Genesis 13:10
in Genesis 13And Lot looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar.
KJV
And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
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This verse in Genesis 13
Commentary
7 notes on this verseHaughtiness is the companion of those who deviate from the truth. In fact, as Abraham was quite humble in that he offered the choice, so Lot was rather insolent in presuming to choose. Virtue humbles itself, whereas wickedness becomes arrogant. Lot should rather have relied on one more wise than he, to be on the safe side. Indeed, he did not have the knowledge to make a choice.
This site's exposition
the whole plain of the Jordan
on Genesis 13:10-11
Lot decides by looking, and what he sees is water, the whole plain of the Jordan well watered as far as Zoar. The writer measures it by the garden of the LORD and by the land of Egypt. Then he gives the end before Lot has chosen, that the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. The same looking and taking runs back to Eve at 3:6.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Therefore, Lot, having lifted up his eyes, saw all the region around Jordan, which was all watered before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the paradise of the Lord and like Egypt as you go towards Zoar.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
While he lived among them, he vexed his righteous soul with their conversation, and never had a good day with them, till, at last, God fired the town over his head, and forced him to the mountain for safety who chose the plain for wealth and pleasure. Note, Sensual choices are sinful choices, and seldom speed well.
And Lot lifted up his eyes,....
While he lived among them, he vexed his righteous soul with their conversation, and never had a good day with them, till, at last, God fired the town over his head, and forced him to the mountain for safety who chose the plain for wealth and pleasure. Note, Sensual choices are sinful choices, and seldom speed well.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar - There is an obscurity in this verse which Houbigant has removed by the following translation: Ea autem, priusquam Sodomam Gornorrhamque Do minus delerit, erat, qua itur Segor, tota irrigua, quasi hortus Domini, et quasi terra Aegypti. “But before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it was, as thou goest to Zoar, well watered, like the garden of the Lord, and like the land of Egypt.” As paradise was watered by the four neighboring streams, and as Egypt was watered by the annual overflowing of the Nile; so were the plains of the Jordan, and all the land on the way to Zoar, well watered and fertilized by the overflowing of the Jordan.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
The verse states that the whole land of the Plain was adequately irrigated from the Jordan by working with the foot, just as was done with the garden of G-d, concerning which it is stated, And a river went out of Eden to water the garden, 103 Above,:10.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
From the east, 20 This is I.E.’s translation of va-yissa lot mi-kedem (and Lot journeyed east).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשָּׂא־ | vaiyisa'- | and he lifted up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| ל֣וֹט | lot | Lot | H3876 → | 33 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֵינָ֗יו | ʾeinav | eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
| וַיַּרְא֙ | vaiyar' | and he saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כִּכַּ֣ר | kikar | [the] valley of | H3603 → | 68 times |
| הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן | haiyarden | the Jordan | H3383 → | 182 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כֻלָּ֖הּ | khulah | all of it | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַשְׁקֶ֑ה | mashkeh | [was] well-watered | H4945 → | 19 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י׀ | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| שַׁחֵ֣ת | shachet | destroyed | H7843 → | 146 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| סְדֹם֙ | sedom | Sodom | H5467 → | 39 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲמֹרָ֔ה | ʾamorah | Gomorrah | H6017 → | 19 times |
| כְּגַן־ | kegan- | like [the] garden of | H1588 → | 42 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כְּאֶ֣רֶץ | keeretz | like [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרַ֔יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| בֹּאֲכָ֖ה | boakhah | going you | H935 → | 2568 times |
| צֹֽעַר׃ | tzoar | Zoar | H6820 → | 10 times |
וַיִּשָּׂא־and he lifted up
vaiyisa'-H5375 →656 times
ל֣וֹטLot
lotH3876 →33 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֵינָ֗יוeyes his
ʾeinavH5869 →887 times
וַיַּרְא֙and he saw
vaiyar'H7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
כִּכַּ֣ר[the] valley of
kikarH3603 →68 times
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ןthe Jordan
haiyardenH3383 →182 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
כֻלָּ֖הּall of it
khulahH3605 →5413 times
מַשְׁקֶ֑ה[was] well-watered
mashkehH4945 →19 times
לִפְנֵ֣י׀<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
שַׁחֵ֣תdestroyed
shachetH7843 →146 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
סְדֹם֙Sodom
sedomH5467 →39 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
עֲמֹרָ֔הGomorrah
ʾamorahH6017 →19 times
כְּגַן־like [the] garden of
kegan-H1588 →42 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כְּאֶ֣רֶץlike [the] land of
keeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרַ֔יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
בֹּאֲכָ֖הgoing you
boakhahH935 →2568 times
צֹֽעַר׃Zoar
tzoarH6820 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 28:13You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 28:15
From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways—until wickedness was found in you.
- Genesis 2:8
And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, where He placed the man He had formed.
- Ezekiel 27:16
Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.
- Ezekiel 28:15
Through
Isaiah 51:3For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness…
it leads to
- Isaiah 49:13
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
- Joel 2:3
Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland—surely nothing will escape them.
- Isaiah 52:9
Break forth in joy, sing together, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 49:13
Through
Deuteronomy 34:3the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 28:15
Then the men who were designated by name arose, took charge of the captives, and provided from the plunder clothing for the naked. They clothed them, gave them sandals and food and drink, anointed…
- 2 Chronicles 28:15
Through
Genesis 14:8Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and arrayed themselves for battle in the…
it leads to
- Genesis 19:22
Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 19:22
About Genesis
Who and where
4 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsLotAbraham's nephew — the man who walked by sight toward Sodom and was saved “so as by fire” (2 Pet 2:7–8).
- PlaceCities of the plainGomorrahSodom's sister city, destroyed with it by fire as a byword of judgment.
- PlaceThe NileEgyptThe land where Joseph rose, where Israel grew into a nation in bondage, where the Passover lamb was slain and the sea opened, and…
- PlaceCities of the plainSodomThe city of the plain that Abraham pleaded for and that fire from heaven destroyed while Lot fled, named by the prophets, by Peter…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, ON ABRAHAM 2.6.33; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.