Bible Overview
The Patriarchal Period - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
as recorded in the remainder of Genesis
Abraham
God
now
decides
to
raise
His
own
people
and
chooses
Abram
(later
to
be
named
Abraham)
to
be
the
father
of
this
new
nation.
God
promised that he and this new nation will be great and blessed, and through him all the families of the earth will be blessed.
Abram’s
father,
Terah,
takes
Abram,
Sarai
and
Lot,
a
nephew
of
Abram,
and
moves
north
from
Ur
of
the
Chaldees
to
Haran
in
Padanaram.
A
few
years
after
settling
in
Haran,
and
following
Terah’s
death,
God
selects
Abram
(later
to
be
named
Abraham)
to
be
the
father
of
His
chosen
nation.
After
giving
him
a
promise
that
he
and
this
new
nation
will
be
great
and
blessed,
and
that
through
him
all
the
families
of
the
earth
will
be
blessed,
God
directs
Abram
to
take
his
wife
Sarai
(later
to
be
named
Sarah),
his
nephew
Lot
and
all
they
possess to move to Canaan, a land that God then promises to Abram’s descendants.
Whilst
there,
a
great
famine
forces
them
to
travel
to
Egypt
where
Abram,
in
fear
of
his
life,
pretends
Sarai
is
his
sister
(she
is
in
fact
his
half-sister).
His
fears
seem
justified
when
Sarai
is
taken
into
Pharaoh’s
house.
Because
of
Sarai,
Abram
receives
many
gifts
of
livestock
and
servants,
which
he
is
permitted
to
keep
even
when
the
deceit
has
been
revealed
by
divine
intervention.
He
is
then
able
to
safely return to Canaan.
In
time,
grazing
becomes
insufficient
for
both
Abram’s
and
Lot’s
herds.
Given
the
choice
by
Abram,
Lot
chooses
to
move
to
the
area
of
Sodom.
God
then
repeats
His
promise
to
Abram
concerning
the
land,
this
time
adding
that
possession
of
it
will
be
forever.
Abram
then moves to Mamre (Hebron) where he builds an altar to God.
There
had
been
a
history
of
conflict
between
kings
in
the
plains
that
eventually
leads
to
a
war
in
which
Sodom
and
Gomorrah
are
defeated,
with
the
people
and
their
goods,
including
Lot
and
his
family,
being
taken
captive
and
carried
off
to
Dan.
When
Abram
comes
to
hear
of
this,
he
takes
318
of
his
own
armed
and
trained
men
and
rescues
all
those
taken
and
their
possessions.
On
his
return,
Abram
is
met
by
Melchizedek,
king
of
Salem
and
priest
of
the
most
high
God
,
who
brings
bread
and
wine,
blesses
Abram
and
receives
a tithe from him.
In
a
vision,
Abram
expresses
his
concern
to
God
that
he
has
no
heir
through
which
His
promises
could
be
fulfilled.
God
then
reassures
Abram
and
enters
an
unconditional
covenant
with
Abram
by
putting
him
into
a
deep
sleep
while
the
covenant
ritual
is
performed
by
God
alone.
This
covenant
promises
Abram’s
seed
will
inherit
the
land
of
Canaan
from
the
Sichor
[the
river
of
Egypt
]
to
the Euphrates.
Sarai,
lacking
faith
in
the
promised
seed
in
herself,
gives
her
Egyptian
handmaiden
Hagar
to
Abram
for
a
concubine.
Hagar
conceives and has a son who she names Ishmael.
Four
years
later,
God
confirms
His
covenant
with
Abram,
stating
it
will
be
an
everlasting
covenant,
and
introduces
circumcision
as
the sign of the covenant. At this time God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah.
With
Abraham
still
having
concerns
about
he
and
Sarah
parenting
a
child
in
their
old
age,
God
promises
that
Sarah
thy
wife
shall
bear
thee
a
son
indeed;
and
thou
shalt
call
his
name
Isaac:
and
I
will
establish
my
covenant
with
him
for
an
everlasting
covenant,
and
with his seed after him.
Soon
after,
when
Sodom
and
Gomorrah
are
about
to
be
punished
for
their
wickedness,
the
Lord
and
two
angels
visit
Abraham
and
Sarah.
During
this
visit,
the
promise
of
a
child
by
Sarah
is
renewed.
