THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
GENESIS

Title

The English title, Genesis, comes from the Greek translation (Septuagint, LXX), meaning “origins”; whereas, the Hebrew title is derived from the Bible’s very first word, translated “in the beginning.” Genesis serves to introduce the Pentateuch (the first five books of the OT) and the entire Bible. The influence of Genesis in Scripture is demonstrated by being quoted over thirty-five times in the NT, with hundreds of allusions appearing in both testaments. The story line of salvation begins in Genesis 3 and is not completed until Revelation 21 and 22 where the eternal kingdom of redeemed believers is gloriously pictured.

Author and Date

While (1) the author does not identify himself in Genesis and (2) Genesis ends almost three centuries before Moses was born, both the OT (Ex. 17:14; Num. 33:2; Josh. 8:31; 1 Kin. 2:3; 2 Kin. 14:6; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 13:1; Dan. 9:11, 13; Mal. 4:4) and the NT (Matt. 8:4; Mark 12:26; Luke 16:29; 24:27, 44; John 5:46; 7:22; Acts 15:1; Rom. 10:19; 1 Cor. 9:9; 2 Cor. 3:15) ascribe this composition to Moses, who is the fitting author in light of his educational background (cf. Acts 7:22). No compelling reasons have been forthcoming to legitimately challenge Mosaic authorship. Genesis was written after the Exodus (c. 1445 B.C.), but before Moses’ death (c. 1405 B.C.). For a brief biographical sketch of Moses, read Exodus 1–6.

Background and Setting

The initial setting for Genesis is eternity past. God, by willful act and divine Word, then spoke all creation into existence, furnished it, and finally breathed life into a lump of dirt which He fashioned in His image to become Adam. God made mankind the crowning point of His creation, i.e., His companions who would enjoy fellowship with Him and bring glory to His name.

The historical background for the early events in Genesis is clearly Mesopotamian. While it is difficult to pinpoint precisely the historical moment for which this book was written, Israel first heard Genesis sometime prior to crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land (c. 1405 B.C.).

Genesis has three distinct, sequential geographical settings: (1) Mesopotamia (chs. 1–11); (2) the Promised Land (chs. 12–36); and (3) Egypt (chs. 37–50). The time frames of these three segments are: (1) Creation to c. 2090 B.C.; (2) 2090–1897 B.C.; and (3) 1897–1804 B.C. Overall, Genesis covers more time than the remaining books of the Bible combined.

Historical and Theological Themes

In this book of beginnings, God revealed Himself and a worldview to Israel which contrasted, at times sharply, with the worldview of Israel’s neighbors. The author made no attempt to defend the existence of God or to present a systematic discussion of His person and works. Rather, Israel’s God distinguished Himself clearly from the alleged gods of her neighbors. Theological foundations are revealed which include God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, man, sin, redemption, covenant, promise, Satan and angels, kingdom, revelation, Israel, judgment, and blessing.

Genesis 1–11 (primeval history) reveals the origins of the universe, i.e., the beginnings of time and space and many of the firsts in human experience, such as marriage, family, the Fall, sin, redemption, judgment, and nations. Genesis 12–50 (patriarchal history) explained to Israel how they came into existence as a family whose ancestry could be traced to Eber (hence the “Hebrews”; Gen. 10:24, 25) and even more remotely to Shem, the son of Noah (hence the “Semites”; Gen. 10:21). God’s people came to understand not only their ancestry and family history, but also the origins of their institutions, customs, languages, and different cultures, especially basic human experiences such as sin and death.

Because they were preparing to enter Canaan and dispossess the Canaanite inhabitants of their homes and properties, God revealed their enemies’ backgrounds. In addition, they needed to understand the actual basis of the war they were about to declare, in light of the immorality of killing, consistent with the other four books that Moses was writing (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). Ultimately, the Jewish nation would understand a selected portion of preceding world history and the inaugural background of Israel as a basis by which they would live in their new beginnings under Joshua’s leadership in the land that had previously been promised to their original patriarchal forefather, Abraham.

Genesis 12:1–3 established a primary focus on God’s promises to Abraham. This narrowed their view from the entire world of peoples in Genesis 1–11 to one small nation, Israel, through whom God would progressively accomplish His redemptive plan. This underscored Israel’s mission to be “a light to the Gentiles” (Is. 42:6). God promised land, descendants (seed), and blessing. This threefold promise became, in turn, the basis of the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:1–20). The rest of Scripture bears out the fulfillment of these promises.

On a larger scale, Genesis 1–11 sets forth a singular message about the character and works of God. In the sequence of accounts which make up these chapters, a pattern emerges which reveals God’s abundant grace as He responded to the willful disobedience of mankind. Without exception, in each account God increased the manifestation of His grace. But also without exception, man responded in greater sinful rebellion. In biblical words, the more sin abounded, the more did God’s grace abound (cf. Rom. 5:20).

One final theme of both theological and historical significance sets Genesis apart from other books of Scripture, in that the first book of Scripture corresponds closely with the final book. In the Book of Revelation, the paradise which was lost in Genesis will be regained. The apostle John clearly presented the events recorded in his book as future resolutions to the problems which began as a result of the curse in Genesis 3. His focus is on the effects of the Fall in the undoing of creation and the manner in which God rids His creation of the curse effect. In John’s own words, “And there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 22:3).

Not surprisingly, in the final chapter of God’s Word, believers will find themselves back in the Garden of Eden, the eternal paradise of God, eating from the Tree of Life (Rev. 22:1–14). At that time, they will partake, while wearing robes washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 22:14).

Interpretive Challenges

Grasping the individual messages of Genesis which make up the larger plan and purpose of the book presents no small challenge since both the individual accounts and the book’s overall message offer important lessons for faith and works. Genesis presents creation by divine fiat, ex nihilo, i.e., “out of nothing.” Three traumatic events of epic proportions—the Fall, the universal flood, and the dispersion of nations—are presented as historical backdrop in order to understand world history. From Abraham on, the pattern is to focus on God’s redemption and blessing.

The customs of Genesis often differ considerably from those of modern times. They must be explained against their ancient Near Eastern background. Each custom must be treated according to the immediate context of the passage before any attempt is made to explain it based on customs recorded in extrabiblical sources or even elsewhere in Scripture.

Genesis by content is comprised of two basic sections: (1) Primitive history (Gen. 1–11) and (2) Patriarchal history (Gen. 12–50). Primitive history records four major events: (1) creation (Gen. 1; 2); (2) the Fall (Gen. 3–5); (3) the flood (Gen. 6–9); and (4) the dispersion (Gen. 10; 11). Patriarchal history spotlights four great men: (1) Abraham (Gen. 12:1–25:8); (2) Isaac (Gen. 21:1–35:29); (3) Jacob (Gen. 25:21–50:14); and (4) Joseph (Gen. 30:22–50:26).

The literary structure of Genesis is built on the frequently recurring phrase “the history/ genealogy of” and is the basis for the following outline.

I. THE CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH (1:1–2:3)

1:1 This description of God creating heaven and earth is understood to be: (1) recent, i.e., thousands not millions of years ago; (2) ex nihilo, i.e., out of nothing; and (3) special, i.e., in six, consecutive, twenty-four-hour periods called “days” and further distinguished as such by this phrase, “the evening and the morning.” Scripture does not support a creation date that makes the earth any more than about ten thousand years old. In the beginning. While God exists eternally (Ps. 90:2), this marked the beginning of the universe in time and space. In explaining Israel’s identity and divine purpose for being to her on the plains of Moab, God wanted His people to know about the origin of the world in which they found themselves. God. Elohim, which means “supreme one,” is a general term for deity and a specific name for the true God, though it is used also at times, in a relative sense, for pagan gods (31:30), angels (Ps. 8:5), men (Ps. 82:6), and judges (Ex. 21:6). Moses made no attempt to defend the existence of God, which is assumed; nor did he explain what He was like in person or how He works, which is treated elsewhere (cf. Is. 43:10, 13). All are to be believed by faith. (cf. Heb. 11:3, 6). created. This word is used here of God’s creative activity alone, although it occasionally is used elsewhere of matter which already existed (Is. 65:18). Context demands, in no uncertain terms, that this was a creation without preexisting material (as does other Scripture: cf. Is. 40:28; 45:8, 12, 18; 48:13; Jer. 10:16; Acts 17:24). A simple decree from God brought the created thing into being. Matter emerged from that which was immaterial. Out of nothing, in an instant, the universe—with all its space and matter—was made by God’s decree. The universe—at least its energy and mass—began to exist in some form. the heavens and the earth. All of God’s creation is incorporated into this summary statement which includes all six, consecutive days of creation.

1:2 without form, and void. This means “not finished in its shape and, as yet, uninhabited by creatures” (cf. Is. 45:18, 19; Jer. 4:23). The Hebrew expression signifies a wasteland, a desolate place. The earth was an empty place of utter desolation, existing in a formless, barren state, shrouded in darkness and water or mist of some sort. It suggests that the very shape of the earth was unfinished and empty. The raw material was all there, but it had not yet been given form. God would quickly (in six days) decorate His initial creation (v. 2–2:3). deep. Sometimes referred to as primordial waters, this is the term used to describe the earth’s water-covered surface before the dry land emerged (vv. 9, 10). The earth’s surface was a vast ocean—a global, primordial sea that covered the entire planet. Water, so vital to the nourishment of the life that was to come, was already earth’s most prominent feature. Jonah used this word to describe the watery abyss in which he found himself submerged (Jon. 2:5). Spirit of God. The earth’s creative agent enveloped, surrounded, and guarded its surface. Not only did God the Holy Spirit participate in creation, but so did God the Son (cf. John 1:1–3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2).

1:3–5 This is day one of God’s creation.

1:3 God said. God effortlessly spoke light into existence (cf. Pss. 33:6; 148:5), which dispelled the darkness of verse 2. light. That which most clearly reveals and most closely approximates God’s glory (cf. Dan. 2:22; 1 Tim. 6:16; James 1:17; 1 John 1:5). Like Him, light illuminates and makes all else known. Without light, all creation would remain cold and dark. What form this light took is not clear. But light itself, the reality of light, was created on day one and instantly separated day from night. The greater and lesser lights (the sun and moon) were created later (vv. 14–19) on the fourth day. Here, God was the provider of light (2 Cor. 4:6) and will in eternity future be the source of light (cf. Rev. 21:23).

1:4 good. This light was good for the purposes it was intended to serve (cf. v. 31).

1:4–5 divided . . . called. After the initial creation, God continued to complete His universe. Once God separated certain things, He then named them. Separating and naming were acts of dominion and served as a pattern for man, who would also name a portion of God’s creation over which God gave him dominion (2:19, 20). The creation of light also inaugurated the measurement of earth’s time by periods of day and night. Regular intervals of light began to be interspersed with intervals of darkness.

1:5 first day. God established the pattern of creation in seven days which constituted a complete week. Day can refer to: (1) the light portion of a twenty-four-hour period (1:5, 14); (2) an extended period of time (2:4); or (3) the twenty-four-hour period which basically refers to a full rotation of the earth on its axis, called evening and morning. On the other hand, this cannot mean an age, but only a day, reckoned by the Jews from sunset to sunset (vv. 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Day with numerical adjectives in Hebrew always refers to a twenty-four-hour period. Comparing the order of the week in Exodus 20:8–11 with the creation week confirms this understanding of the time element. Such a cycle of light and dark means that the earth was rotating on its axis, so that there was a source of light on one side of the earth, though the sun was not yet created (v. 16).

1:6–8 This is day two of God’s creation.

1:6 firmament. The Hebrew word speaks of something spread out. God commanded the water to separate, and He placed an expanse, or a “firmament,” between the water that remained on the earth and the water that now rose above the expanse. The imagery is that of a vast expanse, a protective layer that overlays the earth and divides the waters below from the waters above. The expanse in-between includes the earth’s breathable atmosphere.

1:7 under the firmament. This refers to subterranean reservoirs (cf. 7:11). above the firmament. This could possibly have been a canopy of water vapor which acted to make the earth like a hothouse, provided uniform temperature, inhibited mass air movements, caused mist to fall, and filtered out ultraviolet rays, and thereby extending life.

1:9–13 This is day three of God’s creation.

1:9–10 dry land. This was caused by a tremendous, cataclysmic upheaval of the earth’s surface, and the rising and sinking of the land, which caused the waters to plunge into the low places, forming the seas, the continents and islands, the rivers and lakes (cf. Job 38:4–11; Ps. 104:6–9).

1:11 whose seed is in itself. This is the basis of the principle of reproduction that marks all life (cf. vv. 22, 24, 28). God made the vegetation not only capable of reproduction, but also ready for it. He created fully mature vegetation with seed already in it, ready to be dispersed.

1:11–12 according to its kind. God set in motion a providential process whereby the vegetable kingdom could reproduce through seeds which would maintain each one’s unique characteristics. The same phrase is used to describe the perpetuating reproduction of animals within their created species (vv. 21, 24, 25), and indicates that evolution, which proposes reproduction across species lines, is a false explanation of origins.

1:14–19 This is day four of God’s creation.

1:14 lights. Cf. verse16. For three days, there had been light (v. 4) in the day as though there were a sun, and lesser light at night as though there were the moon and stars. God could have left it that way, but He did not. He created the “lights, sun, moon, and stars,” not for light, but to serve as markers for signs, seasons, days, and years. From now on there would be light-bearing bodies that would perpetually shine on the earth at the proper intervals and seasons. What had been a disembodied blanket of diffused supernatural light was superseded by a universe full of light-bearing bodies. The alternation between day and night continued, but now heavenly bodies provided the varying degrees of light. The entire panoply of heaven was complete and fully functioning on the day God made it. signs. The Hebrew word means “beacons” or “signals.” It suggests that the heavenly bodies were set in place to serve as markers to indicate times and seasons. These certainly included: (1) weather (Matt. 16:2, 3); (2) testimony to God (Pss. 8; 19; Rom. 1:14–20; (3) divine judgment (Joel 2:30, 31; Matt. 24:29); and (4) navigation (Matt. 2:1, 2). seasons. It is the earth’s movement in relation to the sun and moon that determines the seasons and the calendar.

1:15–19 two great lights . . . to divide the light from the darkness. It was God (not some other deity) who created the lights. Israel had originally come from Mesopotamia, where the celestial bodies were worshiped, and more recently from Egypt, where the sun was worshiped as a primary deity. God was revealing to them that the very stars, moons, and planets which Israel’s neighbors had falsely worshiped were the products of His creation. Later, they became worshipers of the “host of heaven” (see note on 2 Kin. 17:16), which led to their being taken captive out of the Promised Land. Tragically, the world’s population would choose to worship the creation rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25).

1:20–23 This is day five of God’s creation.

1:20 living creatures. These creatures, including the extraordinarily large ones, included all sorts of fish and mammals, even dinosaurs (see notes on Job 40:15–41:1).

1:22 blessed. This is the first occurrence of the word bless in Scripture. God’s admonition to “be fruitful and multiply” was the substance of the blessing.

1:24–31 This is day six of God’s creation.

1:24–25 cattle . . . beast. This probably represents all kinds of large, four-legged animals. The Hebrew word translated “cattle” speaks of livestock and animals that can be domesticated. Sheep, goats, and oxen would no doubt be included. All are known primarily for their uses to humanity.

1:24 beast of the earth. Different from and larger than the clan of cattle, this would include dinosaurs like Behemoth (Job 40:15ff.).

1:26 Us . . . Our. This is the first clear indication of the triunity of God (cf. 3:22; 11:7). The very name of God, Elohim (1:1), is a plural form of El. The plural pronouns introduce a plurality of relationships in the Godhead. They suggest both communion and consultation among the members of the Trinity. They also signify perfect agreement and clear purpose. man. The crowning point of creation, a living human, was made in God’s image to rule creation. Our image . . . likeness. This speaks of the creation of Adam in terms that are uniquely personal. It establishes a personal relationship between God and man that does not exist with any other aspect of creation. It is the very thing that makes humanity different from every other created animal. It explains why the Bible places so much stress on God’s hands-on creation of Adam. He fashioned this creature in a special way—to bear the stamp of His own likeness. It suggests that God was, in essence, the pattern for the personhood of man. The image of God is personhood, and personhood can function only in the context of relationships. Man’s capacity for intimate, personal relationships needed fulfillment. Most important, man was designed to have a personal relationship with God. It is impossible to divorce this truth from the fact that man is an ethical creature. All true relationships have ethical ramifications. It is at this point that God’s communicable attributes come into play. Man is a living being capable of embodying God’s communicable attributes (cf. 9:6; Rom. 8:29; Col. 3:10; James 3:9). In his rational life, he was like God in that he could reason and had intellect, will, and emotion. In the moral sense, he was like God because he was good and sinless. However, it did not bestow deity upon man.

1:26–28 have dominion . . . subdue. This defined man’s unique relation to creation, i.e., man was God’s representative in ruling over the creation. The command to rule separated him from the rest of living creation and defined his relationship as above the rest of creation (cf. Ps. 8:6–8).

1:27 male and female. Cf. Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6. While these two persons equally shared God’s image and together exercised dominion over creation, they were by divine design physically diverse in order to accomplish God’s mandate to multiply, i.e., neither one could reproduce offspring without the other.

1:28 blessed. This second blessing (cf. v. 22) involved reproduction and dominion. Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. God, having just created the universe, created His representative (dominion) and representation (cf. v. 26, image and likeness). Man would fill the earth and oversee its operation. Subdue does not suggest a wild and unruly condition for the creation because God Himself pronounced it “good.” Rather, it speaks of a productive ordering of the earth and its inhabitants to yield its riches and accomplish God’s purposes.

1:29-30 for food . . . for food. Prior to the curse (3:14–19), both mankind and beasts were vegetarians.

1:31 very good. What had been pronounced good individually (vv. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25) was now called “very good” collectively. There were no flaws or omissions. The work was complete in every sense. God was pleased with it. A whole universe now existed where nothing had existed only a week earlier. It was a vast cosmos full of countless wonders, each of which displayed the glory and wisdom of a good and perfect Creator. The words anticipated God’s conclusion that it was “not good” for a man to be alone (2:18), which occurred on the sixth day.

2:1-3 This is day seven of God’s creation.

These words affirm that God had completed His work. Four times it is said that He finished His work, and three times it is said that this included all His work. Present processes in the universe reflect God sustaining that completed creation, not more creation (cf. Heb. 1:3).

