1
亞伯蘭帶著他的妻子與羅得，並一切所有的，都從埃及上南地去。
3
他從南地漸漸往伯特利去，到了伯特利和艾的中間，就是從前支搭帳棚的地方，
7
當時，迦南人與比利洗人在那地居住。亞伯蘭的牧人和羅得的牧人相爭。
8
亞伯蘭就對羅得說：你我不可相爭，你的牧人和我的牧人也不可相爭，因為我們是骨肉(原文作弟兄)。
9
遍地不都在你眼前麼？請你離開我：你向左，我就向右；你向右，我就向左。
10
羅得舉目看見約但河的全平原，直到瑣珥，都是滋潤的，那地在耶和華未滅所多瑪、蛾摩拉以先如同耶和華的園子，也像埃及地。
11
於是羅得選擇約但河的全平原，往東遷移；他們就彼此分離了。
12
亞伯蘭住在迦南地，羅得住在平原的城邑，漸漸挪移帳棚，直到所多瑪。
14
羅得離別亞伯蘭以後，耶和華對亞伯蘭說：從你所在的地方，你舉目向東西南北觀看；
15
凡你所看見的一切地，我都要賜給你和你的後裔，直到永遠。
1610. That 'I will make your seed as the dust of the earth' means being multiplied beyond measure is clear without explanation. Here it is said that his seed would be made as 'the dust of the earth', in other parts of the Word as 'the dust of the sea', and in yet other parts as 'the stars of heaven'. Each of these phrases has its own particular meaning. 'Dust of the earth' has regard to those things that are celestial, for, as shown already, 'the earth' means the celestial aspect of love; 'dust of the sea' has regard to those things that are spiritual, for 'the sea', as has also been shown, means the spiritual aspect of love; while 'as the stars of heaven' means both but in a higher degree. And because these things cannot be numbered they therefore became common expressions to describe growth and multiplication beyond measure.
[2] The statement that his seed, that is, the faith that is the expression of love, or simply love, was to be multiplied beyond measure means in the highest sense the Lord, and in particular His Human Essence, for the Lord as regards the Human Essence is called 'the seed of the woman', dealt with in 256. When the Lord's Human Essence is meant, the infinite celestial and spiritual is understood by the words 'multiplied beyond measure'; but when faith that is the expression of charity, or simply charity, among the human race is meant by 'the seed', the multiplication without measure of that seed in everyone who leads a charitable life is understood. Such multiplication takes place in the next life with everyone who leads a charitable life. With him the multiplication of charity and of the faith deriving from it, together with their associated happiness, is so great that one can only describe it as being beyond measure and defying description. When the human race is meant by 'the seed', the multiplication of this in the Lord's kingdom is also beyond measure - not only from those who are inside the Church, and their children, but also from those who are outside the Church, and their children. Consequently the Lord's kingdom or heaven is boundless. That boundlessness will in the Lord's Divine mercy be spoken of elsewhere.
