Genesis 13:11 · Bible study
Genesis 13:11 Commentary: Lot’s Choice and the Cost of Sight
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Genesis 13:11: Lot chooses the Jordan plain by sight. Study the grammar, historical background, and spiritual lessons of this pivotal decision.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Lot chooses the well-watered Jordan plain by sight, initiating a separation from Abram that leads him toward Sodom.
- Key words: “chose” (בָּחַר, bachar), “plain” (כִּכַּר, kikkar, round valley), “separated” (פָּרַד, parad, niphal).
- Main debate: Minor, whether Lot’s choice was sinful or merely unwise; all supplied commentators critique his motives.
- Theological theme: The danger of evaluating life by material appeal and ignoring spiritual danger; God’s promise to Abram prevails despite human failure.
- Best use: A cautionary sermon on decision-making by sight versus faith, paired with Abram’s example of deferring to God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one another.
KJV King James Version 1769
Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So Lot chose him all the Plain of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Lot chooseth for himself the whole circuit of the Jordan; and Lot journeyeth from the east, and they are parted--a man from his companion;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan; and Lot went toward the east. And they separated the one from the other:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Lot chose to himself the country about the Jordan, and he departed from the east: and they were separated one brother from the other.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces Lot escogió para sí toda la llanura del Jordán: y partióse Lot de Oriente, y apartáronse el uno del otro.
Então Ló escolheu para si toda a planície do Jordão: e partiu-se Ló ao Oriente, e separaram-se um do outro.
Lot choisit pour lui toute la plaine du Jourdain, et il s’ avança vers l’ orient. C’ est ainsi qu’ ils se séparèrent l’ un de l’ autre.
Da erwählte sich Lot die ganze Gegend am Jordan und zog gegen Morgen. Also schied sich ein Bruder von dem andern,
Zo koos Lot voor zich de ganse vlakte der Jordaan, en Lot trok tegen het oosten; en zij werden gescheiden, de een van den ander.
E Lot si scelse tutta la pianura del Giordano, e partì andando verso oriente. Così si separarono l’uno dall’altro.
I obrał sobie Lot wszystkę onę równinę nad Jordanem, i odszedł Lot ku wschodu słońca, i rozłączyli się bracia jeden od drugiego.
и избрал себе Лот всю окрестность Иорданскую; и двинулся Лот к востоку. И отделились они друг от друга.
於是羅得 選擇 約旦 河的全 平原， 往東 遷移；他們就彼此 分離了。
So Lot took for himself all the valley of Jordan, and went to the east, and they were parted from one another.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 13:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across the supplied sources agree that Lot’s choice of the well-watered Jordan plain was guided by material advantage rather than faith or respect for his elder. Adam Clarke notes that Lot “took his own way, trusting to his own judgment, and guided only by the sight of his eyes,” without considering what the land might cost him spiritually. The Cambridge Bible adds that Lot disregarded Abram’s seniority, chose based on “material attractions,” and ignored the wicked character of Sodom’s inhabitants, a fact the narrator immediately highlights in verse 13. Matthew Henry likewise observes that Lot showed no deference to Abram, simply accepting the offer and making his selection. Keil and Delitzsch characterize the plain as “what was apparently the best portion” but note the shadow of Sodom’s destruction. The consensus is clear: Lot acted from sight, not faith, and his decision set him on a path toward disaster.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Lot made a choice based on visible material gain that drew him toward the wicked city of Sodom, while Abram remained in Canaan and received God’s renewed covenant promise.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Lot’s motivation | Lot chose the plain because of its visible fertility and water. | Some commentators (Clarke, Matthew Henry) see selfishness and lack of courtesy; others (Keil) simply note it was the best land, leaving moral judgment implicit. |
| Abram’s offer of choice | Abram gave Lot first pick as an act of peace and trust in God. | Was Abram testing Lot’s character, or was this pure generosity? The text does not say, though many assume the former. |
| The separation itself | They parted peacefully to avoid further strife. | Some see the separation as inevitable given the resources; others view it as a failure of Lot to defer to his elder. |
| Meaning of ‘journeyed east’ | Lot moved into the Jordan region. | The Hebrew <em>miqqedem</em> can mean ‘from the east’ or ‘eastward.’ Most supplied commentators (Gill, Lange) favor eastward; the KJV follows the older reading ‘from the east.’ |
Historical & Cultural Context
The separation happened near Bethel and Ai, where Abram had earlier built an altar (Genesis 12:8). This area lay on the central ridge of Canaan, overlooking the deep Jordan Valley to the east. The dispute between herdsmen had arisen because the land could not support both Abram’s and Lot’s flocks, especially with Canaanites and Perizzites occupying much of the usable pasture (v. 7).
Lot “lifted up his eyes” and saw the kikkar (כִּכַּר) of the Jordan, a term that means “round” or “circle,” describing the broad, fertile plain on both sides of the river, extending from the Sea of Galilee down to the Sodom region. The narrator pauses in verse 10 to note that before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, this valley was “well-watered everywhere … like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt.” The comparison is deliberate: Eden and Egypt frame the plain as both divinely blessed and dangerously alluring. Lot saw abundance and made his move.