2:2 ended . . . rested. God certainly did not rest due to weariness; rather, establishing the pattern for man’s work cycle, He only modeled man’s need for rest. The entire work of creation was complete. With the dawn of the seventh day, God ceased from creating. When God works there is no dissipation of His energy. He cannot be fatigued, and He doesn’t need rejuvenation. The Hebrew word translated “rested” simply means that He abstained from creative work. He had completed all of creation, so there was nothing more for Him to create. Later, the Sabbath ordinance of Moses found its basis in the creation week (cf. Ex. 20:8–11). The Sabbath was God’s sacred, ordained day in the weekly cycle. Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27) and verse 3 stated that God “sanctified” or set apart the Sabbath day because He rested in it. Later, it was set aside for a day of worship in the Mosaic Law (see note on Ex. 20:8). No ordinance mandating Sabbath rest and worship is expressly instituted here. There were no restrictions governing what Adam could and could not do on the seventh day of the week. All of that came later, with the giving of the law to Israel. The specific ceremonial requirements outlined in the Mosaic Sabbath laws would have been superfluous in Eden. Everything about Adam’s life before he sinned was precisely what the Sabbath laws pictured. In a sense, Israel’s Sabbath observances were designed to show in microcosm what life in Eden was designed to be. And this aspect of Moses’ Law was merely a ceremonial reminder of what God’s original design for human life involved. Adam would have lived in a perpetual Sabbath rest, if he had not fallen into sin. Hebrews 4:4 distinguishes between physical rest and the redemptive rest to which it pointed. Colossians 2:16 makes it clear that the Mosaic “Sabbath” has no symbolic or ritual place in the New Covenant. The church began worshiping on the first day of the week to commemorate the Resurrection of Christ (see note on Acts 20:7).

II. THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH (2:4–4:26)

A. Adam and Eve in Eden (2:4–25)

2:4–25 the history of. This section fills in the details of man’s creation on day six which were not included in 1:1–2:3. How did Moses obtain this account, so different from the absurd fictions of the pagans? Not from any human source, for man was not in existence to witness it. Not from the light of reason, for though intellect can know the eternal power of the Godhead (Rom. 1:18–20) and that God made all things, it cannot know how. None but the Creator Himself could give this data and, therefore, it is through faith that one understands that the worlds were formed by the Word of God (Heb. 11:3).

2:4–5 before any plant. Verse 4 gives a summary of days one and two, before the vegetation of day three.

2:6 mist went up. This should be translated “flow.” It indicates that water came up from beneath the ground as springs and spread over the whole earth in an uninterrupted cycle of water. After the Fall, rain became the primary means of watering the earth and allowed for floods and droughts that did not exist originally. Rains also allowed God to judge through floods and droughts.

2:7 formed. Many of the words used in this account of the creation of man picture a master craftsman at work shaping a work of art to which he gives life (1 Cor. 15:45). This adds detail to the statement of fact in 1:27 (cf. Ps. 139:14, 15; 1 Tim. 2:13). Made from dirt, a man’s value is not in the physical components that form his body, but in the quality.

2:8 garden . . . Eden. The Babylonians called the lush green land from which water flowed edenu; today, the term oasis describes such a place. This was a magnificent garden paradise, unlike any the world has seen since, where God fellowshiped with those He created in His image. It was also a garden with minerals, including every precious stone. The exact location of Eden is unknown; if “eastward” was used in relationship to where Moses was when he wrote, then it could have been in the area of Babylon, the Mesopotamian valley.

2:9 tree of life. There was nothing harmful in the tree itself or in the fruit of the tree. This was a real tree, with special properties to sustain eternal life. Placed in the center of the garden, it must have been observed by Adam, and its fruit perhaps eaten by him, thus sustaining his life (v. 16). Such a tree, symbolic of eternal life, will be in the new heavens and new earth (see note on Rev.22:2). tree . . . knowledge. Cf. verse 16; 3:1–6, 11, 22. It was perhaps given that title because it was a test of obedience by which our first parents were tried, whether they would be good or bad—obey God or disobey His command. If Adam didn’t disobey, he would never know evil; but when he disobeyed, he experienced evil because evil is disobedience.

2:10 out of. That is to say “the source,” which likely refers to some great spring gushing up inside the garden from a subterranean reservoir. There was no rain at that time.

2:11 Pishon . . . Havilah. The locations are uncertain. This represents pre-flood geography, now dramatically altered.

2:12 Bdellium. This is a gum resin and refers more to appearance than color, i.e., it had the appearance of a pale resin.

2:13 Gihon . . . Cush. The river location is uncertain. Cush could be modern-day Ethiopia.

2:14 Hiddekel . . . Assyria. The post-flood Tigris River runs northwest to southeast east of the city of Babylon through the Mesopotamian Valley. Euphrates. A river that runs parallel (northwest to southeast) to the Tigris and empties into the Persian Gulf after joining the Tigris.

2:15 tend and keep it. Work was an important and dignified part of representing the image of God and serving Him, even before the Fall. Cf. Revelation 22:3. Adam was made the gardener in Eden. This was an easy and pleasant assignment because it was a source of great joy. It was the only work he was given to do—if such an occupation can even be called “work” in a sweatless, weedless, curse-free environment. His only responsibility was to make sure that the trees and plants had appropriate care. He was a guardian and steward of its wonders and resources.

2:17 surely die. To die has the basic idea of separation. It can mean spiritual separation, physical separation, and/or eternal separation. At the moment of their sin, Adam and Eve died spiritually but, because God was merciful, they did not die physically until later (5:5). There is no reason given for this prohibition, other than it was a test (see note on v. 9). There was nothing magical about that tree, but eating from it after it had been forbidden by God would indeed give man the knowledge of evil—since evil can be defined as disobeying God. Man already had the knowledge of good.

2:18 not good. When God saw His creation as very good (1:31), He viewed it as being, to that point, the perfect outcome to His creative plan. However, in observing man’s state as not good, He was commenting on his incompleteness before the end of the sixth day because the woman, Adam’s counterpart, had not yet been created. The words of this verse emphasize man’s need for a companion, a helper, and an equal. He was incomplete without someone to complement him in fulfilling the task of filling, multiplying, and taking dominion over the earth. This points to Adam’s inadequacy, not Eve’s insufficiency (cf. 1 Cor. 11:9). Woman was made by God to meet man’s deficiency (cf. 1 Tim. 2:14).

2:19 This was not a new creation of animals. They were created before man on the fifth and sixth days (1:20–25). Here, the Lord God was calling attention to the fact that He created them “out of the ground” as He did man; but man, who was a living soul in the image of God, was to name them, thus signifying his rule over them.

2:20 gave names to. Naming is an act of discerning something about the creature so as to appropriately identify it; also it is an act of leadership or authority over that which was named. This was Adam’s first task. He had to look at the characteristics of each creature and give it a fitting name. It is the Creator’s privilege to name what He creates. Man was made in God’s image, so it was appropriate that God would delegate to man something of His own sovereign prerogative. There is no kinship with any animal since none was a fitting companion for Adam.

2:21 one of his ribs. Ribs is better translated “sides,” including surrounding flesh (“flesh of my flesh,” v. 23). Divine surgery by the Creator presented no problems. This would also imply the first act of healing in Scripture. The woman was also created in God’s image, but instead of being made out of material in the earth, she was created with material from the man. Eve’s genetic structure was derived from and therefore perfectly harmonious with Adam’s.

2:23 bone of my bones. Adam’s poem focuses on naming the delight of his heart in this newly found companion. The man (ish) names her “woman” (isha) because she had her source in him (the root of the word woman is soft ). She truly was made of bone from his bones and flesh from his flesh. (cf. 1 Cor. 11:8). The English words man/woman sustain the same relationship as the Hebrew words, hinting at that original creation.

2:24 leave . . . be joined to. The marital relationship was established as the first human institution. The responsibility to honor one’s parents (Ex. 20:12) does not cease with leaving and the union of husband with wife (Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7, 8; 1 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 5:31), but does represent the inauguration of a new and primary responsibility. Joined carries the sense of a permanent or indissoluble union, so that divorce was not considered (cf. v. 16). “One flesh” speaks of a complete unity of parts making a whole, e.g., one cluster, many grapes (Num. 13:23) or one God in three persons (Deut. 6:4); thus, this marital union was complete and whole with two people. This also implies their sexual completeness. One husband and one wife constitute the married pair to reproduce. The “one flesh” is primarily seen in the child born of that union, the one perfect result of the union of two. Cf. Matthew 19:5, 6; Mark 10:8; 1 Cor. 6:16; Ephesians 5:31. Permanent male/female monogamy was and continues to be God’s only design and law for marriage. God has ordained and acknowledges sexual conduct only in the marriage relationship between a man and woman. All other sexual behavior is excluded.

2:25 both naked . . . not ashamed. With no knowledge of evil before the Fall, even nakedness was shameless and innocent. Shame is produced by the consciousness of the evil in something. They had no shame because they had no knowledge of evil. There was a beauty in the shameless wonder of that original marriage. They found their complete gratification in the joy of their one union and their service to God. With no inward principle of evil to work on, the solicitation to sin had to come from without, and it would.

B. The Fall and Its Outcomes (3:1–24)

3:1 the serpent. The word means “snake.” The apostle John identified this creature as Satan (cf. Rev. 12:9; 20:2) as did Paul (2 Cor. 11:3). The serpent, a manifestation of Satan, appears for the first time before the Fall of man. The rebellion of Satan, therefore, had occurred sometime after 1:31 (when everything in creation was good), but before verse 1. Cf. Ezekiel 28:11–15 for a possible description of Satan’s dazzling beauty and Isaiah 14:13, 14 for Satan’s motivation to challenge God’s authority (cf. 1 John 3:8). Satan, being a fallen archangel and, thus, a supernatural spirit, had possessed the body of a snake in its pre-Fall form (cf. v. 14 for post-Fall form). more cunning. Deceitful; cf. Matthew 10:16. to the woman. She was the object of his attack, being the weaker one and needing the protection of her husband. He found her alone and unfortified by Adam’s experience and counsel. Cf. 2 Timothy 3:6. Though sinless, she was temptable and seducible. Has God . . . said? In effect Satan said, “Is it true that He has restricted you from the delights of this place? This is not like one who is truly good and kind. There must be some mistake.” He insinuated doubt as to her understanding of God’s will, appearing as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14) to lead her to the supposed true interpretation. She received him without fear or surprise, but as some credible messenger from heaven with the true understanding, because of his cunning.

3:2–3 In her answer, Eve extolled the great liberty that they had; with only one exception, they could eat all the fruit.

3:3 nor shall you touch it. This appears to be an addition to the original prohibition as recorded (cf. Gen. 2:17). Adam may have so instructed her for her protection. It could also mean that Eve, apparently beginning to feel God’s restriction was too harsh, added to the harshness of it.

3:4–5 not . . . die. Satan, emboldened by Eve’s openness to him, spoke this direct lie. This lie actually led her and Adam to spiritual death (separation from God). So Satan is called a liar and murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). His lies always promise great benefits (cf. v. 5). Eve experienced this result—she and Adam did know good and evil; but by personal corruption, they did not know as God knows in perfect holiness.

3:6 good . . . pleasant . . . desirable. Eve’s deception took three forms. That the tree was good for food appealed to her physical appetite—an illicit appetite provoked by a selfish discontent and a distrust of God. That its was pleasant to the eyes excited her emotional appetite—as covetousness grew in her heart, the forbidden fruit looked better and better. And that the fruit was desirable to make one wise provoked her intellectual appetite—she desired knowledge and was tempted by the false promise that it would make her like God. She decided that Satan was telling the truth and she had misunderstood God, but she didn’t know what she was doing. It was not overt rebellion against God, but seduction and deception to make her believe her act was the right thing to do (cf. v. 13). The NT confirms that Eve was deceived (2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14; Rev. 12:9). he ate. A direct transgression without deception (see note on 1 Tim. 2:13, 14).

3:7 opened . . . knew . . . sewed. The innocence noted in 2:25 had been replaced by guilt and shame (vv. 8–10) and, from then on, they had to rely on their conscience to distinguish between good and their newly acquired capacity to see and know evil. The serpent had promised them enlightenment—what they received was a hideously twisted caricature. It opened their eyes to the meaning of guilt, but it made them want to hide their eyes in shame. Sin instantly destroyed their innocence. Even the holy gift of their physical relationship was polluted with a sense of shame. Gone was the purity of it. Now present were wicked and impure thoughts they had never known before. Sewing fig leaves together as a covering was a noble effort to cover their sin and mask their shame. Ever since, clothing has been a universal expression of human modesty.

3:8 God appeared, as before, in tones of goodness and kindness, walking in some visible form (perhaps Shekinah light as He later appeared in Ex. 33:18–23; 34:5–8, 29; 40:34–38). He came not in fury, but in the same condescending way He had walked with Adam and Eve before.

3:9 “Where are you?” The question was God’s way of bringing man to explain why he was hiding, rather than expressing ignorance about man’s location. Shame, remorse, confusion, guilt, and fear all led to their clandestine behavior. There was no place to hide. See Psalm 139:1–12.

3:10 Your voice. The sound in verse 8 probably was God calling for Adam and Eve. Adam responded with the language of fear and sorrow, but not confession.

3:11 Adam’s sin was evidenced by his new knowledge of the evil of nakedness, but God still waited for Adam to confess to what God knew they had done. The basic reluctance of sinful people to admit their iniquity is here established. Repentance is still the issue. When sinners refuse to repent, they suffer judgment; when they do repent, they receive forgiveness.

3:12 The woman whom You gave. Adam pitifully attempted to put the responsibility on God for giving him Eve. That only magnified the tragedy in that Adam had knowingly transgressed God’s prohibition, but still would not be open and confess his sin, taking full responsibility for his action, which was not made under deception (1 Tim. 2:14).

3:13 The serpent deceived me. The woman’s desperate effort to pass the blame to the serpent, which was partially true (1 Tim. 2:14), did not absolve her of the responsibility for her distrust and disobedience toward God.

3:14 to the serpent. The cattle and all the rest of creation were cursed (see Rom. 8:20–23; cf. Jer. 12:4) as a result of Adam’s and Eve’s eating, but the serpent was uniquely cursed by being made to slither on its belly. It probably had legs before this curse. Now, snakes represent all that is odious, disgusting, and low. They are branded with infamy and avoided with fear. Cf. Isaiah 65:25; Micah 7:17.

3:15 After cursing the physical serpent, God turned to the spiritual serpent, the lying seducer, Satan, and cursed him. bruise your head . . . bruise His heel. This “first gospel” is prophetic of the struggle and its outcome between “your seed” (Satan and unbelievers, who are called the devil’s children in John 8:44) and her seed (Christ, a descendant of Eve, and those in Him), which began in the garden. In the midst of the curse passage, a message of hope shone forth—the woman’s offspring called “He” is Christ, who will one day defeat the serpent. Satan could only “bruise” Christ’s heel (cause Him to suffer), while Christ will bruise Satan’s head (destroy him with a fatal blow). Paul, in a passage strongly reminiscent of chapter 3, encouraged the believers in Rome, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20). Believers should recognize that they participate in the crushing of Satan because, along with the Savior and because of His finished work on the cross, they also are of the woman’s seed. For more on the destruction of Satan, see Hebrews 2:14, 15; Revelation 20:10.

3:16 conception . . . pain. This is a constant reminder that a woman gave birth to sin in the human race and genetically passes it on to all her children. She can be delivered from this curse by raising godly children, as indicated in 1 Timothy 2:15 (see notes there). Your desire . . . he shall rule. Just as the woman and her seed will engage in a war with the serpent, i.e., Satan and his seed (v. 15), because of sin and the curse, the man and the woman will face struggles in their own relationship. Sin has turned the harmonious system of God-ordained roles into distasteful struggles of self-will. Lifelong companions, husbands and wives, will need God’s help in getting along as a result. The woman’s desire will be to lord it over her husband, but the husband will rule by divine design (Eph. 5:22–25). This interpretation of the curse is based upon the identical Hebrew words and grammar being used in 4:7 (see note there) to show the conflict man will have with sin as it seeks to rule him.

3:17 Because you have heeded. The reason given for the curse on the ground and human death is that man turned his back on the voice of God, to follow his wife in eating that from which God had ordered him to abstain. The woman sinned because she acted independently of her husband, disdaining his leadership, counsel, and protection. The man sinned because he abandoned his leadership and followed the wishes of his wife. In both cases, God’s intended roles were reversed.

3:17–18 Cursed is the ground for your sake. God cursed the object of man’s labor and made it reluctantly, yet richly, yield his food through hard work. Weeds and thorns would henceforth infest the ground. Pain, weariness, and sweat would make life difficult. Adam was thus condemned to a life of labor, tilling the cursed earth.

3:19 return to the ground. I.e., to die (cf. 2:7). Man, by sin, became mortal. Although he did not physically die the moment he ate (by God’s mercy), he was changed immediately and became subject to all the sufferings and miseries of life, to death, and to the pains of hell forever. Adam lived 930 years (5:5).

3:21 tunics of skin. It is appropriate that those bearing the guilt of sin should cover themselves. God Himself demonstrated this when He killed animals to use their skins as a covering for the fallen couple. This was a graphic object lesson showing that only God can provide a suitable covering for sin, and that the shedding of blood is a necessary part of the process (Heb. 9:22). The first physical deaths should have been the man and his wife, but it was an animal—a shadow of the reality that God would someday kill a substitute to redeem sinners.

3:22 like one of Us. See note on 1:26. This was spoken out of compassion for the man and woman, who only in limited ways were like the Trinity, knowing good and evil—not by holy omniscience, but by personal experience (cf. Is. 6:3; Hab. 1:13; Rev. 4:8).

3:22–23 and live forever. See note on 2:9. God told man that he would surely die if he ate of the forbidden tree. But God’s concern may also have been that man not live forever in his pitifully cursed condition. Taken in the broader context of Scripture, driving the man and his wife out of the garden was an act of merciful grace to prevent them from being sustained forever by the tree of life.

3:24 cherubim. Later in Israel’s history, two cherubim or angelic figures guarded the ark of the covenant and the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (Ex. 25:18–22), where God communed with His people. flaming sword. An unexplainable phenomenon, perhaps associated directly with the cherubim or the flaming, fiery Shekinah presence of God Himself.

C. Murder of a Brother (4:1–24)

4:1 Adam knew Eve his wife. The act of sexual intercourse was considered the only means by which God Himself gave children. He was acknowledged as the sovereign giver of all life.

4:2 she bore again. Some think the boys may have been twins, since no time element intervenes between verses 1 and 2. keeper of sheep . . . tiller of the ground. Both occupations were respectable; in fact, most people subsisted through a combination of both. God’s focus was not on their vocation, but on the nature of their respective offerings.

4:3 fruit of the ground. This speaks of produce in general.

