Genesis 13:14

KJV

¶ And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

KJV (with Strong's)

And the LORD {H3068} said {H559} unto Abram {H87}, after {H310} that Lot {H3876} was separated {H6504} from him, Lift up {H5375} now thine eyes {H5869}, and look {H7200} from the place {H4725} where thou art northward {H6828}, and southward {H5045}, and eastward {H6924}, and westward {H3220}:

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI said to Avram, after Lot had moved away from him, "Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west.

Berean Standard Bible

After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west,

American Standard Version

And Jehovah said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward:

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 13:14 marks a profound moment of divine initiative where the LORD speaks directly to Abram, reaffirming and significantly expanding the covenant promises concerning the land. This pivotal address occurs immediately after the necessary separation of Abram and Lot, underscoring God's precise timing and the singular, unhindered focus of His unfolding plan for Abram and his future descendants. The command to visually survey the land in all cardinal directions serves as a tangible confirmation of the immense scope of the promised inheritance.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Genesis 13:14 is strategically placed immediately following the narrative of Abram and Lot's separation. The preceding verses ([Genesis 13:5-7](/genesis/13-5-7 "Abram and Lot's wealth causes strife")) describe the growing tension between their herdsmen due to their immense wealth and the limited grazing land. Abram, demonstrating remarkable faith and generosity, offers Lot the first choice of land ([Genesis 13:8-9](/genesis/13-8-9 "Abram's generous offer to Lot")). Lot, choosing by sight, selects the fertile plain of Jordan, gravitating towards the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah ([Genesis 13:10-13](/genesis/13-10-13 "Lot chooses the plain of Jordan")). It is only after Lot's departure, when Abram is spiritually and physically isolated from his nephew's influence and choices, that the LORD intervenes. This divine address is not a casual remark but a deliberate reaffirmation and expansion of the covenant first initiated in [Genesis 12:1-3](/genesis/12-1-3 "God's call to Abram and initial promises"), now focused solely on Abram's lineage.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Abram was a sojourner in the land of Canaan, a region inhabited by various Canaanite tribes ([Genesis 12:6](/genesis/12-6 "Abram in Canaan")). The concept of land ownership was central to ancient Near Eastern cultures, often tied to identity, security, and prosperity. For a nomadic chieftain like Abram, lacking a permanent dwelling, the promise of an entire land was extraordinarily significant. The act of surveying the land from a high vantage point was a symbolic act of possession or claim in the ancient world, often associated with kings or conquerors asserting their dominion. God's command to "lift up thine eyes, and look" would have resonated deeply with Abram, giving tangible expression to an otherwise abstract promise, especially in a time when divine promises were often understood through concrete, observable signs.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. It highlights God's **unwavering faithfulness** to His covenant promises, reaffirming them even when human circumstances shift. The theme of **divine sovereignty and timing** is evident, as God speaks precisely when Lot's presence no longer complicates the singular focus on Abram's lineage. The expansive nature of the promised land introduces the theme of **God's boundless generosity** and the vastness of His inheritance, a promise that extends beyond immediate sight. Furthermore, Abram's act of looking in all directions underscores the theme of **faith and spiritual vision**, emphasizing that God's promises require an active, believing response, even before their full realization. This passage also subtly introduces the theme of **separation for blessing**, showing how God uses difficult partings to refine and advance His purposes for His chosen ones.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** This is the covenant name of God, H3068, emphasizing His self-existent, eternal nature. The use of "LORD" (Jehovah) here underscores that the speaker is the personal, covenant-keeping God who is actively involved in Abram's life and meticulously orchestrating His divine plan, not merely a generic deity.
* **separated (Hebrew, _pârad'_):** Derived from H6504, meaning "to break through, spread, or separate (oneself)." This word highlights the decisive and necessary nature of the division between Abram and Lot. It implies a physical parting but also a theological severing, ensuring that God's promise to Abram would be unadulterated and focused solely on his direct lineage, distinct from Lot's chosen path.
* **look (Hebrew, _râʼâh'_):** From H7200, a primitive root meaning "to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications)." Coupled with "lift up" (H5375, _nâsâʼ_), this imperative signifies a deliberate, comprehensive visual apprehension. It's not a casual glance but an intentional act of surveying, inviting Abram to internalize the vastness and reality of the promised inheritance by actively engaging his sight.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him,"**: This opening clause establishes the divine initiative and perfect timing of God's communication. The phrase "after that Lot was separated from him" is crucial, indicating that Lot's departure was a prerequisite for this renewed and expanded revelation. It signifies that God's covenant promises are exclusive to Abram and his chosen seed, unhindered by Lot's presence or his worldly choices. This underscores God's sovereignty in orchestrating events to align with His purposes.
* **"Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art"**: This is an imperative command, not a suggestion. "Lift up now thine eyes" implies an intentional act of visual engagement, a deliberate survey rather than a passive glance. "From the place where thou art" suggests a specific, likely elevated, vantage point from which Abram could literally perceive the surrounding landscape. This physical act was intended to make the abstract promise of land tangible and concrete, embedding it deeply in Abram's mind and heart as a visual confirmation of God's word.
* **"northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:"**: This specifies the boundless extent of the promised land. By commanding Abram to look in all four cardinal directions, God emphasizes the comprehensive and all-encompassing nature of His gift. It symbolizes that the entire visible horizon from Abram's vantage point, and by extension the entire land of Canaan, was his promised inheritance. This expansive vision reinforces God's generosity and the magnitude of the covenant, assuring Abram that the land was not a small parcel but a vast territory.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. **Imperative Mood** is prominent in "Lift up now thine eyes, and look," conveying God's direct command and the urgency for Abram to actively engage with the promise. The use of **Cardinal Directions** ("northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward") serves as **Merism**, a rhetorical device where two contrasting parts represent the whole. Here, specifying all four directions comprehensively indicates the entire, boundless extent of the land God is promising. This also functions as **Symbolism**, where the physical act of surveying the land symbolizes the spiritual apprehension of God's vast and encompassing promises. The **Timing** of God's speech, "after that Lot was separated from him," acts as a **Narrative Marker**, highlighting a pivotal moment of transition and divine intervention, emphasizing God's precise and purposeful orchestration of events in Abram's life.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
God's address to Abram in [Genesis 13:14](/genesis/13-14 "The LORD's expansive promise to Abram") powerfully illustrates His unwavering faithfulness and the expansive nature of His covenant promises. The divine command to survey the land after Lot's departure underscores God's sovereign timing, revealing that sometimes necessary separations or losses are divinely orchestrated to clear the path for a clearer, more focused outpouring of blessing and direction. This passage teaches that God's promises are not limited by human circumstances or relationships but are rooted in His own will and purpose, inviting believers to cultivate a spiritual vision that apprehends the vastness of God's provision, even when it extends beyond immediate sight.

