Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Abram's humble offer, "for we are kinsmen," isn't just a plea for peace, but a profound reminder that their shared humanity and kinship, whether by blood or faith, should always outweigh the potential for conflict. He prioritizes their relationship over territory, setting a powerful example of choosing unity and love even when facing division.
Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Tensions have flared between Abram's and Lot's shepherds over scarce grazing land, escalating into a dispute that threatens the peace between the two kinsmen. To resolve this, Abram graciously proposes to Lot that they separate, offering Lot the first choice of any territory, acknowledging their familial bond as a reason to avoid conflict. Lot readily accepts, choosing the fertile plains of the Jordan River, which unfortunately leads him to settle near the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
When conflict arises, what ties bind us together more strongly than the immediate problem? Abram's words to Lot highlight a profound connection.
Abram addresses Lot with a powerful appeal: "for we are kinsmen." This wasn't just a casual reference to being related; it was a reminder of a shared heritage, a common lineage, and likely a shared faith in the one God.
When faced with conflict, especially when you might be in the 'right,' what's your immediate reaction? Abram's response offers a masterclass in peacemaking.
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Abram’s response to the growing strife wasn't to assert his rights or even to demand Lot control his herdsmen. Instead, he offered a solution that prioritized peace above his own potential claim.
Understand the original words
'ach · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting brotherhood, family connection, or close kinship, serving as the basis for moral obligation, peace, and mutual care between individuals.
Abram's counsel to Lot arises from a specific tension: the burgeoning wealth of both families straining the land's resources, leading to conflict. Abram prioritizes kinship and peace over possessions, a stark contrast to Lot's later choice of material prosperity over spiritual community.
c. 2000 BC
Abram sojourns in Egypt
Abram, his wife Sarai, and his nephew Lot, along with their considerable possessions, travel to Egypt during a famine in Canaan. Abram's deception regarding Sarai's identity leads to divine displeasure and Abram's departure with even greater wealth.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Return to Canaan and separation
Abram and Lot return to Canaan, their increased wealth of livestock requiring vast amounts of pasture. The land's limited resources and the proximity of native peoples lead to contention between their herdsmen, prompting Abram's proposal for separation.
c. 2000 BC
Lot chooses the Jordan plain
Abram generously offers Lot the first choice of land. Lot, attracted by the lushness of the Jordan plain before its destruction, chooses to separate from Abram and settles near Sodom.
c. 2000 BC
God reaffirms promise to Abram
After Lot's departure, God speaks to Abram, reaffirming His promise to give the entire land to Abram and his descendants, emphasizing the vastness and permanence of the inheritance.
c. 1900s BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Due to the extreme wickedness of its inhabitants, God destroys the cities of the plain, including Sodom, where Lot had settled. Lot is rescued by angels, but his wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt.
This proverb echoes Abram's sentiment, highlighting how a gentle response, like Abram's towards Lot, can diffuse anger and prevent escalation, much like Abram's words to Lot aimed to stop the strife before it truly began between them.
Philippians 2:3-4Abram's selfless offer to Lot, giving him the choice of the land, perfectly models the principle of doing nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility counting others as more significant than himself.
1 Corinthians 6:7The verse about going to law with fellow believers speaks to the underlying issue of disputes over resources. Abram's desire to avoid such strife, even between his and Lot's servants, shows a proactive effort to prevent the kind of conflict that Paul later admonishes against.
Psalm 133:1The psalm beautifully describes the goodness and pleasantness of unity among brethren. Abram's appeal to their kinship ('for we are kinsmen') is a direct call to maintain this unity, which is as precious as the anointing oil and the dew.
gillGenesis 13:8: "And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren."
And Abram said unto Lot,.... Being either an ear witness himself of the contentions of their servants, or having it reported to him by credible persons, he applied himself to Lot, in order to make peace, being a wise and good man; and though he was senior in years, and superior in substance, and higher in the class of relation, and upon a…
calvinGenesis 13:1-20: "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south."
Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
Numquid non omnis terra est coram to? separa to nunc ame: si ieris ad sinistram, dextram tenebo: et si ad dextram ieris, sinistram tenebo.
And Lot lifted up his…
Abram's humble offer, "for we are kinsmen," isn't just a plea for peace, but a profound reminder that their shared humanity and kinship, whether by blood or faith, should always outweigh the potential for conflict. He prioritizes their relationship over territory, setting a powerful example of choosing unity and love even when facing division.
Tensions have flared between Abram's and Lot's shepherds over scarce grazing land, escalating into a dispute that threatens the peace between the two kinsmen. To resolve this, Abram graciously proposes to Lot that they separate, offering Lot the first choice of any territory, acknowledging their familial bond as a reason to avoid conflict. Lot readily accepts, choosing the fertile plains of the Jordan River, which unfortunately leads him to settle near the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Tensions have flared between Abram's and Lot's shepherds over scarce grazing land, escalating into a dispute that threatens the peace between the two kinsmen. To resolve this, Abram graciously proposes to Lot that they separate, offering Lot the first choice of any territory, acknowledging their familial bond as a reason to avoid conflict. Lot readily accepts, choosing the fertile plains of the Jordan River, which unfortunately leads him to settle near the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
"Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen." — Abram's humble offer, "for we are kinsmen," isn't just a plea for peace, but a profound reminder that their shared humanity and kinship, whether by blood or faith, should always outweigh the potentia…
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Last reviewed October 2026