1. From Egypt Abram returned to the Negeb with his wife and all he possessed, and Lot with him.

2. Abram was very rich in livestock, silver and gold.

3. By stages he went from the Negeb to Bethel, where he had first pitched his tent, between Bethel and Ai,

4. at the place where he had formerly erected the altar. There Abram invoked the name of Yahweh.

5. Lot, who was travelling with Abram, had flocks and cattle of his own, and tents too.

6. The land was not sufficient to accommodate them both at once, for they had too many possessions to be able to live together.

7. Dispute broke out between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and those of Lot. (The Canaanites and Perizzites were living in the country at the time.)

8. Accordingly Abram said to Lot, 'We do not want discord between us or between my herdsmen and yours, for we are kinsmen.

9. Is not the whole land open before you? Go in the opposite direction to me: if you take the left, I shall go right; if you take the right, I shall go left.'

10. Looking round, Lot saw all the Jordan plain, irrigated everywhere -- this was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah-like the garden of Yahweh or the land of Egypt, as far as Zoar.

11. So Lot chose all the Jordan plain for himself and moved off eastwards. Thus they parted company:

12. Abram settled in the land of Canaan; Lot settled among the cities of the plain, pitching his tents on the outskirts of Sodom.

13. Now the people of Sodom were vicious and great sinners against Yahweh.

14. Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had parted company from him, 'Look all round from where you are, to north and south, to east and west,

15. for all the land within sight I shall give to you and your descendants for ever.

16. I shall make your descendants like the dust on the ground; when people succeed in counting the specks of dust on the ground, then they will be able to count your descendants too!

17. On your feet! Travel the length and breadth of the country, for I mean to give it to you.'

18. So Abram moved his tent and went to settle at the Oak of Mamre, at Hebron, and there he built an altar to Yahweh.





“Padre Pio disse a um filho espiritual: Trabalhe! Ele perguntou: No que devo trabalhar, Padre? Ele respondeu: Em amar sempre mais a Jesus!” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina