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On Abraham's return out of Egypt to the place he had left, Lot,
his brother's son, departed from him into the land of Sodom, without
breach of charity. For they had grown rich, and began to have many
herdmen of cattle, and when these strove together, they avoided in
this way the pugnacious discord of, their families. Indeed, as human
affairs go, this cause might even have given rise to some strife
between themselves. Consequently these are the words of Abraham to
Lot, when taking precaution against this evil, "Let there be no
strife between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen;
for we be brethren. Behold, is not the whole land before thee?
Separate thyself from me: if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will
go to the right; or if thou wilt go to the right hand, I will go to
the left." From this, perhaps, has arisen a pacific custom among
men, that when there is any partition of earthly things, the greater
should make the division, the less the choice.
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