“And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him into the south.”
South. With respect to Judea, which the sacred writers have always in view.
“And he was very rich in possession of gold and silver.”
Rich in possession. Hebrew may be “heavy laden with cattle, gold,” &c. (Menochius)
“Neither was the land able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, and they could not dwell together.”
To bear or feed their flocks, as well as those of the Chanaanites. (Calmet)
“Abram therefore said to Lot: Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren.”
Abram therefore, for fear of raising a quarrel with the Pherezites also, who might complain that these strangers were eating up what they had before taken possession of, suggests to his nephew the propriety of their taking different courses. Being the older, he divides, and the younger chooses, according to an ancient and laudable custom. (St. Augustine, City of God xvi. 20.)
“And Lot chose to himself the country about the Jordan, and he departed from the east: and they were separated one brother from the other.”
From the east of Pentapolis to Sodom, (Menochius) or to the east of the place where Abram was, as Onkelos has it. The Hebrew may signify either. (Grotius.)
“And the men of Sodom were very wicked, and sinners before the face of the Lord beyond measure.”
Sinners before, &c. That is truly, without restraint or disguise. Lot might not have been acquainted with their dissolute morals, when he made this choice; in which however he consulted only his senses, and looked for temporal advantages, which ended in sorrow. This God permitted for a warning to us; and to restrain the Sodomites, by the example of Lot’s justice, contrasted with their abominable lives. (Haydock) — Ezechiel xvi. 49, explains the causes of their wickedness.
“All the land which thou seest, I will give to thee, and to thy seed for ever.”
And to: This is by way of explanation to the former words: (Haydock) for Abram never possessed a foot of this land by inheritance, Acts viii.[vii.?] 5. Even his posterity never enjoyed it, at least, for any long time. St. Augustine gives the reason; because the promise was conditional, and the Jews did not fulfil their part by obedience and fidelity. (q. 31. in Gen.) It is better, however, to understand these promises of another land, which the people, who imitate the faith of Abram, shall enjoy in the world to come. (Calmet) (Romans iv. 16.)
“And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: if any man be able to number the dust of the earth, he shall be able to number thy seed also.”
As the dust, an hyperbole, to express a very numerous offspring, which is more exact, if we take in the spiritual children of Abram. (Menochius)
“Arise and walk through the land in the length, and the breadth thereof: for I will give it to thee.”
Through. Lot has chosen a part, I give the whole to thee. Thou mayest take possession of it, and go wherever thou hast a mind. (Calmet)
“So Abram removing his tent, came, and dwelt by the vale of Mambre, which is in Hebron: and he built there an altar to the Lord.”
Vale, or grove of oaks, where there was a famous one which was called the oak of Mambre, either from the neighbouring city, or from a man of that name, chap. xiv. 13. (Menochius) — Hebron was on the hill above. (Calmet)