4:4 firstborn . . . fat. The best animals.

4:4–5 Abel’s offering was acceptable (cf. Heb. 11:4), not just because it was an animal, nor just because it was the very best of what he had, nor even that it was the culmination of a zealous heart for God, but because it was in every way obediently given according to what God must have revealed (though not recorded in Genesis). Cain, disdaining the divine instruction, just brought what he wanted to bring: some of his crop.

4:5–6 very angry. Rather than being repentant for his sinful disobedience, Cain was violently hostile toward God, whom he could not kill, and jealous of his brother, whom he could kill (cf. 1 John 3:12; Jude 11).

4:7 do well . . . be accepted? God reminded Cain that if he had obeyed God and offered the animal sacrifices God had required, his sacrifices would have been acceptable. It wasn’t personal preference on God’s part, or disdain for Cain’s vocation, or the quality of his produce that caused God to reject his sacrifice. sin lies at the door. God told Cain that if he chose not to obey His commands, ever-present sin, crouched and waiting to pounce like a lion, would fulfill its desire to overpower him (cf. 3:16).

4:8 The first murder in Scripture (cf. Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51; Heb. 12:24). Cain rejected the wisdom spoken to him by God Himself, rejected doing good, refused to repent, and crouching sin thus pounced and turned him into a killer. Cf. 1 John 3:10–12.

4:9 Am I my brother’s keeper? Cain’s sarcasm was a play on words, based on the fact that Abel was the “keeper” of sheep. Lying was the third sin (unacceptable worship and anger being the first two) resulting from Cain’s attitude of indifference toward God’s commands. Sin was ruling over him (v. 7).

4:10 voice . . . blood. A figure of speech to indicate that Abel’s death was well known to God.

4:11 cursed from the earth. A second curse came from God, affecting just the productivity of the soil Cain would till. To a farmer like Cain, this curse was severe, and meant that Cain would all his life be a wanderer, “a fugitive and a vagabond” (vv. 12, 14).

4:14 anyone . . . kill me. This shows that the population of the earth was, by then, greatly increased. As a wanderer and scavenger in an agrarian world, Cain would be easy prey for those who wanted his life.

4:15 mark. While not described here, it involved some sort of identifiable sign that he was under divine protection which was mercifully given to Cain by God. At the same time, the mark that saved him was the lifelong sign of his shame.

4:16 Nod. An unknown location.

4:17 Cain knew his wife. Cain’s wife obviously was one of Adam’s later daughters (5:4). By Moses’ time, this kind of close marriage was forbidden (Lev. 18:7–17), because of genetic decay. Enoch. His name means “initiation,” and was symbolic of the new city where Cain would try to mitigate his curse.

4:19 two wives. No reason is given on Lamech’s part for the first recorded instance of bigamy. He led the Cainites in open rebellion against God (cf. 2:24) by his violation of marriage law.

4:20 Jabal.He invented tents and inaugurated the nomadic life of herdsmen so common in the Middle East and elsewhere.

4:21 Jubal. He invented both stringed and wind instruments.

4:22 Tubal-Cain. He invented metallurgy.

4:23–24 Lamech killed someone in self-defense. He told his wives that they need not fear any harm coming to them for the killing because, if anyone tried to retaliate, he would retaliate and kill them. He thought that if God promised sevenfold vengeance on anyone killing Cain, He would give seventy-seven-fold vengeance on anyone attacking Lamech.

D. Hope in the Descendants of Seth (4:25, 26)

4:25 Seth. With Cain removed as the older brother and heir of the family blessing, and with Abel dead, God graciously gave Adam and Eve a godly son through whom the seed of redemption (3:15) would be passed all the way to Jesus Christ (Luke 3:38).

4:26 men began to call on the name of the LORD. As men realized their inherent sinfulness with no human means to appease God’s righteous indignation and wrath over their multiplied iniquities, they turned to God for mercy and grace in hopes of a restored personal relationship.

III. THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM (5:1–6:8)

5:1–6:8 the genealogy of Adam. Ten specific families are mentioned. Most likely, in accord with other biblical genealogies, this listing is representative rather than complete (cf. Ruth 4:18–22).

A. Genealogy—Adam to Noah (5:1–32)

5:1–32 Adam . . . Noah. The genealogy links Adam to the Noahic family which not only survived the Flood, but also became first in God’s post-Flood world. Two recurring phrases carry redemption history forward: “and he had sons and daughters,” “and he died.” These lines, which get repeated for each successive descendant of Adam, echo two contrasting realities; God had said “you shall surely die” (2:17), but He had also commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply” (1:28).

5:1 the likeness of God. See notes on 1:26.

5:2 called them Mankind. In naming man, God declared His own dominion over all creation (Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6).

5:3 in His own likeness, after His image. The human image and likeness in which God created mankind was procreatively passed to the second generation and to all subsequent generations.

5:5 nine hundred and thirty years. These are literal years marking unusual length of life. The pre-Flood environment, provided by the earth being under a canopy of water, filtered out the ultraviolet rays of the sun and produced a much more moderate and healthful condition. See notes on 1:7; 2:6. and he died. God told Adam that, if he ate of the tree, he would surely die (2:17). It included spiritual death, immediately and then physical death, later.

5:24 walked with God . . . was not, for God took him. The life of Enoch provides the only break in the chapter from the incessant comment, “and he died.” Cf. 4:17, 18; 1 Chronicles 1:3; Luke 3:37; Hebrews 11:5; Jude 14. Only one other man is said to have enjoyed this intimacy of relationship in walking with God—Noah (6:9). Enoch experienced being taken to heaven alive by God, as did Elijah later (2 Kin. 2:1–12).

5:25–27 Methuselah. This man lived the longest life on record. He died in the year of the Flood judgment (cf. 7:6).

5:29 This one will comfort us. Comfort would come through the godly life of Noah, who is an “heir of the righteousness” which is according to faith (Heb. 11:7).

B. Rampant Sin Prior to the Flood (6:1–8)

6:1–4 The account that follows records an act of degradation that reveals the end-point of God’s patience.

6:1 Such long lifespans as indicated in the record of chapter 5 caused a massive increase in earth’s population.

6:2 the sons of God saw the daughters of men. The sons of God, identified elsewhere almost exclusively as angels (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7), saw and took wives of the human race. This produced an unnatural union which violated the God-ordained order of human marriage and procreation (Gen. 2:24). Some have argued that the sons of God were the sons of Seth who cohabited with the daughters of Cain; others suggest they were perhaps human kings wanting to build harems. But the passage puts strong emphasis on the angelic versus human contrast. The NT places this account in sequence with other Genesis events and identifies it as involving fallen angels who indwelt men (see notes on 2 Pet. 2:4, 5; Jude 6). Matthew 22:30 does not necessarily negate the possibility that angels are capable of procreation, but just that they do not marry. However, to procreate physically, demons had to possess human, male bodies.

6:3 My Spirit. Cf. Genesis 1:2. The Holy Spirit played a most active role in the OT. The Spirit had been striving to call people to repentance and righteousness, especially as Scripture notes, through the preaching of Enoch and Noah (1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5; Jude 14). one hundred and twenty. The span of time until the Flood (cf. 1 Pet. 3:20), in which man was given opportunity to respond to the warning that God’s Spirit would not always be patient.

6:4 giants. The word nephilim is from a root meaning “to fall,” indicating that they were strong men who “fell” on others in the sense of overpowering them (the only other use of this term is in Num. 13:33). They were already in the earth when the “mighty men” and “men of renown” were born. The fallen ones are not the offspring from the union in verses 1 and 2.

6:5 his heart was only evil continually. This is one of the strongest and clearest statements about man’s sinful nature. Sin begins in the thought-life (see notes on James 1:13–15). The people of Noah’s day were exceedingly wicked, from the inside out. Cf. Jeremiah 17:9, 10; Matthew 12:34, 35; 15:18, 19; Mark 7:21; Luke 6:45.

6:6 sorry . . . grieved. Sin sorrowed God who is holy and without blemish (Eph. 4:30). Cf. Exodus 32:14; 1 Samuel 15:11; Jeremiah 26:3.

6:7 God promised total destruction when His patience ran out (cf. Eccl. 8:11).

6:8 But Noah found grace. Lest one believe that Noah was spared because of his good works alone (cf. Heb. 11:7), God makes it clear that Noah was a man who believed in God as Creator, Sovereign, and the only Savior from sin. He found grace for himself, because he humbled himself and sought it (cf. 4:26). See notes on Isaiah 55:6, 7; he was obedient, as well (v. 22; 7:5; James 4:6–10).

IV. THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH (6:9–9:29)

A. Preparation for the Flood (6:9–7:9)

6:9 a just man . . . perfect . . . walked. Cf. Ezekiel 14:14, 20; 2 Peter 2:5. The word order is one of increasing spiritual quality before God: just is to live by God’s righteous standards; perfect sets him apart by a comparison with those of his day; and that he walked with God puts him in a class with Enoch (5:24).

6:11 corrupt . . . filled with violence. Cf. verses 3, 5. The seed of Satan, the fallen rejectors of God, deceitful and destructive, had dominated the world.

6:13 I will destroy them with the earth. Destroy did not mean annihilation, but rather referred to the Flood judgment, both of the earth and its inhabitants.

6:14 ark. This was a hollow chest, a box designed to float on water (Ex. 2:3). gopher-wood. Probably cedar or cypress trees are in view, abundant in the mountains of Armenia.

6:15, 16 While the ark was not designed for beauty or speed, these dimensions provided extraordinary stability in the tumultuous floodwaters. A cubit was about eighteen inches long, making the ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. A gigantic box of that size would be very stable in the water, impossible to capsize. The volume of space in the ark was 1.4 million cubic feet, equal to the capacity of 522 standard railroad box cars, which could carry 125,000 sheep. It had three stories, each fifteen feet high; each deck was equipped with various rooms (lit. “nests”). “Pitch” was a resin substance to seal the seams and cracks in the wood. The “window” may have actually been a low wall around the flat roof to catch water for all on the ark.

6:17 floodwaters. Other notable Scriptures on the worldwide Flood brought by God include: Job 12:15; 22:16; Psalm 29:10; Isaiah 54:9; Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 17:26, 27; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:5, 6.

6:18 But I will establish My covenant with you. In contrast with the rest of the created order which God was to destroy, Noah and his family were not only to be preserved, but they were to enjoy the provision and protection of a covenant relationship with God. This is the first mention of covenant in Scripture. This pledged covenant is actually made and explained in 9:9–17 (see notes there).

6:19, 20 There are fewer than 18,000 species living on earth today. This number may have been doubled to allow for now-extinct creatures. With two of each, a total of 72,000 creatures is reasonable as indicated in the note on verses 15 and 16; the cubic space could hold 125,000 sheep and, since the average size of land animals is less than a sheep, perhaps less than 60 percent of the space was used. The very large animals were surely represented by young. There was ample room also for the one million species of insects, as well as food for a year for everyone (v. 21).

7:1 righteous. Cf. 6:9; Job 1:1.

7:2, 3 seven . . . seven. The extra six pairs of clean animals and birds would be used for sacrifice (8:20) and food (9:3).

7:3 to keep the species alive. God could use them to replenish the earth.

7:4 God allowed one more week for sinners to repent. rain . . . forty days and forty nights. A worldwide rain for this length of time is impossible in post-Flood, atmospheric conditions, but not then. The canopy that covered the whole earth (see note on 1:7), a thermal water blanket encircling the earth, was to be condensed and dumped all over the globe (v. 10).

B. The Flood and Deliverance (7:10–8:19)

7:11 month . . . day. The calendar system of Noah’s day is unknown, although it appears that one month equaled thirty days. If calculated by the Jewish calendar of Moses’ day, it would be about May. This period of God’s grace was ended (cf. v. 4; 6:3, 8). all the fountains of the great deep were broken up. The subterranean waters sprang up from inside the earth to form the seas and rivers (1:10; 2:10–14), which were not produced by rainfall (since there was none), but by deep fountains in the earth. Such a catastrophe would also easily explain why so many of the earth’s mountain ranges give evidence of having once been under the sea. the windows of heaven. The celestial waters in the canopy encircling the globe were dumped on the earth and joined with the terrestrial and the subterranean waters (cf. 1:7). This ended the water canopy surrounding the earth and unleashed the water in the earth; together, these phenomena began the new system of hydrology that has since characterized the earth (see Job 26:8; Eccl. 1:7; Is. 55:10; Amos 9:6). The sequence in this verse, indicating that the earth’s crust breaks up first, then the heavens drop their water, is interesting because the volcanic explosions that would have occurred when the earth fractured would have sent magma and dust into the atmosphere, along with gigantic sprays of water, gas, and air—all penetrating the canopy and triggering its downpour.

7:16 the Lord shut him in. No small event is spared in the telling of this episode, although the details are sparse.

7:19 all the high hills. This describes the extent of the flood as global. Lest there be any doubt, Moses adds “under the whole heaven” (cf. 2 Pet. 3:5–7). There are over 270 flood stories told in cultures all over the earth, which owe their origin to this one global event.

7:20 The highest mountains were at least twenty-two and one-half feet under water, so that the ark floated freely above the peaks. This would include the highest peak in that area, Mount Ararat (8:4), which is c. 17,000 feet high. That depth further proves it was not a local flood, but a global flood.

7:24 one hundred and fifty days. These days included the forty-day-and-night period of rain (7:12, 17). The flood rose to its peak at that point (cf. 8:3). It then took over two and one-half months before the water receded to reveal other mountain peaks (8:4, 5), over four and one-half months before the dove could find dry land (8:8–12), and almost eight months before the occupants could leave the ark (8:14).

8:1 Then God remembered Noah. God’s covenant with Noah brought provision and protection in the midst of severe judgment. The remnant was preserved and God initiated steps toward reestablishing the created order on earth. the waters subsided. God used the wind to dry the ground; evaporation returned water to the atmosphere.

8:4 the mountains of Ararat. These were in the region of the Caucasus, also known as ancient Urartu, where the elevation exceeded 17,000 feet.

8:7–12 a raven . . . a dove. Ravens survive on a broad range of food types. If any food was available outside the ark, the raven could survive. In contrast, a dove is much more selective in its food choices. The dove’s choice of food would indicate that new life had begun to grow; thus Noah and his family could also survive outside the ark.

8:14–16 Noah and his family had been in the ark for 378 days (cf. 7:4, 10, 11).

8:17–19 be fruitful and multiply. In the process of replenishing the created order that He had judged with destruction, God repeated the words of the blessing which He had put upon non-human creatures (1:22). Noah faced a new world where longevity of life began to decline immediately; the earth was subject to storms and severe weather, blazing heat, freezing cold, seismic action, and natural disasters.

C. God’s Noahic Covenant (8:20–9:17)

8:20 built an altar. This was done as an act of worship in response to God’s covenant faithfulness in sparing him and his family.

8:21 smelled a soothing aroma. God accepted Noah’s sacrifice. curse . . . destroy. Regardless of how sinful mankind would become in the future, God promised not to engage in global catastrophe by flood again (cf. 9:11). See notes on 2 Peter 3:3–10 for how God will destroy the earth in the future.

8:22 While the earth remains. With many alterations from the global flood, God reestablished the cycle of seasons after the catastrophic interruption.

9:1 blessed Noah . . . Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. God blessed Noah and recommissioned him to fill the earth (cf. 1:28).

9:2, 3 the fear of you. Man’s relationship to the animals appears to have changed, in that man is free to eat animals for sustenance (v. 3).

9:4 blood. Raw blood was not to be consumed as food. It symbolically represented life. To shed blood symbolically represented death (cf. Lev. 17:11). The blood of animals, representing their life, was not to be eaten. It was, in fact, that blood which God designed to be a covering for sin (Lev. 17:11).

9:5 beast . . . man. Capital punishment was invoked upon every animal (Ex. 21:28) or man who took human life unlawfully. Cf. John 19:11; Acts 25:11; Romans 13:4 for clear NT support for this punishment.

9:6 For in the image of God. The reason man could kill animals, but neither animals nor man could kill man, is because man alone was created in God’s image.

9:9–17 This is the first covenant God made with man, afterwards called the Noahic covenant. See note on verse 16.

9:9, 10 with you . . . with your descendants, . . . with every living creature. The covenant with Noah included living creatures as was first promised in 6:18.

9:11 by the waters. The specific promise of this covenant, never to destroy the world again by water, was qualified by the means of water, for God has since promised to destroy the earth with fire one day (2 Pet. 3:10, 11; Rev. 20:9; 21:1).

9:12 the sign of the covenant. The rainbow is the perpetual, symbolic reminder of this covenant promise, just as circumcision of all males would be for the Abrahamic covenant (17:10, 11).

9:15 I will remember. Not simple recognition, but God’s commitment to keep the promise.

9:16 the everlasting covenant. This covenant with Noah is the first of five divinely originated covenants in Scripture explicitly described as “everlasting.” The other four include: (1) Abrahamic (Gen. 17:7); (2) priestly (Num. 25:10–13); (3) Davidic (2 Sam. 23:5); and (4) new (Jer. 32:40). The term everlasting can mean either (1) to the end of time and/or (2) through eternity future. It never looks back to eternity past. Of the six explicitly mentioned covenants of this kind in Scripture, only the Mosaic or old covenant was nullified.

D. The History of Noah’s Descendants (9:18–29)

9:18 Ham was the father of Canaan. Canaan’s offspring, the idolatrous enemies of Israel whose land Abraham’s descendants would later take (15:13–16), becomes a primary focus in chapter 10. This notation is important since Moses was writing the Pentateuch just before the Israelites took Canaan (see Introduction: Author and Date, Background and Setting).

9:19 from these the whole earth. All people who have ever lived since the Flood came from these three sons of Noah (cf. 10:32). The “one blood” of Acts 17:26 is that of Adam through Noah. All physical characteristics of the whole race were present in the genetics of Noah, his sons, and their wives.

9:21 was drunk. Fermentation, which leads to drunkenness, may have been caused by changed ecological conditions as a result of the flood. Noah may have taken off his clothes because of the heat, or been involuntarily exposed due to his drunkenness.

9:22 saw the nakedness. There is no reasonable support for the notion that some perverse activity, in addition to seeing nakedness, occurred. But clearly, the implication is that Ham looked with some sinful thought, if only for a while until he left to inform his brothers. Perhaps he was glad to see his father’s dignity and authority reduced to such weakness. Maybe he thought his brothers might share his feelings so he eagerly told them. If so, they did not share his attitude (v. 23).

9:24 younger son. This is used in the sense of “youngest son.”

9:25–27 Cursed be Canaan. The shift from Ham to his son Canaan established the historic legitimacy of Israel’s later conquest of the Canaanites. These were the people with whom Israel had to do battle shortly after they first heard Moses’ reading of this passage. Here, God gave Israel the theological basis for the conquest of Canaan. The descendants of Ham had received a sentence of judgment for the sins of their progenitor. In 10:15–20, the descendants of Canaan are seen to be the earlier inhabitants of the land later promised to Abraham.

9:26 may Canaan be his servant. Conquered peoples were called servants, even if they were not household or private slaves. Shem, the ancestor of Israel, and the other “Semites” were to be the masters of Ham’s descendants, the Canaanites. The latter would give their land to the former.

9:27 dwell in the tents. This means that spiritual blessings would come to the Japhethites through the God of Shem (v. 26) and the line of Shem from which Messiah would come.

V. THE GENERATIONS OF SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH (10:1–11:9)

A. The Nations (10:1–32)

10:1–32 See the map “The Nations of Genesis 10” for the locations of Noah’s descendants.

10:5 were separated . . . according to his language. This act describes the situation after the Tower of Babel account in chapter 11.

10:6–20 The sons of Ham. Many of these were Israel’s enemies.

10:8–10 Nimrod. This powerful leader was evidently the force behind the building of Babel (see 11:1–4).

10:10 Babel. This city was the beginning of what later would prove to be Babylon, the eventual destroyer of God’s people and His city Jerusalem (c. 605–539 B.C.).

10:11 to Assyria and built Nineveh. This was Israel’s primary enemy from the East. Nimrod was Israel’s prototypical ancient enemy warrior, whose name in Hebrew means “rebel” (cf. Mic. 5:6).

10:15–19 Canaan. A notable shift occurs in this section away from place names to the inhabitants themselves (note the “ite” ending). These are not only the cursed people of Canaan’s curse for the scene at Noah’s drunkenness, but also they are those who possessed the Promised Land which Israel as a nation needed to conquer. But the Noahic curse alone did not determine their guilt, for God said to Abram that the iniquity of the Amorites must first be complete before his descendants could occupy the Promised Land (15:16).

10:21–31 The sons of Shem, i.e., Semitic people.

10:21 Japheth the elder. This is better translated “the elder brother of Japheth” which would make Shem the oldest of Noah’s three sons.

10:25 the earth was divided. This looks ahead to the dispersion of nations at Babel (11:1–9).

B. Dispersion of the Nations (11:1–9)

11:1 one language and one speech. God, who made man as the one creature with whom He could speak (1:28), was to take the gift of language and use it to divide the race, because the apostate worship at Babel indicated that man had turned against God in pride (vv. 8, 9).

11:2 as they journeyed from the east. God had restated His commission for man to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (9:7). It was in the course of spreading out that the events of this account occurred.

11:3, 4 let us make bricks . . . build ourselves a city, and a tower . . . make a name for ourselves. While dispersing, a portion of the post-Flood group, under the leading of the powerful Nimrod (10:8–10), decided to stop and establish a city as a monument to their pride and for their reputation. The tower, even though it was a part of the plan, was not the singular act of rebellion. Human pride was, and it led these people to defy God. They were refusing to move on, i.e., scattering to fill the earth as they had been instructed. In fact, this was Nimrod’s and the people’s effort to disobey the command of God in 9:1 and, thus, defeat the counsel of heaven. They had to make bricks, since there were few stones on the plain.

11:4 whose top is in the heavens. The tower would not actually reach to the abode of God and the top would not represent the heavens. They wanted it to be a high tower as a monument to their abilities, one that would enhance their fame. In this endeavor, they disobeyed God and attempted to steal His glory.

11:6 nothing . . . withheld. They were so united that they would do all they desired to do.

11:7 let Us. See note on 1:26 (cf. 3:22).

11:8 scattered them abroad. God addressed their prideful rebellion at the first act. They had chosen to settle; He forced them to scatter. This account tells how it was that the families of the earth “were separated, everyone according to his language” (10:5) and “were divided on the earth after the flood” (10:32).

11:9 its name is called Babel. This is linked to a Hebrew word meaning “to confuse.” From this account, Israel first understood not only how so many nations, peoples, and languages came about, but also the rebellious origins of their archetypal enemy, Babylon (cf. 10:5, 20, 31). scattered them. Because they would not fill the earth as God had commanded them, God confused their language so that they had to separate and collect in regions where their own language was spoken.

VI. THE GENERATIONS OF SHEM: GENEALOGY OF SHEM TO TERAH (11:10–26)

11:10–26 Shem . . . Abram. This represents the genealogy of Shem (v. 10). Israel, upon hearing this section read, learned how the generation who survived the Flood related to their own father, Abram (v. 26), later known as Abraham (cf. 17:5). The shortening of lifespans was in effect.

11:14 Eber. This man was the progenitor of the Hebrews (i.e., Eber’s descendants).

11:26 seventy years. This was the age that Terah began to father children. Abram was born later when Terah was 130 (c. 2165 B.C.). Cf. 11:32 with 12:4.

VII. THE GENERATIONS OF TERAH (11:27–25:11)

A. Genealogy (11:27–32)

11:27 Abram. The name means “exalted father.” Cf. 17:5.

11:28 Ur of the Chaldeans. A prosperous, populous city in Mesopotamia.

11:31 from Ur . . . to Haran. Cf. Acts 7:2–4; Hebrews 11:8–10. Abram traveled northwest along the Euphrates River to Haran, a crossroads trading town in northern Mesopotamia or Syria, the best route from which to come down into Canaan and avoid crossing the great desert with all his people and animals (see 12:4).

B. The Abrahamic Covenant: His Land and People (12:1–22:19)

1. Journey to the Promised Land (12:1–9)

12:1–3 the Lord . . . to Abram. This passage contains the promise whose fulfillment extends all through Scripture (either in fact or in expectation) and ultimately to Revelation 20. The Abrahamic covenant proper is introduced in verses 1–3, actually made in 15:18–21, reaffirmed in 17:1–21, then renewed also with Isaac (26:2–5) and Jacob (28:10–17). It is an everlasting covenant (17:7, 8; 1 Chr. 16:17; Ps. 105:7–12; Is. 24:5) which contains four elements: (1) seed (17:2–7; cf. Gal. 3:8, 16 where it refers to Christ); (2) land (15:18–21; 17:8); (3) a nation (v. 2; 17:4); plus (4) divine blessing and protection (v. 3). This covenant is unconditional in the sense of its ultimate fulfillment of a kingdom and salvation for Israel (see notes on Rom. 11:1–27), but conditional in terms of immediate fulfillment (cf. 17:4). Its national importance to Israel is magnified by its repeated references and point of appeal throughout the OT (cf. 2 Kin. 13:23; 1 Chr. 16:15–22; Neh. 9:7, 8). Its importance spiritually to all believers is expounded by Paul (see notes on Gal. 3; 4). Stephen quoted 12:1 in Acts 7:3.

12:1 To a land. Abram was still in Haran (11:31) when the call was repeated (Acts 7:2) to go to Canaan.

12:2 name great. Abram’s magnificent reputation and legacy was fulfilled materially (13:2; 24:35), spiritually (21:22), and socially (23:6).

12:3 I will curse him who curses you. Those who curse Abram and his descendants are those who treat him lightly, despise him, or treat him with contempt. God’s curse for such lack of respect and disdain was to involve the most harsh of divine judgments. The opposite was to be true for those who bless him and his people. in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Paul identified these words as “the gospel to Abraham beforehand” (Gal. 3:8).

12:4 Haran. See note on 11:31. They must have been there for some time because they accumulated a group of people (probably servants).

12:5 they came to . . . Canaan. C. 2090 B.C.

12:6 Shechem. A Canaanite town located in the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim (cf. Deut. 27:4, 12) west of the Jordan River about fifteen miles and north of Jerusalem about thirty miles. Moreh was most likely a resident of the area for whom the tree was named. Canaanites were then in the land. Moses was writing approximately 700 years after Abram entered the land (c. 1405 B.C.). The Canaanites, of whom he wrote, were soon to be the opponents of Israel as they entered Canaan.

12:7 I will give this land. Cf. 13:15; 15:18; 17:7, 8; Galatians 3:16. God was dealing with Abram, not in a private promise, but with a view toward high and sacred interests far into the future, i.e., the land which his posterity was to inhabit as a peculiar people. The seeds of divine truth were to be sown there for the benefit of all mankind. It was chosen as the most appropriate land for the coming of divine revelation and salvation for the world. altar to the LORD. By this act, Abram made an open confession of his religion, established worship of the true God, and declared his faith in God’s promise. This was the first true place of worship ever erected in the Promised Land. Isaac would later build an altar also to commemorate the Lord’s appearance to him (26:24, 25), and Jacob also built one in Shechem (33:18–20).

12:8 Bethel . . . Ai. Bethel, seven miles north of Jerusalem, was named later by Abraham (28:19). Ai was two miles east of Bethel, where Joshua later fought (Josh. 7; 8).

12:9 toward the South. Abram moved toward the Negev into a less desirable area for raising crops but better for his vocation as a herdsman, perhaps engaging also in merchant activity.

2. Redemption from Egypt (12:10–20)

12:10 a famine in the land. Famine was not an unusual phenomenon in Canaan; two other major food shortages also occurred during the patriarchal period (26:1; 41:56). The severity and timing of this one forced Abram, soon after his arrival and travel in the Promised Land (vv. 5–9), to emigrate to Egypt, where food was usually in abundant supply. Still holding to God’s promise, he did not return to Ur, though matters were extremely difficult (cf. Heb. 11:15).

12:11 woman . . . beautiful. At sixty-five, Sarai was still young and exceptionally attractive, being only half the age she was to be when she died (127). The patriarchs lived long; Abram was 175 when he died.

12:12, 13 Abram’s fear of Sarai’s being taken to Pharaoh’s harem and his being killed led him to disguise his true relationship to her (cf. 20:13). Abram sought on his own initiative to take care of his future, attempting to assist God in fulfilling His promises.

12:13 sister. This was a lying half-truth, since Sarai was Abram’s half-sister (20:12).

12:15 taken to Pharaoh’s house. Egyptian officials did take notice of Sarai and informed their monarch of her beauty. The result was not unexpected; she ended up in Pharaoh’s harem.

12:17 the LORD plagued Pharaoh . . . with great plagues. The separation of Abram and Sarai was critical enough to evoke the Lord’s personal and dramatic intervention. Abram engineered the ruse to protect himself (v. 13, “that I may live”), apparently without too much thought being given to Sarai; but God’s reaction focused on the protection of Sarai (“because of Sarai”).

12:18, 19 What is this you have done to me? . . . take her and go. Somehow, and it remains unexplained, the plagues uncovered the deceit of Abram for Pharaoh. The monarch of Egypt humiliated Abram with his questions, showing more character than Abram gave him credit for and sending Abram out of his country.

12:20 sent him away. Abram’s lie brought him and his extended family to an ignominious exit from Egypt—one which the servants must have talked about among themselves, with some loss to Abram’s integrity and reputation in their eyes. See note on 13:9.

3. Division of the land (13:1–18)

13:1–4 Significantly, after the disastrous situation in Egypt, Abram journeyed back to where he had erected an altar and there he again worshiped (see 12:8).

13:5 flocks and herds. Wealth in the ancient world was measured, not by land owned, but by the size of one’s herds and the possession of silver, gold, and jewels (cf. v. 2; Job 1:1–3).

13:6, 7 Not unexpectedly, conflict occurred because of crowded conditions and limited grazing space. Both uncle and nephew had accrued much on the slow trip from Ur via Haran and Egypt to the Bethel/Ai region.

13:7 Perizzites. A Canaanite tribe. Cf. 34:30; Deuteronomy 7:1; Judges 1:4; 3:5, 6; 1 Kings 9:20, 21; Ezra 9:1.

13:8 we are brethren. Abram’s reaction in resolving the strife between the two households and their personnel portrayed a different Abram than seen in Egypt; one whose attitude was not self-centered. Waving his right to seniority, he gave the choice to his nephew, Lot.

13:9 Is not the whole land before you? Abram gladly called on Lot to select for himself (vv. 10, 11) what he desired for his household and flocks. After Lot’s choice had been exercised, then Abram would accept what was left for him. Perhaps this did much to restore, in the eyes of the servants, Abram’s integrity and reputation (see note on 12:20).

13:10 (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah). When Moses was writing (700 years after Abram came to Canaan) the devastation of that region had long before occurred by divinely initiated catastrophe (19:23–29), totally obliterating any evidence of its agricultural richness. like the garden of the Lord . . . like . . . Egypt. This twofold appraisal of the Jordan valley, with its meadows on either side of the river to which Lot was so strongly attracted, highlighted its lush and fertile nature. Moses, reading this to the Jews about to enter Canaan and likening it to the Garden of Eden, referred hearer and reader to God’s revelatory description of it (Gen. 2:8–15). Likening it to an obviously well-known and well-irrigated region of Egypt referred them to a place the Jews had likely known well in their sojourn in Egypt. Zoar. Cf. 4:2. A town located at the south end of the Dead Sea, whose name means “small place” (see 19:22).

13:11, 12 An excellent yet selfish choice, from a worldly point of view, but disastrous spiritually because it drew Lot into the wickedness of Sodom (v. 13).

13:13 the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked. Lot’s decisions put him in dangerous proximity to those cities whose names would become a byword for perversion and unbridled wickedness. Their evil is the theme of chapter 19.

13:14–17 With Lot gone, the Lord reaffirmed His covenant promise with Abram (Gen. 12:1–3). Strikingly and unmistakably, the Lord deeded the land (v. 14—look in all directions, and v. 17—walk in all directions) in perpetuity to Abram and his descendants, whom He declared would be definitely innumerable (v. 16—as the dust).

13:18 the terebinth trees of Mamre. A distinctively large grove of trees owned by Mamre the Amorite (14:13) located c. nineteen miles southwest of Jerusalem at Hebron whose elevation exceeds 3,000 feet. built an altar. Cf. 12:7, 8; 13:4. He was devoted to the worship of God.

4. Victory over the kings (14:1–24)

14:1–12 Raiding, conquering, and making other kings and city-states subservient vassals were all part of the world of the Fertile Crescent in Abraham’s day. These locations mentioned range from Shinar in the east (the region of Babylon in Mesopotamia) to the region south of the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) to the Jordan valley, to the land of Moab, southwest of the Dead Sea to Mt. Seir (later Edom). Amalekites (see note on Ex. 17:8) did not yet exist in Abram’s time (cf. 36:12), but they did when Moses wrote. Amorites scattered throughout the land became Canaanites. Vassal states, when they thought they could throw off the yoke of their suzerain with impunity, rebelled by not paying the assessed tribute and waiting for any military response. This time, their rebellion evoked a major military excursion by the offended suzerain, Chedorlaomer, and his allies (vv. 5–7); in the ensuing confrontation with Sodom and Gomorrah and their allies (vv. 8–10), the vassals miscalculated and they lost. Lot, by then a resident of Sodom, was taken captive.

14:10 Valley of Siddim. Perhaps this was the large peninsula that comes out into the Dead Sea from the eastern shore. In Abram’s time, it may have come all the way across to the western shore (near Masada), so the southern one-third of the current Dead Sea formed this dry valley. asphalt pits. Tar pits which provided sealants for all sorts of uses.

14:13 one who had escaped. One of the survivors who had fled from the invaders to the mountains (v. 10) went further and located Lot’s uncle (the people knew who was related to whom). One as wealthy as Abram would not be hard to find, and was obviously thought to be one who could do something about the crisis which had affected his own close relatives. the Hebrew. For the first time in the biblical record, this ethnic appellation, “descended from Eber” (cf. 11:15–17), is accorded to Abram. Foreigners used it of Israelites, and Israelites used it of themselves in the presence of foreigners (cf. 34:14; 40:15; 43:32). trees of Mamre. See note on 13:18.

14:14 trained servants. Abram’s private militia, members of his extended family (“born in his house”) totaling 318, were highly skilled bodyguards and the protective force for his possessions. These, together with the trained men of his allies (vv. 13, 24), were mustered and set off in pursuit of the military kidnappers, lest their captives be taken away to the east, to Shinar (the early name for Mesopotamia) or further east, to Elam.

14:15, 16 divided . . . attacked . . . pursued . . . brought back. A battle-wise Abram, no stranger to military strategy, pursued the enemy for over 150 miles (north of Damascus) and defeated the marauding consortium, being totally successful in his objective.

14:17 the Valley of Shaveh. See note on 2 Samuel 18:18. The liberated king of Sodom went to meet Abram near Jerusalem.

14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem. The lack of biographical and genealogical particulars for this ruler, whose name meant “righteous king” and who was a king-priest over ancient Jerusalem, allowed for later revelation to use him as a type of Christ (cf. Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7:17, 21). His superior status in Abram’s day is witnessed by (1) the king of Sodom, the first to meet Abram returning in victory, deferring to Melchizedek before continuing with his request (vv. 17, 21) and (2) Abram, without demur, both accepting a blessing from and also giving a tithe to this priest-king (vv. 19, 20). Cf. Hebrews 7:1, 2. priest of God Most High. The use of El Elyon (Sovereign Lord) for God’s name indicated that Melchizedek, who used this title two times (vv. 18, 19), worshiped, served, and represented no Canaanite deity, but the same one whom Abram also called Yahweh El Elyon (v. 22). That this was so is confirmed by the added description, “Possessor of heaven and earth,” being used by both Abram and Melchizedek (vv. 19, 22).

14:20 Who has delivered your enemies into your hand. Credit for victory over a superior military coalition correctly went to the Sovereign Lord (El Elyon) and not to Abram’s prowess (see note at vv. 15, 16). To Melchizedek, and to Abram too, this amounted to true worship of the true God. a tithe. This is the first mention in Scripture of giving ten percent (cf. 28:22). This ten-percent offering was purely voluntary, and may only have been a tenth of the best, not a tenth of the total (see note on Heb. 7:4). This tenth is not like the required tenths given to Israel in the Mosaic Law (see notes on Num.18:21–24; Deut. 14:22; 26:12).

14:21–24 If Abram acceded to the king of Sodom’s request, he would have allowed that wicked king to attribute Abram’s wealth to the king’s generosity, thus distorting the clear testimony of the Lord’s blessings on his life. To accept such payment would belie his trust in God. Such a personal commitment would not be foisted upon his allies, who could make their own decisions. As for his own servants, their meals taken from the spoils was sufficient compensation. Undoubtedly, the servants remembered their master’s reaction and testimony; it overcame much of the negative aspects in the memory of the earlier exit from Egypt (see notes on 12:20; 13:9).