* [Genesis 12:7](/genesis/12-7 "God's promise of land to Abram's descendants")
* [Genesis 15:18](/genesis/15-18 "The LORD's covenant with Abram regarding the land")
* [Deuteronomy 3:27](/deuteronomy/3-27 "Moses sees the Promised Land from afar")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 13:14 offers profound lessons for believers today, reminding us of God's unwavering faithfulness, especially during periods of transition, loss, or uncertainty. Just as Abram was invited to visually embrace the vastness of God's promise, we are called to fix our eyes on God's word and His future plans for us, cultivating a spiritual vision that transcends immediate circumstances. This verse encourages us to trust God's timing and sovereignty, recognizing that He often uses moments of separation or apparent loss to refine and advance His purposes. Our inheritance in Christ is vast and good, and like Abram, we are called to walk in faith, believing in the unseen realities of God's promises. This spiritual vision is not passive but active, requiring us to "lift up our eyes" and intentionally apprehend the scope of God's blessings, which are often far greater than we can initially perceive. The promise of the land to Abram continues to unfold in the subsequent verse, [Genesis 13:15](/genesis/13-15 "The land promised to Abram and his seed forever"), emphasizing its eternal nature.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does God's timing in speaking to Abram after Lot's separation challenge or affirm your understanding of divine providence in your own life?**
* **In what areas of your life are you being called to "lift up your eyes and look" beyond your immediate circumstances to grasp the vastness of God's promises?**
* **What "separations" or difficult partings have you experienced that, in retrospect, God used to clear the path for a clearer vision or greater blessing?**
* **How does this passage encourage you to actively engage with God's promises, rather than passively waiting for their fulfillment?**

### FAQ

**Why did God wait until Lot was separated from Abram to speak this promise?**

Answer: God's timing is perfect and purposeful. The separation of Lot from Abram was necessary to clarify the lineage through which God's covenant promises would be fulfilled. Lot's presence, with his own herds and interests, could have complicated the singular focus of God's promise to Abram and his direct descendants. By speaking "after that Lot was separated," God emphasized that the promise was exclusively for Abram and his seed, setting the stage for the unfolding of His distinct plan for the covenant people and preventing any ambiguity regarding the recipient of the land covenant. This moment highlights God's meticulous orchestration of events to ensure the purity and clarity of His redemptive plan.

**What is the significance of Abram being told to "lift up thine eyes, and look" in all directions?**

Answer: This command is highly significant and multifaceted. It was not a casual suggestion but an imperative for Abram to actively engage with the promise. By physically surveying the land from a specific vantage point "northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward," Abram was visually apprehending the immense scope and reality of the territory God was promising. This act served to embed the promise deeply in his mind and heart, making the unseen future inheritance tangible and reinforcing his faith in the vastness of God's gift. It underscores that God's promises are not limited but comprehensive, encompassing the entirety of the land he could see, symbolizing the boundless nature of God's provision and the certainty of His word.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The promise of the land to Abram and his seed, reiterated and expanded in [Genesis 13:14](/genesis/13-14 "The LORD's expansive promise to Abram"), finds its ultimate and spiritual fulfillment in Jesus Christ. While the physical land was given to Israel as a temporal inheritance, Christ is the true "seed" of Abraham through whom all the nations of the earth are blessed, as explicitly stated in [Galatians 3:16](/galatians/3-16 "Christ as the Seed of Abraham"). The vastness of the promised land foreshadows the spiritual kingdom of God, which is not confined to a geographical region but encompasses believers from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, demonstrating God's universal redemptive plan. Through Christ, believers inherit not merely a piece of earthly territory but eternal life ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "God so loved the world")) and a share in the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells ([2 Peter 3:13](/2_peter/3-13 "New heavens and new earth")). This spiritual inheritance, far grander and more enduring than any physical land, fully realizes the expansive vision given to Abram, establishing Christ as the heir of all things and His people as co-heirs with Him ([Romans 8:17](/romans/8-17 "Heirs with Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 49:18

¶ Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, [and] come to thee. [As] I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them [on thee], as a bride [doeth].

Deuteronomy 3:27

Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold [it] with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

Genesis 28:14

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Isaiah 60:4

Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at [thy] side.

Genesis 13:10

¶ 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.