Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 13
Overview:
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)
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, Pr 10:22. Though it
is hard for a rich
Man to get to
Heaven, yet in some cases it
may be, Mr 10:23,24. 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.
5-9 Riches not only afford matter for strife, and are the
things most commonly striven about; but they also stir up a
Spirit of contention,
By making people proud and covetous.
Mine
and thine are the great make-bates of the world. Poverty and
labour, wants and wanderings, could not separate
Abram and
Lot;
but riches did
So. Bad servants often make a great
Deal of
mischief in families and among neighbours,
By their pride and
Passion, lying, slandering, and talebearing. What made the
quarrel worse was, that the
Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt
then in the land. The quarrels of professors are the reproach of
religion, and give occasion to the enemies of the
Lord to
blaspheme. It is best to keep the peace, that it be not broken;
but the next best is, if differences do happen, with all speed
to quench the
Fire that is broken out. The attempt to stay this
strife was made
By Abram, although he was the
Elder and the
greater
Man.
Abram shows himself to be a
Man of cool
Spirit,
that had the command of his
Passion, and knew how to turn away
wrath
By a soft answer. Those that would keep the peace, must
never render railing for railing. And of a condescending
Spirit;
he was willing to beseech even his inferior to be at peace.
Whatever others are for, the people of
God must be for peace.
Abram's plea for peace was very powerful. Let the people of the
land contend about trifles; but let not us fall out, who know
better things, and look for a better country. Professors of
religion should be most careful to avoid contention. Many
profess to be for peace who will do nothing towards it: not
So
Abram. When
God condescends to beseech us to be reconciled, we
may
Well beseech one another. Though
God had promised
Abram to
give this land to his seed, yet he offered an equal or better
share to
Lot, who had not an equal right; and he will not, under
the protection of
God's promise, act hardly to his
Kinsman. It
is noble to be willing to yield for peace' sake.
10-13 Abram having offered
Lot the choice, he at once accepted
it.
Passion and selfishness make men rude.
Lot looked to the
Goodness of the land; therefore he doubted not that in such a
fruitful soil he should certainly thrive. But what came of it?
Those who, in choosing relations, callings,
Dwellings, or
settlements, are guided and governed
By the
Lust of the
Flesh,
the
Lust of the
Eye, or the pride of
Life, cannot expect
God's
presence or blessing. They are commonly disappointed even in
that which they principally aim at. In all our choices this
principle should rule, That is best for us, which is best for
our souls.
Lot little considered the badness of the inhabitants.
The men of
Sodom were impudent, daring sinners. This was the
iniquity of
Sodom, pride,
Fulness of
Bread, and abundance of
idleness, Eze 16:49.
God often gives great plenty to great
sinners. It has often been the vexatious
Lot of good men to live
among wicked neighbours; and it must be the more grievous, if,
as
Lot here, they have brought it upon themselves
By a wrong
choice.
14-18 Those are best prepared for the visits of Divine
Grace,
whose spirits are calm, and not ruffled with
Passion.
God will
abundantly make up in spiritual peace, what we lose for
preserving neighbourly peace. When our relations are separated
from us, yet
God is not. Observe also the promises with which
God now comforted and enriched
Abram. Of two things he assures
him; a good land, and a numerous issue to enjoy it. The
prospects seen
By Faith are more rich and beautiful than those
we see around us.
God bade him walk through the land, not to
think of fixing in it, but expect to be always unsettled, and
walking through it to a better
Canaan. He built an
Altar, in
token of his thankfulness to
God. When
God meets us with
gracious promises, he expects that we should attend him with
humble praises. In outward difficulties, it is very profitable
for the true believer to mediate
On the glorious inheritance
which the
Lord has for him at the last.