5. The covenant ratified (15:1–21)

15:1 I am your shield. God served Abram as his divine protector (cf. Pss. 7:10; 84:9).

15:2 I go childless. In response to God’s encouragement and admonition (v. 1), Abram showed what nagged at him. How could God’s promise of many descendants (13:16) and of being a great nation (12:2) come about when he had no children? Eliezer of Damascus. To Abram, God’s promise had stalled; so adoption of a servant as the male heir—a well-known contemporary Mesopotamian custom—was the best officially recognizable arrangement to make it come to pass, humanly speaking.

15:3–5 The question, “What will You give me?” (v. 2) became an accusation, “You have not given me!” (v. 3). The Lord’s rejection of Abram’s solution (v. 4) preceded God’s reiterated promise of innumerable descendants (v. 5).

15:5 Cf. Romans 4:18.

15:6 believed . . . accounted . . . for righteousness. The apostle Paul quoted these words as an illustration of faith in contrast to works (Rom. 4:3, 9, 22; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23). Abram was justified by faith. See notes on Romans 4; Galatians 3 for a fuller discussion of justification by faith.

15:7 to give you this land to inherit it. That a specifically identifiable land (see vv. 18–21) was intimately linked with Abram’s having many descendants in God’s purpose and in the Abrahamic covenant was clearly revealed and, in a formal ceremony (vv. 9–21), would be placed irrevocably beyond dispute.

15:8 how shall I know that I will inherit it? A question not of veiled accusation at the delayed fulfillment but of genuine request for information and assurance. In response, God affirmed His covenant with Abram in a remarkable ceremony (vv. 9–21).

15:9, 10 cut them in two. The sign of ancient covenants often involved the cutting in half of animals, so that the pledging parties could walk between them, affirming that the same should happen to them if they broke the covenant (see Jer. 34:18, 19).

15:12 sleep. God put him to sleep, because the covenant did not involve any promise on Abram’s part; therefore, he would not walk through the pieces as a pledge (see v. 17).

15:13, 14 The words of God in the covenant ceremony assured Abram that his descendants would definitely be in the land, although a painful detour into Egypt would delay fulfillment until long after his demise. Cf. Acts. 7:6, 7.

15:13 four hundred years. This represents an approximated number which is precisely 430 years (cf. Ex. 12:40).

15:16 the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. A delay in judgment occasioned the delay in covenant fulfillment. Judgment on Egypt (v. 14) would mark the departure of Abram’s descendants for their land, and judgment on the Canaanites (broadly defined ethnically as Amorites) would mark their entrance to that land.

15:17 smoking oven . . . burning torch. Cf. Exodus 13:21. These items symbolized the presence of God, who solemnly promised by divine oath to fulfill His promises to Abram by alone passing through the animal pieces (vv. 9–11).

15:18–21 river of Egypt to the . . . Euphrates. Scripture records both general (Ex. 23:31; Num. 13:21; Deut. 11:24; 1 Kin. 8:65; 2 Kin. 14:25; Is. 27:12) and specific (Num. 34:1–12; Josh. 15:1, 2; Ezek. 47:15–20; 48:1, 28) descriptions of the Promised Land, centering on the ancient land of Canaan. Such precise geographic demarcation will not allow for any redefinitions which would emasculate God’s promise of its specificity. The river of Egypt was most probably what be-came known as the Wadi El Arish, the southern border of Judah. Kenites . . . Jebusites. The various peoples who inhabited the land are named. Such precise detailing of the nations in the land of Canaan attests again to the specificity of the Promised Land in God’s promises.

6. Rejection of Hagar and Ishmael (16:1–16)

16:1 See Galatians 4:21–31, where Paul uses Hagar as an illustration.

16:3 gave her to her husband. After ten childless years (cf. 12:4), Sarai resorted to the custom of the day by which a barren wife could get a child through one of her own maidservants (v. 2, “I shall obtain children by her”). Abram, ignoring divine reaction and assurance in response to his earlier attempt to appoint an heir (cf. 15:2–5), sinfully yielded to Sarai’s insistence, and Ishmael was born (v. 15).

16:5My wrong be upon you! . . . I became despised. Sarai, not anticipating contemptuous disregard by Hagar (v. 4) as the result of her solution for barrenness, blamed Abram for her trouble and demanded judgment to rectify the broken mistress-servant relationship. Abram transferred his responsibility to Sarai, giving her freedom to react as she wished (v. 6, “your maid is in your hand”). Sarai treated Hagar so badly that she left.

16:7 the Angel of the LORD. This special individual spoke as though He were distinct from Yahweh, yet also spoke in the first person as though He were indeed to be identified as Yahweh Himself. Hagar, in seeing this angel, believed she had seen God (v. 13). Others had the same experience and came to the same conclusion (cf. 22:11–18; 31:11–13; Ex. 3:2–5; Num. 22:22–35; Judg. 6:11–23; 13:2–5; 1 Kin. 19:5–7). The Angel of the Lord, who does not appear after the birth of Christ, is often identified as the preincarnate Christ. See note on Exodus 3:2. Shur. This location was south of Palestine and east of Egypt, which meant that Hagar attempted to return home to Egypt.

16:8 Hagar, Sarai’s maid. Both the salutation and the instruction (v. 9, “Return . . . submit”) given by the angel and the response by Hagar treated the mistress-servant relationship as if it were still intact. Rebelling and absconding was not the solution (v. 9).

16:10 I will multiply. A servant she might have been, but mother of many she would also become, thus making Abram the father of two groups of innumerable descendants (see 13:16; 15:5).

16:11 call his name Ishmael. With her son’s name meaning “God hears,” Hagar the servant could never forget how God had heard her cry of affliction.

16:12 a wild man . . . against every man. The untameable desert onager (wild donkey) best described the fiercely aggressive and independent nature Ishmael would exhibit, along with his Arabic descendants.

16:13 You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees. Recognizing the angel as God and ascribing this new name to Him arose from Hagar’s astonishment at having been the object of God’s gracious attention. The theophany and revelation led her to call Him also “The One Who Lives and Sees Me” (v. 14).

16:15 his son . . . Ishmael. C. 2079 B.C.

16:16 eighty-six years old. Abram was seventy-five when he left Haran (12:4). There would be a thirteen-year interval until 17:1 picks up the narrative again.

7. The covenant confirmed (17:1–27)

17:2 My covenant between Me and you. This is another reaffirmation of God’s unilateral covenant with Abram, which did not mean that there would be no responsibilities falling upon its recipients. See notes on verses 7–9; 12:1–3; 15:13–21.

17:4 many nations. The threefold reaffirmation of the divine promise of many descendants, perhaps including Isaac’s and Ishmael’s, brackets the change of name (vv. 4–6), giving it significant emphasis.

17:5 your name shall be Abraham. Cf. 11:27. The new name, meaning “father of many nations,” reflected Abraham’s new relationship to God as well as his new identity based on God’s promise of seed. Cf. Romans 4:17.

17:6 kings shall come from you. This promise highlights the reality of more than one people group, or nation in its own right, coming from Abraham.

17:7 I will establish My covenant. This relationship was set up at God’s initiative and also designated as an “everlasting covenant” (v. 7), thus applying to Abraham’s posterity with equal force and bringing forth the declaration “I will be their God” (v. 8). This pledge became the dictum of the covenant relationship between Yahweh, i.e., Jehovah, and Israel.

17:8 all the land of Canaan. God’s reaffirmation of His covenant promises to Abraham did not occur without mention of the land being deeded by divine right to him and his descendants as “an everlasting possession.” Cf. Acts 7:5.

17:9 you shall keep My covenant. Despite repeated disobedience by the patriarchs and the nation, God’s faithfulness to His cove-nant commitment never wavered (e.g., Deut. 4:25–31; 30:1–9; 1 Chr. 16:15–18; Jer. 30:11; 46:27, 28; Amos 9:8; Luke 1:67–75; Heb. 6:13–18). Divine attestations of Abraham’s obedience (22:16–18; 26:3–5) were pronounced years after the formal establishment of His covenant (12:1–3; 15:12–18). Though the nation was apostate, there was always an obedient remnant of faithful Israelites (see Zeph. 3:12, 13).

17:11 a sign of the covenant. Circumcision (cutting away the male foreskin) was not entirely new in this period of history, but the special religious and theocratic significance then applied to it was entirely new, thus identifying the circumcised as belonging to the physical and ethnical lineage of Abraham (cf. Acts 7:8; Rom. 4:11). Without divine revelation, the rite would not have had this distinctive significance; thus, it remained a theocratic distinctive of Israel (cf. v. 13). There was also a health benefit; since disease could be kept in the folds of the foreskin, removing it prevented that. Historically, Jewish women have had the lowest rate of cervical cancer. But the symbolism had to do with the need to cut away sin and be cleansed. It was the male organ which most clearly demonstrated the depth of depravity because it carried the seed that produced depraved sinners. Thus, circumcision symbolized the need for a profoundly deep cleansing to reverse the effects of depravity.

17:12 eight days old. This same time frame was repeated in Leviticus 12:3.

17:14 shall be cut off from his people. Being cut off from the covenant community meant loss of temporal benefits stemming from being part of the special, chosen, and theocratic nation, even to the point of death by divine judgment.

17:15 Sarai . . . Sarah. Fittingly, since Sarai (“my princess”) would be the ancestress of the promised nations and kings, God changed her name to Sarah, taking away the limiting personal pronoun my, and calling her “princess” (v. 16).

17:16 mother of nations. Cf. 17:5.

17:17 fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart. A proper reaction of adoration over God’s promises was marred by the incredulity of Abraham. He knew he was to be a father (12:2; 15:4), but this was the first mention that his barren, old wife was to be the mother.

17:18 Oh, that Ishmael might live before You! Abraham’s plea for a living son to be the designated beneficiary of God’s promises betrayed just how impossible it was for him and Sarah to have children (cf. Rom. 4:17).

17:19–21 Again, patiently but firmly rejecting Abraham’s alternative solution, God emphatically settled the matter by bracketing His gracious bestowal of much posterity to Ishmael (see 25:12–18) with affirmations that, indeed, Sarah’s son would be the heir of the “everlasting covenant.” For the first time, God named the son.

17:19 call his name Isaac. The name of the promised son meant “he laughs,” an appropriate reminder to Abraham of his initial, faithless reaction to God’s promise.

17:23–27 that very same day. Without delay, Abraham fully carried out God’s command on himself, on “every male,” and on “all the men of his house” (vv. 23, 27).

8. Birth of Isaac foretold (18:1–15)

18:1 the LORD appeared. This is another instance of a theophany. Abraham, perhaps, did not recognize at first that one of his visitors, whom he humbly greeted, entertained (vv. 2–8), and properly sent away (v. 16), was Yahweh. trees of Mamre. See note on 13:18.

18:3 My Lord. Although perhaps first used as the customary respectful address of a host to a visitor, later in their interchange it was used knowingly by Abraham of his true and sovereign Lord, whom he addressed as “Master” (vv. 22, 30–32), and whom he must have recognized when the visitor spoke of Himself as “LORD” (v. 14).

18:9–13 Despite a promise clearly reminiscent of God’s words to Abraham, Sarah reacted with similar incredulity as her husband had done (cf. 17:17). She was not thinking of divine miracle but of divine providence working only within the normal course of life, being convinced that, at their age, bearing children was not possible.

18:10, 14 Cf. Romans 9:9.

18:14, 15 A rhetorical question (“Is anything too hard?) and divine declaration (“At the appointed time”), coupled with obvious knowledge of her thoughts (“laughed within herself ”), made Sarah fearfully perceive her total misperception of God’s working.

9. Sodom and Gomorrah (18:16–19:38)

18:17, 18 Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? The Lord’s reason for permitting Abraham to know of judgment in advance underscored his special role in the plan of God and the certain outcome of His covenant with Abraham—many offspring and great blessing.

18:18 Cf. Galatians 3:8.

18:19 For I have known him, in order that he may command. An expression of divine confidence, i.e., a tribute to faithfulness, obedience, and consistency.

18:20 Because the outcry . . . is great. The iniquity of the two cities, by then complete (cf. 15:16), had reached the point of no return before the Lord, who demonstrated before Abraham how justly He assessed the time for judgment (v. 21, “I will go down now and see”).

18:23 Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? The intercession for the two wicked cities began with a question that portrayed Abraham’s acute awareness of God’s mercy toward the righteous and the distinction He made between the good and the bad (v. 25).

18:24 fifty righteous. Among the righteous was Lot (see 2 Pet. 2:7, 8).

18:25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Abraham’s clear understanding of God’s character being able only to do what is good and totally above reproach was affirmed with this rhetorical question.

18:27 I who am but dust and ashes. Abraham’s negotiation, far from being crassly or selfishly manipulative, humbly and compassionately expressed his concern for people (cf. 13:8, 9) and particularly interceded for the place where his nephew Lot and his family lived. He did not intend to anger the Lord by his repeated requests (vv. 28, 30, 32).

18:32 for the sake of ten. That the number of righteous people necessary to forestall judgment had been reduced from fifty to ten may have reflected Abraham’s awareness both of the intense wickedness of the cities as well as Lot’s ineffective witness there. Abraham probably had the whole of Lot’s family in mind.

18:33 the LORD went His way . . . Abraham returned to his place. Nothing more could be done; the judgment was inevitable.

19:1 two angels. These were the angels who, with God, had visited Abraham (18:22). They had taken human form (v. 10; called “men”). Lot was sitting in the gate. Since city officials and other prominent citizens conducted the community’s affairs at the gate, Lot participated there as a judge (v. 9).

19:2 please turn in to your servant’s house. Lot’s invitation to the two angels (vv. 1–3) to partake of his hospitality was most likely not just courtesy, but an effort to protect them from the known perversity of the Sodomites (cf. v. 8, “this is the reason”).

19:3 he insisted strongly. Such was Lot’s concern for these strangers that their stated preference to pass the night in the town square could not be permitted.

19:4 the men of the city . . . all the people. Both the size of the lustful mob of men boisterously milling around Lot’s house and the widespread nature of Sodom’s immoral perversion received emphasis both from the additional qualifiers used (“all the people from every quarter” and “both old and young”) and the request made (v. 5, “know them carnally”). Even acknowledging legitimate exaggeration in this use of all would not detract from this emphasis—this was indeed a wicked city.

19:5 know them carnally. They sought homosexual relations with the visitors. God’s attitude toward this vile behavior became clear when He destroyed the city (vv. 23–29). Cf. Leviticus 18:22, 29; 20:13; Romans 1:26; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10 where all homosexual behavior is prohibited and condemned by God.

19:6–8 Lot’s response betrayed tension in his ethics; his offer to gratify their sexual lust contradicted his plea not to act “so wickedly.” Such contradiction made clear also the vexation of spirit under which he lived in wicked Sodom (cf. 2 Pet. 2:6, 7).

19:8 do to them as you wish. The constraints of Eastern hospitality and the very purpose for which Lot had invited the visitors in (vv. 2, 3) compelled Lot to offer his daughters for a less deviant (see notes on Rom. 1:24–27) kind of wickedness, so as to protect his guests. This foolish effort shows that while Lot was right with God (2 Pet. 2:7, 8), he had contented himself with some sins and weak faith rather than leaving Sodom. But God was gracious to him because he was righteous, by faith, before God.

19:9 keeps acting as a judge. Their accusation suggests Lot had made moral pronouncements before, but his evaluation was no longer tolerable. pressed hard. Homosexual deviation carries an uncontrollable lust that defies restraint. Even when blinded, they tried to fulfill their lust (v. 11).

19:10, 11 Lot was now being protected by those whom he had earlier sought to protect.

19:13 the LORD has sent us to destroy it. With the wickedness of the city so graphically confirmed (vv. 4–11), divine judgment was the only outcome, but Lot’s family could escape it (vv. 12, 13). Cf. Jude 7.

19:14 seemed to be joking. Lot’s warning of imminent judgment fell within the category of jesting, so concluded his sons-in-law (or perhaps his daughters’ fiancés).

19:16 the LORD being merciful to him. This reason, elsewhere described as God having remembered Abraham (v. 29), is why, in the face of Lot’s seeming reluctance to leave (“lingered”), the angels personally and forcefully escorted him and his family beyond the city’s precincts.

19:17–21 An urbanized lifestyle was apparently superior to a lonely one in the mountains and might be why Lot, playing upon the mercy already shown him, negotiated for an alternative escape destination—another city. The angel’s reply (v. 21) indicated that this city was included in the original judgment plan, but would be spared for Lot’s sake.

19:24 brimstone . . . from the Lord out of the heavens. When morning came (v. 23), judgment fell. Any natural explanation, about how the Lord used combustible sulfur deposits to destroy that locale, falters on this emphatic indication of miraculous judgment. Brimstone could refer to any inflammable substance; perhaps, a volcanic eruption and an earthquake with a violent electrical storm “overthrew” (v. 25) the area. That area is now believed to be under the south end of the Dead Sea. Burning gases, sulfur, and magma blown into the air all fell to bury the region.

19:26 his wife looked back. Lot’s wife paid the price of disregarding the angelic warning to flee without a backward glance (v. 17). In so doing, she became not only encased in salt, but a poignant example of disobedience producing unwanted reaction at Judgment Day (cf. Luke 17:29–32), even as her home cities became bywords of God’s judgment on sin (cf. Is. 1:9; Rom. 9:29; 2 Pet. 2:5, 6).

19:29 the cities of the plain. The best archeological evidence locates Sodom and Gomorrah at the south of the Dead Sea region, i.e., in the area south of the Lisan Peninsula that juts out on the east (see note on 14:10). God remembered Abraham. Cf. 18:23–33.

19:30 afraid to dwell in Zoar. Perhaps this was so because the people there felt he was responsible for all the devastation, or he feared more judgment on the region might hit the city (vv. 17–23).

19:31–36 The immoral philosophy of Sodom and Gomorrah had so corrupted the thinking of Lot’s daughters that they contrived to be impregnated by their own father. They were virgins (v. 8), the married daughters were dead (v. 14), and there were no men left for husbands (v. 25). In fearing they would have no children, they concocted this gross iniquity.

19:37, 38 The two sons born of incest became the progenitors of Moab and Ammon, Israel’s longstanding enemies.

10. Philistine encounter (20:1–18)

20:1 Gerar. A Philistine city on the border between the Promised Land and Egypt, about ten miles south of Gaza.

20:2 She is my sister. Twenty-five years after leaving Egypt in disgrace because of lying about his wife (12:10–20), Abraham reverted to the same ploy. Abimelech. This king who took Sarah into his harem was most likely the father or grandfather of the Abimelech encountered by Isaac. See note on 26:1.

20:3 God came . . . in a dream. Again, Abraham’s Lord intervened to protect Sarah, who had joined in the lie of her husband (v. 5), deceiving a king who earnestly protested his innocence and integrity before God (vv. 4–6). Together with his aides, Abimelech demonstrated proper submission to the warning of God (v. 8).

20:6 withheld you from sinning. Notwithstanding God’s restraint of Abimelech, he was still required to restore Sarah to forestall judgment.

20:7 he is a prophet. Abraham, in spite of his lie, still served as God’s intermediary and intercessor for Abimelech (cf. vv. 17, 18). This is the first time the Hebrew term for “prophet” is used in Scripture. Here, it identified Abraham as one recognized by God to speak to Him on behalf of Abimelech. Usually, it is used to describe not one who speaks to God on behalf of someone, but one who speaks to someone on behalf of God.

20:9 deeds . . . not to be done. The confrontation between prophet and king attested to the grievous nature of Abraham’s actions. It proved humiliating for the prophet of God to be so rebuked by a heathen king.

20:11–13 Abraham offered three reasons for his lie: (1) his perception from the horrible vices in Sodom that all other cities had no fear of God, including Gerar; (2) his fear of death as a mitigating factor for what he had done; and (3) his wife actually being his half-sister as justification for lying and hiding their marital status. Abraham did not need fraud to protect himself. God was able to provide safety for him.

20:16 rebuked. This is better translated “justified.”

11. Isaac’s birth (21:1–34)

21:1 the LORD visited Sarah. To the aged couple (vv. 2, 5, 7), exactly as promised, a son was born and the twenty-five year suspense was finally over with the earlier laughter of derision now turning to rejoicing (v. 6). The barrenness of Sarah (11:26) had ended.

21:4 circumcised. See note on 17:11.

21:5 Isaac . . . born to him. C. 2065 B.C. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham (12:2; 15:4, 5; 17:7).

21:8 weaned. This usually occurred in the second or third year.

21:9 the son of Hagar . . . scoffing. The celebration of Isaac’s passage from infancy to childhood witnessed the laughter of ridicule (an intensive form of the Hebrew verb for laughing) and offended Sarah, causing her to demand the expulsion of Ishmael and his mother from the encampment (v. 10).

21:10 Cast out . . . not be heir. Legal codes of Abraham’s day, e.g., of Nuzi and of Hammurabi, forbade the putting out of a handmaiden’s son if a rightful, natural heir was born. Sarah’s request, thus, offended (1) social law, (2) Abraham’s sensibilities, and (3) his love for Ishmael (v. 11). Abraham, however, was given divine approval and assurances to overcome his scruples before sending Hagar and Ishmael out into the wilderness (vv. 12–15). Cf. Galatians 4:22–31.

21:12 Cf. Romans 9:7; Hebrews 11:18.

21:13 Cf. verse 18; see notes on 16:11, 12. Ishmael was about seventeen years old, a customary time for sons to go out to set up their own lives.

21:14 Wilderness of Beersheba. A wide, extensive desert on the southern border of Israel.

21:17 God heard the voice of the lad. When desperation turned the lad’s voice of scoffing into a cry of anguish at probable death from thirst (vv. 15, 16), God heard him whose name had been given years before when God had heard Hagar’s cries (16:11). It reminded the mother of the promise made to Abraham about her son (17:20). angel of God. This is the same person as the Angel of the Lord. See note on Exodus 3:2.

21:18 See note on verse 13.

21:21 Wilderness of Paran. This was located in the northeast section of the Sinai peninsula, the area called Arabia.

21:22–34 A parity treaty formally struck between Abimelech and Abraham guaranteed the proper control and sharing of the region’s limited water resources and also assured the king of the patriarch’s fair and equitable treatment for years to come.

21:31 Beersheba. This site is about forty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem.

21:32 the land of the Philistines. Abraham had contact with early migrations of Aegean traders who settled along the southwest coastal regions of Canaan and who were the predecessors of the twelfth century B.C. influx of Philistines, the future oppressors of Israel.

21:33 tamarisk tree. This tree functioned as a reminder of the treaty between two, well-known contemporaries, and also as a marker of one of Abraham’s worship sites. the Everlasting God. A divine name appropriately signifying to Abraham the unbreakable and everlasting nature of the covenant God had made with him, notwithstanding his being only a resident alien and a sojourner in the land (cf. 23:4).

12. Abraham’s act of faith with Isaac (22:1–19)

22:1 God tested Abraham. This was not a temptation; rather, God examined Abraham’s heart (cf. James 1:2–4, 12–18).

22:2 Take . . . your son . . . and offer him. These startling commands activated a special testing ordeal for Abraham, i.e., to sacrifice his “only son” (repeated three times by God, vv. 2, 12, 16). This would mean killing the son (over twenty years old) and with that, ending the promise of the Abrahamic covenant. Such action would seem irrational, yet Abraham obeyed (v. 3). Moriah. Traditionally associated with Jeru-salem, this is the site on which Solomon’s temple would be built later (cf. 2 Chr. 3:1).

22:4 third day. With no appearance of reluctance or delay, Abraham rose early (v. 3) for the two-day trip from Beersheba to Moriah, one of the hills around Jerusalem.

22:5 the lad and I will go . . . we will come back. The three-day journey (v. 4) afforded much time to reflect upon God’s commands but, without wavering or questioning the morality of human sacrifice or the purposes of God, Abraham confidently assured his servants of his and Isaac’s return and went ahead with arrangements for the sacrifice (v. 6). Hebrews 11:17–19 reveals that he was so confident in the permanence of God’s promise, that he believed if Isaac were to be killed, God would raise him from the dead (see notes), or God would provide a substitute for Isaac (v. 8).

22:9, 10 Abraham’s preparations to kill his only son clearly evidenced his trust in God. Cf. Hebrews 11:17–19.

22:11 Angel of the Lord. See note on Exodus 3:2.

22:12 now I know. Abraham passed the test (v. 1). He demonstrated faith that God responds to with justification. See note on James 2:21.

22:13 instead of his son. The idea of substitutionary atonement is introduced, which would find its fulfillment in the death of Christ (Is. 53:4–6; John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21).

22:15–18 In this formal reaffirmation of His Abrahamic covenant, the Lord mentioned the three elements of land, seed, and blessing, but with attention directed graphically to the conquest of the land promised (v. 17, “shall possess the gate of their enemies”).

22:16, 17 Cf. 12:1–3; 15:13–18; 17:2, 7, 8, 9; Hebrews 6:13, 14.

22:17 possess the gate of their enemies. Cf. 24:60. This refers to conquering enemies, so as to control their city.

22:18 Cf. Acts 3:25.

C. Abraham’s Promised Seed (22:20–25:11)

1. Rebekah’s background (22:20–24)

22:20–24 it was told. This is clear indication that, despite geographical separation, information about family genealogies flowed back and forth in the Fertile Crescent region. This update advised most notably of a daughter, Rebekah, born to Isaac’s cousin, Bethuel (v. 23). It also reminds the readers that Abraham and Sarah had not lost all ties with their original home. Abraham’s brother, Nahor, still lived back in Mesopotamia, though he had not seen him for about sixty years.

2. The death of Sarah (23:1–20)

23:1, 2 Although Sarah’s age—the only woman’s age at death recorded in Scripture—might suggest her importance in God’s plan, it more importantly reminds of the birth of her only son when she was well beyond childbearing age (at ninety years of age, cf. 17:17) and of God’s intervention to bring about the fulfillment of His word to her and Abraham. Sarah’s death occurred c. 2028 B.C.

23:2 Hebron. See note on 13:18.

23:3 the sons of Heth. A settlement of Hittites whose original home was in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), who had already been established in Canaan far from their homeland.

23:4 Give me property. Negotiations for the purchase (“give” signifies here “sell”) of Hittite property was properly conducted in accordance with contemporary Hittite custom, with Abraham wanting to pay the fair market value for it (v. 9).

23:6 a mighty prince among us. Rank and reputation accorded Abraham a place of leadership and respect, leading his neighbors (the Hittites) to freely offer their best sepulchers to him. They went on and arranged for Abraham to purchase a cave that belonged to a wealthy neighbor called Ephron (vv. 7–9), unknown to Abraham.

23:10 dwelt. Lit. “was sitting,” perhaps at the city gate where business was usually transacted.

23:11 I give you the field. This suggests not that Ephron felt generous, but that he was constrained by Hittite feudal polity, which tied ownership of land with service to the ruler. Passing the land to Abraham would pass also feudal responsibilities to Abraham, making him liable for all taxes and duties. Ephron was apparently anxious to do this; thus, the offer to give the land.

23:14, 16 shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. Precious metals were not made into coins for exchange until centuries later. Merchants maintained the shekel as the standard weight of value for business transactions. A shekel weighed less than one-half ounce.

23:17, 18 With the words of the transaction, the careful description of the property, and the payment of the stated price all done before witnesses and at the proper place of business, ownership of the land officially passed to Abraham. It was still binding years later in the time of Jacob (49:29–32; 50:12, 13).

23:19 after this. Once the purchase had been made, Abraham buried Sarah. Moses notes the place is Hebron in Canaan, to which his initial readers were soon headed when they entered the land.

23:20 So the field and the cave . . . were deeded. This is an important summary because finally, after years of nomadic wandering, Abraham owned a small piece of real estate in the midst of all the land divinely promised to him and his descendants. The cave also became, many years later, the family burial plot for Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob (cf. 25:9; 49:31; 50: 13), with Rachel being the exception (35:19).

3. Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah (24:1–67)

24:2 the oldest servant . . . who ruled. Eliezer, at eighty-five years of age, had risen to steward, or “chief of staff,” a position of substantial authority (indicated in v. 10). He would have received all Abraham’s wealth if he had no son (see 15:1, 2); yet, when Isaac was born, the inheritance became Isaac’s. So not only had he loyally served his master despite having been displaced by another heir (cf. 15:2–4), but he also faithfully served that heir (v. 67).

24:2–4 put your hand under my thigh . . . and . . . swear. See note on verse 9. A solemn pledge mentioning the Lord’s name and formalized by an accepted customary gesture indicated just how serious an undertaking this was in Abraham’s eyes. At his age (v. 1), Abraham was concerned to perpetuate his people and God’s promise through the next generation; so he covenanted with his servant to return to Mesopotamia and bring back a wife for Isaac.

24:3, 4 Matrimonial arrangements were made by parents, and chosen partners were to come from one’s own tribe. It was apparently customary to marry one’s first cousin. But Abraham’s higher motive was to prevent Isaac from marrying a Canaanite pagan after Abraham’s death, possibly leading the people away from the true God.

24:6, 7 do not take my son back there. Should the expected scenario not materialize (v. 5), then the dictates of the oath were lifted (v. 8), but the option of Isaac going was summarily rejected because it suggested a nullification of God’s promise and calling for the Land of Promise (v. 7).

24:7 He will send His angel before you. A statement of Abraham’s faith that the 450-mile expedition to Mesopotamia was clearly under divine oversight.

24:9 his hand under the thigh. An ancient Near Eastern custom by which an intimate touch affirmed an oath (cf. 47:29).

24:10 city of Nahor. This is, no doubt, the home of Abraham’s brother, Nahor (22:20).

24:12–14 The steward’s prayer manifests not only his trust in God to direct affairs, but also the selflessness with which he served Abraham. His patience after prayer (v. 21), his worship at answered prayer (v. 26), and his acknowledgment of divine guidance (v. 27) also portrayed his faith.

24:14 camels a drink. Hospitality required giving water to a thirsty stranger, but not to animals. A woman who would do that was unusually kind and served beyond the call of duty. Rebekah’s servant-attitude was revealed (vv. 15–20) as was her beauty and purity (v. 16).

24:20 all his camels. A single camel can hold up to twenty-five gallons, and he had ten of them. Serving them was a great task as she filled them all (v. 22).

24:22 shekel. See note on 23:14, 16.

24:24 I am the daughter of. In formal introductions, an abbreviated genealogy provided for specific identification (cf. 22:23). She was Isaac’s cousin.

24:29–31 Laban. From what is revealed about his character (ch. 29), there is reason to believe that his sight of all the presents and the camels generated the welcome.

24:33 I will not eat until. The first order of business was to identify his master and to explain his assignment, but not without emphasizing the blessings of God upon his master and upon his trip (vv. 34–48) and also not without immediately seeking to conclude his task and return home (vv. 49, 54–56). This is the portrait of a committed, faithful, and selfless servant.

24:49 right . . . left. An expression indicating the matter of which way to go next.

24:50, 51 The servant’s conviction and focus was obvious and intense, precluding anything but immediate acknowledgment of God’s leading and anything less than a full compliance with his request from Rebekah’s father and brother (vv. 50, 51).

24:53 By this dowry, Rebekah was betrothed to Isaac.

24:54 Send me away to my master. Protocol and courtesy demanded a messenger be dismissed by the one to whom he had been sent.

24:57, 58 Will you go with this man? Commendably, Rebekah concurred with an immediate departure and showed her confident acceptance of what was providentially coming about in her life.

24:59 her nurse. See 35:8.

24:60 they blessed Rebekah and said. Little did they realize that their conventional prayer, wishing numerous offspring to Rebekah, conformed with God’s promises of many descendants to Abraham through Sarah and Isaac. They also wished for her offspring to be victorious over their enemies (“possess their gates”), perhaps echoing God’s promises of possession of the Canaanites’ land (13:17; 15:7, 16; 17:8).

24:62 Beer Lahai Roi. See 16:14. Located on the northern Egyptian border, about twenty-five miles northwest of Kadesh Barnea. Isaac lived there after Abraham’s death (25:11).

24:63 to meditate. How God drew Isaac from home to where Hagar encountered the Angel of the Lord (cf. 16:14) remains unknown, but he was in the right place to meet the caravan returning with his fiancée. Perhaps he was prayerfully contemplating the circumstances of his life and the void left by his mother’s death (v. 67), as well as thinking about and hoping the steward would not return from a failed mission.

24:65 she took a veil and covered herself. Convention demanded the designated bride veil her face in the presence of her betrothed until the wedding day.

24:67 his mother Sarah’s tent. Isaac, thus, established his acceptance of Rebekah as his wife before he had seen her beauty. When he did see her, “he loved her.”

4. Isaac—the only heir (25:1–6)

25:1–4 Abraham’s sons through Keturah (a concubine, cf. v. 6; 1 Chr. 1:32) a wife of lower status than Sarah, became the progenitors of various Arab tribes to the east of Canaan.

25:5, 6 Conferring gifts upon these other sons, then sending them away, and also conferring the estate upon Isaac ensured that Isaac would be considered as the rightful heir without competition or threat from his half-brothers. The steward, Eliezer, had informed Rebekah’s relatives that all of Abraham’s estate was Isaac’s (cf. 24:36).

5. The death of Abraham (25:7–11)

25:8 gathered to his people. A euphemism for death, but also an expression of personal continuance beyond death, which denoted a reunion with previously departed friends (c. 1990 B.C.). Cf. Matthew 8:11; Luke 16:22, 23.

25:9, 10 his sons . . . buried him. Abraham’s funeral brought together two sons who would perhaps otherwise have remained somewhat estranged from each other (cf. 35:29). He was buried in the place which he had purchased at Hebron (ch. 23).

VIII. THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL (25:12–18)

25:12–18 the genealogy of Ishmael. With the death of Abraham and the focus shifting to Isaac, the record confirms God’s promise of twelve princes to Ishmael (cf. 17:20, 21).

25:13–16 Arab tradition has it that these are their earliest ancestors.

25:16 by their towns and their settlements. In addition to serving as a testimony to God’s promises (17:20), information such as this genealogy helped Israel to understand the origins of their neighbors in central and northern Arabia.

IX. THE GENERATIONS OF ISAAC (25:19–35:29)

A. Competition Between Esau and Jacob (25:19–34)

25:20 Padan Aram. This refers to the “plain of Aram” in upper Mesopotamia near Haran to the north-northeast of Canaan.

25:21 she was barren. Confronted by twenty years of his wife’s barrenness (vv. 19, 26), Isaac rose to the test and earnestly turned to God in prayer, obviously acknowledging God’s involvement and timing in the seed-promise.

25:22 struggled together within her. The very uncomfortable condition of her pregnancy (“why am I like this?”) prompted Rebekah, undoubtedly following the example of her husband, to turn earnestly to God in prayer. She learned directly from the Lord that the severe jostling in her womb prefigured the future antagonism between the two nations to arise from her twin sons (v. 23).

25:23 the older shall serve the younger. This was contrary to the custom in patriarchal times when the elder son enjoyed the privileges of precedence in the household and, at the father’s death, received a double share of the inheritance and became the recognized head of the family (cf. Ex. 22:29; Num 8:14–17; Deut. 21:17). Grave offenses could annul such primogeniture rights (cf. Gen. 35:22; 49:3, 4; 1 Chr. 5:1) or the birthright could be sacrificed or legally transferred to another in the family, as here (vv. 29–34). In this case, God declared otherwise since His sovereign elective purposes did not necessarily have to follow custom (cf. Rom. 9:10–14, esp. v. 12).

25:24 days were fulfilled. Esau and Jacob were born c. 2005 B.C.

25:25 red. This would be the linguistic basis for calling Esau’s country “Edom” (cf. v. 30).

25:27, 28 The difference between the two sons manifested itself in several areas: (1) as progenitors—Esau of Edom and Jacob of Israel; (2) in disposition—Esau a rugged, headstrong hunter preferring the outdoors and Jacob a plain, amiable man preferring the comforts of home; and (3) in parental favoritism—Esau by his father and Jacob by his mother. These were the ingredients for conflict and heartache.

25:30 Edom. In a play on words to forever recall that Esau was born red and hairy (v. 25) and had sold his birthright for red stew, he was also named Edom, i.e., “Red.”

25:31 birthright. This involved a double portion of the inheritance (Deut. 21:17) and the right to be family chief and priest (Ex. 4:22).

25:34 despised his birthright. This evidences the final evaluation of the verbal tussle and bartering which took place between the twins, all of which was indicative of prior discussions or arguments sufficient for Jacob to conclude how little Esau valued it. He became, therefore, known as irreligious, i.e., “a profane person” (Heb. 12:16).

B. Covenant Blessings to Isaac (26:1–35)

26:1 a famine in the land. Once again the land of promise forced the beneficiaries of the covenant to move so as to escape the effects of a famine. Abimelech. Most probably a Philistine dynastic title, with this being a different king from the one who had met Abraham (ch. 20). See note on 20:2. Philistines. This tribe of people who originally sailed the Mediterranean Sea became fierce enemies of Israel when they settled along the southwest coast of Palestine. Friendly to Isaac, they were forerunners of hostile descendant enemies.

26:2–11 Obedience and deceit were both present. Obeying God to dwell in the land (vv. 2, 3, 6), yet lying about his wife to the people of the land (vv. 7–11) reflected familiar shades of Abraham’s strategy for survival (see 12:10–14; 20:1–4).

26:3–5 God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant with Isaac, emphasizing the same three elements as before: land, seed, and blessing. He appended specific honorable mention of Abraham’s obedient response to all of God’s words. See notes on 12:1–3; 15:13–21; 17:2, 7, 8, 9. Although Abraham was commended for his deeds, the Abrahamic covenant was an unconditional covenant grounded in God’s sovereign will (cf. Lev. 26:44, 45).

26:4 Cf. Acts 3:25.

26:6–9 Unlike his ancestor to whom God sovereignly revealed the relationship between Abraham and Sarah (20:3), this king providentially discovered Rebekah’s relationship to Isaac by just happening to look out of a window and witnessing caresses indicative of marriage and intimacy.

26:11 charged all his people . . . put to death. A pagan king imposing the death penalty on anyone troubling Isaac or Rebekah suggests God was at work to preserve His chosen seed (cf. vv. 28, 29). Cf. Psalm 105:14, 15.

26:12–14 Isaac was content to stay in that place and farm some land. His efforts were blessed by God, but envied by the Philistines.

26:15 stopped up all the wells. Water was so precious in that desert land that wells were essential. Plugging someone’s well was ruinous to them and constituted serious aggression, often leading to war. Isaac could have retaliated, but he did not; rather, he dug new wells (vv. 16–19).

26:22 Rehoboth. The word means “room enough.” Finally, a well was dug without a quarrel erupting (vv. 20, 21). Now that they were no longer perceived as encroaching upon another’s territory, Isaac selected an appropriate place-name which reflected how he saw God providentially working out their situation.

26:24, 25 This abbreviated reaffirmation of the Abrahamic covenant was designed to ease Isaac’s anxiety at facing envy, quarrels, and hostility (vv. 14, 20, 27), and to assure Isaac that he had reasoned right—fruitfulness in posterity would prevail. That it was a significant reminder to Isaac is seen in a response reminiscent of his father; he built an altar of worship to mark the spot of God’s appearance to him (12:7).

26:26 Abimelech . . . and Phichol. Because ninety years had passed since Abraham was visited by men with the same names, they must have been titles rather than proper names (cf. 21:22). See note on verse 1.

26:28 an oath . . . a covenant. In a mirror image of a former occasion (21:22–32), Abimelech, in the company of a friend and the highest ranking officer in his army (v. 26), sought after a treaty with one they estimated to be superior and stronger than themselves and a possible threat (v. 29). Isaac, on the other hand, perceived them as hostile (v. 27). The outcome was most desirable for both—peace between them (v. 31).

26:30 Ratification of a covenant often involved a banquet.

26:33 Beersheba. Lit. “the well of the oath.” The very place where his father Abraham had made an oath with another Abimelech and Phichol (see note on v. 26) and which Abraham had named Beersheba (21:32).

26:35 grief of mind. Esau’s choice of wives from among neighboring Hittite women saddened his parents. His action had deliberately ignored the standard set by Abraham for Isaac (24:3). Cf. 27:46.

C. Jacob’s Deception for the Blessing (27:1–40)

27:1 Isaac was old. Blind Isaac evidently thought he was near death (v. 2) and would not live much beyond his current 137 years, which was the age of Ishmael when he died (25:17). He certainly did not expect to live another forty-three years as he actually did (35:28; cf. 30:24, 25; 31:41; 41:46, 47; 45:6; 47:9 to calculate Isaac’s age at 137 and his twin sons’ ages at 77 years old).

27:4 my soul may bless you. Ignoring the words of God to Rebekah (25:23), forgetting Esau’s bartered birthright (25:33), and overlooking Esau’s grievous marriages (26:35), Isaac was still intent on treating Esau as the eldest and granting him the blessing of birthright, and so arranged for his favorite meal before bestowing final fatherly blessing on his favorite son.

27:5 Now Rebekah was listening. Desperation to secure patriarchal blessing for Jacob bred deception and trickery, with Rebekah believing her culinary skills could make goat’s meat taste and smell like choice venison (vv. 8–10) and make Jacob seem like Esau (vv. 15–17).

27:12 I shall seem to be a deceiver to him. To his credit, Jacob at first objected. The differences between him and Esau would surely not fool his father and might result in blessing being replaced with a curse as a fitting punishment for deception.

27:13 Let your curse be on me. With his mother accepting full responsibility for the scheme and bearing the curse should it occur, Jacob acquiesced and followed Rebekah’s instructions.

27:15 choice clothes of her elder son. Esau, having been married for thirty-seven years (cf. v. 1; 26:35), would have had his own tents and his own wives to do for him; so how and why Rebekah came by some of his best clothes in her tent is unknown. Perhaps these garments were the official robes associated with the priestly functions of the head of the house, kept in her house until passed on to the oldest son. Perhaps Esau had, on occasion, worn them, thus their smell of the field (v. 27).

27:20 Because the LORD your God brought it to me. Isaac’s perfectly legitimate question in verse 20 (hunting took time and Jacob had come so quickly with goats from the pen) afforded Jacob an escape route—confess and stop the deceit. Instead, Jacob, with consummate ease, knowing he needed Isaac’s irrevocable confirmation even though he had bought the birthright, ascribed success in the hunt to God’s providence. A lie had to sustain a lie, and a tangled web had begun to be woven (vv. 21–24). Although Jacob received Isaac’s blessing that day, the deceit caused severe consequences: (1) he never saw his mother after that; (2) Esau wanted him dead; (3) Laban, his uncle, deceived him; (4) his family life was full of conflict; and (5) he was exiled for years from his family. By the promise of God, he would have received the birthright (25:23). He didn’t need to scheme this deception with his mother.

27:27–29 Finally, with all lingering doubts removed, Isaac pronounced the blessing upon Jacob, although the opening words show he thought the one receiving it was Esau, the man of the field. His prayer-wish called for prosperity and superiority and ended with a repeat of God’s words to Abraham (v. 29c; cf. 12:1–3). The words indicated that Isaac thought the covenantal line should have continued through his eldest son, Esau.

27:33 Isaac trembled exceedingly. Visibly shocked when the scandal was uncovered by the entrance of Esau, the father, remembering the Lord’s words to Rebekah (25:23), refused to withdraw the blessing and emphatically affirmed its validity—“indeed he shall be blessed” and a little later “indeed I have made him your master” and also “you shall serve your brother” (vv. 37, 40). His sudden realization at having opposed God’s will all those years likely made the shock even more severe.

27:34 Bless me—me also. Esau fully expected to receive the blessing, for he had identified himself to his father as the firstborn (v. 32). Anguished at losing this important paternal blessing and bitterly acting as the innocent victim (v. 36), Esau shifted the blame for the loss of birthright and blessing to Jacob and pleaded for some compensating word of blessing from his father (vv. 36, 38).

27:39, 40 The prayer-wish called for prosperity and inferiority, i.e., maintaining the validity of the words to Jacob and replacing “be master over your brethren” with “you shall serve your brother” (vv. 29, 40). This secondary blessing would not and could not undo the first one.

27:40 you shall break his yoke from your neck. In later history, the Edomites, who descended from the line of Esau, fought time and again with Israel and shook off Israelite control on several occasions (2 Kin. 8:20; 2 Chr. 21:8–10; 28:16, 17).

D. Blessing on Jacob in a Foreign Land (27:41–32:32)

1. Jacob sent to Laban (27:41–28:9)

27:41 The days of mourning for my father. Evidently, Esau also thought his father was on the verge of death (27:1) and so, out of respect for his aged father, he postponed murder. Isaac lived another forty-three years (see note on v. 1).

27:45 bereaved also of you both in one day? Rebekah understood that she stood to lose both her sons since, after the murder of Jacob, the avenger of blood, i.e., the next nearest relative, would track down and execute Esau.

27:46 daughters of Heth. These are local Hittite women. See notes on 23:3; 26:35.

28:1, 2 take yourself a wife from there. Anxious for the safety of her son, Rebekah easily convinced her husband that the time had come for him to seek a non-Canaanite wife back in their homeland and preferably from near kinsmen (vv. 2, 5), just as Rebekah had been sought for Isaac (see 24:1–4).

28:2 Padan Aram. See note on 25:20.

28:3, 4 This extra patriarchal blessing unveiled where Isaac was in his thinking. He had come to understand that the divine blessings would go through Jacob, to whom the Abrahamic covenant promises of posterity and land also applied—quite the reversal of prior wishes and understanding (cf. 27:27–29). The lack of land possession at that time, described by the phrase “in which you are a stranger,” did not deter at all from the certainty of God’s promise.

28:3 God Almighty. Significantly, El Shaddai was the name Isaac chose to use when blessing Jacob. It was the name of sovereign power with which God had identified Himself to Abraham in covenant reaffirmation (17:1), an encouraging factor to both him and his son.

28:5 Isaac sent Jacob away. C. 1928 B.C. This must have been a hard departure for the domestic Jacob.

28:9 So Esau went to Ishmael. Marrying back into the line of Abraham through the family of Ishmael seemed to have been a ploy to gain favor with his father (vv. 6, 8), and show an obedience similar to his brother’s (v. 7). He hoped by such gratifying of his parents to atone for past delinquencies and, maybe, have his father change the will. He actually increased iniquity by adding to his pagan wives (26:34, 35) a wife from a family God had rejected.

2. Angel at Bethel (28:10–22)

28:10–15 For the first time, and significantly while Jacob was on his way out of the land of Canaan, God revealed Himself to Jacob and confirmed the Abrahamic covenant with him in all of its three elements of land, seed, and blessing (vv. 13, 14). Later, God would remind Jacob of this event when He instructed him to return to the land (31:13) and Jacob would remind his household of it when he instructed them to cleanse their homes before they could return to Bethel (35:3).

28:10 Haran. See note on 11:31.

28:11 a certain place. Identified in verse 19 as Bethel, about fifty miles north of Beersheba, and about six miles north of Jerusalem. There, Jacob spent the night in an open field.

28:12 a ladder . . . angels of God were ascending and descending. This is a graphic portrayal of the heavenly Lord’s personal involvement in the affairs of earth, especially as they related to divine covenant promises in Jacob’s life (vv. 13–15). This dream was to encourage the lonely traveler. God’s own appointed angelic messengers ensured the carrying out of His will and plans. More than likely, the angels traversed a stairway rather than a ladder.

28:15 will keep you . . . will bring you back. A most timely, comforting, and assuring promise which remained engraved on Jacob’s heart during his sojourn in Haran (see 30:25). His forced departure from Canaan did not and would not abrogate any of God’s promises to him.

28:18–21 a pillar. Marking a particular site as of special religious significance by means of a stone pillar was a known practice. A libation offering, a change of place-name, and a vow of allegiance to the Lord in exchange for promised protection and blessing completed Jacob’s ceremonial consecration of Bethel, i.e., “House of God.” See note on 31:13.

28:22 a tenth. Tithing, though not commanded by God, was obviously already known and voluntarily practiced, and served to acknowledge God’s providential beneficence in the donor’s life (see note on 14:20). Jacob may have been bargaining with God, as if to buy His favor rather than purely worshiping God with his gift; but it is best to translate the if (v. 20) as “since” and see Jacob’s vow and offering as genuine worship based on confidence in God’s promise (vv. 13–15).

3. Disagreements with Laban (29:1–30)

29:1–4 Conveniently meeting at his destination, shepherds who knew both Laban and Rachel reflected the directing hand of God upon his life, just as promised (28:15).

29:2, 3 A large stone. Perhaps due to the fact that this well of precious, stored water could evaporate rapidly in the sun, or be filled with blowing dust, or used indiscriminately, it had been covered and its use regulated (vv. 7, 8).

29:5 Laban the son of Nahor? Genealogical fluidity in the use of “son,” meaning male descendant, occurred in Jacob’s inquiry after Laban, because he was actually Nahor’s grandson (cf. 22:20–23).

29:6–8 It appears that Jacob was trying to get these men to water their sheep immediately and leave, so he could be alone with Rachel for the meeting.

29:9 speaking with them. The language of Haran was Aramaic or Chaldee and evidently was known by Abraham and his sons. There is no comment on how these patriarchs spoke with the Canaanites and Egyptians in their travels, but it is reasonable to assume they had become skilled linguists, knowing more than Hebrew and Aramaic.

29:10–14 Customary greetings and personal introductions ended ninety-seven years of absence since Rebekah had left (see notes on 25:21; 27:1), and Laban’s nephew was welcomed home.

29:14 a month. Tradition in that ancient area allowed a stranger to be looked after for three days. On the fourth day, he was to tell his name and mission. After that, he could remain if he worked in some agreed-upon way (v. 15).

29:17 eyes were delicate. This probably means that they were a pale color rather than the dark and sparkling eyes most common. Such paleness was viewed as a blemish.

29:18–30 Love and working to provide his service as a dowry (vv. 18–20) combined to make Jacob remain during the first seven years in Laban’s household, almost as an adopted son rather than a mere employee. But Jacob, the deceiver (27:1–29), was about to be deceived (vv. 22–25). Local marriage customs (v. 26), love for Rachel, and more dowry desired by Laban (vv. 27–30) all conspired to give Jacob, not only seven more years of labor under Laban, but two wives who were to become caught up in jealous childbearing competition (30:1–21).

29:23 The deception was possible because of the custom of veiling the bride and the dark of the night (v. 24).

29:23, 30 went in to. This is a euphemism for consummating marriage.

29:27, 30 It appears that Laban agreed to give Rachel to Jacob after the week of wedding celebration for Leah’s marriage to him, and before the seven years of labor.

29:28 Rachel as wife also. Such consanguinity was not God’s will (see note on Gen.2:24), and the Mosaic code later forbade it (Lev. 18:18). Polygamy always brought grief, as in the life of Jacob.

4. Promised seed (29:31–30:24)

29:31 Leah was unloved . . . Rachel was barren. There was quite a contrast when the one dearly beloved (vv. 18, 20, 30) had no children, whereas the one rejected did. Jacob might have demoted Leah, but God took action on her behalf. Leah had also prayed about her husband’s rejection (v. 33) and had been troubled by it, as seen in the names given to her first four sons (vv. 32–35).

30:1 or else I die! A childless woman in ancient Near Eastern culture was no better than a dead wife and became a severe embarrassment to her husband (see v. 23).

30:2 Am I in the place of God? Although spoken in a moment of frustration with Rachel’s pleading for children and the envy with which it was expressed, Jacob’s words do indicate an understanding that, ultimately, God opened and closed the womb.

30:3 on my knees. When the surrogate gave birth while actually sitting on the knees of the wife, it symbolized the wife providing a child for her husband.

30:1–21 The competition between the two sisters/wives is demonstrated in using their maids as surrogate mothers (vv. 3, 7, 9, 12), in declaring God had judged the case in favor of the plaintiff (v. 6), in bartering for time with the husband (vv. 14–16), in accusing one of stealing her husband’s favor (v. 15), and in the name given to one son—“wrestled with my sister” (Naphtali, v. 8). The race for children was also accompanied by prayers to the Lord or by acknowledgment of His providence (vv. 6, 17, 20, 22; also 29:32, 33, 35). This bitter and intense rivalry, all the more fierce though they were sisters and even though they occupied different dwellings with their children as customary, shows that the evil lay in the system itself (bigamy), which as a violation of God’s marriage ordinance (Gen. 2:24) could not yield happiness.

30:14 mandrakes. Jacob had eight sons by then from three women, and about six years had elapsed since his marriages. The oldest son, Reuben, was about five. Playing in the field during wheat harvest, he found this small, orange-colored fruit and “brought them to his mother Leah.” These were superstitiously viewed in the ancient world as “love apples,” an aphrodisiac or fertility-inducing narcotic.

30:15, 16 This odd and desperate bargain by Rachel was an attempt to become pregnant with the aid of the mandrakes, a folk remedy which failed to understand that God gives children (vv. 6, 17, 20, 22).

30:20 now my husband will dwell with me. This was the plaintive cry of one still unloved (cf. 29:31), as confirmed by Jacob’s frequent absence from her home. She hoped that having six children for Jacob would win his permanent residence with her. Zebulun. The name means “dwelling,” signifying her hope of Jacob’s dwelling with her.

30:21 Dinah. Although not the only daughter to be born to Jacob (cf. 37:35; 46:7), her name is mentioned in anticipation of the tragedy at Shechem (ch. 34).

30:22 Then God remembered Rachel. All the desperate waiting (see 30:1) and pleading climaxed at the end of seven years with God’s response. Then Rachel properly ascribed her delivery from barrenness to the Lord, whom she also trusted for another son (vv. 23, 24).

30:24 Joseph. C. 1914 B.C. His name means “he will add” or “may he add,” indicating both Rachel’s thanks and her faith that God would give her another son.

5. Departure from Aram (30:25–31:55)

30:25 Send me away . . . to my country. Fourteen years of absence had not dulled Jacob’s acute awareness of belonging to the land God had given to him. Since Mesopotamia was not his home and his contract with Laban was up, he desired to return to “my own place” and “my country.” Jacob’s wish to return to Canaan was not hidden from Laban (v. 30).

30:27 by experience. Lit. “by divination.” See note on Deuteronomy 18:9–12.

30:28 Name me your wages. On the two occasions that Laban asked this of Jacob, it was to urge him to stay. The first time (29:15), Laban had sought to reward a relative but, this time, it was because he had been rewarded since “the LORD has blessed me for your sake” (v. 27). Jacob readily confirmed Laban’s evaluation in that “little” had indeed become “a great amount” (v. 30) since he had come on the scene. Laban’s superficial generosity should not be mistaken for genuine goodness (see 31:7). He was attempting to deceive Jacob into staying because it was potentially profitable for him.