When
the
two
angels
leave
for
Sodom,
Abraham
barters
with
the
Lord
concerning
it’s
fate,
eventually
getting
agreement
that
Sodom
and
Gomorrah
would
not
be
destroyed
for
their
sin,
even
if
only
ten
righteous men are found there.
The
two
angels
arrive
at
Sodom
where
they
are
met
by
Lot
and
accept
his
hospitality.
They
then
have
to
thwart
a
demand
by
men
and
boys
from
all
parts
of
the
city
for
them
to
be
handed
over
for
their
sexual
gratification
by
striking
them
with
blindness.
The
next
morning,
with
Lot’s
sons-in-law
having
ignored
warnings
of
Sodom’s
fate,
Lot,
his
wife
and
two
daughters
are
compelled
to
leave
the
city
and
head
for
Zoar.
Despite
being
warned
not
to
do
so,
Lot’s
wife
looks
back
at
Sodom
and
becomes
a
pillar
of
salt.
Fearing
to
stay
in
Zoar,
Lot
goes
to
live
on
a
nearby
mountain
in
a
cave.
Later,
he
is
made
drunk
by
his
two
daughters
who
then
commit
incest
with
him
and
bear
sons,
Moab
and
Benammi.
These
two
sons
become
the
fathers
of
the
Moabites
and
Ammonites,
who
in
time
will
become
adversaries of the Israelites.
Abraham
journeys
south
to
Gerar
where
he
again
says
that
Sarah
is
his
sister.
Abimelech,
king
of
Gerar,
takes
Sarah
into
his
house,
but
having
been
warned
by
God
in
a
dream
not
to
touch
her,
rebukes
Abraham,
presents
him
with
much
silver,
livestock
and
servants,
and returns Sarah to him.
Isaac
Abraham is a hundred years old when Sarah finally gives birth to Isaac.
After
Isaac
is
weaned,
Ishmael
begins
to
mock
him.
Sarah
protests
to
Abraham,
wanting
Abraham
to
send
Hagar
and
Ishmael
away,
saying
that
she
does
not
want
Ishmael
to
be
heir
with
Isaac.
Abraham
is
deeply
worried
about
this,
but
God
gives
His
approval,
assuring
Abraham
that
Ishmael
would
survive
to
be
the
father
of
a
great
nation.
The
next
morning,
Abraham
gives
provisions
to
Hagar
and
Ishmael
and
sends
them
into
the
desert
where,
through
God’s
intervention,
they
are
later
rescued
from
dying
of
thirst.
Ishmael
grows to become an archer and lives in the wilderness of Paran where he marries an Egyptian woman.
When
Isaac
is
a
young
man,
Abraham’s
faith
is
tested
with
a
command
from
God
to
offer
him
as
a
sacrifice
at
Moriah.
Abraham
readily
obeys,
fully
trusting
in
God
who
had
promised
him
a
son.
At
the
last
moment,
the
angel
of
the
Lord
prevents
Abraham
from
going through with the sacrifice
.
Abraham
is
told
by
the
Angel
of
the
Lord
that
the
Lord
has
sworn,
saying
that
i
n
thy
seed
shall
all
the
nations
of
the
earth
be
blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
[Which must include all non-Jews]
.
Sarah dies soon after, age 127. She is buried in a cave in land purchased by Abraham at Mamre (that is, Hebron).
Abraham
sends
his
chief
servant
to
his
relations
in
Haran
to
find
a
wife
for
Isaac.
By
divine
intervention
he
finds
Rebekah,
Abraham’s
brother
Nahor’s
granddaughter.
With
her
family’s
approval,
and
her
agreement,
he
returns
with
her
and
presents
her
to
Isaac. Isaac accepts Rebekah and she becomes his wife.
Abraham
marries
Keturah
and
has
four
more
sons
by
her.
These
sons
are
sent
away
with
gifts
rather
than
share
in
Isaac’s
inheritance.
Abraham dies at the age of 165 and is buried with Sarah in the cave at Mamre.
Jacob
Rebekah
gives
birth
to
twins,
Esau,
the
eldest,
and
Jacob.
Esau
grows
to
be
a
hunter
and
is
favoured
by
Abraham,
whereas
Jacob
is
a
plain man and is favoured by Rebekah.
