Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The account of Abram's departure from Haran for Canaan at God's direction in Genesis 12 does not indicate that God told Abram to take Lot with him, or that God spoke separately with Lot and instructed him to go with Abram. 

However, the Bible does say that Lot was the son of Abram's brother Haran (which would have made Lot Abram's nephew), and that Haran had died prior to Abram's departure from Ur (their original hometown)(Genesis 11:28), leaving Lot without a father.

After Haran's death, Abram had traveled, for reasons not specified, with his father Terah and his nephew Lot from Ur en route to Canaan. They got as far as Haran, the city, where they stopped and settled (Genesis 11:31). God then spoke to Abram and directed him to continue on to Canaan (Genesis 12:1). God also informed Abram at that time of how He would bless Abram for obeying Him. 

Although the Bible does not indicate Lot's age at the time of his departure from Haran with Abram, and even though Terah (Lot's grandfather) was still alive when Abram left Haran, it can thus be inferred that Abram felt some responsibility for Lot's well-being, due to Terah's advanced age, and also Abram being Lot's closest living blood relative. Lot may also have actively wanted to continue on to Canaan with Abram, especially since Abram and Lot, as well as Terah, had originally been intending to reach Canaan anyway when they first left Ur. However, the Bible does not specifically say that.

Lot followed Abram through Canaan, then down to Egypt (due to a famine in Canaan), and then back to Canaan again, before the two of them separated, because the same area of land was not able to support their combined flocks and herds, causing Lot's and Abram's respective herdsmen to argue with one another. Lot therefore chose to settle in the plain of the Jordan River around Sodom (Genesis 13:11), and Abram settled at Hebron (Genesis 13:18).

July 31 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report