Gen 13:1-4

Back to Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible

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Back to Genesis.

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• Abram returns out of Egypt with great riches. (1-4) Strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. Abram gives Lot his choice of the country. (5-9) Lot chooses to dwell at Sodom. (10-13) God renews his promise to Abram, who removes to Hebron. (14-18)

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1-4 Abram was very rich: he was very heavy, so the Hebrew word is; for riches are a burden; and they that will be rich, do but load themselves with thick clay, Hab 2:6.

There is a burden of care in getting riches, fear in keeping them, temptation in using them, guilt in abusing them, sorrow in losing them, and a burden of account at last to be given up about them. Yet God in his providence sometimes makes good men rich men, and thus God's blessing made Abram rich without sorrow, Prov 10:22.

Though it is hard for a rich man to get to heaven, yet in some cases it may be, Mark 10:23; Mark 10:24. Nay, outward prosperity, if well managed, is an ornament to piety, and an opportunity for doing more good. Abram removed to Beth-el.

His altar was gone, so that he could not offer sacrifice; but he called on the name of the Lord. You may as soon find a living man without breath as one of God's people without prayer.