Abram dwelt in the land of Chanaan: and Lot abode in the towns, that were about the Jordan, and dwelt in Sodom.
אַבְרָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן וְל֗וֹט יָשַׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיֶּאֱהַ֖ל עַד־סְדֹֽם׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Notice how Lot focused solely on the land’s abundance, disregarding the moral corruption of its people. What value is there in a land that is lush and productive if its residents are wicked (Gen. 13:12)? Conversely, what detriment comes from a desolate wilderness if it is inhabited by righteous individuals? The utmost good lies in the virtue of the people. Yet, Lot concentrated only on one aspect: the land's fertility.
Abraham and Lot parted ways not due to disgraceful conflict, but rather to address the needs of their households, living in different locations—Abraham in the region of Canaan and Lot in the city of Sodom.
Abram and Lot entered the land of Canaan together and initially lived closely. However, when a famine struck Canaan, they journeyed together to Egypt and later returned. Upon their return from Egypt, they settled at the southern part of Canaan with their many herds. Advancing northward, they arrived at Bethel, the same site in southern Palestine that Abram visited shortly after leaving Haran, where he constructed an altar to the Lord (Genesis 12:8). It was at Bethel that the division between Abram and Lot occurred. Each had their own sizable herds, and in a territory occupied by Canaanites, finding ample grazing land for their flocks was often a challenge. Disputes arose between the shepherds of Abram's herds and those of Lot, likely concerning the best grazing spots.
Tensions among the servants might have escalated into conflicts between their masters. To prevent such disputes and the general discomfort of sharing the land, Abram suggested to Lot that they part ways. He offered Lot the opportunity to select the lush plains of the Jordan, which flourished with life and were well-watered by streams from the surrounding hills, much like the rich irrigation of Egyptian lands from the Nile and its canals (Genesis 13:10).
After parting from Lot, Abram continued to reside in Canaan, remaining in its central parts and not forsaking the areas he had traversed despite the lack of the abundant pastures and water sources available in the Jordan's fields that Lot chose (Genesis 13:12). Lot seemed desirous of more than just basic provisions. While his flocks were tended to in the fields, he and his family ‘dwelt in the cities of the plain,’ seeking protection from adversaries and the comforts of city life. One of these cities, prominently mentioned by the historian, was Sodom: ‘and he dwelt in Sodom.’ This city was part of a group of five located in the southern Jordan plain—Sodom, Gomorrah, Adama, Sheboim, and Sihor (Genesis 14:2, 8). Each city was the center of its own realm; however, Sodom was noted as the most prosperous and powerful, often highlighted by the historian as foremost among them.
The separation of Abram from Lot, arising from their personal dynamics, was also aligned with the divine plan of Providence regarding the future of Abram's descendants—the Jews. According to God's promise, they were intended to inherit the land of Canaan. This separation, occurring more than 400 years prior to the fulfillment of this promise, signified that only Abram's lineage would partake in the promised heritage, with Lot, the ancestor of the Moabites and Ammonites, positioned on the eastern border of the promised land, close to where his descendants would eventually reside.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS