The Meaning of Genesis 13:10 Explained

Genesis 13:10

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.

YLT: And Lot lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the whole circuit of the Jordan that it is all a watered country (before Jehovah's destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, as Jehovah's garden, as the land of Egypt,) in thy coming toward Zoar,

Darby: And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of the Jordan that it was thoroughly watered, before Jehovah had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah; as the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as one goes to Zoar.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 13:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 13:1-13 - Abram And Lot Part
The patriarch, like a restored backslider, made his way back to the old spot, on the highlands of Bethel, where his first tent and altar had stood. Through his wanderings hitherto there had been a depressing element of worldliness in his camp, through the presence of Lot, who, like many more, was swept along by his uncle's religion, but had little of his own. Feeling that separation was inevitable, and that God would surely care for him, Abram offered Lot his choice. See Psalms 16:5. The younger man chose according to the sight of his eyes. In his judgment he gained the world-but see 2 Peter 2:7-8. The world is full of Lots-shallow, impulsive, doomed to be revealed by their choice and end. "Let there be no strife!" Blessed are the peacemakers! Wherever the interests of peace can be conserved through the sacrifice of your own interests, be prepared to forfeit the advantage, but stand like a rock when God's truth is in balance. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 13

1  Abram and Lot return with great riches out of Egypt
6  Strife arises between Abram's herdsmen and those of Lot
8  Abram allows Lot to choose his part of the country,
10  and Lot goes toward Sodom
14  God renews his promise to Abram
18  He moves to Hebron, and there builds an altar

What do the individual words in Genesis 13:10 mean?

And lifted up Lot - his eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan that everywhere it [was] well watered before destroyed Yahweh Sodom and Gomorrah like the garden of Yahweh like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar
וַיִּשָּׂא־ ל֣וֹט אֶת־ עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ כָּל־ כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ --מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־ )עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־ יְהוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ --מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר

וַיִּשָּׂא־  And  lifted  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
ל֣וֹט  Lot 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֹוט  
Sense: son of Haran and Abraham’s nephew who settled in Sodom and was delivered from its destruction by God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֵינָ֗יו  his  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַיַּרְא֙  and  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כִּכַּ֣ר  the  plain 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כִּכָּר  
Sense: round.
הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן  of  the  Jordan 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַרְדֵּן  
Sense: the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approx 200 miles (320 km).
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
כֻלָּ֖הּ  everywhere 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
--מַשְׁקֶ֑ה  it  [was]  well  watered 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַשְׁקֶה 
Sense: irrigation, drink.
לִפְנֵ֣י ׀  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
שַׁחֵ֣ת  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
סְדֹם֙  Sodom 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְדֹם  
Sense: a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment.
)עֲמֹרָ֔ה  Gomorrah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲמֹרָה  
Sense: the twin-city in evil with Sodom, both destroyed in judgment by God with fire from heaven.
כְּגַן־  like  the  garden 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, common singular construct
Root: גַּן 
Sense: garden, enclosure.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כְּאֶ֣רֶץ  like  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
--מִצְרַ֔יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
בֹּאֲכָ֖ה  as  you  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
צֹֽעַר  toward  Zoar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צָעֹור 
Sense: a city at the southeast end of the Dead Sea grouped with Sodom and Gomorrah as being one of the 5 cities slated for destruction by God; spared at Lot’s plea as his place of refuge.