Esau
has
no
regard
for
his
birthright,
demonstrated
one
day,
when
he
is
particularly
hungry,
by
rashly
selling
it
to
Jacob
for
red
pottage .
The
Abrahamic
covenant
is
now
renewed
with
Isaac,
then
God
instructs
him
to
sojourn
in
Gerar
while
there
is
a
famine
in
the
land.
Like
his
father
before
him,
Isaac
lies
about
Rebekah,
pretending
she
is
his
sister.
After
some
time,
the
deceit
concerning
Rebekah
is
realised, but Isaac and Rebekah are protected by Abimelech and Isaac grows in prosperity.
Following disputes concerning wells, Isaac eventually moves and settles at Beersheba.
As
he
approaches
his
final
days,
Isaac
calls
Esau
to
give
him
the
blessing
due
to
the
firstborn.
Instigated
by
his
mother,
and
with
her
help, Jacob fraudulently obtains his father’s blessing.
To
avoid
Esau’s
anger,
also
encouraged
by
Isaac
for
the
purpose
of
finding
a
wife,
Jacob
leaves
for
his
uncle
Laban’s.
On
the
way
he
rests for the night and has a vision of a ladder between earth and heaven with angels ascending and descending it.
The
Lord
stood
above
the
ladder
and
promised
Jacob
he
and
his
seed
would
inherit
the
land
on
which
he
is
resting,
and
through
his
seed all the families of the earth would be blessed, the same promises made to Abraham and Isaac.
Nearing
his
uncle
Laban’s,
Jacob
meets
Rachel
and
falls
in
love
with
her,
but
has
no
dowry
and
has
to
work
seven
years
for
her
hand
in
marriage.
On
the
wedding
night,
following
much
celebration,
Jacob
is
tricked
into
sleeping
with
Rachel’s
older
sister
Leah.
As
a
consequence, he has to accept her as his wife. It cost another seven years of service before he is able to marry Rachel.
Through
divine
intervention,
Rachel
is
unable
to
conceive
and
Jacob’s
first
eleven
children
-
ten
boys
and
a
daughter
-
are
conceived
by Leah, and Leah and Rachel's handmaidens. Finally, Rachel is able to conceive and gives birth to Joseph.
Jacob
now
wants
to
leave
Laban,
but
is
persuaded
to
stay
longer.
After
six
years,
Jacob
has
become
rich
in
livestock
and
decides
it
is
now
time
to
leave,
To
avoid
confrontation,
he
seizes
on
the
opportunity
to
leave
whilst
Laban
is
away
sheep
shearing.
Unbeknown
to
Jacob,
Rachel
has
stolen
some
of
her
father’s
images.
When
Laban
returns
he
pursues
Jacob,
but
when
he
catches
up
with
him,
the
potential problem concerning the stolen images is avoided, there is reconciliation and Laban returns home peacefully.
One night, Jacob wrestles with God through the night, then in the morning God renames him Israel.
Later
in
their
journey,
Jacob
learns
Esau
is
some
way
off
with
400
men.
He
contrives
a
way
to
win
Esau
over
by
sending
gifts
of
livestock
ahead,
then
arranging
his
company
to
meet
Esau
a
part
at
a
time
for
safety.
However,
there
was
no
need,
as
his
meeting
with
Esau is as brothers reuniting and all is well. After the reunion, Jacob is able to continue on his way in peace.
Dinah,
Jacob’s
only
daughter,
is
raped
by
Shechem,
a
Hivite.
Following
an
attempt
at
appeasement
by
Shechem
and
his
father,
Simeon
and
Levi
deceive
the
Hivites
by
imposing
a
condition
that
they
are
all
to
be
circumcised.
On
the
third
day,
whilst
they
are
still
sore,
they
slaughter
all
the
men
and
take
their
families
and
possessions.
Now
in
danger
from
surrounding
tribes,
God
tells
Jacob
to
move
to
Bethel,
where
he
is
again
told
by
God
his
name
is
now
Israel.
God
then
repeats
His
promise
of
the
land
being
given
to
Jacob
and his seed after him.
Soon
after,
Rachel
dies
whilst
giving
birth
to
Benjamin,
Jacob’s
twelfth
son.
After
burying
Rachel,
Jacob
settles
near
Edah,
close
to
Bethlehem. It is while they are there that Reuben has intercourse with Billhah, one of his father’s concubines.
