SENHOR a Sodoma e a Gomorra, como o jardim do SENHOR, como a terra do Egito entrando em Zoar.
Lot leva les yeux, et vit toute la plaine du Jourdain, qui était entièrement arrosée. Avant que l’ Éternel eût détruit Sodome et Gomorrhe, c’ était, jusqu’ à Tsoar, comme un jardin de l’ Éternel, comme le pays d’ Égypte.
Da hob Lot sein Augen auf und besah die ganze Gegend am Jordan. Denn ehe der HERR Sodom und Gomorra verderbte, war sie wasserreich, bis man gen Zoar kommt, als ein Garten des HERRN, gleichwie Ägyptenland.
En Lot hief zijn ogen op, en hij zag de ganse vlakte der Jordaan, dat zij die geheel bevochtigde; eer de HEERE Sodom en Gomorra verdorven had, was zij als de hof des HEEREN, als Egypteland, als gij komt te Zoar.
E Lot alzò gli occhi e vide l’intera pianura del Giordano. Prima che l’Eterno avesse distrutto Sodoma e Gomorra, essa era tutta quanta irrigata fino a Tsoar, come il giardino dell’Eterno, come il paese d’Egitto.
Tedy podniósłszy Lot oczy swe, obaczył wszystkę równinę nad Jordanem, iż wszystka wilgotna była przedtem, niż zatracił Pan Sodomę i Gomorrę, jako sąd Pański, i jako ziemia Egipska, idąc do Zoar.
Лот возвел очи свои и увидел всю окрестность Иорданскую, что она, прежде нежели истребил Господь Содом и Гоморру, вся до Сигора орошалась водою, как сад Господень, как земля Египетская;
羅得 舉 目 看見 約旦河 的全 平原，直到 瑣珥，都是 滋潤的，那地在耶和華 未滅 所多瑪、 蛾摩拉 以先 如同耶和華 的園子，也像埃及 地。
And Lot, lifting up his eyes and looking an the valley of Jordan, saw that it was well watered everywhere, before the Lord had sent destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah; it was like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, on the way to Zoar.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 13:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the basic facts. Moses reports that Lot, standing at the high ground near Bethel, saw the entire kikkar, the oval-shaped plain of the Jordan, and recognized its extraordinary fertility. It was “well watered everywhere,” a phrase that, as Adam Clarke notes, points to the Jordan’s annual overflow, much like the Nile in Egypt and the river that watered Eden in Genesis 2. Both Calvin and Matthew Henry read Lot’s lifted eyes as the first step in a decision driven entirely by visible advantage. Calvin writes that “the inconsideration of Lot … is deserving of censure; he chose that region which seemed the more fertile and agreeable.” The Cambridge Bible adds that the narrator’s parenthetical “before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah” is deliberate: it invites the reader to see the land not as it will be but as it was, a beauty that masked moral ruin. Keil and Delitzsch sum up the consensus: “Lot chose what was apparently the best portion of the land.” The similes, “like the garden of the Lord” and “like the land of Egypt”, tie this plain to the two most famous examples of divinely watered fertility in ancient memory. Yet every commentator notes that the blessing of water is immediately shadowed by the mention of fire. Lot chose by sight alone, and the narrator wants us to hear the warning.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The narrator presents Lot’s choice as driven by visible fertility and warns of the moral consequences, a warning that all Christian traditions affirm.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Lot’s character | Lot made a self-interested choice based on visible advantage. | Matthew Henry and Calvin see selfishness; Gill emphasises that Lot did not defer to Abram; some modern readers see Lot as simply practical. The text itself does not comment on motive, only action. |
| Meaning of the similes | Both similes highlight extraordinary fertility and irrigation. | Calvin reads 'garden of the Lord' as a reference to the literal Eden; others (Poole, Matthew Henry) take it as a Hebrew superlative for any excellent garden. The two views are complementary, not contradictory. |
| The narrative’s moral warning | The parenthetical about Sodom’s destruction is a deliberate foreshadowing of judgment. | Some commentators (Cambridge Bible) see it as purely historical background; others (Calvin, Matthew Henry) read it as a moral caution against Lot’s blindness. Both agree it shapes the reader’s perspective. |
| Location of the plain | The kikkar is the broad valley of the Jordan River. | The southern limit is uncertain, some place Zoar at the southeast end of the Dead Sea, others (Cambridge Bible note on Syrian reading) suggest Zoan in Egypt, but most manuscripts support Zoar. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The plain of Jordan, called the kikkar in Hebrew (literally “circle” or “oval”), refers to the wider valley that runs from the Sea of Galilee southward. The word suggests a broad, rounded expanse, not a narrow gorge but a fertile basin. From the ridge near Bethel, where Abram and Lot stood, the view is indeed panoramic. Early travellers describe seeing the winding ribbon of the Jordan, the green fields on both banks, and the haze of the Dead Sea to the south.