The Hebrew phrase translated “journeyed east” (מִקֶּדֶם, miqqedem) is ambiguous: it can mean “from the east” or “eastward.” Most commentators (including Gill, Keil-Delitzsch, and Lange) take it as eastward, Lot moved from Bethel down into the Jordan rift. The Cambridge Bible notes that the clause “and they separated themselves” (וַיִּפָּרְדוּ, vayyiparedû) repeats the separation idea, possibly from a different source strand. But the historical force is plain: Lot chose the valley that looked like paradise, not knowing it would become a place of judgment.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant manuscript variants for this verse. The translation ambiguity in “journeyed east” (מִקֶּדֶם, miqqedem) is a lexical issue rather than a textual one: the same Hebrew can mean “from the east” or “eastward,” and most commentators prefer the latter based on geography. The Cambridge Bible observes a possible source combination (J and P) in the surrounding verses, but this does not affect the meaning of verse 11 itself.
Reception History
This verse has been read across Christian tradition as a moral warning against choosing by sight rather than faith. Reformation-era commentators such as Luther and Calvin emphasized Lot’s failure to trust God’s promise, contrasting him with Abram. Matthew Henry’s devotional commentary (early 1700s) treats the episode as a lesson in “passion and selfishness” making people rude. In the 19th century, Adam Clarke and the Cambridge Bible applied similar critiques, stressing the material appeal that obscured spiritual danger. The verse is also cited in ethical teaching on decision-making and in sermons on the danger of proximity to sin.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Abram’s generosity sets the stage. Rather than demand priority, Abram offers Lot first choice (v. 9). This reflects trust in God’s promise, not anxious grasping.
- Lot chooses by sight, not faith. He sees well-watered land and grabs it, ignoring the people who live there and their reputation. His decision is pragmatic but spiritually blind.
- Separation leads to different outcomes. Abram stays in Canaan, receives God’s renewed promise (vv. 14-17). Lot moves toward Sodom, where his family nearly perishes. Choices have consequences.
Five-point outline
- The context: strife between herdsmen forces separation (vv. 6-7).
- The offer: Abram gives Lot the first pick, modeling humility and faith (vv. 8-9).
- The appraisal: Lot evaluates the land by appearance, without God (v. 10).
- The choice: Lot takes the plain; Abram accepts Canaan (v. 11).
- The aftermath: God reaffirms the covenant to Abram; Lot drifts into Sodom’s ruin (vv. 12-18).
Illustration hooks
- A family decides to move to a new city for a better-paying job, only to discover the neighborhood compromises their children’s values.
- A student picks a college based on rankings and campus life, without asking whether the environment will help them grow spiritually.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know when I’m choosing based on what looks good versus what is good for my soul?
- Was Lot wrong to take the fertile land, or was it simply a practical decision that later went bad?
- What does Abram’s willingness to let Lot choose first teach me about trusting God to provide without fighting for my “rights”?
Leading a Discussion
Grace and peace. This story of Abram and Lot is a study in contrasts: one man trusts God’s promises, the other trusts his eyes. As you work through these questions, pay attention to how your own decisions are shaped by what you see versus what you believe God has said.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 13:5-13. What pressures led to the separation? How might Abram and Lot have felt about it?
- Why does Abram give Lot the choice of land (v. 9)? What does this reveal about Abram’s character and his view of God?
- Lot “lifted up his eyes” (v. 10). What do you think he was looking for? What might he have overlooked?
- The narrator notes the wickedness of Sodom (v. 13) immediately after Lot’s choice. Why do you think the author placed this detail here?
- How is Lot’s decision in verse 11 different from Abram’s obedience in earlier chapters (e.g., 12:1-4)?
- In your own life, when have you made a decision because something looked good on the surface, only to realize later the spiritual cost?
- How does this passage challenge or encourage the way you make decisions today?
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 13:9 | Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” |
| Genesis 13:14 | Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, “Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, |
| 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!” |
| Psalms 16:3 | As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. |
| Psalms 119:63 | I am a friend of all those who fear you, of those who observe your precepts. |
| Proverbs 27:10 | Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother. |
| Hebrews 10:25 | not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. |
| I Peter 2:17 | Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. |
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
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on Lot's lack of good breeding and self-restraint. Rather than deferring to Abram, Lot chose solely by what looked good to his eyes, ignoring the spiritual dangers of the land and its inhabitants. This selfish, sight-driven decision nearly destroyed his body, soul, and family.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible argues that Lot’s choice was a selfish act driven by material gain, which disregarded Abram’s senior rights and ignored the wickedness of Sodom’s inhabitants. This decision symbolically resigned any claim to Palestine by future Moabite and Ammonite descendants. The text further notes that this event highlights Jehovah’s supremacy over heathen immorality while renewing the promise of land and numerous offspring to Abram.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes observe that Lot chose by sight rather than faith, picking what looked best to his eyes instead of trusting God's guidance. The well-watered plain appeared attractive, but this decision drew him toward Sodom. The warning is that appearances can lead into spiritual danger.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that Lot chose the plain of Jordan specifically for its good pastures and plentiful water, the very things that had been scarce and caused the earlier strife between their herdsmen. He also clarifies that Lot journeyed eastward from Bethel, correcting ancient rabbis who mistakenly thought Sodom lay to the west.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB remarks that Lot's choice of the plain appeared excellent by worldly standards but was disastrous for his spiritual best interests. They see Lot as a good man acting from selfish and covetous motives, a warning that even believers can imperil their souls for temporary gain.
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.