Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah
Ramban on Genesis 13:12/רמב"ן על בראשית י״ג:י״ב
אוְטַעַם אַבְרָם יָשַׁב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן בִּשְׁאָר אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן כֻּלָּהּ, שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲמֹד בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד אֲבָל בְּכָל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן יָגוּר, וְלוֹט נִתְיַשֵּׁב בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד מִמֶּנָּה בְּעָרֵי הַכִּכָּר, כִּי עָרֵי הַכִּכָּר מִכְּלַל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן. וְטַעַם "בְּעָרֵי הַכִּכָּר", פַּעַם בְּזוֹ וּפַעַם בְּזוֹ, מִפְּנֵי כֹּבֶד הַמִּקְנֶה. וְזֶה טַעַם "וַיִּבְחַר לוֹ לוֹט אֵת כָּל כִּכַּר הַיַּרְדֵּן", כִּי הִתְנָה עִם אַבְרָם שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא בְּכָל הַכִּכָּר:
1ABRAM DWELT IN THE LAND OF CANAAN. The meaning thereof is that he dwelt in the remainder of the entire land of Canaan; he did not stay in one place but abode in the entire land of Canaan while Lot settled in one place thereof, namely, the cities of the Plain, for the cities of the Plain are part of the land of Canaan. The meaning of [the plural “cities” in the expression, and Lot dwelt in] the cities of the Plain, is that he dwelt for a time in this city and a time in the other on account of his many cattle. This is the reason that the verse says, So Lot chose him all the plain of the Jordan;106 he made a condition with Abram that he [Abram] should not come into the entire Plain.