What made this land so attractive? The Jordan River overflowed its banks each spring during the grain harvest, depositing rich silt across the valley floor. This natural irrigation was rare in Canaan, where farmers depended on seasonal rains. Egypt’s fertility came from the annual flooding of the Nile;, here the Jordan played the same role. And the garden of Eden, according to Genesis 2:10, was watered by a river that parted into four streams. So the plain of Jordan was described in terms that any ancient reader would recognise as the highest praise for agricultural land.
Yet the narrator adds a critical detail: “before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.” That destruction turned the southern part of the plain into what later became the Dead Sea. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were prosperous but, as verse 13 says, “exceedingly wicked.” Lot could see the water and the grass. He did not see, or chose not to consider, the moral climate of the city where he would eventually pitch his tent. The plain’s beauty was real, but it was also temporary and spiritually dangerous. Historical context shows us that Lot’s choice made sense on paper, but the narrator has already given us the footnote that changes everything.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants that affect the meaning of this verse. The Syriac Peshitto reads “Zoan” instead of “Zoar” (Cambridge Bible), associating the final clause with Egypt rather than the plain, but the Masoretic Text and ancient versions support “Zoar.” The phrase “before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah” is consistent across all major manuscripts.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Chrysostom used Lot’s choice as a caution against worldliness: the believer must not be drawn by visible prosperity into spiritual danger. In medieval exegesis, the story was often allegorised, Abram represented the spiritual life, Lot the carnal soul that settles for what looks good. Reformation commentators, especially Calvin, emphasised Lot’s lack of faith and the justice of God’s judgment on Sodom. Modern scholarship focuses on narrative irony: the beauty of the plain is real, but the reader knows it will be destroyed, creating a tension between what Lot sees and what God sees. Across all eras, the verse has served as a reminder that decisions based solely on material benefit can lead to ruin, and that the garden of the Lord should be our true home.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The seduction of visible blessing. Lot saw what looked like paradise and chose it, water, green fields, prosperity. We do the same when we prioritise what we can see over what we cannot.
- The parenthetical that changes everything. “Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.” The narrator lets us in on a secret Lot didn’t know: the land’s beauty was temporary, and its inhabitants were under judgment.
- The drift that follows a careless choice. Lot moved his tent as far as Sodom (v.12). Small compromises lead to costly consequences.
Five-point outline
- Setting: the split with Abram on the heights near Bethel.
- Lot’s perspective: he saw only the surface, well-watered, like Eden, like Egypt.
- The narrator’s perspective: he saw the same land but added the footnote of future fire.
- Lot’s decision: he chose the plain, journeyed east, and settled toward Sodom.
- The outcome: temporary prosperity followed by loss, rescue by Abram, and tragic end in a cave.
Illustration hooks
- A family buys a house in a beautiful neighbourhood, only to discover the local school board is corrupt and the community is hostile to their faith. The yard is perfect; the moral climate is not.
- A job offer comes with a huge salary and rapid promotion, but it requires unethical shortcuts or excessive time away from family. The package looks like Egypt’s plenty; the cost shows up later.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know when a good opportunity is spiritually dangerous?
- Are material blessings a sign of God’s favour, or can they be a trap?
- Why did Abram let Lot choose first? Shouldn’t he have protected his nephew?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures the moment of a decision that looked wise and turned tragic. Lot saw water, grass, and prosperity, and he chose it. But the narrator adds a layer of information Lot didn’t have: the fire was coming. Use these questions to help your group see how we can miss moral and spiritual realities when we are drawn to visible benefits.
Discussion questions
- What physically attracted Lot to the plain of Jordan? List the details from verse 10.
- Why does the narrator mention the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the middle of describing the land’s beauty? What effect does that have on the reader?
- How are the two similes, “like the garden of the Lord” and “like the land of Egypt”, different? What does each comparison highlight?
- Lot’s decision is made with his eyes (v.10) and confirmed by his actions (v.11-12). What does this tell us about the way we make choices?
- In what areas of life are we tempted to judge by appearance alone, career, relationships, location, church?
- Abram offered Lot first choice (v.9). How does Abram’s generosity contrast with Lot’s self-interest? What does that say about faith?
- If you were counselling someone in Lot’s position, what questions would you ask them before they made that choice?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 2:8 | Yahweh God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. |
| Genesis 2:10 | A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was parted, and became the source of four rivers. |
| Genesis 3:6 | When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate. Then she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. |
| Genesis 6:2 | God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives. |
| Genesis 14:2 | they made war with Bera, king of Sodom; Birsha, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, king of Admah; Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela (also called Zoar). |
| Genesis 14:8 | The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim |
| Genesis 19:17 | It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!” |
| Genesis 19:30 | Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke clears up the verse's obscurity with a translation showing the Jordan plain was as well-watered as Eden and Egypt before Sodom's destruction. He notes that just as paradise had four rivers and Egypt had the Nile's annual flood, this land was fertilized by the Jordan's overflow.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads the comparison of Sodom's plain to "the garden of the LORD" as a specific reference to the actual Garden of Eden, not merely a figure for fertility. He also faults Lot for selfishly grabbing the best land while Abram silently endured the injustice, warning that excessive self-interest always harms others.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible notes the precise geographical term kikkar, meaning a circle or oval, for the fertile plain of Jordan. The writer describes this well-watered region before the destruction of Sodom, comparing its lushness to the garden of Eden and the irrigated land of Egypt.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws attention to the remarkable fertility of the Jordan plain before God's judgment fell. It was well-watered everywhere, compared to both the garden of the Lord and the land of Egypt, emphasizing what Lot saw by his own choice.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes Lot's calculating self-interest. When Abram gave him first choice, Lot showed no gratitude or reluctance to part from his benefactor. Instead he immediately used his reason to pick the richest land for himself, focusing solely on his own advantage.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
From the hill east of Bethel, a traveler can see the Jordan River, its broad meadows, and the green line of vegetation along the stream. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that this physical vantage point made the region’s richness visible to Lot as he looked down.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil notes that Lot's choice seemed wise based on the land's visible fertility, yet this very prosperity hid deep corruption. The mention of Sodom's wickedness here anticipates the coming judgment, showing that outward blessing does not guarantee moral safety.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange contrasts Lot's selfish choice, driven by greed and worldly attraction, with Abram's self-denying trust that yields the best land. He sees the renewed promise of the whole land and countless descendants as God's direct reward for Abram's peaceful renunciation.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Lot acted with surprising rudeness, showing no respect or reluctance when parting from Abram. He seized the choice for himself, drawn entirely by the lush, well-watered landscape that reminded him of Eden itself. Lot looked only at how prosperous the land appeared, ignoring the character of the people who lived there.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
The garden of the Lord - That is, paradise.