Isaac dies aged 180, and is buried by his sons Jacob and Esau.
Joseph
Joseph,
now
seventeen
years
old,
is
hated
by
his
brothers
because
he
is
his
father’s
favourite
and
for
his
dreams,
which
implied
that
his
brothers
and
parents
will
bow
down
to
him.
One
day,
when
the
brothers
are
out
feeding
their
father's
flocks,
they
conspire
against
Joseph,
strip
him
of
his
coat
and
throw
him
into
a
pit.
They
then
sell
him
to
some
passing
Ishmaelites,
who
sell
him
to
Potipher,
an
officer of Pharaoh, letting his father believe he has been killed by wild animals.
Joseph’s story is interrupted here by a sordid tale concerning his half brother Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar.
Judah
fails
to
honour
a
commitment
to
his
widowed
daughter-in-law,
Tamar,
to
give
her
one
of
his
sons
to
raise
a
child
in
his
brother’s
name.
When
Judah’s
wife
had
died,
and
he
is
away
sheep-shearing,
Tamar
disguises
herself
as
a
harlot
and
sells
herself
to
Judah. She conceives and bears Judah twins, Pheraz and Zarah. (King David is to be descended from Pheraz.)
Joseph,
blessed
by
God
in
all
he
does,
serves
Potipher
well
and
is
promoted
to
be
in
charge
of
all
Potipher’s
affairs.
After
some
time,
Potipher’s wife falsely accuses Joseph of trying to seduce her and he is thrown into prison.
Even
in
prison,
God
blesses
Joseph
in
all
he
does
and
the
prison
keeper
puts
him
in
charge
of
all
the
prisoners,
two
of
whom,
a
baker and a butler, have dreams that Joseph interprets. The butler is later released.
Two
years
later
Pharaoh
has
two
dreams.
The
first
is
about
seven
fat
and
lean
cattle
and
the
second
seven
fat
and
thin
ears
of
corn,
but
no
one
is
able
to
interpret
them.
Joseph
is
remembered
by
the
butler
and
released
to
interpret
Pharaoh’s
dreams,
which
he
does.
He
not
only
foretells
seven
years
of
plenty
followed
by
seven
years
of
famine,
but
then
advises
how
the
situation
should
be
managed.
As
a
consequence
of
this
wisdom
he
is
made
ruler
of
all
Egypt,
second
only
to
Pharaoh.
Joseph
is
given
Asenath,
the
daughter
of
a
priest, as his wife and is to have two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, before the famine comes.
As
foretold
by
Joseph,
after
seven
years
of
plenty
a
severe
famine
hits
Egypt
and
the
lands
around.
Jacob’s
sons
have
to
go
twice
to
Egypt
to
buy
corn,
each
time
questioned
by
Joseph,
but
they
do
not
recognise
him.
On
the
second
occasion,
Joseph
reveals
himself
to
them
and
an
emotional
reunion
follows.
Pharaoh
hears
of
this
reunion
and
tells
the
brothers
they
are
to
bring
their
father
and
families
to
Egypt,
and
that
he
will
provide
wagons
and
food
for
the
journey.
All
Jacob’s
family
are
now
able
to
go
to
Egypt
and
live
freely
in
the
land of Goshen, nourished by Joseph.
When
Jacob
is
approaching
death,
Joseph
takes
his
sons
to
him
to
be
blessed.
Jacob
tells
Joseph
that
God
had
said
to
him
Behold,
I
will
make
thee
fruitful,
and
multiply
thee,
and
I
will
make
of
thee
a
multitude
of
people;
and
will
give
this
land
to
thy
seed
after
thee
for an everlasting possession.
He also tells him he will adopt his sons as his own, equal to Reuben and Simeon.
Jacob’s
sight
has
become
so
poor
that
Joseph
has
to
position
his
sons
with
the
eldest
in
front
of
Jacob’s
right
hand
to
receive
the
firstborn’s
blessing,
but
Jacob
crosses
his
hands
and
it
is
Ephraim
who
receives
this
blessing.
Joseph
objects
but
Jacob’s
action
is
deliberate. Jacob then gathers his sons together to bless them before he dies.
After blessing each in turn, he gives instructions that he should be buried in Canaan with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah.
Joseph later dies aged 110, and is carried with great pomp and ceremony to his burial place.