30:31–36 What shall I give you? Laban wanted Jacob to stay and asked what it would take for him to do so. Jacob wanted nothing except to be in a position for God to bless him. He was willing to stay, but not be further indebted to the scheming and selfish Laban. He offered Laban a plan that could bless him while costing Laban nothing. He would continue to care for Laban’s animals, as he had been doing. His pay would consist of animals not yet born—animals which would seem the less desirable to Laban because of their markings and color. None of the solid color animals would be taken by Jacob and, if any were born into Jacob’s flocks, Laban could take them (they were considered as stolen). Only those animals born speckled, spotted, striped, or abnormally colored would belong to Jacob. Evidently, most of the animals were white (sheep), black (goats), and brown (cattle). Few were in the category of Jacob’s request. Further, Jacob would not even use the living speckled or abnormally colored animals to breed more like them. He would separate them into a flock of their own kind, apart from the normally colored animals. Only the spotted and abnormally colored offspring born in the future to the normally colored would be his. Since it seemed to Laban that the birth of such abnormally marked animals was unlikely to occur in any significant volume from the normally colored, he agreed. He believed this to be a small and favorable concession on his part to maintain the skills of Jacob to further enlarge his herds and flocks. Jacob, by this, put himself entirely in God’s hands. Only the Lord could determine what animals would be Jacob’s. To make sure Jacob didn’t cheat on his good deal, Laban separated the abnormally marked from the normal animals in Jacob’s care (v. 34–36).

31:1, 2 Of materialistic bent and envious at Jacob’s success, Laban’s sons grumbled at what they saw as the depleting of their father’s assets, thus hurting their own inheritance. If Jacob heard of this, so did Laban, and that knowledge rankled him to the point of surliness toward his son-in-law (cf. 31:20). Profiting from God’s blessings through Jacob (30:27, 30) was one thing, but seeing only Jacob blessed was quite another matter and elicited no praise or gratitude to God from Laban.

31:3 Return to the land. When Jacob sought to leave at the end of his contract (30:25), it was not right in God’s timing. Now it was, so God directed Jacob’s departure and, in confirmation, assured him of His presence. So after another six years, it was time to go (vv. 38–41).

31:4 called . . . to the field. In the privacy of the open field, Jacob’s plans could be confidentially shared with his wives.

31:5 your father’s . . . my father. This was a contrast, perhaps not intentional, but nevertheless noticeable, since their father signaled rejection toward him; whereas the God of his father had accepted him.

31:6–9 As Jacob explained it, his unstinting service to their father had been met by Laban with wage changes intended to cripple his son-in-law’s enterprise, but God had intervened by blocking the intended hurt (v. 7) and overriding the wage changes with great prosperity (v. 9).

31:10–12 See notes on 30:37–42.

31:11 the Angel of God. Cf. 21:17. The same as the Angel of the Lord (16:11; 22:11, 15). See note on Exodus 3:2.

31:13 I am the God of Bethel. The Angel of God (v. 11) clearly identified Himself as the Lord, pointing back as He did so to the earlier critical encounter with God in Jacob’s life (28:10–22).

31:14–16 The two wives concurred that, in the context of severely strained family relationships, their inheritance might be in question since the ties that bind no longer held them there. They also agreed that God’s intervention had, in effect, refunded what their father had wrongfully withheld and spent.

31:19 household idols. Lit. teraphim (cf. 2 Kin. 23:24; Ezek. 21:21). These images or figurines of varying sizes, usually of nude goddesses with accentuated sexual features, either signaled special protection for, inheritance rights for, or guaranteed fertility for the bearer. Or perhaps possession by Rachel would call for Jacob to be recognized as head of the household at Laban’s death. See notes on verses 30, 44.

31:20 stole away. Because of fear at what Laban might do (v. 31), Jacob dispensed with the expected courtesy he had not forgotten before (30:25) and clandestinely slipped away at an appropriate time (v. 19). With all his entourage, this was not a simple exit. Laban’s gruffness (vv. 1, 2) exuded enough hostility for Jacob to suspect forceful retaliation and to react by escaping what danger he could not know for sure.

31:21 the river . . . mountains of Gilead. These are the Euphrates River and the area south of Galilee to the east of the Jordan River, respectively.

31:23 seven days’ journey. That it took so long for Laban’s band to catch up with a much larger group burdened with possessions and animals indicates a forced march was undertaken by Jacob’s people, probably motivated by Jacob’s fear.

31:24 Be careful . . . neither good nor bad. God again sovereignly protected, as He had done for Abraham and Isaac (12:17–20; 20:3–7; 26:8–11), to prevent harm coming to His man. In a proverbial expression (cf. Gen. 24:50; 2 Sam. 13:22), Laban is cautioned not to use anything in the full range of options open to him, “from the good to the bad,” to alter the existing situation and bring Jacob back.

31:26 my daughters like captives. Laban evidently did not believe that his daughters could have possibly agreed with the departure and, thus, must have left under duress.

31:27–29 Laban’s questions protested his right to have arranged a proper send-off for his family and functioned as a rebuke of Jacob’s thoughtlessness toward him.

31:30 why . . . steal my gods? Longing to return to Canaan (cf. 30:25) might excuse his leaving without notice, but it could not excuse the theft of Laban’s teraphim (v. 19). Laban’s thorough search for these idols (vv. 33–35) also marked how important they were to him as a pagan worshiper. See notes on verses 19, 44.

31:31 afraid. A reasonable fear is experienced by Jacob, who had come to find a wife and stayed for at least twenty years (v. 38) under the selfish compulsions of Laban.

31:34, 35 One dishonest deed needed further dishonesty and trickery to cover it up.

31:35 the manner of women. Rachel claimed she was having her menstrual period.

31:37 judge between us both! Rachel’s theft and dishonest cover-up had precipitated a major conflict between her father and her husband which could only be resolved by judicial inquiry before witnesses.

31:38–42 Jacob registered his complaint that he had unfairly borne the losses normally carried by the owner and had endured much discomfort in fulfilling his responsibility. Jacob also delivered his conclusion that, except for the oversight of God, Laban may very well have fleeced him totally.

31:42 Fear of Isaac. Also see “the Fear of his father Isaac” (v. 53). This was another divine name, signifying Jacob’s identification of the God who caused Isaac to reverence Him.

31:43 Laban pled his case, amounting to nothing more than the manifestation of his grasping character, by claiming everything was his.

31:44 let us make a covenant. Although Laban did regard all in Jacob’s hands as his—after all Jacob had arrived twenty years before with nothing—nevertheless, the matter was clearly ruled in Jacob’s favor, since Laban left with nothing. A treaty was struck in the customary fashion (vv. 45–51) in which they covenanted not to harm one another again (v. 52). With heaps of stones as testaments to the treaty named and in place (vv. 47–49), with the consecration meals having been eaten (vv. 46, 54), and with the appropriate oaths and statements made in the name of their God (vv. 50, 53), the agreement was properly sanctioned and concluded and, thus, they parted company. All contact between Abraham’s kin in Canaan and Mesopotamia appears to have ended at this point.

31:47–49 Jegar Sahadutha . . . Galeed . . . Mizpah. The first two words mean in both Aramaic and Hebrew, “heap of witnesses.” The third word means “watchtower.”

31:53 God of Nahor. Laban’s probable syncretistic paralleling of the God of Abraham with that of Nahor and Terah, his brother and father, respectively, elicited Jacob again using “the Fear of Isaac,” a reference to the true God (v. 42), for he certainly could not give credence to any of Laban’s syncretistic allusions.

6. Angels at Mahanaim and Penuel (32:1–32)

32:1 The angels of God. With one crisis behind him and before him the suspense of having to face Esau, Jacob was first met by an angelic host, who must have reminded him of Bethel, which served also as a timely reminder and encouragement of God’s will being done on earth (28:11–15).

32:2 God’s camp . . . Mahanaim. Meaning “double camp,” i.e., one being God’s and one being his own. It was located east of the Jordan River in Gilead near the River Jabbok. Cf. Song 6:13.

32:3 Seir . . . Edom. The territory of Esau south of the Dead Sea.

32:7 greatly afraid and distressed. Jacob had sought reconciliation with Esau (vv. 4, 5), but the report of the returning envoys (v. 6) only confirmed his deepest suspicions that Esau’s old threat against him (27:41, 42) had not abated over the years, and his coming with force signaled only disaster (vv. 8, 11). Jacob prepared for the attack by dividing his company of people and animals.

32:9–12 Commendably, notwithstanding the plans to appease his brother (vv. 13–21), Jacob prayed for deliverance, rehearsing God’s own commands and covenant promise (v. 12; see 28:13–15), acknowledging his own anxiety, and confessing his own unworthiness before the Lord. This was Jacob’s first recorded prayer since his encounter with God at Bethel en route to Laban (28:20–22).

32:13–21 The logistics of Jacob’s careful appeasement strategy (550 animals Esau would prize) may highlight his ability to plan, but it highlights even more, given the goal statement at the end (v. 20), his failure to pray and believe that God would change Esau’s heart.

32:22–32 This unique, nightlong wrestling match at Peniel ends with the ninety-seven year old Jacob having a change of name (v. 28) and the place having a new name assigned to it (v. 30) in order to memorialize it for Jacob and later generations. The limp with which he emerged from the match (vv. 25, 31) also served to memorialize this event.

32:22 Jabbok A stream, sixty to sixty-five miles long, east of the Jordan River which flows into that river midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea (c. forty-five miles south of the Sea of Galilee).

32:24 a Man wrestled. The site name, Peniel, or “face of God,” given by Jacob (v. 30) and the commentary given by Hosea (Hos. 12:4) identifies this Man with whom Jacob wrestled as the Angel of the Lord who is also identified as God, a preincarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. See note on Exodus 3:2.

32:28 no longer . . . Jacob, but Israel. Jacob’s personal name changed from one meaning “heel-catcher” or “deceiver” to one meaning “God’s fighter” or “he struggles with God” (cf. 35:10). with God and with men. An amazing evaluation of what Jacob had accomplished, i.e., emerging victorious from the struggle. In the record of his life, “struggle” did indeed dominate: (1) with his brother Esau (chs. 25–27); (2) with his father (ch. 27); (3) with his father-in-law (chs. 29–31); (4) with his wives (ch. 30); and (5) with God at Peniel (v. 28).

32:30 Peniel See note on verse 24.

32:32 not eat the muscle that shrank. This might refer to the sciatic muscle/ tendon. The observation that up to Moses’ time (“to this day”) the nation of Israel did not eat this part of a hindquarter intrigues because it bears no mention elsewhere in the OT, nor is it enshrined in the Mosaic Law. It does find mention in the Jewish Talmud as a sacred law.

E. Esau’s Reunion and Reconciliation with Jacob (33:1–17)

33:1, 2 Esau was coming. Jacob hastily divided his family into three groups (cf. 31:7) and went ahead of them to meet his brother. The division and relative location of his family in relationship to the perceived danger gives tremendous insight into whom Jacob favored.

33:3, 4 Fearfully and deferentially, Jacob approached his brother as an inferior would a highly honored patron; while gladly and eagerly, Esau ran to greet his brother without restraint of emotion. “They wept” because, after twenty-one years of troubling separation, old memories were wiped away and murderous threats belonged to the distant past; hearts had been changed, brothers reconciled. See verse 10.

33:5–11 Family introductions (vv. 5–7) and an explanation of the gift of 550 animals (vv. 8–10; cf. 32:13–21) properly acknowledged the gracious provision of the Lord upon Jacob’s life (vv. 5, 11). The battle for generosity was won by Jacob when Esau, who initially refused to take anything from his brother, finally agreed to do so (v. 11).

33:10 your face . . . the face of God. Jacob acknowledged how God had so obviously changed Esau, as indicated by his facial expression which was not one of sullen hate but of brotherly love, divinely wrought and restored.

33:15 Let me find favor. Jacob did not want to have Esau’s people loaned to him for fear something might happen to again fracture their relationship.

33:16, 17 to Seir . . . to Succoth. With Esau’s planned escort courteously dismissed, they parted company. Jacob’s expressed intention to meet again in Seir (see note on 32:3 ), for whatever reason, did not materialize. Instead, Jacob halted his journey first at Succoth, then at Shechem (v. 18). Succoth is east of the Jordan River, twenty miles east of Shechem, which is sixty-five miles north of Jerusalem, located between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim.

F. Events and Deaths from Shechem to Mamre (33:18–35:29)

33:18 came safely. C. 1908 B.C. A reference to the fulfillment of Jacob’s vow made at Bethel when, upon departure from Canaan, he looked to God for a safe return. Upon arrival in Canaan, he would tithe his possessions (28:20–22). Presumably, Jacob fulfilled his pledge at Shechem or, later, at Bethel (35:1).

33:19 bought the parcel of land. This purchase became only the second piece of real estate legally belonging to Abraham’s line in the Promised Land (cf. 23:17, 18; 25:9, 10). However, the land was not Abraham’s and his descendants simply because they bought it but, rather, because God owned it all (Lev. 25:23) and gave it to them for their exclusive domain (see notes on 12:1–3 ).

33:20 erected an altar. In the place where Abraham had first built an altar (12:6, 7), Jacob similarly marked the spot with a new name, incorporating a new name (32:28), “God, the God of Israel,” declaring that he worshiped the “Mighty One.” “Israel” perhaps foreshadowed its use for the nation with which it rapidly became associated, even when it consisted of not much more than Jacob’s extended household (34:7).

34:1–31 The tawdry details of the abuse of Dinah and the revenge of Levi and Simeon are recounted in full, perhaps in order to highlight for the readers about to enter Canaan how easily Abraham’s descendants might intermingle and marry with Canaanites, contrary to patriarchal desires (cf. 24:3; 27:46; 28:1) and God’s will (Ex. 34:6; Deut. 7:3; Josh. 23:12, 13; Neh. 13:26, 27).

34:1 to see the daughters. Little did Dinah (see 30:20, 21) realize that her jaunt to the nearby city to view how other women lived would bring forth such horrific results.

34:2 saw . . . took . . . violated. Scripture classifies Shechem’s action as forcible rape, no matter how sincerely he might have expressed his love for her afterwards (v. 3) and desire for marriage (vv. 11, 12). Other expressions in the account underscore the clearly unacceptable nature of this crime, e.g., “defiled” (vv. 5, 13), “grieved and very angry” (v. 7), “a disgraceful thing . . . which ought not to be done” (v. 7), and “treat our sister like a harlot” (v. 31).

34:5 Jacob held his peace. In the absence of further data, Jacob’s reticence to respond should not be criticized. Wisdom dictated that he wait and counsel with his sons; but their reaction, grief, anger, and vengeance hijacked the talks between Jacob and Hamor (v. 6) and led, finally, to Jacob’s stern rebuke (v. 30).

34:6–10 The prince of Shechem painted a picture of harmonious integration (v. 16, “become one people”). However, Shechemite self-interest and enrichment actually prevailed (v. 23).

34:7 in Israel. Already Jacob’s household is being called by the name God had given him as father of the coming nation (32:28).

34:13–17 Feigning interest in the proposals put forward and misusing, if not abusing, the circumcision sign of the Abrahamic covenant (see notes on 17:11–14 ), Jacob’s sons conned both father and son into convincing all the men to submit to circumcision because the outcome would be to their favor with marriages (v. 9) and social, economic integration (v. 10).

34:19 He was more honorable. This means that the men agreed to such an excruciating surgery (vv. 24, 25) because they had so much respect for him and because they anticipated mercenary benefit (v. 23).

34:20 gate of their city. The normal place for public gatherings.

34:25–29 A massacre of all males and the wholesale plunder of the city went way beyond the reasonable, wise, and justly deserved punishment of one man; this was a considerably more excessive vengeance than the Mosaic Law would later legislate (cf. Deut. 22:28, 29).

34:27 The sons of Jacob. Simeon and Levi set in motion the barbarity of that day and attention validly falls upon them in the narrative (vv. 25, 30; cf. 49:5–7), but their brothers joined in the looting, thereby approving murder and mayhem as justifiable retribution for the destroyed honor of their sister (v. 31).

34:30 You have troubled me. Vengeance exacted meant retaliation expected. Total loss of respect (“making me obnoxious”) and of peaceful relations (v. 21) put both him and them in harm’s way with survival being highly unlikely. This threat tested God’s promise of safety, giving Jacob cause for great concern (28:15; 32:9, 12). Perizzites. See note on 13:7.

35:1 Bethel. This was the place where God confirmed the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob (28:13–15).

35:2–4 Put away the foreign gods. Moving to Bethel necessitated spiritual preparation beyond the level of an exercise in logistics. Possession of idolatrous symbols such as figurines, amulets, or cultic charms (v. 4, “earrings”) were no longer tolerable, including Rachel’s troubling teraphim (31:19). Idols buried out of sight, plus bathing and changing to clean clothes, all served to portray both cleansing from defilement by idolatry and consecration of the heart to the Lord. It had been eight or ten years since his return to Canaan and, appropriately, time enough to clean up all traces of idolatry.

35:4 terebinth tree . . . Shechem. Possibly this was the same tree as in Abraham’s day (12:6).

35:5 the terror of God. A supernaturally induced fear of Israel rendered the surrounding city-states unwilling and powerless to intervene and made Jacob’s fear of their retaliation rather inconsequential (34:30).

35:7 built an altar there. Through this act of worship, fulfillment of his vow (28:20–22), and renaming the site, Jacob reconfirmed his allegiance to God, who also affirmed His commitment to Jacob by reappearing to him, repeating the change of name (v. 10; cf. 32:28), and rehearsing the Abrahamic promises (vv. 11, 12). In response, Jacob also repeated the rite he had performed when he first met God at Bethel (v. 14) and reaffirmed its name (v. 15).

35:11 kings shall come from your body. God’s words, here included for the first time since His promises at Abraham’s circumcision (17:6, 16), served as a reminder of future royalty.

35:13 went up. The presence of God was there in some visible form.

35:14 A common way to make a covenant (see note on 28:18–21 ).

35:16 Ephrath. A more ancient name for Bethlehem (v. 19; 48:7; cf. 5:2).

35:18 Ben-Oni . . . Benjamin. The dying mother appropriately named her newly born son “Son of my sorrow,” but the grieving father named him “Son of my right hand,” thus assigning him a place of honor in the home. Rachel’s prayer at the birth of her firstborn was answered (30:24).

35:20 The memorial to Rachel could still be seen in Moses’ day, about one mile north of Bethlehem.

35:21 tower of Eder. This was likely a watchtower for shepherds, near Bethlehem.

35:22 the sons of Jacob. The birth of Benjamin in Canaan (v. 18) furnished reason to simply review the sons born outside of Canaan, with only one sad note preceding it, i.e., the sin of Reuben, which tainted the qualifier “Jacob’s firstborn” in the listing (see 49:3, 4; Deut. 22:30; 1 Chr. 5:1, 2).

35:27 Mamre . . . Hebron. See note on 13:18.

35:29 his sons Esau and Jacob. C. 1885 B.C. Isaac’s funeral brought his two sons back together, as Abraham’s funeral had done for Isaac and Ishmael (25:9). Jacob, back in the land before his father’s death, fulfilled yet another part of his Bethel vow (28:20, “come back to my father’s house in peace”).

X. The Generations of Esau (36:1–37:1)