LXX Gen 13:5–13: strife, the herdsmen and Lot’s choice

Says At 13:5 Lot’s κτήνη stands where the MT has וְאֹהָלִים, “and tents,” and the Bodleian Genesis adds καὶ σκηναί. At 13:6 οὐκ ἐχώρει αὐτοὺς ἡ γῆ (χωρέω, “to have space for holding, to hold”) renders וְלֹא־נָשָׂא אֹתָם הָאָרֶץ.

Says μάχη (“a strife, contention, quarrel”) renders רִיב at 13:7 and מְרִיבָה at 13:8. At 13:8 Swete puts τῶν ποιμένων σοῦ before τῶν ποιμένων μοῦ, the reverse of וּבֵין רֹעַי וּבֵין רֹעֶיךָ; Swete gives the MT order for the Cotton Genesis from the silence of its collation.

Says At 13:9 καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἐναντίον σου (ἐναντίον, “before, in the presence of”) is a statement where the MT asks הֲלֹא כָל־הָאָרֶץ לְפָנֶיךָ; the Cotton Genesis has οὐχ ἰδού and the Bodleian Genesis οὐκ εἰδού. The first hand of Codex Alexandrinus lacks δέ in εἰ δὲ σὺ, and a corrector supplies it above the line.

Says At 13:10 τὴν περίχωρον τοῦ Ἰορδάνου (περίχωρος, “the region round about”) renders כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן. τὸν θεὸν and ὁ παράδεισος τοῦ θεοῦ (παράδεισος, “a park, pleasure-ground, garden”) have “God” for יְהוָה, and Zoar is Ζόγορα, last as in the MT.

Says At 13:11 ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν (ἀνατολή, “the sun-rising, the east”), “from the east,” renders מִקֶּדֶם. At 13:12 ἐν πόλει τῶν περιχώρων has one city for בְּעָרֵי הַכִּכָּר, and ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν Σοδόμοις, “tented in Sodom,” stands for וַיֶּאֱהַל עַד־סְדֹם, “as far as Sodom.”

Uncertain No lean is taken on whether מִקֶּדֶם means “from the east” or “eastward,” or on Lot’s choice.