Bible

The Book of Genesis – (cont’d)

Origins and growth of the Children of Israel:

          Today we will complete the summary of the Book of Genesis, chapters 31 through 50. These chapters describe how Abraham’s descendants move from Canaan down to Egypt, and there while enslaved, multiply into a great nation as promised by God to Abraham.

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Genesis–Part 3

Chapter 31. Treaty

            Jacob works for Laban twenty years.

• Decides to take his family, possessions, go home.
• Laban is irate, pursues Jacob, catches him at Gilead; Laban is restrained to protect his children and grandchildren.
• Bitter discussions ensue; a peaceful treaty settles differences.
• Jacob and Laban go their separate ways.

Chapter 32. Blessing

          Jacob is on his way home, hears Esau is coming toward him.

• Esau is bringing 400 men; Jacob is afraid.
• He divides his settlement in halves, one group will escape while the other faces Esau.
• Jacob prays; he sends gifts of animals out to appease Esau; sends his family to safety.
• God appears to Jacob, they struggle all night, Jacob receives his blessing, has a dislocated hip joint.
• Jacob’s name is changed to Israel because he has overcome.

Chapter 33. Reconciliation

Jacob and Esau meet in a family reunion:

• Differences are set aside, Jacob gives Esau several animals.
• Jacob returns to Shechem, buys land for his settlement.

Chapter 34. Revenge

Dinah is Jacob’s daughter by Leah;

• Near Shechem, a young man rapes Dinah, asks to marry her.
• Her brothers, Simeon and Levi, agree to that on condition that all the men of his city are circumcised like her family.
• They all agree; while they are still in pain, Dinah’s brothers attack that city with swords, kill every male, plunder every house, take all the women and children.
• Jacob worries his family might be attacked, destroyed.

Chapter 35. Revival

For safety concerns, Jacob moves his settlement up to Bethel.

• He destroys all foreign gods, calls for return to worship.
• God renews the Agreement with Abraham and Isaac.
• Moving north, Rachel, giving birth to Benjamin, dies.
• Jacob has twelve sons, one daughter, Dinah.
• Sons with wife Leah, six:  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.
• Sons with wife Rachel, two:  Joseph, Benjamin.
• Sons with servants, four:  Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher;
• Jacob comes home to Hebron where his father dies at 180 years of age, he and Esau bury their father, Isaac, at Hebron.

Chapter 36. Family

Esau is the founder of Edom, the father of the Edomites.

• Esau marries Canaanite women, not approved by Isaac.
• His settlement becomes large, crowded, moves his people to the hill country now known as Edom.
• Esau has two sons: Eliphaz and Reuel, many grandsons.
• Esau’s descendants rule in Edom for many years before, and during, the return of the Israelites after slavery in Egypt.

Chapter 37. Dreamer

Joseph is loved by his father, Israel, more than his brothers.

• He has two dreams, both symbolic that his father and eleven brothers would bow down to him.
• His brothers take offense at hearing of this dream.
• They plot to kill him, but take him away and sell him to a band of Midianite traders bound for Egypt.
• They tell Jacob that Joseph has been killed by an animal.
• In Egypt, Joseph is sold to Potiphar, a Pharaoh official.

Chapter 38. Deception

          Judah moves away from his brothers to marry a Canaanite:

• His first son is named Er who marries Tamar.
• Er is so wicked God puts him to death.
• Tamar, desiring a son, disguises as a prostitute, seduces Judah and bears him twin sons, Perez and Zerah.

Chapter 39. Prison

Joseph in Potiphar’s house is trusted, put in charge.

• Potiphar’s wife tries, fails to seduce him, grabs his coat as he escapes, has coat, lies to Potiphar that Joseph attacked her.
• Potiphar sends Joseph to prison.
• In prison, the Lord blesses him, promotes him to overseer.

