Genesis 13

• 1. So they left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev--Abram with his wife and Lot and all that they owned,
• 2. for Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.
• 3. Then they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where they had camped before.
• 4. This was the place where Abram had built the altar, and there he again worshiped the LORD.
• 5. Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, was also very wealthy with sheep, cattle, and many tents.
• 6. But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. There were too many animals for the available pastureland.
• 7. So an argument broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.
• 8. Then Abram talked it over with Lot. "This arguing between our herdsmen has got to stop," he said. "After all, we are close relatives!
• 9. I'll tell you what we'll do. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want that area over there, then I'll stay here. If you want to stay in this area, then I'll move on to another place."
• 10. Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the LORD or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
• 11. Lot chose that land for himself--the Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram.
• 12. So while Abram stayed in the land of Canaan, Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom, among the cities of the plain.
• 13. The people of this area were unusually wicked and sinned greatly against the LORD.
• 14. After Lot was gone, the LORD said to Abram, "Look as far as you can see in every direction.
• 15. I am going to give all this land to you and your offspring as a permanent possession.
• 16. And I am going to give you so many descendants that, like dust, they cannot be counted!
• 17. Take a walk in every direction and explore the new possessions I am giving you."
• 18. Then Abram moved his camp to the oak grove owned by Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.

Genesis 14

• 1. About this time war broke out in the region. King Amraphel of Babylonia, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Kedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim
• 2. fought against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (now called Zoar).
• 3. The kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela formed an alliance and mobilized their armies in Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead Sea ).
• 4. For twelve years they had all been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but now in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
• 5. One year later, Kedorlaomer and his allies arrived. They conquered the Rephaites in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in the plain of Kiriathaim,
• 6. and the Horites in Mount Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the wilderness.
• 7. Then they swung around to En-mishpat (now called Kadesh) and destroyed the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar.
• 8. But now the army of the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (now called Zoar) prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead Sea
• 9. against King Kedorlaomer of Elam and the kings of Goiim, Babylonia, and Ellasar--four kings against five.
• 10. As it happened, the valley was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some slipped into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains.
• 11. The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and began their long journey home, taking all the wealth and food with them.
• 12. They also captured Lot--Abram's nephew who lived in Sodom--and took everything he owned.
• 13. One of the men who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was camped at the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram's allies.
• 14. When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called together the men born into his household, 318 of them in all. He chased after Kedorlaomer's army until he caught up with them in Dan.
• 15. There he divided his men and attacked during the night from several directions. Kedorlaomer's army fled, but Abram chased them to Hobah, north of Damascus.
• 16. Abram and his allies recovered everything--the goods that had been taken, Abram's nephew Lot with his possessions, and all the women and other captives.
• 17. As Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
• 18. Then Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought him bread and wine.
• 19. Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
• 20. And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies." Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
• 21. The king of Sodom told him, "Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered."
• 22. Abram replied, "I have solemnly promised the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
• 23. that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from you. Otherwise you might say, `I am the one who made Abram rich!'
• 24. All I'll accept is what these young men of mine have already eaten. But give a share of the goods to my allies--Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre."

Genesis 15

• 1. Afterward the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great."
• 2. But Abram replied, "O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don't even have a son? Since I don't have a son, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth.
• 3. You have given me no children, so one of my servants will have to be my heir."
• 4. Then the LORD said to him, "No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own to inherit everything I am giving you."
• 5. Then the LORD brought Abram outside beneath the night sky and told him, "Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that--too many to count!"
• 6. And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith.
• 7. Then the LORD told him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land."
• 8. But Abram replied, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that you will give it to me?"
• 9. Then the LORD told him, "Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
• 10. Abram took all these and killed them. He cut each one down the middle and laid the halves side by side. He did not, however, divide the birds in half.
• 11. Some vultures came down to eat the carcasses, but Abram chased them away.
• 12. That evening, as the sun was going down, Abram fell into a deep sleep. He saw a terrifying vision of darkness and horror.
• 13. Then the LORD told Abram, "You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, and they will be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years.
• 14. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth.
• 15. (But you will die in peace, at a ripe old age.)
• 16. After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, when the sin of the Amorites has run its course."
• 17. As the sun went down and it became dark, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses.
• 18. So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, "I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River--
• 19. the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites,
• 20. Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites,
• 21. Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."

New Living Translation: 5 of 324 days.