7 And the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the
land. The Ramban writes : All the seven idolatrous nations
had a share in the land of Canaan, but as there was not
sufficient pasture for all their cattle, they dwelt there by turns
every year, and at that time " the Canaanite and the Perizzite
dwelled in the land." This explains why the herdsmen of
Abraham and Lot quarrelled together, saying, " If when the
Canaanite and the Perizzite only are in the land there is
scarcity of pasture, how can we strangers find it for our cattle ? "

Another explanation is, that the quarrel originated thus :
Lot's herdsmen were wicked, and pastured their cattle in fields
that belonged to others, and Abraham's herdsmen rebuked
them for robbing other people. Lot's herdsmen retorted thus :
God gave the land to Abraham as an inheritance, and as
Abraham has no son and Lot is his nearest heir, it is therefore
no robbery (to feed Lot's cattle on other people's land).^
Therefore does the text state : " Aiid the Canaanite and the
Perizzite dwelled then iti the land" that is to say, the time was
not yet come to inherit the land. Hence said Abraham unto
Lot : " Why should we have strife in a strange land (a land not
yet ours), let us separate." Then went Lot and chose for him-
self the locality near Jordan, because there was good pasture
for his cattle there. ;

it by blows. Shemuel says: Until his luggage is thrown out, etc. , etc.