Chapter 40. Dreams

The King’s butler and baker offend the King, both in prison:

• Under Joseph’s supervision, both have dreams, same night.
• Joseph explains the dreams:  The butler will be released in three days; the baker will be hanged in three days.
• Three days later the baker hangs, the butler is restored.

Chapter 41. Promotion

Two years later the Pharaoh has two dreams in one night:

• The butler recommends Joseph to the Pharaoh.
• Joseph says will be seven years of plenty, seven years of famine.
• Joseph tells Pharaoh to save plenty for the coming famine.
• Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge: seven years of prosperity.
• Famine comes, every nation comes to Joseph to buy food.

Chapter 42. Famine

In Canaan, Jacob sends 10 of his sons to Egypt for grain:

• In Egypt, they do not know Joseph, he knows them.
• Joseph calls them spies, questions them, jails them.
• Keeps Simeon, sends the others home, but they must return.
• Joseph puts their silver back in their grain sacks.
• Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go to Egypt.

Chapter 43. Famine

The famine in Canaan is severe; Jacob sends sons back to Egypt.

• They take double the silver, special gifts, and Benjamin.
• Joseph has them taken to his house, serves them a feast, weeps when he sees his younger brother.

Chapter 44. Brother

Joseph loads his brothers’ sacks with food and their own silver, sends them off toward home:

• He plants his personal silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.
• Joseph’s men pursue them, find the cup in Benjamin’s sack.
• Joseph will punish Benjamin by making him his slave.
• The brothers plead for Joseph to let Benjamin go.

Chapter 45. Reunion

Joseph breaks down, reveals his identity:

• Explains it was God who sent him to Egypt, not them.
• Tells them about his wealth, power with Pharaoh.
• They should go get their father and entire clan.
• Pharaoh promises:  Stay as long as they want in Goshen.
• Back home, Jacob agrees, moves everyone to Egypt.

Chapter 46. Nation

Jacob (Israel) moves his family to Egypt to escape the famine:

• God reassures: Israel will prosper, become great in Egypt.
• Family of sixty-six people leave Canaan, meet Joseph’s family in Egypt, total of seventy begin the nation of Israel in Egypt.

Chapter 47. Power    

Famine is great in Canaan and Egypt, Joseph is in charge.

• Pharaoh tells Joseph to settle his family in Goshen.
• Joseph prepares for the famine; Israel prospers in Egypt.
• Famine in Egypt and Canaan, Pharaoh claims everything.
• Joseph requires one-fifth of all harvests be given to Pharaoh.
• Joseph’s family owes their lives to Pharaoh; will be slaves.
• Jacob is old, tells Joseph of God’s promise of blessing.

Chapter 48. Grandsons

Joseph has two sons born in Egypt:  Manasseh and Ephraim.

• Jacob claims these two grandsons as his sons for blessing.

Chapter 49. Predictions

Jacob pronounces prophecies for his sons’ futures.  The tribes of Israel:

• Reuben, the firstborn, sinned, will no longer excel.
• Simeon and Levi, too violent, will be scattered.
• Judah, like a lion, will be praised, a ruler.
• Zebulun, will live by the sea, be great in shipping.
• Issachar, works hard, will be forced to labor.
• Dan, very clever, like a lawyer.
• Gad, will be attacked, will retaliate.
• Asher, great cook.
• Naphtali, a free spirit.
• Joseph, strong willed, blessed by God.
• Benjamin, like a wolf, ravenous.
• These are the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Jacob asks to be buried in Canaan, in a cave, in a field, with his father, grandfather, grandmother; dies at 147 years.

Chapter 50. Slavery

The family takes Jacob to Hebron in Canaan to be buried.

• Joseph’s brothers are fearful he will take revenge on them; tells them not to worry, promises to take care of them.
•  Joseph assures his brothers that the God of their forefathers will bless them, lead them to the land promised to them.
• Joseph dies at age 110, the stage is set for 430 years of slavery, and prosperity, in Egypt.

END OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS