THE BOOK OF

GENESIS
(in outline form)

(Revised Edition)

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 1998

Roy E. Gingrich

Riverside Printing

2519 Summer Avenue

Memphis, TN 38112

INTRODUCTION
A knowledge of the contents of the book of Genesis, the book of beginnings, is necessary if we are to
understand the other books of the Bible. The following books of the Scriptures only expand and clarify
that which is found in condensed form in the book of Genesis. A careful study of the book of Genesis is
imperative for all who desire to fully know “Him that is from the beginning,” 1 John 2:13.

Mr. Roy Gingrich, the author of this commentary on the book of Genesis, is truly a God-taught
“minister of the Word,” a minister who possesses unusual knowledge of the Word and the rare ability to
transmit his knowledge to others. Brother Gingrich is the pastor of Faith Bible Church of Memphis,
Tennessee, a well-disciplined, Word-centered, Spirit-led church. He is also a respected professor of Bible
at Mid-South Bible College, Memphis, Tennessee, and a much-sought-after guest speaker in local
churches, Bible colleges, and in home Bible classes.

Perhaps the value of this concise study of the book of Genesis can best be understood when the
reader realizes that months of prayerful study and meditation in the Word have been compacted into its
pages along with all the knowledge gleaned from the pages of several of the best commentaries on
Genesis and from personal conferences with recognized authorities. I do recommend this book and I
hope that it will be studied with an open Bible, an open mind, a prayerful heart, and a sincere desire for
understanding.

Merle Wiggs, Pastor

Crum Missionary Baptist Church

 Crum, West Virginia

PREFACE
The author of this outline commentary has spent around three months in preparation for writing,
and in writing, this manuscript. Many are the interpretation problems that he has faced but the Lord has
helped him through them all and has greatly enriched his spiritual life through the mental and spiritual
exercise involved.

The author acknowledges his indebtdness to his former Bible college professors for many of the
thoughts expressed in this commentary, his indebtedness to Rev. Merle Wiggs for his writing of the
Introduction to this commentary, and his indebtedness to Mr. Neal Johnson for his drawing of the cover
design for this commentary.

May God be blessed through the publication of this book.

Roy E. Gingrich

3139 Benjestown Road

Memphis, Tennessee 38127

THE BOOK OF GENESIS

A GENERAL INTRODUCTION
I. THE NAME OF THE BOOK—GENESIS

Genesis means birth or beginning. The book of Genesis is a book which records the birth or the
beginning of many things: the heavens, the earth, man, woman, the Sabbath, marriage, sin, the curse,
redemption, childbirth, the righteous line, sacrifice, murder, occupations, cities, nations, languages, the
nation of Israel, and many other things.

II. THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK—MOSES

Age-old Hebrew and Christian tradition names Moses as the human author of all five books of “the
Pentateuch” (the first five books of the Old Testament), one of which books is Genesis. Of course, the
divine author is God. He wrote through Moses.

III. THE ADDRESSEES OF THE BOOK

Genesis is directly addressed to God’s Old Covenant people, the nation of Israel. It is indirectly
addressed to God’s New Covenant people, the Church.

IV. THE TIME OF THE WRITING OF THE BOOK

 The five books of the Pentateuch were written during the forty years of Israel’s wilderness
wanderings (around 1500–1460 B.C.)

V. THE CANONIZATION OF THE BOOK

This book and all other of the Bible’s books went through four steps in their canonization: (1) They
were inspired (written by God through human authors); (2) they were preserved (from loss and from
serious alteration in copying); (3) they were recognized (by God’s people as being inspired); and (4) they
were collected (and placed in the canon, the group of books recognized as being of divine origin).

VI. THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOOK

The Old Testament has 17 historical books (Genesis through Esther), 5 poetical books (Job through
Song of Solomon), and 17 prophetical books (Isaiah through Malachi). Genesis is a historical book.

VII. THE TIME-SPAN OF THE BOOK

Excluding the gap-period between 1:1 and 1:2, the book spans a period of around 2300 years, from
the morning of re-creation to the death of Joseph in Egypt.

The book spans four dispensations, the dispensation of innocence, the dispensation of conscience,
the dispensation of human government, and the dispensation of promise.

VIII. THE SOURCE MATERIAL FOR THE BOOK

An analysis of the book’s structure reveals the book has eleven divisions, each division, excepting
the first, beginning with “these are the generations of” or “this is the book of the generations of.” The
eleven divisions are as follows.

A. THE INTRODUCTION (1:1–2:3)

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

C. THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM (5:1–6:8)

D. THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH (6:9–9:29)

E. THE GENERATIONS OF THE SONS OF NOAH (10:1–11:9)

F. THE GENERATIONS OF SHEM (11:10–26)

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

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

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

J. THE GENERATIONS OF ESAU (chapter 36)

K. THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB (37:2–50:26)

It is probable that Moses had in his possession eleven historical documents handed down to him
from his forefathers and that he, led by the Holy Spirit, edited and added words of explanation to these
documents and then incorporated them bodily into his Genesis record. In short, Moses probably wrote
Genesis by editing, and adding words of explanation to, the family records in his possession.

IX. THE UNITY OF THE BOOK

Contrary to the findings of the higher critics, the book is the work of one editor-author, Moses, and
is a beautiful unity, each part being essential to the whole.

X. THE PROMINENCE OF THE BOOK

A. IT IS A WELL-KNOWN BOOK

Countless numbers of persons first heard the stories of this book in their infancy as they sat upon
their parents’ laps.

B. IT IS A MUCH WRITTEN-UPON BOOK

More commentaries have been written upon Genesis, The Gospel of John, Romans, and Revelation
than upon any other of the Bible’s books.

C. IT IS A FREQUENTLY-CRITICIZED BOOK

Genesis, Daniel, and Jonah are the favorite targets of the Bible’s destructive critics. These higher
critics take delight in humanizing, fragmentizing, and mythicizing the book of Genesis.

XI. THE CENTRAL FIGURE OF THE BOOK—Abraham

Chapters 12:1–25:10 are devoted to this one man. The preceding chapters deal with Abraham’s
ancestors, the succeeding chapters deal with his posterity. Thus the book deals with Abraham, his
descent, and his descendents.

XII. THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK—To reveal God’s will for Abraham and His Seed

God’s will for Abraham is that he be the natural father of the Redeemer and the spiritual father of
the redeemed. God’s will for Abraham’s seed (Christ, the church, and redeemed Israel) is that through
them all the families of the earth receive blessing (Abraham’s blessing, justification by faith).

XIII. THE VALUE OF THE BOOK

A. ITS HISTORICAL VALUE—The book gives us the only inspired record of earth’s earliest ages.

B. ITS BIBLICAL VALUE—The book furnishes us a foundation for the remainder of the Bible. Without
Genesis, the other Bible books would be left suspended in the air. We would not know the origins of the
things so prominent in the remainder of the Bible.
C. ITS SCIENTIFIC VALUE—It is not primarily a book on science but its incidental statements concerning
science are in agreement with the verified facts of modern-day science. Genesis sometimes disagrees
with scientific theories but never with scientific facts.

D. ITS LITERARY VALUE—It contains many literary masterpieces and it is in itself a literary masterpiece. Its
story concerning Joseph is unexcelled.

XIV. THE TWO MAIN DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK

A. CHAPTERS 1–11—This section deals with the roots of all nations.

B. CHAPTERS 12–50—This section deals with the roots of the nation of Israel.

XV. THE GENEALOGIES OF THE BOOK

A. THEY MAY HAVE GAPS—But we accept them as being full and complete until convincing evidence is
presented that they do have gaps.

B. THEY TRACE THE RIGHTEOUS LINE—The genealogies of some collateral lines are given but only as they
effect the righteous line.

C. THEY TRACE THE COLLATERAL LINES FIRST—The genealogies of the branches always precede those of
the main line (the righteous line). for instance, the genealogy of Cain precedes that of Seth, that of
Ishmael precedes that of Isaac, that of Esau precedes that of Jacob, etc.

XVI. THE CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BOOK

A. IT IS A HISTORICAL BOOK—We have previously mentioned this fact. The first eleven chapters give us
fragmentary history, the remaining chapters give us detailed history.

B. IT IS A CHRONOLOGICAL BOOK—Its history carries us chronologically, with a few exceptions, from

Adam to Joseph.

C. IT IS A CONDENSED BOOK—As a whole, the book is an acorn out of which the oak tree of the remainder
of the Bible grows. The book’s enfolded doctrines, prophecies, and promises are unfolded in the
remainder of the Bible’s books. The book’s beginnings are developed in the following sixty five books.

D. IT IS A RELIGIOUS BOOK—Although the book is a historical book, a biographical book, and a sciential
book, it is primarily a religious book, a book with a religious purpose. The book reveals God’s plan of
redemption through Abraham for the whole of the human race.

E. IT IS AN INTERESTING BOOK—No one accuses this portion of the Bible with being dull. It commands
attention throughout its pages.

XVII. THE OUTLINE OF THE BOOK

A. THE BEGINNING OF ALL NATIONS (and of all things) (chapters 1–11)

1. The two records of creation (chapters 1 and 2)

2. The fall of man (chapter 3)

3. The story of Cain and Abel (the story of the two seeds) (4:1–15)

4. The two lines from Adam to the flood (4:16–5:32)

5. The destruction of the old world (the great deluge) (6:1–8:14)

6. The new start after the flood (8:15–9:29)

7. The table of nations (chapter 10)

8. The dispersion of the nations (11:1–9)

9. The background of Abraham (11:10–32)

B. THE BEGINNING OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL (chapters 12–50)

1. The story of Abraham (12:1–25:10)

2. The story of Isaac (25:11–26:35)

3. The story of Jacob (chapters 27–36)

4. The story of Joseph (chapters 37–50)

THE BOOK OF GENESIS

PART ONE—THE BEGINNING OF ALL NATIONS (and of all things) (chapters 1–11)

(These chapters are introductory and preparatory. The history found in these chapters is
rudimentary and fragmentary.)

I. THE TWO RECORDS OF CREATION (chapters 1 and 2)

A. THE FIRST RECORD OF CREATION (the heavenly view of creation) (1:1–2:3)

1. What is the nature of this chapter?

a. Is it a paper on science (a scientific treatise)?

It is not a science paper written in the language of science but it is a popular account of creation
written in non-technical language, language readily understood by all peoples of all ages. This chapter’s
treatment of science is only incidental and its scientific statements use flexible and elastic terminology.

This chapter is scientifically incomplete but it has never been shown to be scientifically inaccurate.
b. Is it a historical document?

Yes and no. It does record historical facts revealed by God but it does not record historical facts
witnessed by man (as is true of other historical documents).

c. Is it a myth?

Does this chapter present a myth related for the purpose of conveying certain spiritual truths? There
is no good reason for believing this story to be mythological. The writer gives every indication that he is
recording revealed facts and not a myth.

d. Is it a revelation?

Yes. We may know the facts of creation only as they are revealed to us by the Creator (no man was
present when creation took place). The Creator has revealed these facts in Genesis, chapters one and
two. Now by faith in this revelation of God, we may know the facts of creation, Heb. 11:3.

Perhaps this revelation was given first to Adam, who, either orally or in writing, passed it on to his
posterity. It was finally received by Moses and incorporated into his Genesis record.

2. What is the purpose of this chapter?

This popular account of creation was written for a religious purpose, to teach men the fundamental
truths of creation.

3. What is the viewpoint of this chapter?

It is written from the divine viewpoint. It relates what God did “in the beginning.” In this chapter, the
noun “God” is used thirty two times. The pronoun “He” (referring to God) is used five times.

4. Why does this chapter present no arguments for the existence of God?

Because every man knows God through natural revelation, Rom. 1:19, 20. Man’s moral mechanism
recognizes God as it digests the emperical evidence coming through the five senses from nature. No
man is born an atheist but many men have become atheists through rejection of the revelation given to
them by God (through hardening their hearts in unbelief). Genesis, chapter one, assumes that all men of
necessity know the existence of God.

5. What heresies does this chapter refute?

a. The heresy of “philosophical dualism”—Philosophical dualism teaches that mind and matter are the two
eternal and essential principles of the universe. This chapter teaches that mind preceded and created
matter.

b. The heresy of “evolution”—This chapter definitely refutes the teachings of atheistic evolution. It teaches
that God, and not an infinite number of recessive forces, is the cause of the universe and its fullness.
 This chapter also refutes the teachings of theistic evolution. It teaches that God created man at a
crisis in time and not over a long period of time.

c. The heresy of “atheism”—This chapter teaches the existence of a personal God, a creator-sustainer
God.

d. The heresy of “polytheism”—Polytheism teaches the existence of many gods. This chapter teaches that
there is but one God. This one God created everything.

e. The heresy of “pantheism”—Pantheism teaches the immanence but not the transcendence of God. This
chapter teaches both the immanence and the transcendence of God.

f. The heresy of “unitarianism”—Unitarianism teaches that God is one person. This chapter teaches that
God is more than one person. This chapter calls God “Elohim,” a plural noun which is used with a
singular verb. Also, note that God says “let us make,” not “let me make.”

In fact, chapter one of Genesis teaches trinitarianism. Note the presence of God, His Word, and His
Spirit in 1:1–3. There is one God (one essence, one life, one nature) which manifests itself in three
persons.

g. The heresy of “evolved monotheism”—This heresy teaches that the concept of monotheism evolved
from the concept of polytheism. This chapter teaches that the concept of monotheism was known from
the very beginning.

6. Is there a time gap between 1:1 and 1:2

We believe that there is a time gap of possibly millions of years between verse 1:1 and verse 1:2.
Verse 1:1 has reference to God’s original creation of the heaven and the earth “ex-nihilo” (out of
nothing) by fiat command. Then between verses 1:1 and 1:2, the heaven and the earth for a long period
of time were without form and void (were orderless and empty), under God’s curse, probably because
of the sin of Lucifer and the other angels who staged the first rebellion against the authority of God,
Isaiah, chapter 14. Then in 1:2–25 we have the record of God’s reformation of the heaven and the earth
out of already existing materials and of His refilling of them by acts of direct creation, preparing the
earth for the habitation of man.

In support of the view that there is a time gap between verses 1:1 and 1:2, we call attention to the
following things: (1) The earth is apparently millions of years old while there is no real evidence that
man has been present on this earth longer than six thousand years; (2) the Hebrew verb bara (to create)
is used in verse one while the Hebrew verb asah (to make or to release from restraint) is used in verses
two through thirty one (except for verses twenty one and twenty seven, in which verses we have the
record of the creation of sentient life); (3) the statement of Isa. 45:18 is that the Lord did not create the
heavens and the earth in the condition in which they are found in Gen. 1:2; and (4) the first part of Gen.
1:2 may be (and probably should be) translated “but the earth had become without form and void.”

7. How long are the “days” of 1:2–2:3?

 The Hebrew word “yom” is used in the Bible to refer to periods of twelve hours, twenty four hours,
a year, one thousand years, an age, or an indefinite period of time. How long are the “yoms” of 1:2–2:3?
These “days” probably are twenty-four-hour days. The seventh of these “days” is a twenty-four-hour
day (c.f. Gen. 2:3 with Exo. 20:11), so no doubt the other six “days” were also twenty-four-hour days.

8. What was the purpose of the first six of these days”?

God used the first six of these seven days to prepare the earth for the habitation of man. During
these days, He gave form and fullness to the orderless (formless) and empty (“void”) earth of 1:2a. He
remade (“asah”) the earth, giving the earth form and He created (“bara”) the animals (1:21) and man
(1:27), giving the earth fullness.

The word “bara” (to create) is used only in reference to the original creation, 1:1, the creation of
animal life 1:21, and the creation of human life, 1:27.

9. What was done on each of the first six of these days?

a. The first day—The earth received light and the light was divided from the darkness. The sun’s light
penetrated the fog shrouded earth and on the earth days and nights began. The sun itself remained
invisible until the fourth day.

b. The second day—The earth’s waters were divided and a firmament was placed between the divisions.
That is, the earth’s waters were divided into those of the vapory atmospheric ocean and those of the
liquid terrestial oceans, the firmament holding these two oceans apart.

c. The third day—The waters were gathered into one place and the dry land appeared, supporting a new
vegetable kingdom made up of grasses, herbs, and fruit trees.

Note two things: (1) The terrestial oceans do have one common bed as is stated in 1:9 and (2) the
plants of this world do have a three-fold division as is taught in 1:11.

d. The fourth day—The light holders (the sun, the moon, and the stars) became visible from the earth. The
previous atmospheric conditions had hitherto prevented the light (the “or”) of these luminaries (these
“ma-ors”) from directly reaching the earth.

These light-containers, released from restraint (“bara”), were: (1) to furnish the earth with light; (2)
to govern the seasons and the time divisions; and (3) to serve as signs (to the mariner, the farmer, etc.).

At the close of the fourth day, the earth had form but no fullness. God gave the earth fullness on the
fifth and sixth days.

e. The fifth day—The fish and the fowls were created. The seas and the air were no longer empty (“void”)
but full.

f. The sixth day—The land animals and man were created. Then the seas, the air, and the land were no
longer empty (“void”) but full (of living creatures). The three divisions of land animals, creeping things,
 beasts of the earth (wild animals) and cattle (domesticated animals) agree with the findings of modern-
day science.

10. What are the noteworthy things concerning man?

a. He was the product of special divine deliberation (1:26)—“Let us make” preceded the creation of man.

b. He was made in God’s image and likeness (1:26, 27)—Let us comment on these two things:

(1) God’s image—Man was created with a personality like that of God. Both God and man possess the
three elements of personality: (1) intellect (self-consciousness, the ability to say “I exist”); (2) sensibility
(moralconsciousness, the ability to say “I ought”; and (3) will (self-determination, the ability to say “I
will”).

Man, after the fall, yet possesses these three elements of personality, Genesis 9:6; James 3:9, but
they are distorted. The intellect is darkened, the senses are depraved, and the will is enfeebled.

(2) God’s likeness—Man was created with a moral purity, a holiness, like that of God. He retained this
likeness as long as he used aright the three elements of personality. He lost this likeness in the fall but
saved persons will fully regain it at the time of their resurrection.

c. He was invested with authority (1:26, 28)—Man was given dominion over all the lower creation. Man
was made to be a king, to reign and to rule, Psa. 8:6.

d. He was assigned a task (1:28)—He was (1) to fill the earth and (2) to subdue the earth. The first king and
queen (Adam and Eve) through sin failed to carry out this two-fold assignment. The last King and queen
(Christ and the glorified church) will fulfill this two-fold assignment during the Millennium (they will fill
the earth with regenerated persons and subdue all the enemies of God).

e. He was given a privilege (1:29)—He was given permission to eat as he pleased of all the earth’s
vegetables and fruits (with one exception, 2:17). Permission to eat meat came only after the flood, 9:3.

11. Why did God see His creation to be “very good” at the close of the sixth day? (1:31)

He saw it as “very good” because there was physical, moral, and governmental order in the earth
(see 1 Cor. 11:3 for the governmental order which prevailed) and because the earth was filled. The
disorder and emptiness had been replaced by order and fullness.

12. What is the meaning of the first sabbath? (2:2, 3)

a. Negative—This rest was not a rest of exhaustion or a rest of inactivity.

b. Positive—This rest was a rest of completion (a rest from the labors of creation and reformation) and a
rest of satisfaction.

This rest is the basis of the Jewish seventh-day sabbath, Exo. 20:8–11, and is a type of the perfect
soul-rest awaiting all the people of God, Heb. 4:1, 9, 11, in the new heaven and the new earth, when
 God will have finished His work of bringing order and fullness back into the souls of fallen men and back
into the cursed earth. Then God will rest again and redeemed man will enter into God’s rest (share God’s
rest).

B. THE SECOND RECORD OF CREATION (the earthly view of creation) (2:4–25)

1. The viewpoint of this chapter

Chapter one gave us the heavenly view of creation. Now, chapter two gives us the earthly view of
creation.

CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO

Man is of God Man is of the earth

Man is like God Man is like the animals

Man is the culmination Man is the beginning

Man has heavenly relationships Man has earthly relationships

Man is created by God (God is called Man is sustained by God (God is called

“Elohim,” the creator-God) “Jehovah-Elohim,” the sustainer-God)

2. The nature of this chapter

In its relationship to chapter one, chapter two is not contradictory but supplementary.

3. The purpose of this chapter

This chapter is written to tell us the needs of the first man and how God graciously and fully met
these needs.

4. The chief points of this chapter

a. The provision of food for man (2:5–7)

A good translation of 2:5–7 would be: “And no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of
the field had yet sprouted, for Jehovah God had not rained upon the earth and there was no man to till
the ground, but there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground and
Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and
man became a living creature.”

Four things are necessary for the production of food: (1) soil; (2) seed; (3) climate: and (4) culture.
On the third day soil and seed were present but there was no rain (no proper climate) or man (to give
 cultivation), so God on the third day caused the process of rainmaking to begin and on the sixth day God
made a man.

b. The provision of a home for man (2:8–14)

(1) The nature of the home—Man’s first home was a garden, a garden of beautiful and useful trees.

(2) The location of the home—Most scholars agree that man’s original home, the Garden of Eden, was
located in the lower Tigris-Euphrates river valley.

(3) The characteristics of the home—(1) It was beautiful; (2) it was supplied with food and drink; (3) it was
supplied with material for art (supplied with gold); and (4) it was supplied with stones for
ornamentation.

c. The provision of an occupation for man (2:15)

Man was assigned the tasks of dressing (pruning) the garden and keeping (guarding) the garden. He
was to work and watch. Man is happy only when he is gainfully occupied and continually alert.

d. The provision of a test for man (2:9, 16, 17)

Among the other trees in the garden of Eden, God planted two literal but symbolic trees, the tree of
life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The one tree, of which man was permitted to eat,
was a symbol of obedience and life; the other tree, of which man was forbidden to eat, was a symbol of
disobedience and death. To eat of the one tree would lead to immortality; to eat of the other tree would
lead to eternal death. These two trees provided a test for man. Would he obey God, eat of the tree of
life and live, or would he disobey God, eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and die?

e. The provision of animal companions for man (2:18–20)

These verses are recorded to show that although man needs animal companionship, this
companionship with the lower creatures does not fully meet the social needs of man. The animals are
not helpers suited to him. They are not his counterpart.

f. The provision of a help meet for man (2:18, 21–24)

(1) Woman was made from man—“Isha” came from “Ish.” Just as Eve was taken from the side of Adam,
even so is the bride of Christ being taken from the side of Christ.

(2) She was brought to the man—She was made of him, 1 Cor. 11:8, and for him, 1 Cor. 11:9, so when she
was created, God brought her to him and presented her to him.

(3) She became the man’s wife—God performed the first marriage. He ordained that man be a
monogamous creature. He purposed that man recognize his wife as being a part of himself, as being his
counterpart, as being “flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones.”

g. The provision of clothing for man (2:25)

 The first man and his wife had no material clothing. They were clothed with the Holy Spirit (and
probably with the visible glory of God), so they had no shame. Later, when they fell, they lost the Holy
Spirit (and the visible glory of God) and henceforth wore material, man-made, clothing.

II. THE FALL OF MAN (chapter 3)

A. THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CHAPTER

It is one of the most important of the chapters of the Bible. It records the degeneration of man and
his loss of paradise.

Generation—Genesis, chapters one and two

Degeneration—Genesis, chapter three

Regeneration—The remainder of the Bible

Paradise established—Genesis, chapters one and two

Paradise lost—Genesis, chapter three

Paradise regained—The remainder of the Bible

B. THE TEMPTER OF EVE (3:1)

1. His identity—The immediate tempter of Eve was an animal, “the serpent,” who originally was an upright
creature, more subtle than any other beast of the field. The ultimate tempter was an angelic being,
Satan, who worked through the animal serpent, John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3; Rev. 12:9.

2. His plan and purpose—He purposed to wrest the scepter of authority from Adam so that he himself
might rule the earth. He planned to attack Eve, the weaker one of the first pair, and then through her to
attack Adam, the king.

C. THE TEMPTATION OF EVE (3:1–6)

1. The threefold element of all temptations

All temptations consist of three elements, a tempter, a lure, and a lust. A fisherman (the tempter)
holds a worm (the lure) before a fish (who has a lust for worms). In the garden, the tempter (Satan) held
the lure (the fruit of the forbidden tree) before the lust of Eve.

2. The threefold lust of Eve (1 John 2:16)

She, in common with all humans, possessed three kinds of lusts, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the
eyes, and the lusts coming from the pride of life, 1 John 2:16.

3. The threefold lure of the forbidden tree (3:6)

a. It was good for food—This appealed to the lust of the flesh.

b. It was pleasant to the eyes (beautiful)—This appealed to the lust of the eyes.

c. It was a tree to be desired to make one wise—This appealed to the lusts of the mind (the pride of life).

4. The threefold argument of the tempter (3:1–5)

a. God is not good (3:1–3)—Satan implies that God is not good, else He would not restrict the liberties of
Eve in regard to something which is good, pleasant, and desirable.

Satan reminds Eve, not of her liberties, but of the one restriction placed upon her liberty. Eve
responds by minimizing the permissions of God and by emphasizing and by adding to the prohibition of
God.

b. God is not veracious (truthful) (3:4)—“Surely God would not kill a person for partaking of anything so
good, pleasant, and desirable as the forbidden tree. The penalty for eating could never be as severe as
that threatened,” suggests Satan.

c. God is not just (3:5)—Satan implies that God is unjustly withholding knowledge that His creatures need.
“God is wise, knowing both good and evil, but He does not want his children to be wise, knowing both
good and evil.”

God, being omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, can know evil without being contaminated by
it, but this is not true of man. God desires man to know evil, not through experience, but through
revelation.

D. THE FALL OF THE MAN AND THE WOMAN (3:6)

1. The fall of Eve

a. She listened (to the serpent). d. She ate (the fruit).

She looked (at the tree). e. She fell (from God’s favor).

She took (the fruit).

2. The fall of Adam

a. He received the fruit from his wife. c. He fell.

He ate.

3. The difference between the two falls

a. The woman was deceived, Adam was not (1 Tim. 2:14)—Adam ate knowingly and deliberately that he
might not be separated from his wife.
b. The fall of Eve affected only herself, the fall of Adam affected the entire human race—The race was in
Adam when he fell, so what happened to him happened to the race. Rom. 5:12.

E. THE EFFECTS OF THE FALL (3:7–20)

1. The effects of the fall upon the man and the woman (Adam and Eve) (3:7–13)

a. They knew both good and evil (3:7)—Their eyes were opened (see 3:5), that is, they knew in experience
both good and evil (just as they previously had known in experience the blessed results of doing good,
even so now they knew in experience the cursed consequences of doing evil). God did not desire that
man know evil in experience (with its guilt, condemnation, and exposure to God’s wrath) but He
permitted man to make this choice. Now that man has chosen this course, God purposes to use man’s
acquaintance with evil for His own glory and for man’s good.

b. They experienced shame (3:7)—When their eyes were opened, they were conscious of the fact that
they had lost the covering of God’s Holy Spirit and the covering of His visible glory and so were
spiritually and physically naked. They were ashamed and so made themselves fig-leaf clothing. Man is
the only creature of God’s creation who wears clothing. He alone wears clothing because he alone lost
the original clothing given to all creatures by God. Man’s material clothes are a substitute for his original
spiritual clothes.

Just as Adam devised clothes to cover his natural nakedness, even so sinners today devise clothes
(religious zeal, good works, ritualism, pious speech, etc.) to cover their spiritual nakedness.

c. They showed fear (3:8–10)—Just as the guilt of sin produces shame, even so the penalty of sin produces
fear. Fearing God, Adam and Eve hid themselves from God, apprehensive that He would slay them
physically as he had slain them spiritually. They sensed that spiritual death is followed by physical death.

Today men attempt to hide themselves from God and His wrath, Rom. 1:18–3:20.

d. They denied blame (3:11–13)—Adam blamed his sin upon God and the woman. Eve blamed her sin
upon the serpent.

2. The effects of the fall upon the race

a. Adam’s sin and its penal consequences were imputed to his posterity—When Adam sinned and was
exposed to death, the race in him sinned and was exposed to death, Rom. 5:12.

b. Adam’s fallen nature was transmitted to his posterity—Adam’s offspring are born, not in God’s image
and likeness, 1:26, but in fallen Adam’s image and likeness, 5:3; Psa. 51:5; John 3:6; Eph. 2:3.

3. The effects of the fall upon nature (3:14–20)

a. The effect in general

 God placed a curse upon all of nature, Rom. 8:20–22. God placed “a thorn with every rose.” He sent
physical evil, the curse (whose author is God), to punish, and turn man from, moral evil, sin (whose
author is man).

b. The effect in detail

(1) The animal serpent was humbled (3:14)

(2) The woman was subjected to painful childbirth (3:16)

(3) The woman was subjected to a fallen husband (3:16)—She was sentenced to obey a husband who
would no longer rule her by love but by force.

(4) The ground was cursed (3:17–19)—The man was sentenced to produce food in toil and sorrow from a
ground cursed with thorns and thistles.

(5) The man and the woman were sentenced to physical death (3:19)—Before the fall, they were subject to
physical death (they were mortal), but after the fall, they were sentenced to physical death.

4. The effect of the fall upon dispensations

At the time of the fall, the dispensation of innocence closed and the dispensation of conscience
(natural revelation) began.

F. THE HOPE OF RECOVERY FROM THE FALL (3:14, 15, 21)

1. Hope is given by means of a prophecy (3:14, 15)

a. The addressee of the prophecy—The serpent

God speaks this prophecy of defeat for the serpent and his seed and of victory for the woman and
her seed, not to the pair but to the serpent (the devil), because God’s final triumph over the serpent is
not primarily for the blessing of man but for the glory of God.

b. The content of this prophecy

(1) The serpent is to be continually humbled (3:14)—This verse speaks both of the animal serpent and of
the angelic serpent (the devil) who was behind the animal serpent.

The animal serpent was humbled by being changed into a creature which crawls upon its belly. The
angelic serpent is defeated and humbled every time a sinner becomes a saint and every time a saint
experiences victory over temptation. Both positional overcoming, 1 John 2:13; 5:4, and experiential
overcoming, 1 John 5:5, defeat and humble Satan.

(2) The serpent and the woman will be enemies (3:15)—Eve was soon saved and this enmity began.
(3) The serpent’s seed and the woman’s seed will be enemies (3:15)—There will be continual warfare
between the serpent’s seed (the unsaved of mankind, John 8:44) and the woman’s seed (Christ and
those who are joined to Him by faith).

(4) The serpent will bruise Christ’s heel (3:15)—Satan gave Christ a temporary wound (a heel wound) at
the cross.

(5) The seed of the woman (Christ) will bruise the serpent’s head (3:15)—The Seed of the woman, Christ,
will someday destroy the serpent (bruise his head), Rev. 20:10.

2. Hope is given by means of a type (3:21)

God slew an animal and then clothed Adam and Eve with clothes (“coats”) which He made from the
animal’s skin.

This act: (1) indicates that Adam and Eve became saved (they apparently accepted and wore God’s
covering for their nakedness); (2) revealed that the proper approach of sinful man to God is through
sacrifice (shedding of blood); and (3) prefigures the divine provision of a robe of righteousness for sinners
(God’s imputed righteousness), Rom. 3:21, 22.

G. THE EXPULSION FROM THE GARDEN (3:22–24)

Holiness is the condition for partaking of the tree of life. When the first man and woman lost their
holiness through disobedience (sin), they were driven from the garden and its tree of life. To guard the
holiness of God and the garden, God placed at the entrance to the garden a flaming sword and
cherubims (holy angels).

Man could no longer enter the garden and partake of the tree of life through perfect personal
obedience. It is only through Christ and His imputed, imparted, and completed righteousness that man
can pass through the flaming sword (the law and its righteous demands) and be welcomed by the
angels, Rev. 21:12, back into the garden to partake of the tree of life, Rev. 2:7; 22:2; Rev. 22:14.

Man was driven from the garden but, camped outside its gates, he through the offering of the
prescribed sacrifices, saw paradise lost as someday being paradise regained.

It was the mercy of God which prevented Adam and Eve from re-entering the garden, eating of the
tree of life, and living forever in their fallen condition. To live forever in our fallen state would be a
curse, not a blessing.

III. THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL (the story of the two seeds) (4:1–15)

A. THE BIRTH OF CAIN AND ABEL (4:1, 2)

They were probably twins for it is not said, as is customary, that Eve “conceived again and bare
Abel” but “she again bare his brother Abel.”
 Eve, and no doubt her husband, Adam, believed that Cain was “the seed of the woman” and that
Abel was “the seed of the serpent” for she said of Cain “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” She, or her
husband, named the boys “Cain” (gain) and “Abel” (loss). But, contrary to the judgment of the parents,
Abel proved himself to be the seed of the woman and Cain manifested himself to be the seed of the
serpent. The election of grace passed over the firstborn and chose the second born.

B. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CAIN AND ABEL (4:2)

1. They headed the two lines—The unrighteous and the righteous

2. They originated the world’s two great occupations—The occupations of farming and shepherding

3. They began the prophecied warfare between the seeds—Between the seed of the serpent and the seed
of the woman

C. THE WORSHIP OF CAIN AND ABEL (4:3, 4a)

1. The place of their worship—It seems that they brought their offerings to a definite place, probably to
the east gate of the Garden of Eden, before the flaming sword.

2. The time of their worship—“In process of time” (“at the end of days,” center column) probably has
reference to the seventh-day Sabbath.

3. The manner of their worship—Both Cain and Abel worshipped God through offerings made to Him. God
had revealed to Adam and Eve, at the time that He clothed them with skins, that He is to be approached
through sacrifices and offerings. Adam no doubt had transmitted this revelation to his sons.

4. The difference in their worship—Cain brought unto the Lord a fruit-offering but Abel brought an animal
offering.

D. THE REJECTION OF CAIN AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF ABEL (4:4b, 5a)

God had respect unto Abel and his offering but He had no respect unto Cain and his offering. How
was this acceptance and non-acceptance shown? Possibly fire fell from heaven and consumed Abel’s,
but not Cain’s, sacrifice, Lev. 9:24; 1 Kgs. 18:38.

Why this difference in acceptance? It was not because of a difference in the object of worship, the
place of worship, the time of worship, or the manner of worship, but because of a difference in the
attitude of worship. Abel offered in faith (in obedience) and Cain offered in unbelief (disobedience).

God had to and through Adam revealed that men are sinners and that therefore they must approach
Him through a sin offering (a non-voluntary offering, a bloody offering, a propitatory offering) before
they approach Him with a meal offering (a voluntary offering, a non-bloody offering, a dedicatory
offering). Believing God’s revelation and confessing himself to be a sinner, Abel offered a lamb (a
bloody, propitiary offering) and because of his faith (obedience), God accepted him and his offering. Not
believing God’s revelation and not confessing himself to be a sinner, Cain offered of the fruit of the
 ground (a non-bloody, dedicatory offering), and because of his unbelief (disobedience), God rejected
him and his offering.

Today, we must offer our sin offering (Christ) before we offer our meal offering (our possessions).
We must be acceptable before our possessions are acceptable. God does not accept the gifts of sinners.

E. THE SINFUL RESPONSE OF CAIN (4:5b–9)

1. He became jealously angry (4:5b)—Cain was angry and crestfallen because of God’s acceptance of his
younger brother and His rejection of himself. He feared that the rights of the firstborn had been
transferred from himself to his brother.

2. He rejected God’s offer of grace (4:6, 7)—Verse 7 might be paraphrased: “If you had done well (offered
the proper offering), would you not have been accepted? But since you did not offer well, there is a sin
offering (a lamb) lying at the door. Offer it in faith and you will be acceptable and will yet have the rule
over your younger brother.”

3. He talked with his brother (4:8a)—Probably this means that he spoke abusively to his brother.

4. He slew his brother (4:8b)—Here we have a record of the first murder. Why did Cain slay Abel? Because
the righteous life of Abel condemned him, 1 John 3:12.

5. He denied responsibility for his brother (4:9)—Note his reply to the question of God. He asked, “Am I my
brother’s keeper?” The unsaved live selfish lives, often denying all fraternal responsibilities.

F. THE DIVINE PUNISHMENT OF CAIN (4:10–15)

1. The indictment of Cain (4:10)

“Be sure your sin will find you out,” Num. 32:23. God’s justice demands the exposure and the
punishment of sin. If we uncover (confess) our sin and forsake it, He covers it with His forgiveness and
mercy, but if we cover (hide) our sin, He will uncover it and judge it, Prov. 28:13.

2. The judgment upon Cain (4:11, 12)

a. He was cursed from the earth (4:11)—In regard to Cain, the ground was placed under a special curse.
God forbad the ground to yield to Cain the increase given to others.

b. He was made a vagabond (4:12, 14)—In search of a livelihood, Cain was driven from the face of the
Lord (from the eastern gate of the Garden of Eden) and then from place to place in the earth.

c. He was made a fugitive (4:12)—Cain sensed that God’s original law is “whosoever sheddeth man’s
blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” Cain feared that all who met him would feel entitled and
obligated to slay him.

3. The mercy shown Cain (4:13–15)

 God held in abeyance (He temporarily suspended) His original law of blood revenge until after the
Flood. In mercy, God set a mark of identification upon Cain and publicly announced a seven-fold
punishment upon any person killing Cain.

IV. THE TWO LINES FROM ADAM TO THE FLOOD (4:16–5:32)

A. THE UNRIGHTEOUS LINE (4:16–24)

1. Its genealogy (this line is traced to the seventh generation)

a. Cain—He married one of his relatives, migrated eastward to the land of Nod and built a city (for human
security and self aggrandizement), naming this city after his son, Enoch (meaning high destination).

b. Enoch

c. Irad

d. Mehujael

e. Methusael

f. Lamech—He was a bigamist, a murderer, a boaster, and a poet.

g. Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain—These three men, Lamech’s sons, respectively fathered shepherding,
music making, and metalworking.

2. Its characteristics

a. Skepticism c. Humanism e. Materialism

Antinomianism d. Secularism

B. THE RIGHTEOUS LINE (4:25–5:32)

1. Its genealogy (this line is traced to the tenth generation)

a. Adam—He lived to see his eighth-generation descendents.

b. Seth—Eve named him “Seth” (appointed) for she believed that he was the seed appointed by God to
replace slain Abel. Note that in 5:3 Seth is said to have been begotten, not in God’s image and likeness,
but in (fallen Adam’s image and likeness.

c. Enos—In his days, men “began to call upon the name of the Lord,” that is, a revival of true religion took
place in his time.

d. Cainan

e. Mahalaleel
f. Jared

g. Enoch—He was a contemporary of Lamech, the seventh from Adam through Cain. He was converted at
the age of sixty five (when his son Methusaleh was born), he became a prophet (Jude 1:14, 15), he
walked with God for three hundred years, he pleased God, and then he was taken (translated) by God.
In days of religious darkness and moral declension, Enoch was a mighty witness against error and evil
and for truth and righteousness.

h. Methuselah—He lived for nearly a millennium (969 years) and then died the year of the flood. He is the
world’s longest-lived man.

i. Lamech—He in faith named his son Noah (meaning comfort or consolation). He believed that through
Noah the earth would see better days (the ground would become more productive).

j. Noah—He became the savior of the old world and the father of the new world.

2. Its characteristics

a. It did not shine in regard to things of this world

b. It maintained a testimony to God—Its testimony was sometimes weak and perhaps inconsistent but it
was always present.

c. It experienced three seasons of revival—These revivals of true religion came in the days of Enos, Enoch,
and Noah.

3. Its noteworthy things

a. Its long-lived members—Many of these men lived the major part of a millennium (Methuselah lived the
longest, 969 years). Their long lives fitted them to be repositories and transmitters of God’s revealed
truths (Methuselah was contemporary with both Adam and Shem. He could have received truth directly
from Adam and then directly transmitted it to Shem).

b. Its repetitious record—“He lived, he begat, he died” is recorded 9 times. This is the natural history of
man. The spiritual history of man is: “he lived, he did not do or else he did do the will of God for his life,
he died.”

c. Its total span of years—If there are no gaps in the chronology, then 1656 years elapsed between the
creation of Adam and the Flood.

V. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD WORLD (the great deluge) (6:1–8:14)

A. THE MORAL CAUSES OF THE FLOOD (the moral condition of the earth just before the flood)—The whole
earth was filled with:
1. Secularism and materialism—See Matt. 24:37–39. The earth’s inhabitants were so filled and occupied
with earthly things that they had no time for heavenly things (God’s commandments, God’s glory, and
God’s warnings). As a result, the flood found them unexpectant and unprepared.

2. Evil thoughts (6:5)—Men’s desires, thoughts, and purposes were constantly evil.

3. Murder (violence) (6:11, 13)—The earth was filled with all kinds of violence, probably including frequent
acts of murder. Lamech of Cain’s line had set the pattern. The law of blood revenge had to be
reactivated after the flood, that murders in the earth might be curbed.

4. Mixture (pollution, corruption) (6:2, 4, 11, 12)—The godly were marrying the ungodly. Those of the line
of Seth were becoming unequally yoked together with those of the line of Cain. Their choice of wives
was based, not upon goodness of character, but upon beauty of countenance. Mighty men of renown
(but not the “giants”) came from these unions.

The devil’s two chief tools, murder and mixture, were fully used at the time of the flood.

5. Wickedness in general (6:5)—The earth was filled with wickedness of all kinds.

B. THE DECREEING OF THE FLOOD (6:5–7)

1. God saw (6:5)—God’s eyes are ever upon His creation, to reward the good and to punish the evil. God,
just before the flood, no longer saw His creation as very good, 1:31, but as very wicked (man, left to
himself, ever moves downward, not upward).

2. God grieved (6:6)—God was grieved in His heart when He observed the wickedness of His creatures,
made in His image.

3. God repented (6:6)—Since His righteousness demanded the destruction of His sinful creatures, God
repented of having made them. As was true of Judas, Matt. 26:24, it would have been good for them if
they had never been born.

4. God purposed to destroy (He decreed the flood) (6:7)—Judgment is God’s “strange work,” Isa. 28:21,
but God’s righteousness demands the punishment of evil. God reluctantly purposed to destroy
rebellious man. As in the original curse 3:14, God decreed that the innocent animal creation share the
fate of man.

C. THE PROMISED DELIVERANCE FROM THE FLOOD (6:8–21)

1. The recipients of the promise (6:17–20)—God promised to spare Noah, his family, and a certain number
of each of the animal species.

Noah was the son of Lamech. He was a justified man, 6:9, a man who walked with God, 6:9, an
obedient man, 6:22; 7:5, a righteous man, 7:1, and a man perfect in his generations (a man unmixed
with the line of Cain), 6:9.
2. The basis of the promise (6:8)—It was based upon God’s grace and not upon human merit. Noah’s
obedience was less than perfect, so he did not deserve deliverance. Deliverance was a matter of grace.

3. The nature of the promise (6:18)—God gave the promise in the form of a covenant, a covenant initiated
by God and received by man.

4. The purpose of the promise (Heb. 11:7)—God gave the promise and its fulfillment to reward Noah’s
faith (Noah’s family were included in the promise, in mercy to Noah). Faith does not deserve, but it
always receives, a reward.

D. THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE FLOOD (6:3; 1 Peter 3:20)

“Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” 2 Peter 3:9, God
delayed the flood for 120 years, 6:3; 1 Peter 3:20.

E. THE PREPARATION FOR THE FLOOD

1. The long-term preparations

a. Noah built for 120 years (6:3; 1 Peter 3:19, 20)—Probably during all of the 120 years of waiting (delay),
Noah was building the ark of safety, in obedience to God’s command, Heb. 11:7.

b. Noah preached for 120 years (6:3; 1 Peter 3:20)—Probably during the whole of the 120 years of waiting,
he preached the coming flood and God’s way of deliverance from it, 2 Peter 2:5. Based upon the
fruitless results, we judge that his message was unbelieved and rejected and that he was received with
scorn and contempt.

2. The final preparations (7:1–16)

a. God commanded Noah to enter the ark (7:1–15)

Seven days before the beginning of the flood, God commanded Noah and his family, plus seven of
every clean creature and two of every unclean creature, to come into (not go into) the ark. This they did
during the following seven days, Noah entering first, followed by the animals, 7:7, 9, 15 (the animals
entered of their own accord).

b. God shut the door (7:16)—What God seals, no man can harm or destroy.

F. THE BEGINNING OF THE FLOOD (7:11)

The flood began on the 17th day of the 2nd month of the 600th year of Noah’s life.

G. THE AUTHOR OF THE FLOOD (6:17; 7:4)

God sent the flood. “I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth.”

H. THE PHYSICAL CAUSES OF THE FLOOD (7:11)

1. The fountains of the deep were broken up.

2. The windows of heaven were opened.

I. THE EXTENT OF THE FLOOD

Was the flood universal or local? We cannot be certain but the flood seems to have been universal.
See 6:12, 13; 7:19.

J. THE PREVALENCE OF THE FLOOD (7:17–20)

All of the earth, even the high mountains, were covered.

K. THE DURATION OF THE FLOOD

1. The rain lasted 40 days, 7:12, 17.

2. The waters began to recede after the 40 days, and on the 150th day, the ark rested on the mountains of
Ararat, 8:1–4.

3. The tops of the mountains became visible on the 223rd day, 8:5.

4. The covering of the ark was removed on the 314th day, 8:13.

5. The earth was dried on the 27th day of the 2nd month of the second year of the flood, 8:14. The flood
had lasted 370 days.

L. THE RESULTS OF THE FLOOD

1. All off-the-ark creatures died (7:21–23)—This included men, land creatures, and air creatures. The sea
creatures did not perish.

2. All on-the-ark creatures were spared (7:23)—The ark had been the exclusive place of safety.

VI. THE NEW START AFTER THE FLOOD (8:15–9:29)

A. THE EMPTYING OF THE ARK (8:15–19)

1. The command of God (8:15–17)—When the earth was dried, God commanded Noah and his family to
go forth from the ark of deliverance into a cleansed earth. Noah was to bring forth all of the spared
animal creatures that they might breed abundantly and rapidly refill the earth (note the change from
“go” to “bring” in verses 16 and 17. God left the ark between these verses.)

2. The obedience of Noah (8:18, 19)—Noah’s obedience, as before, 6:22, 7:5, was prompt and full.

As Noah stepped forth from the ark, he became the new head of the human race and the
inaugurator of a new dispensation, “the dispensation of human government.”

B. THE BUILDING OF AN ALTAR (8:20–22)

1. The erection of an altar (8:20)—Noah’s first act after leaving the ark was to build an altar and offer up
offerings of thanksgiving and consecration. Our deliverance from sin should cause us to thank God and
to consecrate our lives to Him.

Only of the clean animals were sacrifices offered up. Seven of each species of clean animal had been
taken aboard the ark so that there would be sufficient clean animals for sacrifice, for food, and for
propagation.

2. The response of God (8:21, 22)—God was pleased with Noah’s sacrifices and He purposed that as long
as the present earth remains He would keep the seasons normal and send no more violent shocks of
nature producing universal destruction, for judgment will not permanently turn man from evil.

God purposed to deal with man not in judgment but in grace until the end of the post-flood world,
at which time He will again send universal judgment and destruction, baptizing the earth, not with water
as before but with fire, 2 Peter 3:5–7 (only after these two baptisms will the earth be completely purged
of all evil and be made the eternal habitation of God and the redeemed).

Just as the ark of Noah was the place of refuge for the inhabitants of the pre-flood world, even so is
Christ the place of refuge for the inhabitants of the present post-flood world.

C. THE BLESSING OF NOAH AND HIS SONS (9:1a)

Just as God blessed the first head of the human race, Adam, 1:28, even so did God bless the second
head of the race, Noah. Human life is preserved and propagated only through God’s blessing.

D. THE ORDERING OF THE POST-FLOOD WORLD (9:1b–17)

(The following things give the details of the general blessing recorded in 9:1a)

1. God made provision for the propagation of human life (9:1b)—God commanded the race to propagate
(God gave the same command to Adam and Eve, 1:28). It is through marriage that this command is to be
carried out, 2:22–24.

2. God made provision for the protection of human life (9:2, 5, 6)—God gave man a new authority over the
lower creatures and over murderers (an authority based upon terror).

a. The new authority over the lower creatures (9:2)—God originally gave man authority over the animals,
1:28, an authority to be exercised in love. Man, after the fall, lost much of this original authority, and no
doubt the lower creatures had a part in the violence which filled the earth before the flood, 6:11. After
the flood, God renewed man’s authority over the animals but this new authority is based upon fear and
not upon love. Now the animals respect and obey man, not because they love him but because they fear
him.

b. The new authority over murderers (9:5, 6)—Before the flood, the right to avenge murder was withheld
from man, God reserving unto Himself the right to exercise this prerogative, 4:15. God placed a
minimum of restraint upon the fallen nature of man that this nature might be given full expression that
 all men might see its evil quality. This nature did receive full expression in the violence which filled the
earth just before the flood.

This demonstration of man’s violent nature having been made, God after the flood placed a restraint
upon this violent nature. He ordained that “the powers that be,” the civil powers, avenge all wanton
murder, 9:5, 6, Rom. 13:1–6. During the period of the present heaven and earth, the civil powers are
duty-bound to execute man or beast who without provocation takes the life of man. God exposes the
murderer and man is to punish him.

God placed this restraint upon the taking of human life because man is precious, being yet, even
after the fall, in the image of God, James 3:9.

3. God made provision for the sustenance of human life (9:3)—God, anticipating a greatly-increased
population, added animal meat to man’s food supply after the flood, this supply formerly consisting of
vegetables and fruits, 1:29. Man was no longer a vegetarian.

4. God made provision for the protection of animal life (9:4)—God forbad the eating of animal flesh which
is yet filled with blood.

This prohibition was given to protect animals from wanton cruelty. They are to be slain only for food
and this slaying is to be done in a merciful way. Animals are not to be tortured, mangled, or strangled.

5. God made provision for the assurance of life (9:8–17)—God gave man a covenant that there would
never be another flood destructive of all flesh.

a. The content of the covenant (9:11)—There will never be another universal flood destructive of all flesh.
The seasons will be normal, 8:22, and as long as the present earth remains, there will be no more
universal judgments upon man through violent upheavals of nature, 8:21.

b. The nature of the covenant (9:9)—It is a one-sided covenant. Prompted by His grace, God made an
unconditional promise to His creatures. Note the many repetitions of the word “I” in verses 8–17.

c. The recipients of the covenant (9:8–10)—The covenant is made with Noah, his sons, and his posterity
and with all the animals, 9:8–10. It is made with “every living creature of all flesh,” 9:16.

d. The duration of the covenant (8:21, 22; 9:12)—It is in force “while the [present] earth remaineth,” 8:21,
22. It is to endure “for perpetual generations,” 9:12. There will be no judgments during the period of the
present earth’s existence, only a final universal judgment of fire which will terminate our present system
and make way for a new heaven and a new earth, 2 Peter 3:7–13.

e. The token of the covenant (9:12–17)—Note four things concerning this token:

(1) The identity of the token—The token is the bow seen in the clouds after the rain.

(2) The meaning of the token—When the bow appears, it means that God is being reminded of His
covenant promise.
(3) The suitableness of the token—The rainbow is universal and continual, so it is a suitable token (sign).

(4) The purpose of the token—It is to give man double assurance that God will keep His promise (to send
no more universal floods). Man’s assurance rests upon two immutable things, God’s word and the
pledge of God’s word. The assurance here is similar to the assurance of Heb. 6:17, 18, where God’s word
and His oath form the bases of the assurance spoken of there.

E. THE DISGRACING OF NOAH (9:18–23)

1. The background (9:18, 19)

Noah’s three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, are mentioned in 9:18, 19 as the three new heads of
the human race after the flood. This prepares us for the narrative just ahead, for in this narrative, these
three sons of Noah occupy the central place and their actions have an effect not only upon themselves
but also upon the three branches of the human race which they head.

2. The disgracing (9:20–23)

a. Noah was disgraced by what he himself did (9:21)—Noah’s sin was two-fold, drunkenness and indecent
exposure. He planted a vineyard, drank of the wine, became drunken, and indecently exposed himself.

This record of Noah’s fall: (1) Reassures us of the Bible’s honesty concerning its heroes; (2) reveals
the total depravity of man; (3) reminds us of the danger facing every one of us; (4) rebukes the sin of
drunkenness; and (5) reveals the connection between intemperance and impurity.

b. Noah was disgraced by what Ham did (9:22, 23)—Ham saw and rejoiced in his father’s nakedness (he
was an unbeliever and he was glad to see the fall of his father, a believer and “a preacher of
righteousness,” 2 Peter 2:51).

He saw his father’s nakedness and seemingly hurried to tell his brothers of their father’s fall. These
two brothers, Shem and Japheth, did not rejoice with him but rebuked him by covering their father with
a garment.

This record of the response of Noah’s sons to their father’s nakedness: (1) reveals the true nature of
Ham (he was an unbeliever); (2) reveals the true nature of Shem and Japheth (they were believers); (3)
reveals the renewed warfare between the seeds; (4) reveals the proper Christian response to a
believer’s fall (Shem and Japheth did not deny, condone, or ignore Noah’s sin, but rather they confessed,
condemned, and covered it, considering themselves, lest they be tempted and fall); and (5) reveals
implicitly the shame experienced by Noah when he awakened and saw his sin and the results of it.

F. THE PROPHECY OF NOAH (9:24–27)

1. The author of this prophecy

When Noah awoke, God (through Noah) spake this prophecy concerning Noah’s sons and their
posterity.
2. The content of this prophecy

a. The Canaanites will be a cursed people (9:25)

(1) The recipients of the curse—The curse is pronounced against Canaan (the son of Ham) and his
posterity, yet history forces us to believe that all of Ham’s descendents, and not just his descendents
through Canaan, were involved in this curse. The descendents of Ham through Cush, Mizraim, and Phut
may have been directly cursed at the time of the cursing of Canaan and this fact is not recorded or they
may have been indirectly cursed later through intermarriage and intermingling with the descendents of
Canaan.

(2) The reason for the curse—God cursed Canaan to punish Ham for his sin. Ham caused Noah to suffer as
a father and so God caused Ham to suffer as a father. In the Scriptures, it is common for God to visit the
iniquity of the fathers upon their posterity, Exo. 20:5. Why was Canaan chosen as the son upon whom
God would visit Ham’s sin? Because later, when God’s people, the Israelites of the line of Shem, came up
from Egypt to possess the promised land, it was the Canaanites (the descendents of Canaan) who stood
in the way and attempted to frustrate God’s will (His promise).

(3) The nature of the curse—It is a curse of servitude. The descendents of Canaan, the Canaanites, are to
be “servants of servants” (the basest of servants) to both the Shemetic and the Japhetic peoples.

b. The Shemites will be a blessed people (9:26)

“Blessed be the Lord God of Shem (and by implication, blessed be Shem, whose God is the Lord God)
and Canaan shall be his (Shem’s) servant.”

c. The Japhites will be a blessed people (9:27)

Japheth will be enlarged, he will dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan will be his servant.

3. The fulfillment of the prophecy

a. God has been the Lord God of Shem (especially of the Israelites, who came from Shem through Eber
and Abraham) and the Canaanites did become the servants of Shem (of the Israelites) at the time of the
Israelites’ conquest of Canaan.

b. God has enlarged Japheth, he has dwelled in the tents of Shem, and the Canaanites did become the
servants of Japheth. God enlarged Japheth’s territories during the rule of the Medo-Persians, the
Grecians, and the Romans (and under the successors of the Romans). Shortly after the Day of Pentecost,
Japheth (the Gentiles) began to dwell in the tents of Shem (the place of religious blessing). The
Canaanites of Carthage did become the servants of Japheth (the Romans) in 140 B.C. In a larger sense,
the Japhetic peoples have for many centuries subjugated and ruled over the Hamitic peoples of north
Africa.

G. THE LONGEVITY OF NOAH (9:28, 29)

 Noah lived 350 years after the flood, to the ninth generation of his descendents. He died at the age
of 950 years, two years before the birth of Abraham.

VII. THE TABLE OF THE NATIONS (Chapter 10)

A. THE OUTLINE OF THIS CHAPTER—The outline has five points:

1. The opening statement (10:1)

2. The descendents of Japheth and their place of settlement (10:2–5)—Fourteen descendents of Japheth
are mentioned. They settled the northern tier of nations in Europe and in Asia. The Jews called the
Japhetic area of settlement “the Isles of the Gentiles.”

3. The descendents of Ham and their place of settlement (10:6–20)—Thirty descendents of Ham are
mentioned. They settled the southern tier of nations in north Africa and in western Asia.

4. The descendents of Shem and their place of settlement (10:21–31)—Twenty six descendents of Shem
are mentioned. They settled in the middle tier of nations in western Asia. A total of seventy nations are
mentioned in chapter ten.

5. The closing statement (10:32)

B. THE PLAN OF THIS CHAPTER—As is customary throughout the book of Genesis, the collateral branches
of descent are given first and then the main stream of descent is given. So here in chapter 10, we have
Noah’s descendents through Japheth and Ham and then we have his descendents through Shem.

C. THE PURPOSE FOR THIS CHAPTER—This chapter was written to show the relationship between the
nations and the nation of Israel, the chosen nation. In this chapter, God enumerates the nations, bids
them a temporary farewell, and then in the remainder of the Old Testament, He concentrates upon the
chosen nation, through which someday the nations will receive readmittance to God’s favor and
blessing.

VIII. THE DISPERSION OF THE NATIONS (11:1–9)

(Chapter 10 lists the near descendents of Shem, Ham, and Japheth and gives the general area of
their settlement. Chapter 11:1–9 now goes back and informs us how God settled these nations in the
areas of their settlements.)

A. THE LEADER OF THE NATIONS (10:8–12)

During the third and fourth generations after the flood, the earth’s population began to multiply
rapidly and it became necessary that the human race expand into areas around the ark previously
unoccupied, but these areas were filled with wild animals.

Apparently at this time Nimrod, the grandson of Ham and the son of Cush, ambitiously assumed
leadership over the nations (“he began to be a mighty one in the earth”) and as the head of an army of
hunters (“he was a mighty hunter before the Lord”), he began to clear the areas more distant from the
 ark of the wild beasts who occupied them, preparing these areas for the migration of settlers which
were to follow. The nations, led by Nimrod and without counsel from God, were preparing to expand
territorily.

B. THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE DISPERSION OF THE NATIONS (10:25)

Apparently at the time of the events of the previous paragraph, God by revelation gave to Eber (of
the spiritually-blessed line of Shem) His blueprint for dispersion, allotting to each nation an area for
habitation (Eber named his newborn son “Peleg,” meaning division, in commemoration of the revelation
given to him by God concerning the earth’s division). Then Eber, as God’s agent, made known to the
nations God’s blueprint for dispersion.

The Scriptures three times speak of this divine division of the earth into geographical areas to be
occupied by certain nations, Gen. 10:25; Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26. When God divided the nations their
inheritance, He did so with an eye to the number of His own people, Israel, Deut. 32:8, 9.

C. THE REBELLION OF THE NATIONS (11:1–4)

Under their leader, Nimrod, the nations rebelled against God and His revelation concerning
dispersion. In defiance of His will, the nations refused to disperse but rather gathered themselves and,
under Nimrod, began to journey eastward, looking for a suitable place to build a city and a tower (a
center for political and religious union) lest they be scattered abroad.

Coming to the Plain of Shinar, the nations deemed it to be their sought-for location and here they
built their planned city and tower, symbols of pride, rebellion, and self-sufficiency.

Babylon became: (1) the beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom, 10:10; (2) the center of organized political
rebellion against God, Rev. 18:2; and (3) the mother of all false religious systems, Rev. 17:5.

D. THE SCATTERING OF THE NATIONS (11:5–9)

1. The agent of the dispersion—God observed the city and the tower and He Himself became the agent of
the dispersion.

2. The means of the dispersion—God confounded the language of the builders, causing them to cease
building and to disperse because of their inability to communicate.

Probably their one language became three, one for the family of Shem, one for the family of Ham,
and one for the family of Japheth. Shem probably retained the original language of man (probably the
Hebrew tongue). Philologists believe that the world’s present multitude of languages came from three
parent languages.

3. The results of the dispersion—After the scattering, the nations were found in the areas previously
allotted to them by God.
 It seems that there are two exceptions to the above statement. It appears that both Nimrod and the
Canaanites, both of the line of Ham, rebelled against being scattered to their assigned lands and settled
down within the territory assigned to the Shemites.

Nimrod finished the building of the city of Babylon and made it the capital of an empire in the lower
part of Mesopotamia. Later, he went forth and built Ninevah, making it the capital of another empire in
the upper part of Mesopotamia, 10:10–12. These two empires of Nimrod, both occupying territories
divinely assigned to Shem, flourished for many centuries and then utterly perished.

The Canaanites occupied another part of Shem’s allotted territory, Palestine, the very parcel of land
that God had His eye upon when He divided the earth among the sons of Noah, Deut. 32:8, 9. They
dwelled in this land belonging to Shem for many hundreds of years until they were conquered by the
Israelites, the chosen family of the line of Shem. They henceforth became the servants of Shem, as was
prophesied by Noah, 9:26.

IX. THE BACKGROUND OF ABRAHAM (11:10–32)

(In these verses, we are given the final preparation for the introduction of Abraham, the central
figure of Genesis.)

A. ABRAHAM’S RACIAL BACKGROUND (the genealogy of Shem) (11:10–26)

(The genealogy of Shem given in 10:21–31 is incomplete. Here in 11:10–26, the genealogy of Shem
is traced down through the righteous line for ten generations, from Shem to Abraham.)

1. Shem 3. Salah 5. Peleg 7. Serug 9. Terah

Arphaxed 4. Eber 6. Reu 8. Nahor 10. Abraham

Shem lived throughout the more than 400 years covered by this genealogy, so it may have originally
been recorded by him.

B. ABRAHAM’S FAMILY BACKGROUND (the genealogy of Terah) (11:27–32)

1. Terah

2. Terah’s sons

a. Haran—He was the father of Lot. He died in Ur, the land of his nativity.

b. Nahor—He was the husband of Milcah, Haran’s daughter.

c. Abraham—He was the husband of Sarai (Sarah) and the uncle of Lot. Terah, Abraham, Sarai, and Lot left
Ur to go to Canaan but Terah died at Haran before they arrived in Canaan.

PART TWO—The beginning of the nation of Israel (the roots of the nation of Israel),
chapters 12–50
 (Chapters 12–50 cover around 350 years [chapters 1–11 covered around 2,000 years]. Chapters 12–
50 give us detailed history [chapters 1–11 gave us general history]. Chapters 12–50 deal with the roots
of the nation of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph [chapters 1–11 dealt with the roots of all
nations].)

I. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM (12:1–25:10)

(Now we come to the central figure of the book of Genesis, Abraham. Nearly all of fourteen chapters
are devoted to him, 12:1–25:10. The preceding chapters deal with his ancestors. The succeeding
chapters deal with his posterity. Abraham is one of earth’s truly-great men.

God now makes a new start, not with the whole race as He did with Adam and with Noah, but with a
man from the race, that through this man and his seed blessing might someday come to the whole
world. The remainder of the Bible unfolds God’s through-Abraham redemption plan for the nations.)

A. ABRAHAM IN UR (of the Chaldees) (11:27–32; 12:1–3)

1. His background (11:10–32)

a. His racial background (11:10–26)—He came from Noah through Shem.

b. His family background (11:27–32)—He came from Terah, the son of Nahor. His immediate ancestors
were idolators (idolatry in the earth probably had its beginning at the time of the building of the tower
of Babel), Josh. 24:2, 14

c. His cultural background (11:31)—He came from Ur of the Chaldees, a large city highly advanced in the
arts and the sciences and in the culture of Abraham’s day.

2. His call (12:1–3)

a. The time of this call (12:1; Acts 7:2, 3)—We do not know at what time in Abraham’s life this call from
God came, only that it came before he was seventy five years of age, 11:31, 32; 12:1–4.

b. The nature of this call (12:1; Acts 7:3—It was a call from an old life to a new life (a call to relinquish the
old and to embrace the new).

c. The promises associated with this call (12:2, 3)

Abraham was promised personal, national, and universal blessings. These promises were given to
him in the form of a covenant. This covenant is later, in Canaan, five times renewed to Abraham, 12:7;
13:14–17; 15:4–21; 17:1–22; 22:15–18, each renewal containing a clarification and an expansion of the
original covenant promises. Later, God renewed the covenant with both Isaac and Jacob, 26:1–5; 28:10–
15; 35:9–13; 46:1–4.

d. The obedience to this call (11:31; Heb. 11:8)

(1) This obedience was prompt (Heb. 11:8)—“When he was called-----, he obeyed.”
(2) It was sacrificial (Heb. 11:8)—Abraham gave up the known to embrace the unknown.

(3) It was partial (11:31)—God commanded Abraham to separate himself from his kindred and his father’s
house but Abraham left Ur with his father (an idol-worshipper, Josh. 24:2).

B. ABRAHAM IN HARAN (11:31, 32; 12:4, 5; Acts 7:4)

1. His sojourn in Haran (11:31, 32; Acts 7:4)—We do not know the number of months or years that
Abraham spent in Haran but verse 12:5 implies a long time, for here he gained servants and possessions.

2. His departure from Haran (12:4, 5; Acts 7:4)—After Terah’s death in Haran, Abraham left Haran for
Canaan, being seventy five years old at that time. His wife (Sarai), his nephew (Lot), and his servants
accompanied him as he journeyed on to Canaan.

C. ABRAHAM IN CANAAN (12:6–25:10)

1. Abraham’s stop at Shechem (12:6, 7)

a. The appearance of God—Here at Shechem, Abraham’s first stopping place in Canaan, we have the first
of the recorded visible appearances of God to man.

b. The first renewal of the covenant—Here at Shechem, for the first time, God promised the land of
Canaan to Abraham’s seed. Later, in 13:15, God promised the land to both Abraham and his seed.

c. The response of Abraham—He built an altar unto the Lord (Jehovah) in the presence of the Canaanites,
who then possessed the land.

2. Abraham’s stop at Bethel (12:8, 9)

a. Here he pitched his tent—This was his confession of being a pilgrim and a stranger on the earth.

b. Here he built another altar (unto Jehovah)—This was his confession of being a worshipper of the true
God.

3. Abraham’s descent into Egypt and his return to Canaan (12:10–13:4)

(Now Abraham is tested, first in Canaan and then in Egypt. Testing follows blessing. Compare verses
7 and 10. Jesus was tested after His baptism, Matt. 4:1. Peter was tested after his great confession,
Matt. 16:22.)

a. Abraham is tested in Canaan in regard to provision (12:10)

There is a famine in the land. Will Abraham remain in the land and trust God for his provisions?

Abraham partially fails the test. He does not return to Mesopotamia, but he does leave the promised
land to go to Egypt.

b. Abraham is tested in Egypt in regard to protection (12:11–13:4)

(1) The test of Abraham (12:11–13)—If he owns Sarai as his wife, Pharaoh may kill him and then add Sarai
to his harem. Will he tell the truth and then trust God for protection?

Abraham fails the test. He trusts, not in God but in a lie, for protection. He owns Sarai as his sister
but not as his wife (see 20:12).

(2) The predicament of Abraham (12:14–16)—His life is spared, he is given a rich dowry, but his wife is
gone. His lie has produced costly results. How will he recover his wife?

(3) The deliverance of Abraham (12:17–19)—God plagues Pharaoh with great plagues because of his
possession of His servant’s wife, he reveals to him Sarai’s true relationship to Abraham, and he makes
him willing to restore Sarai to Abraham.

(4) The humiliation of Abraham (12:18, 19)—Abraham is humiliated when he is justly rebuked by Pharaoh.
His humiliation is deepened when he learns of Pharaoh’s respect for truth and for marital fidelity and
remembers his own disrespect for truth and his unconcern for Sarai’s welfare.

(5) The departure of Abraham (12:20; 13:1, 2)—He departs from Egypt: (1) richer in regard to material
things (Pharaoh has given him a rich dowry of money, cattle, and servants, including Hagar, 16:3); and
(2) wiser in regard to spiritual things, Rom. 8:28.

(6) The restoration of Abraham (13:3, 4)—To regain our lost fellowship with God, we must return to the
place where we lost our fellowship.

Just as Israel returned to Kadesh after 38 years of fellowship-less wandering in the wilderness, even
so does Abraham return to Bethel after several weeks of fellowship-less sojourning in Egypt. At Bethel
there is an altar and worship. In Egypt there had been no altar and worship.

4. Abraham’s sojourn in Bethel (13:5–18)

a. The separation of Abraham and Lot (13:5–13)

(1) The problem situation (13:5–7)

Both Abraham and Lot returned from Egypt rich in flocks, herds, and servants, 12:16; 13:2, 5.
Because of the presence of the Canaanites with their flocks and herds and because of the size of
Abraham’s and Lot’s flocks and herds, pasture land in Palestine was at a premium. A strife broke out
between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot. It became evident that Abraham and Lot
could no longer dwell together. “The land was not able to bear [both of] them.”

(2) The proposed solution (13:8, 9)

(a) The content of the proposal—Abraham proposed that to avoid strife, he and Lot separate, Lot choosing
the pastureland that he desired and Abraham possessing that which was left.

(b) The wisdom of the proposal—If accepted and carried out: (1) It would eliminate further strife between
the two groups of herdsmen; (2) it would prevent the strife between the herdsmen from growing into a
 strife between Abraham and Lot; and (3) it would keep the testimony of Abraham and Lot before the
Canaanites from being tarnished.

(c) The unselfishness of the proposal—Abraham was not covetous or careful concerning the things of this
life knowing that they are temporary and that the more unselfish he was with these things, the larger
would be his reward in the age to come.

(3) The peaceable separation (13:10–13)

(a) Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain (13:10–12)

1). Lot looked toward Sodom (13:10)

2). Lot chose Sodom (13:11)—He did not consider the wickedness of Sodom, only the fertility of the plain.
He sought not “the meat that endureth unto everlasting life” but “the meat which perisheth,” John 6:27.
See 2 Cor. 4:18; Col. 3:1, 2.

3). Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom (13:12)

4). Lot dwelled in Sodom (14:12)

5). Lot was saved from Sodom (“yet so as by fire”) (19:15, 16)

(b) Abraham dwelled in (the mountains of) the land of Canaan (13:12)

It is better to dwell with God in the mountains than with the Devil in the plains. The poverty of the
mountains gives us more spiritual exercise than the plenty of the plains.

b. The second renewal of the covenant (13:14–17)

(1) The content of the renewal—God for the first time tells Abraham: (1) of the approximate size of the
promised land, (2) of his personal participation in the heirship of the land, (3) of the eternal possession of
the land by himself and his seed, and (4) of the countless number of his seed. Thus the covenant
promises are clarified and expanded.

(2) The time of the renewal—God renewed, clarified, and expanded the covenant at this time to
encourage Abraham, to reassure him that he had done the right thing in giving Lot the first choice as to
his portion of the land. God assured him that any part of the land that he gave up temporarily would
someday be restored to him permanently.

c. The removal of Abraham to Hebron (13:18)

Abraham moved his tent to Hebron and there built an altar unto the Lord.

5. Abraham’s sojourn in Hebron (chapters 14–19)

a. The rescue of Lot (chapter 14)

(1) The supremacy of the eastern kings (14:1–4a)—Four kings from the east, led by Chedorlaomer, king of
Elam, invaded the lower Jordan valley and defeated the five kings of the Dead Sea region, placing them
under tribute.

(2) The rebellion of the western kings (14:4b)—In the thirteenth year of their subjugation to the eastern
kings, the five western kings rebelled and refused to pay tribute any longer to the eastern kings.

(3) The defeat of the western kings and the carrying away of Lot (14:5–12)—When the five western kings
rebelled, the four eastern kings invaded the areas adjacent to the cities of the western kings and smote
their peoples and then turned upon the western kings and smote their armies, causing the defeated
army remnants to flee to the mountains. After this, they entered the defenseless cities of the western
kings and carried away their riches and many of their citizens, including Lot.

Lot began to reap the consequences of “pitching his tent toward Sodom.” When God’s children
mingle with the world, they suffer many of the world’s judgments. These judgments are sent to penalize
the children of the world but are sent to chastise the people of God.

(4) The rescue of Lot and the other captives (14:13–16)—One of the escapees ran to Hebron and told
“Abraham the Hebrew” of his nephew Lot’s capture. This runner knew that Abraham was a Hebrew (was
a descendent of Heber) and that he was the heir and the rightful sovereign of the land, as well as being
the uncle of Lot. He believed that Abraham should, could, and would, take action.

Abraham did take action. Laying aside any feelings of Lot’s unworthiness and temporarily laying
aside his pilgrim character, Abraham temporarily assumed the character of a sovereign (a preview of his
coming majesty), armed his 318 servants, and (accompanied by three Amorite confederates) pursued
the victorious eastern kings. He at Dan miraculously defeated these kings and then pursued them to the
region of Damascus. He recovered all of the captives and the spoils of war and then returned to
Palestine.

In chapter 13, Abraham was a man of velvet. In chapter 14, he is a man of iron.

(5) The interview with Melchizedek (14:18–20)—Note four things:

(a) The welcome by Melchizedek (14:18)—Melchizedek went forth to greet Abraham as he returned from
the slaughter of the kings.

(b) The person of Melchizedek (14:18)—He was king of Salem (king of peace) and king of righteousness (his
name means “king of righteousness”), Heb. 7:2. He was also “the priest of the Most High God.”

(c) The work of Melchizedek (14:18, 20)—He received tithes from Abraham and then in return he blessed
him with words and with bread and wine.

(d) The significance of Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1–10)—In his person, office, and work, he is a type of Christ.

(6) The interview with the king of Sodom (14:17, 21–24)—Note two things:
(a) The welcome by the king of Sodom (14:17, 21)

The king of Sodom met Abraham as he returned from his great victory. He proposed that Abraham
return the rescued persons and keep the recovered goods.

(b) The response of Abraham (14:22–24)

1). The response—He refused to receive any personal reward from the king of Sodom.

2). The reason for this response—Abraham desired that no pagan king be able to say “I have made
Abraham rich.” He desired that only God be able to make this boast.

3). The ability to make this response—Abraham was able to make this unselfish response because he
purposed (resolved) to make this response long before his moment of testing came. His decision was
not an emotional one but a rational one.

b. The clarification, formalization, and ratification of the Abrahamic covenant (chapter 15)

(This chapter contains the first occurrence of five prominent Biblical words and phrases, “fear not,”
“the word of the Lord came,” “believe,” “counted,” and “righteousness.” It also contains the first record
of Abraham’s justification and the record of the formalization and the ratification of the Abrahamic
covenant.)

(1) The clarification of the Abrahamic covenant

(The broad covenant promises given to Abraham in Ur, 12:2, 3, are five times renewed, clarified, and
expanded to Abraham. We already have had two of these renewals, 12:7; 13:14–17. Now, in chapter 15,
we have the third of these renewals, this renewal providing the greatest-yet clarification of the original
promises.)

(a) The seed will come from Abraham’s loins (15:1–4)

1). Abraham’s discouragement (15:1)—It is evident that Abraham is discouraged. A reaction to the events
of chapter 14 has occurred. Abraham is tempted to believe that he made a mistake in stirring up the
wrath of the great king of Elam and in refusing the great wealth offered him by the king of Sodom.

2). God’s encouragement (15:1)—God tells Abraham: “I am your shield [protection] and your exceeding
great reward [provision]. I have shielded and rewarded you and I will yet do so in the future.”

3). Abraham’s impatience (15:2, 3)—Abraham asks: “How will you permanently reward me, seeing I go
childless? Is Eliezer, my servant, to be my heir?”

4). God’s assurance (15:4)—God tells Abraham: “Your heir will be a person who comes from your own
loins.”

(b) The seed will be numerous (15:5, 6)

1). The revelation of a numerous seed (15:5)—Here, Abraham’s seed are to be as numerous as the stars of
the heaven; in 13:16, they are to be as numerous as the dust of the earth; and in 22:17, they are to be as
numerous as the sand of the sea.

2). The response to Abraham (15:6)—“He believed in the Lord.” God was the object of his faith, the word
of (the promise of) the Lord was the basis of his faith, Christ was the content of his faith, and
justification was the result of his faith.

Chapter 15 does not record Abraham’s initial justification but one of his subsequent justifications.

(c) The seed will not possess the land until they have suffered 400 years of affliction (15:13, 14)

Before they inherit the promised land, they will be afflicted 185 years in Canaan and 215 years in
Egypt.

(d) The seed will possess the land after they have suffered 400 gears of affliction (15:16)

Then the cup of the Amorites’ (the Canaanites’) sin will be full and God will be justified in destroying
them through the Israelites and in giving their land to the Israelites.

(e) The seed will possess a large land (15:18–21)

In 13:14, 15, the promised land was all the land that could be seen from Bethel. Now, in 15:18–21, it
is defined as the land between the River of Egypt and the River Euphrates.

(f) Abraham himself will possess the land (15:7)

God brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees for this very purpose.

(g) Abraham will not possess the land in his present lifetime (15:15, 16)

He will die before either he or his seed possesses the land. He will possess it only in the resurrection,
Heb. 11:9, 10, 13–16.

(2) The formalization of the Abrahamic covenant (15:18)

God has made several promises to Abraham. Now he takes one of these promises, the promise
concerning the land, and formalizes it into a covenant. Later, in chapters 17 and 22, God adds the other
previously-given promises, plus some never-before-given promises, to the formal covenant given here.

An illustration—A father makes his sons many promises. He then places one of these promises into a
formal will and later adds all of the other previously-given promises, along with some new ones, to the
will.

(3) The ratification of the Abrahamic covenant (15:9–17)

(a) It is ratified by blood (15:9, 10)

(b) It is ratified by God (15:8–17)—Abraham killed, divided, and guarded certain animals, but when the
time came for the giving and the ratification of the covenant, God put Abraham to sleep in the midst of
a great darkness and God alone walked between the divided sacrifices. Why? Because the Abrahamic
covenant is an unconditional covenant and so depended, not on Abraham’s faithfulness, but upon God’s
faithfulness, for its fulfillment.

c. The birth of Ishmael (chapter 16)

(1) The temptation of Abraham (16:1, 2)

(a) The time of the temptation—It came when Abraham was 85 years old, after he had been 10 years in
the land. It came suddenly and unexpectedly, just after the mountaintop experience of covenant
ratification. The most dangerous temptations came in such unguarded moments. “Let him who thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall,” 1 Cor. 10:12.

(b) The source of the temptation—It came from (or through) the closest and dearest of his friends, his
wife, Sarah. Our most to-be-feared temptations are those which are unexpected, not only in regard to
time but also in regard to source.

(c) The nature of the temptation—Sarah, being childless and barren, suggested that Abraham take her
maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and bear a child through her, that Sarah by proxy might have a son. To
Abraham, the suggestion was a temptation not to wait upon God for the fulfillment of His promises but
to take things into his own hands and provide his own fulfillment.

(2) The sin of Abraham (16:3, 4a)

Abraham went in to Hagar and caused her to be with child. The sin was not a sin of unbridled lust,
uncontrolled passion (there is no hint that this was the case). It was not a sin of wrong aim (both
Abraham and Sarah believed God’s promise of a seed and aimed for the fulfillment of that promise) but
a sin of wrong means. Abraham used a sinful means to bring about a good end (but the end does not
justify the means). It was also a sin of impatience. Abraham became impatient toward God and decided
to take things into his own hands and to fulfill the promise of a seed through his own wisdom and his
own strength. God does not desire that His servants work for Him but with Him.

(3) The consequences of the sin of Abraham (16:4b–6)

(Note the chain of sins which came from the sin of Abraham. Sin breeds sin.)

(a) Hagar showed contempt for Sarah—She felt herself to be no longer a slave of Sarah but a wife of
Abraham, equal with Sarah. It seems that both Abraham and Sarah would have foreseen this result.

(b) Sarah blamed Abraham—The sin originated with her, yet she blamed the results upon Abraham. This
“passing the buck” began with Adam and Eve, 3:12, 13.

(c) Abraham gave unlimited authority to Sarah—He did this wrong to pacify Sarah.
(d) Sarah dealt harshly with (afflicted) Hagar—Sarah did this because she was despised by Hagar.

(e) Hagar fled from her mistress (Sarah)—She fled toward Shur, which is before Egypt, her native country.

A long-range result of Abraham’s sin is the Jewish-Arabic conflict today, for the Arabs are the
descendents of Ishmael, Hagar’s son.

(4) The meeting in the wilderness (16:7–14)

(a) The ministry of the angel (“the Angel of Jehovah”) (16:7–12)

(“The Angel of Jehovah” is the preincarnate Christ)

1). The angel found Hagar (16:7)—God seeks us out in our troubles and gives us guidance and
encouragement.

2). The angel questioned Hagar (16:8)—His questions caused her to see the wrongness of her action and
the hopelessness of her then-present situation.

3). The angel instructed Hagar (16:9)—“Return to your mistress and submit youself to her.”

4). The angel made a promise to Hagar (16:10)—“You will be the mother of a numberless seed” (God’s
commands are usually accompanied by His promises).

5). The angel made predictions to Hagar (16:11, 12)—“You will bear a son and call his name Ishmael [“God
shall hear”].” “He will be the head of a wild, warlike, and indestructible race.

(b) The response of Hagar (16:13, 14)

1). She called the Lord “thou God seest me” (“you looked upon me, in my affiction”)—She named Him
thusly for she said: “Was I looking for Him who saw me in my trouble and sought me out.” The well
where she stood was thereafter called “the well of the God who lives and watches over me.”

2). She returned to her mistress—This is implied.

(5) The birth of Hagar’s son (16:15, 16)

Abraham’s first son, Ishmael, was born to him when Abraham was 86 years old.

d. The fourth renewal of the covenant (chapter 17)

(1) The time of the renewal (17:1)

It came when Abraham was 99 years of age, 13 years after the events of chapter 6. It would appear
that during these 13 years Abraham was growing in material wealth, in prestige, in influence among the
Canaanites, and in his satisfaction with Ishmael as the promised heir, and that he was living a life, not of
dependence upon God, but of dependence upon the flesh. Being out of fellowship with God, Abraham
(as far as the record goes) received no new communication from God during these years. Abraham was
 learning the lessons taught by unbelief and disobedience. Now, these lessons having been learned by
Abraham, God appears to him and draws him back to Himself through a new revelation of His grace.

(2) The preparation for the renewal (17:1b–3)

(a) God’s appearance (17:1)—After Abraham had gone through 13 years of spiritual barrenness, God on
His own initiative graciously appeared to Abraham to restore his soul.

(b) God’s revelation of His new name (17:1)—He is “El Shaddai” (“the Almighty God”). Abraham (and all of
God’s children) should have no fear, for God is able to fulfill His promises.

(c) God’s command (17:1)—“Walk before me and be thou perfect” (“Walk in my presence, not doubting
my ability to keep my promises but perfectly trusting me to fullfil my word.”)

Note the four “walks” of the Bible, Gen. 5:22; 17:1; Deut. 13:4; Col. 2:6.

(d) God’s promise (17:2)—“I will make my covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee
exceedingly.” God’s commands for trust and obedience are usually accompanied by promises of reward.

(e) Abraham’s response (17:3)—In humility, Abraham falls upon his face, ready to listen, believe, and
obey.

(3) The record of the renewal (17:4–22)

(a) The covenant is given a new clarification (17:4–8, 15–22)

1). The covenant is everlasting (17:7, 8, 19)

2). The covenant deals with three things (17:4–8)—It deals with a seed, a land, and spiritual blessings.

3). Abraham will father many nations and kings (17:4–6)—This promise has had a double fulfillment.
Abraham is the natural father of natural nations and kings and he is the spiritual father of believing
persons from many nations and believing kings from many nations, Rom. 4:11, 12, 16.

Abram’s name is changed from Abram to Abraham in agreement with this new revelation.

4). Abraham and his seed will have Jehovah as their God (17:7)—Everlastingly, Jehovah will be the God of
Abraham’s believing natural posterity.

5). Abraham and his seed will possess all the land of Canaan (17:8)—Everlastingly, Abraham and his
believing natural seed will possess all the land of Canaan, the land wherein he is now a stranger.

6). Sarah will bear Abraham a son (17:16)—This is the first revelation that Abraham will father a son
through Sarah.

7). Sarah will mother nations and kings (17:15–18)—She will be the natural mother of natural nations and
kings and the spiritual mother of believing persons from many nations and believing kings from many
nations, Gal. 4:31; 1 Peter 3:6. Her name is to be no longer Sarai but Sarah (a princess).
 Abraham laughs in believing astonishment. The news is good but difficult to believe. “Lord, I believe,
help thou mine unbelief,” Mk. 9:24. Then in a sudden surge of unbelief Abraham expresses a desire that
he might not have to wait for a seed through Sarah but that Ishmael might be acceptable to God as the
promised seed (“a bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush,” he believes).

8). The son of Sarah will be called “Isaac” and he will be the chosen seed (17:19–22)—Ishmael will be
blessed but the covenant will not be with Ishmael and his seed but with Isaac and his seed.

9). Sarah will give birth to Isaac the following year (17:21)

(b) The covenant is given a new token (sign) (17:9–14)

The token (sign) of the covenant will be circumcision. Abraham and the male members of his family
are to become circumcised immediately and Abraham’s male seed through Isaac are to be circumcised
at eight days of age.

Circumcision will be a sign of God’s faithfulness in keeping his covenant promises to Abraham and
his seed (promises of a numerous seed, a permanent possession of the land, and a state of spiritual
acceptance before God). Circumcision will serve as a continual pledge that God will someday fulfill His
covenant promises to Abraham and his seed who are, like Abraham, circumcised both inwardly and
outwardly.

(4) The response to the renewal (17:23–27)

Abraham’s obedience to God’s command was prompt and full. He promptly circumcised himself and
all the male members of his household (although Ishmael was not included in God’s covenant, he was
circumcised by Abraham because he was a member of Abraham’s household). Abraham was ninety nine
years old when he was circumcised.

e. The divine-human relationship in the plains of Mamre (chapter 18)

(1) The divine presence (18:1–8)

As Abraham sat in his tent’s door in the plains of Mamre, three “men” appeared unto him, these
“men” being (as proved by the context) the Angel of Jehovah (the pre-incarnate Christ) and two created
angels. Here we have another of the theophanies of the Old Testament.

Abraham showed the “men” true oriental hospitality, and beyond that, true Christian hospitality. He
ran to meet them, bowed before them, refreshed them, fed them, and entertained them. “He
entertained angels unawares,” Heb. 13:1.

(2) The divine prediction (18:9–15)

Sarah will bear a son the following year. Sarah heard the Lord’s prediction and laughed within
herself a laugh of unbelief (Abraham’s laugh, 17:17, had been a laugh of difficult-to-believe belief).
Sarah’s unbelief was based upon human reason and upon natural appearances. She not only laughed in
 unbelief but she also denied that she had laughed. In response to the laugh, God reminded Sarah of His
omnipotence, 18:14, and in response to the lie, God reminded her of His omniscience, 18:15.

(3) The divine pronouncement (18:16–22)

The three “men” arose and looked toward Sodom and as Abraham escorted them away from his
tent, the Lord asked Himself the question, “shall I hide what I plan to do from Abraham, a chosen man
and a faithful man?” (God shares His secrets with His friends, Psa. 25:14; Amos 3:7; John 15:15). Then
the Lord announced to Abraham His intention to go and investigate the cry of Sodom and if the
wickedness of the city is as great as it seems to be, He implies that He will destroy the city.

(4) The divine promise (18:23–33)

(Note Abraham’s total unselfishness, his holy boldness, his loving intercession, and his determined
persistence.)

(a) Abraham’s intercession (18:23–25)—“You would not destroy the righteous of Sodom along with the
wicked, would you.” “You are a righteous judge, are you not?” “If fifty righteous persons are found in
Sodom, will you spare the city?” Abraham doesn’t ask God to save the righteous from the city but the
righteous with the city.

(b) The Lord’s promise (18:26)—“If I find fifty righteous persons in the city, I will spare the whole city for
their sake.”

(c) Abraham’s further intercession (18:27–32)—“Will you spare the city if forty five righteous persons are
found within the city?” “Forty?” “Thirty?” “Twenty?” “Ten?”

(d) The Lord’s further promises (18:28–32)—“Yes, I will spare for forty’s sake, for thirty’s sake, twenty’s
sake, or for ten’s sake.”

f. The destruction of Sodom (and the other cities of the plain) (chapter 19)

(1) The arrival of the two angels (19:1)—The Lord failed to find ten righteous men in Sodom, so his two
companions, the two angels, arrived in Sodom to destroy the city after they had delivered the righteous
persons of the city.

(2) The hospitality of Lot (19:1–3)—Lot, “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked,” 2 Peter 2:7, 8,
sat in the gate of Sodom, willing to show hospitality to any wayfaring man in need of lodging and food.
When he saw the two men (angels), he pressed upon them his hospitality, a hospitality like unto that of
Abraham, 18:1–8 (Lot had some wholesome qualities but he was lacking in wholeheartedness toward
God and the things of God).

(3) The wickedness of the Sodomites (19:4–11)—As Lot and his guests prepared to retire for the night, the
men of Sodom, both old and young, pressed upon Lot’s house, determined to “know” the men
sojourning with Lot. Lot went out and pled with them to refrain from their intended deed, offering to
give them his two virgin daughters that they might gratify their evil passions upon them rather than
 upon his guests. These men of Sodom, stung by Lot’s rebuke, determined to destroy Lot, but the two
angels rescued Lot by smiting the men of Sodom with blindness.

(4) The warning of the angels (19:12, 13)—In plain words, the two angels told Lot of their commission and
errand and warned Lot to remove his family from the doomed city.

(5) The testimony of Lot (19:14)—Lot testified to his sons-in-law concerning the imminent destruction of
Sodom but his testimony was scorned and rejected. If our lives do not agree with our lips, we have little
influence upon the unsaved around us.

(6) The mercy of the Lord (19:15, 16)—When morning came, the two angels urged Lot to hurriedly flee the
city with his wife and two virgin daughters. As Lot hesitated, reluctant to leave the city, the two angels
laid hands on Lot and his family and removed them from the city by force, the Lord being merciful to
them. Carnal believers are always reluctant to leave the things of the world.

(7) The further reluctance of Lot (19:17–22)—The angels commanded Lot to not look back and to not tarry
in the plain but to escape to the mountain before the destruction fell.

Lot, yet weak in faith, was reluctant to flee to the mountain and so pled for safety in Zoar, one of the
little cities of the plain (carnal believers walk as close to the world as they can without experiencing the
world’s judgments. They are afraid to obey the Lord fully and to trust him completely).

The Lord granted Lot’s request and agreed to spare the city of Zoar from destruction but urged Lot
to hasten to this city for He could not destroy Sodom until Lot was safe in Zoar (how great is God’s
mercy, His patience, and his condensation!).

(8) The destruction of Sodom and the cities of the Plain (19:23–25)—Unable to deliver Lot with the cities,
God delivered Lot from the cities and then destroyed the cities with fire and brimstone. The cities
probably were destroyed by volcanic action (these destroyed cities are today buried under the waters of
the southern one third of the Dead Sea).

(9) The disobedience of Lot’s wife (19:26)—She, in disobedience to God’s command, looked back (and
went back, Luke 17:31, 32, probably to get some left-behind possessions) and came under the volcanic
ash falling from the heavens, which killed her and turned her body into a pillar of chemical salt.

(10) The mercy of the Lord (shown to Abraham) (19:27–29)—Abraham, from a vantage point near Hebron,
surveyed the cities of the plain as they went up in smoke. His intercession had not been in vain. God in
mercy had spared one city, Zoar, for Abraham and Lot’s sake.

(11) The close of the story of Lot (19:30–38)—Lot found the half-way station of Zoar a fearful place, so he
went on to the mountain, the place where he had been commanded to go by the Lord.

Here, in a cave of the mountain, Lot and his daughters found themselves delivered from Sodom but
not delivered from themselves, delivered from Sodom’s destruction but not from Sodom’s sins. Lot’s
daughters, possessed by a mental desire for children and a posterity and not trusting God for a
 fulfillment of this desire in a lawful way, caused Lot to be drunken with wine and then lay with him and
conceived children by him. The two children born to Lot’s daughters, Moab and Ammon, became the
heads of the Moabites and the Ammonites, tribes which were relentless foes of the Israelites
throughout the Old Testament era.

Lot is no more mentioned in the Genesis record. And so Lot, a carnal, half-way, irresolute,
compromising believer, came to his end in shame and disgrace, his soul saved but his life lost (“saved,
yet so as by fire,” 1 Cor. 3:15), haunted by the thoughts of what his life could have been had he walked
in the steps of his uncle, faithful Abraham.

6. Abraham’s sojourn in Gerar (20:1–22:18)

a. The repetition of an old sin (chapter 20)

(1) Abraham’s move to Gerar (20:1)—Abraham has sojourned for many years in Hebron, now he moves
his tent to Gerar, in the land of the Philistines. Why? On the human side, Abraham is seeking enlarged
pasturage for his increasing flocks. On the divine side, God moves Abraham to remind him of his pilgrim
character here on the earth.

(2) Abraham’s repeated sin (20:2)—Just as he had done previously to the Egyptians, Abraham now tells
the Philistines a half truth concerning Sarah, saying that she is his sister. The sin is one of unbelief, a
failure to tell the whole truth and then trust God for protection. His repeated sin is a reminder to us of
the power and the persistence of the appetities of the old nature.

That Abraham felt it necessary to tell this half truth wherever he went in the land of the Canaanites
reveals to us the terrible moral depravity of these people.

(3) Abimelech’s appropriation of Sarah (20:2)—Abimelech, king of Gerar, upon hearing that Sarah is
Abraham’s sister, sends and takes her to be his concubine. This practice of keeping a harem of
concubines was so common among oriental kings that it was hardly looked upon as being wrong and
sinful.

(4) God’s intervention (20:3–7)—Before Abimelech touches Sarah, God physically afflicts Abimelech and
his household and then appears to him in a dream informing him that Sarah is a married woman. When
Abimelech protests that he is the victim of a lie and that he is innocent in regard to knowingly taking a
man’s wife, God admits his innocence on this score (but he justly deserves the physical affliction for
attempting to add any woman to his harem).

God commands Abimelech to restore Sarah to Abraham, threatening him with death if he disobeys
and promising him life if he obeys.

(5) Abimelech’s reproof of Abraham (20:8–10)—Abimelech severely reproves Abraham for his lie and its
could-have-been effects. Later, 20:16, he reproves Sarah. Shame on us as Christians when sinners feel
obligated to reprove us.
(6) Abraham’s defense (20:11–13)—Abraham’s explanation of his action is threefold: (1) “I had no
confidence that anyone in Gerar feared God and had respect to the sanctity of marriage”; (2) “Sarah is
indeed my sister”; (3) “Sarah and I have had a long-standing agreement that wherever we sojourn, she is
to be known as my sister and not as my wife.” The first excuse reveals Abraham’s lack of confidence in
his fellowman. The second excuse reveals his lack of respect for full and complete honesty. The third
excuse reveals his long-standing lack of faith in the protective providence of God.

(7) God’s overruling of evil for good (20:14–18)—When our trend of life is pleasing to the Lord, God often
overrules our sins and our mistakes and makes them work for good. Out of Abraham’s sin came a
mutual respect and a lasting friendship between Abraham and Abimelech. Abimelech gave unto
Abraham out of his material wealth, 20:14, 16. Abraham gave unto Abimelech out of his spiritual wealth,
20:17, 18.

Notice in this episode how that God protected Sarah and kept her a sure and a clean channel for the
coming of the promised seed.

b. The separation of the two seeds (21:1–21)

(1) The birth of Isaac (12:1, 2, 6, 7)

(a) The significance of his birth—Just as Ishmael heads the unrighteous line coming from Abraham, even so
does Isaac head the righteous line coming from Abraham. Isaac is a type of Christ and of all who belong
to Christ by faith.

(b) The time of his birth (21:5)—He was born when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years of age, at a
time when Abraham and Sarah were in themselves sexually dead.

(c) The certainty of his birth (21:1, 2)—“The Lord visited Sarah [blessed her with conception] as He had
said,” 17:16; “The Lord did unto Sarah [gave her a son] as He had spoken,” 17:19; “Sarah bare Abraham
a son—at the set time of which God had spoken to him,” 17:21. God’s promises are sure, Joshua 21:45.

(2) The circumcision of Isaac (21:3, 4)

On the eighth day, Abraham circumcised his son and named him “Isaac,” both the circumcision and
the naming being done in obedience to God’s commands, 17:12, 19. See Joshua 11:15. In 21:1, 2, we see
God’s faithfulness and in 21:3, 4, we see the proper response, Abraham’s faithfulness.

(3) The weaning of Isaac (21:8)

Abraham made a great feast on this day. Isaac was probably five years old at this time.

(4) The rejection of Ishmael (the casting out of the bondwoman and her son) (21:9–14)

(a) Ishmael’s mocking (21:9; Gal. 4:29)—In envy and jealousy, Ishmael, at Isaac’s weaning feast,
persecuted Isaac because Isaac had replaced him (Ishmael) as the possessor of the birthright and its
blessings. This persecution began the 400 years of prophesied persecution of Abraham’s seed, 15:13.
 This persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous is unrelenting and goes on from age to age, Gal.
4:29.

(b) Sarah’s demand (21:9, 10)—When Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son Isaac, she demanded that
Abraham cast out both the bondwoman and her son, Ishmael, so that Ishmael would have no part in the
inheritance of her son, Isaac. Sarah knew that Ishmael yet desired the inheritance and that Hagar and
her ambition for her son were back of this desire. She also knew that her husband, Abraham, yet held
Ishmael in his heart as a reserve fulfillment of the promise of an heir if anything should happen to take
away Isaac.

(c) Abraham’s grief (21:11)—Sarah was very insistent in her demand that Ishmael and his mother be cast
out. This caused Abraham to have great grief for he dearly loved Ishmael and hoped that in some way he
might be a joint-heir with Isaac.

(d) God’s command (21:12, 13)—He commanded Abraham to stop grieving and to harken to Sarah’s
demand. He was to do this for two reasons: (1) because it was God’s will that Isaac be the promised heir
and (2) because God would take care of Ishmael and make a nation of him for Abraham’s sake.

(e) Abraham’s obedience (21:14)—His obedience was sacrificial and heartrending, but prompt and full. He
cast out Hagar and Ishmael. In succession, Abraham had sacrificed his homeland, his father, his nephew,
and his son Ishmael. He had only one more sacrifice to make, the supreme one, his son Isaac.

(5) The preservation of Ishmael (21:15–21)

(a) Hagar’s grief (21:15, 16)—After a period of wandering in the wilderness of Beersheba and after the
exhaustion of her water supply, Hagar cast her son Ishmael under a shrub, walked a distance from him,
and in tears awaited his death. Here we have two of the most touching verses in the Bible.

(b) God’s comfort (21:17–19)—God, through the angel of God, comforted Hagar: (1) with words (God had
heard the child’s crying and He will spare him and make of him a great nation) and (2) with a supply of
water (“God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water”).

(c) God’s fulfillment of His promise (21:20, 21)—“God was with the lad,” so he grew, became an archer,
married one of the daughters of Egypt, and began to be the head of a people, the Arabs, who would
grow into a great nation.

Note: Paul, Ga. 4:22–31, says the whole story of Abraham’s two wives and their sons is an allegory.
Sarah represents the covenant of grace, the Abrahamic covenant, while Hagar represents the covenant
of works, the Sinaitic covenant. The two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, represent the adherents of these two
covenants. The adherents of the works covenant are temporary slaves in God’s house while the
adherents of the faith covenant are permanent sons in God’s house, John 8:34–36.

c. The treaty (covenant) with Abimelech (21:22–34)

(1) The request for a treaty (21:22, 23)—Abimelech and the chief captain of his army, Phichol, came to
Abraham and desired to make with him a covenant of peace, this covenant to be binding even to the
second and third generations of Abimelech’s descendents.

Why did Abimelech desire to make this covenant (treaty) with Abraham? Possibly for one or more of
the following reasons: (1) Because he feared the growing might of Abraham; (2) because he had come to
believe that Abraham was the divinely-appointed heir of the land; and (3) because he desired to share in
the material blessings divinely-conferred upon Abraham (perhaps he had learned that the friendship of
an unbeliever with a man of God often brings material blessings to the unbeliever, 30:27; 39:2–5).

Abimelech based his request upon his former kindness to Abraham. See 20:14, 15.

(2) The willingness of Abraham to make a treaty (21:24)—Although there can be no inward peace
between a believer and an unbeliever, Gen. 3:15, a believer should always seek for outward peace with
all men, Rom. 12:18, as long as this peace does not involve a compromise of principle on his part.

(3) The one hindrance to a treaty (21:25)—Abraham had dug a well (perhaps the one from which Hagar
and Ishmael had drunk, 21:14, 19) and Abimelech’s servants had violently seized this well from
Abraham’s servants. Abraham reproved Abimelech and implied that there could be no real peace until
this wrong was righted.

(4) The removal of the hindrance to a treaty (21:26)—Abimelech denied having had any knowledge of the
injustice and then reproved Abraham for not sooner telling him of it (how many differences could be
avoided or settled if we would have a frank discussion with the person who has offended us!).
Abimelech implied that the wrong would be promptly righted.

(5) The making of a treaty (21:27–30)—Presents were exchanged as a part of the covenant making.
Abraham gave Abimelech seven additional lambs which when accepted by Abimelech served as a
witness to all men that Abimelech admitted Abraham’s ownership of the well, Abraham having dug it.

(6) The events following the treaty (21:31–34)—Four are mentioned.

(a) Abraham named the place (21:31)—He named the place of the treaty-making “Beersheba” (meaning
“the well of the oath”) because there both Abraham and Abimelech placed themselves under an oath.

(b) Abimelech returned to his city (21:32)—He returned to Gerar.

(c) Abraham planted a grove and called upon “the everlasting God” (21:33)—Here at Beersheba, Abraham
planted a grove of trees as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and there worshipped God as “the
everlasting God,” the God who ever lives to be faithful. Abraham had previously known God as “Elohim”
(“God”), as “Jehovah” (“LORD”), as “El Elyon” (“the Most high God”), and as “El Shaddai” (“God
almighty”) but now by means of a new revelation, God made Himself known to Abraham as “Olam El”
(“the everlasting God”).
(d) Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days (21:34)—Gerar was in the “land of the
Philistines.”

d. The offering up of Isaac (the supreme test of Abraham’s faith) (22:1–18)

(1) The command given to Abraham (22:1, 2)

(a) The content of the command (22:2)—“Offer up Isaac on Mt. Moriah.”

Abraham was commanded by God to offer up (sacrifice) his son Isaac as a whole burnt offering to
God. This would not have been sinful if it had been done for God commanded it and God has a right to
take life, directly and indirectly, Gen. 9:6, John 3:16.

(b) The purpose of the command (22:1)—To test Abraham

God tested, not “tempted,” Abraham, Heb. 11:17; James 1:12, 13. Satan tempts believers to weaken
and destroy them. God tests believers to strengthen and perfect them. God’s trials test our faith and
purify our faith.

(c) The time of the command (22:1)—“After these things”

This testing came after the blessings of chapter twenty one (the birth of Isaac, the promises of
blessings to Ishmael, the restoration of the well, the making of a covenant with Abimelech, and the
worship of the everlasting God). Trials follow blessings (the wilderness experience follows the voice from
the opened heavens, the demons in the valley follow the transfiguration on the mount).

(d) The severity of the command (22:2)

1). The command demanded the sacrifice of his son—It demanded the sacrifice of his son, his “only” son
(Ishmael had been sent away), his son for whom he had waited for 25 years, his son whom he loved, his
son who was the joy of his old age, his son through whom the covenant promises were to be fulfilled.

2). The command seemingly demanded the sacrifice of the covenant promises—Through Isaac Christ was
to come and through Christ the covenant promises were to receive their fulfillment. If Isaac died
childless, there would be no Christ and if there was no Christ, there would be no fulfillment of the
promises. So the sacrifice of Isaac seemingly involved a sacrifice of the covenant promises. God’s
command seemingly cancelled God’s promises, Heb. 11:17–19.

(2) The obedience given by Abraham (22:3–12)

(a) The promptness of his obedience (22:3)—Apparently without hesitation, Abraham arose early in the
morning and began to obey. God demands prompt and unquestioning obedience.

(b) The persistence of his obedience (22:3–9)—It is rather easy to begin to obey, but it is difficult to persist
in our obedience in the face of obstacles. Note that Abraham persisted through three days of anguished
waiting, through one hour of climbing the mountain with his son (note the repetition of the statement
“they went both of them together”), and through the eternity of building the altar.
(c) The secret of his obedience (Heb. 11:19)—The difficulty in the path of obedience was this: did not
obedience to God’s command cancel His promises, making God unfaithful? How did Abraham solve this
problem and remove this difficulty? He believed that God could and would resurrect Isaac and even yet
fulfill the promises through him, Heb. 11:19.

(d) The completion of his obedience (22:9–12)—When Abraham raised his knife to slay Isaac, his
obedience was complete as far as he was concerned.

(e) The quality of his obedience—His obedience was prompt and complete.

(3) The reward given to Abraham (22:11–18)

(Note that Abraham’s obedience was rewarded in a five-fold way. God always rewards all obedience
to Himself.)

(a) Isaac was resurrected (22:11–13; Heb. 11:19)—God stayed the execution and provided a substitute for
Isaac. Isaac was restored to Abraham, resurrected from the dead “in a figure” (he in Abraham’s mind
had already been sacrificed).

(b) Abraham was taught a lesson (22:14)—He was taught that “the Lord will provide” (“Jehovah-jireh”)
what His children need.

(c) Abraham was approved (22:12)—In succession, Abraham had given up his homeland, his father, his
nephew, his son Ishmael and had proved himself willing to give up his son Isaac, his most-prized
possession. After Abraham showed his willingness to offer up Isaac, God knew that Abraham feared Him
and would withhold nothing from Him. Abraham’s days of testing were over, he was approved, he was
ready for full blessing. The remaining years of his life were relatively uneventful.

Note in Gen. 47:13–25 that the Egyptians yielded to Joseph first their money, then their cattle, then
their land, and finally themselves. Then they enjoyed full blessing for the remainder of the seven years.

(d) Abraham was justified (James 2:21–24)—In Ur of the Chaldees, Abraham was justified as a sinner, on
Mt. Moriah, he was justified as a saint. The former justification, initial justification, was based upon
faith, while the latter justification, subsequent justification, was based upon faith plus works. Works
demonstrate our faith.

(e) The covenant was renewed (22:15–18)—This was God’s fifth and final renewal of the covenant to
Abraham.

1). The promises were repeated (22:17, 18)—Two of them were repeated: (1) Abraham will be blessed
with a numerous seed (as numerous as the stars of the heaven and as the sand upon the seashore) and
(2) all nations will be blessed in Abraham’s seed.

2). The promises were confirmed (22:15–18)—God confirmed His promises with an oath, thus making
them even more sure of fulfillment (if that were possible.)
3). The promises were expanded (22:17)—“Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.” That is, Christ,
the Bride, and Reedeemed Israel will prevail over all of their enemies.

7. Abraham’s sojourn in Beersheba (22:19–25:10)

a. The move to Beersheba (22:19)

After the offering up of Isaac, Abraham moves to Beersheba. Apparently, he remains there until the
time of his death.

b. The news from Haran (22:20–24)

(This little incident is inserted here with a purpose and is closely related to the following account of
the death of Sarah. After hearing the news from Haran, Sarah dies with a hope that a suitable wife for
Isaac has been found.)

(1) The content of the news—Abraham’s brother, Nahor (who apparently moved to Haran after his father,
Terah, had died there), whom Abraham has not seen during the past sixty years, is now the father of
eight sons, one of whom, Bethuel, has a daughter named Rebekah.

(2) The herald of the news—Apparently, Abraham has had little or no contact with his relatives left behind
over sixty years before. We do not know who brings him the news at this time.

(3) The significance of the news—Maybe Abraham’s and Sarah’s search for a suitable wife for Isaac is over.
Maybe Isaac can marry one of Abraham’s relatives and not one of the idolatrous, immoral daughters of
Canaan.

c. The death of Sarah (chapter 23)

(1) The passing of Sarah (23:1, 2)

Sarah dies in Hebron at the age of one hundred and twenty seven (she is the only woman in the
Bible whose age is revealed), thirty seven years after the birth of Isaac. (Sarah was a true believer, Heb.
11:11; a faithful wife, 1 Peter 3:6; and a loving mother, 24:67. She is the spiritual mother of all female
believers, 1 Peter 3:6).

She dies knowing that possibly a wife for Isaac has been found.

(2) The grief of Abraham (23:2, 4)

(Abraham does the following five things for Sarah. We should do the same five things for our dead.)

(a) He comes—Abraham probably at this time has two places of residence, Beersheba and Hebron. He
comes from Beersheba to Hebron when he hears of his wife’s death there.

(b) He mourns—He mourns (sorrows), but he mourns as one who has hope, 1 Thes. 4:13. He mourns as he
thinks of the temporary separation, he rejoices as he thinks on the future permanent reunion.
(c) He weeps—“There is a time to weep and a time to laugh,” Ecc. 3:4. Our weeping for our saved
deceased loved ones should be controlled weeping and hopeful weeping.

(d) He claims his dead—We should claim (own) the bodies of our dead and prepare them for honorable
burial.

(e) He buries his dead—We too in a respectful way should bury our dead out of our sight.

(3) The purchase of a burying place (23:3–18)

(a) The request for a burying place (23:3, 4)—Abraham requests that the sons of Heth sell him a parcel of
ground that he might have a place to bury Sarah. Note that Abraham readily confesses himself to be a
pilgrim and a stranger on the earth, 23:4; Heb. 11:13, having no possessions in the land that will be his in
the world to come.

(b) The rejection of a gracious offer (23:5–8)—When the sons of Heth offer to Abraham the choice of their
own prepared sepulchres as a burying place for Sarah, Abraham refuses the offer, for he refuses to be
indebted to the Canaanites among whom he dwells. See 14:21–24; Num. 20:17–19.

(c) The negotiations with Ephron the Hittite (23:8–15)—Abraham rejects the gracious offer of the sons of
Heth and requests that they influence Ephron the Hittite, who dwells among them, to sell him the cave
of Machpelah. When Ephron hears of Abraham’s desire, he publicly and graciously offers to give
Abraham not only the cave but also the field in which the cave is located. Abraham declines to accept
the field and the cave as a gift (for the same reason that he had declined to accept the offer of the sons
of Heth) but offers to purchase the field and the cave at their full value.

(d) The purchase of the field and the cave of Machpelah (23:16–18)—Abraham, paying the full price,
purchases from Ephron the field and cave of Machpelah in the presence of witneses. This property,
purchased with his own money, is the only portion of the promised land possessed by Abraham in his
lifetime on this earth.

(4) The burial of Sarah (23:19, 20)

In the cave of Machpelah, Abraham buries Sarah, his wife. Later, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob,
and Leah are also buried in this cave. 49:29–31; 50:13.

d. The marriage of Isaac (chapter 24)

(The story in this chapter is a typical one. Abraham, Isaac, Eliezer, and Rebekah are typical of God,
Christ, The Holy Spirit, and the church. Just as Abraham sent Eliezer to seek a bride for Isaac, even so has
God sent the Holy Spirit to seek a bride for Christ.)

(1) The time of these events (24:1)—The events of this chapter occurred three years after the death of
Sarah (Isaac was thirty-seven years old when his mother died and he was forty years old when he
married Rebekeh, 25:20). Abraham was 140 years old and “well stricken with age” (but full of God’s
blessings).
(2) The charge to Eliezer (24:2–6)—Abraham charges his eldest servant (probably Eliezer, 15:2), the
steward of all his goods, with three things:

(a) He is charged not to take a wife unto Isaac from the daughters of Canaan—A union with one of these
immoral idolators would corrupt the covenant seed.

(b) He is charged not to take Isaac to Mesopotamia to seek a wife—A desertion of the promised land and
a return to Mesopotamia would be unfaithfulness to the covenant.

(c) He is charged to go to Mesopotamia and take a wife unto Isaac from Abraham’s kindred—Abraham, a
short time before, 22:20–24, had received news concerning his kindred in Mesopotamia.

(3) The assurance given Eliezer (24:7, 8)—Abraham assures Eliezer that the same God who promised the
land of Canaan to Abraham’s seed will go with Eliezer and provide a wife for Isaac as a means to the
fulfillment of His promise. If the chosen woman will not follow Eliezer back to Canaan, Eliezer will be
freed from his oath (but the woman will follow Eliezer, for God will prosper his journey).

(4) The oath of Eliezer (24:9)—Eliezer swears that he will faithfully carry out Abraham’s instructions.

(5) The journey to Haran (the city of Nahor, Abraham’s brother) (24:10)—Eliezer takes ten camels and a
supply of golden ornaments, 24:22, 53, for he has charge of all his master’s wealth. The journey is
uneventful. He arrives at a well outside the city.

(6) The fleece before God (24:11–14)—He prays for success and for guidance through a fleece laid before
God (note Eliezer’s concern for his master Abraham and his confidence that God has a certain woman
appointed to be a wife of Isaac.

(7) The answer to the fleece (24:15–21)—Note four things:

(a) The immediate answer to the fleece—“Before he had done speaking, behold, Rebekah came out.”

(b) The beauty and the virginity of Rebekah—She was a woman fitted to be the wife of Isaac.

(c) The refinement of Rebekah—Contrast her with the woman of John 4:9.

(d) The defect of all fleeces (24:21)—We are never sure that the answer came from God, Judges 6:36–40.

(8) The revelations of Rebekah and Eliezer (24:22–27)—(Although he is not sure that Rebekah is the
woman of God’s choice, Eliezer is half-way convinced for he bestows jewelry upon Rebekah.)

Rebekah, in her answer to Eliezer’s question, reveals herself to be Nahor’s granddaughter. Eliezer, in
his blessing of God for leading him to the kindred of his master, reveals himself to be Abraham’s servant.

(9) The reception of Eliezer into Rebekah’s home (24:28–32)—Rebekah runs to her father’s (Bethuel’s)
house with the news that the servant of Abraham (their far-away and almost-forgotten relative) is at the
well outside the city. Laban, Rebekah’s brother, runs to meet Eliezer and welcomes him into Bethuel’s
home (Laban, a very covetous person, is impressed with the rich gifts given to his sister by Eliezer).
(10) The revelation of the servant’s mission (24:33–49)—Note three things:

(a) The importance of his mission (24:33)—The fulfillment of his mission is to Eliezer more important than
eating. He cannot relax until his mission is accomplished.

(b) The statement of his mission (24:34–49)—Eliezer gives a full statement of his mission and then uses
two arguments to secure a favorable response from Rebekah and her family to his mission: (1) If
Rebekah marries Isaac, she will be marrying a rich man, 24:34–36 (Abraham is a rich man and he has
willed all of his wealth to Isaac) and (2) if Rebekah marries Isaac, she will be doing God’s will, 24:37–48
(Eliezer tells the story of his charge, his prayer, his fleece, and the obvious divine answer to his fleece).

(c) The urgency of his mission (24:49)—Eliezer requests an immediate “yes” or “no” answer concerning
the giving of Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife.

(11) The favorable response of Bethuel and Laban (24:50, 1)—Rebekah’s father and brother are convinced
that the choice of Rebekah to be Isaac’s wife is of the Lord, so they give their permission for Rebekah to
go with Eliezer to become the wife of Isaac.

(12) The joy of Eliezer (24:52, 53)—He expresses his joy in a two-fold way:

(a) He worships the Lord—He is thankful that God has prospered his mission.

(b) He gives gifts to Rebekah and her family—The gifts to Rebekah are an earnest of her future inheritance.
The gifts to Rebekah’s brother and mother are examples of God’s blessings upon all persons who favor
His cause.

(13) The refusal of Eliezer to be detained (24:54–58)—In the morning, Eliezer asks to be sent away with
Rebekah to his master. Rebekah’s mother and brother request a ten-day delay. When Eliezer objects to
the proposed delay, Rebekah is called to see if she will leave immediately.

Rebekah says “I will go.” What an act of faith! What a worthy daughter of Abraham!

(14) The departure to Canaan (24:59, 60)—After blessing Rebekah, her family sends her away with Eliezer,
probably never to see her again.

(15) The journey to Canaan (24:61–66)—The journey itself is uneventful. As the group approaches the
encampment of Abraham in Canaan, they see Isaac in the distance as he prays in the field at
eveningtime. When they draw near to Isaac, Rebekah lights off her camel and veils herself. She is then
presented to Isaac after Eliezer rehearses to Isaac all things that he has done.

(16) The marriage of Isaac and Rebekah (24:67)—Isaac loves Rebekah, marries her, brings her into his
mother’s tent, and is comforted concerning his mother’s death.

e. The remarriage of Abraham (25:1–4)

(1) The time of this marriage—It took place after Sarah’s death, after Isaac’s marriage, and. after Abraham
was 140 years of age.
(2) The propriety of this marriage—It was a permissable marriage but possibly an unwise one. Abraham’s
new wife, Keturah, never filled the place once occupied by Sarah. See 25:6; 1 Chron. 1:32, where
Keturah is called Abraham’s concubine, not his wife.

(3) The fruit of this marriage—Note three things:

(a) This marriage produced six sons—God had sexually rejuvenated Abraham when he was 99 years of age
and he remained sexually young.

(b) This marriage brought about a partial fulfillment of Gen. 17:4, “thou shalt be a father of many nations”

(c) This marriage resulted in the birth of Midian—The Midianites became persistent enemies of the Jews.

f. The death of Abraham (25:5–8)

(1) His preparation for death (25:5, 6)

(a) He made provision for the sons of his concubines (Hagar and Keturah)—Abraham was a good and
faithful father.

(b) He sent the sons of his concubines away into the east country—He did this to prevent future conflict
between Isaac and these other sons.

(c) He gave all that he had left unto his son Isaac—He gave the natural and the spiritual inheritance to his
true son, Isaac.

(2) His death (25:7, 8)

(a) He died when he was 175 years of age—He died 100 years after entering Canaan, 75 years after
fathering Isaac, and 35 years after securing a bride for Isaac.

(b) He “died in a good old age.”—He lived a full life and was not cut off in the midst of his days. See Gen.
15:15.

(c) He died “in peace” (Gen. 15:15)—The promise of a seed had been fulfilled and Isaac was prepared to
carry on.

(d) He died “an old man”—His energy was spent, spent in 100 years of obedience to God.

(e) He died “full” (“of years” is not in the Hebrew text)—He had fulfilled God’s will and was full of God’s
blessings, See 24:1.

(f) He “was gathered to his people”—He joined his believing deceased relatives, with them to await the
resurrection.

g. The burial of Abraham (25:9, 10)

(1) He was buried by Isaac and Ishmael—Both of these brothers assisted in the burial of their father. A
death in a divided family sometimes unites this family, at least temporarily.

(2) He was buried with Sarah—He was laid by Sarah’s side in the cave of Machpelah. And so the earthly
pilgrimage of Abraham, “the friend of God,” came to its end. What was the secret of his greatness? It
was his faith in God, a faith producing obedience to God.

II. THE STORY OF ISAAC (25:11–26:35)

(The records of the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are so intertwined that it is difficult to know
where to make the breaks concerning these lives.

Isaac’s life was calm and uneventful. His life was the connecting link between the trying life of
Abraham and the tempestuous life of Jacob. The lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are respectively
illustrative of God’s faithfulness, God’s election, and God’s grace. Later, Joseph’s life reveals God’s
providence.)

A. ISAAC’S SOJOURN AT BEERSHEBA (“by the well Lahairoi”) (25:11–34)

1. The blessing of Isaac (after the death of Abraham) (25:11)

The mantle of covenant blessing, both spiritual and natural, fell upon Isaac after Abraham’s death.

2. The genealogy of Ishmael (25:12–18)—Note three things:

a. The collateral line is traced first—As in the whole book of Genesis, the branch line is traced before the
main line is traced.

b. The promise to Abraham and Hagar began to be fulfilled—See 17:20; 21:13, 18. Twelve princes, the
heads of twelve nations, came from the loins of Ishmael.

c. The inheritance of Ishmael fell in the presence of his brethren (see center column reference concerning
verse 18)—He and his descendents dwelt, and they yet dwell, “in the presence of their brethren,” the
Israelites. See 16:12.

3. The conception of Jacob and Esau (25:19–23)

a. The barrenness of Rebekah (25:20, 21)—She was barren for 20 years after her marriage to Isaac, 25:20,
26. Just as Abraham and Sarah were tried in regard to the promised seed, even so were Isaac and
Rebekah tried in regard to this seed. Satan tried to prevent the birth of the Messiah.

b. The entreaty of Isaac (25:21)—Isaac entreated the Lord for Rebekah and she conceived. Prayer moves
mountains. Prayer changes things.

c. The inquiry of Rebekah (25:22, 23)—Rebekah was conscious of a struggle within her womb. When she
inquired of the Lord concerning the meaning of this struggle, the Lord gave her a four-fold answer: (1)
Twins are in your womb and these twins will father two diverse nations; (2) the struggle is between
 these twins and it will be continued in their posterities; (3) the younger twin and his people will be
stronger than the older twin and his people; and (4) the younger twin and his people will rule over the
older twin and his people.

Here we have a clear example of God’s sovereign election, an election based, not upon human merit
nor upon divine prescience, but upon divine sovereignty (God’s sovereign purposes), Rom. 9:10–13.

4. The birth of Jacob and Esau (25:24–26)

a. The age of the father of the twins—Isaac was 60 years old, and Abraham was 160 years old, when Jacob
and Esau were born.

b. The struggle for supremacy between the twins—Jacob took hold of Esau’s heel, struggling to be born
first that he might possess the rights of a firstborn male child.

c. The order of the birth of the twins—Esau came first and so by nature possessed the rights of the
firstborn.

d. The names of the twins—The firstborn was born covered with red hair, so he was called “Esau” (red).
The other twin laid hold of his brother’s heel, so he was called “Jacob” (supplanter).

5. The growth of Jacob and Esau (25:27, 28)

a. They differed in regard to their dispositions (25:27)—Esau was a skilled hunter, an outdoors man. Jacob
was a quiet man, a home-keeper.

b. They differed in regard to their parental acceptance (25:28)—Isaac favored Esau (who resembled
Rebekah in his disposition) while Rebekah favored Jacob (who resembled Isaac in his disposition).

Parental partiality caused trouble in the family of Abraham, in the family of Isaac, and in the family
of Jacob.

The revelation of God to Rebekah, 25:23, was no doubt known to all the members of Isaac’s family.
Isaac and Rebekah should have accepted Jacob as the child of divine preference and should have taught
Jacob to look upon his election with humility since it was not based upon personal merit. They should
have taught Esau to be content with his non-election since he too could partake of the covenant
blessings through faith.

6. The triumph of Jacob over Esau (25:29–34)

a. The subtlety of Jacob—He, catching his brother in a state of weakness, shrewdly bargained with him
and purchased the birthright for a bowl of lentils (the birthright conferred upon its possessor both
natural and spiritual blessings. It made him the heir of a double portion of his father’s material
possessions, it made him the priest and the ruler over his father’s family upon his father’s death, and it
made him the progenitor of the Messiah).
b. The sin of Esau—His sin was that of profanity, Heb. 12:16, 17. He treated that which was sacred and
holy as secular and common. “He despised his birthright,” 25:34. He set no value upon spiritual things
(upon being the priest over his father’s family, upon being the progenitor of the Messiah, etc.).

c. The sin of Jacob—His sin was that of impatience and unbelief. He did not wait for God to give him the
birthright but took matters into his own hands. He disbelieved the promises of God.

d. The difference between Jacob and Esau—The real difference was in their sense of values. Esau was
outwardly attractive but he had no appreciation for spiritual things. Jacob was outwardly repulsive but
he did appreciate and place high value upon spiritual things. His means were wrong but his end was
right.

e. The over-ruling of God—Although Jacob now legally possessed the birthright, he never actually
possessed it until he confessed Esau as his lord, 33:14, and then let God give him the birthright after
Esau renounced it, 36:6–8.

B. ISAAC’S SOJOURN IN GERAR AND IN THE VALLEY OF GERAR (26:1–22)

(Chapter 26 is the only chapter in Genesis exclusively devoted to Isaac. The ten or fifteen years
covered in this chapter are the wandering years of Isaac’s life. The previous and the succeeding years
are the sedentary years of his life [they were spent mostly in Beersheba]. The events of chapter 26,
closely parallel events which occurred in the life of Abraham, Isaac’s father.)

1. The move to Gerar (26:1)

Because of a famine in the land, Isaac moved from Beersheba to Gerar (the capital city of
Abimelech, a Philistine king), probably intending to move on to Egypt, as did his father Abraham in a
previous famine.

2. The appearance of God (26:2–6)

a. God’s appearance (26:2–5)

(1) God commands Isaac (26:2)—“Go not down into Egypt [as Abraham did].” Poverty in the land of
promise is better than abundance in the land of Egypt.

(2) God makes promises to Isaac (26:3a)—If Isaac will remain in the land, God promises to be with himself
and bless him. God’s commandments are usually accompanied by God’s promises. We need fear no
famine if we have assurance of God’s presence and God’s blessing.

(3) God renews the covenant with Isaac (26:3b–5)—God promised Abraham that he and his seed would
inherit the land of Canaan, that he would have a numerous offspring, and that in his seed all nations
would be blessed. Now these same promises are made to Isaac (because of Abraham’s faithfulness,
obedience).

b. Isaac’s response (26:6)

 He obeys God’s command. He remains in Gerar and does not go down to Egypt.

3. The humiliation of Isaac (26:7–11)

a. The narrative—Isaac lies to the men of Gerar saying that Rebekah is his sister. The Philistine king
Abimelech, upon learning that Rebekah is really Isaac’s wife, rebukes Isaac and charges his people to not
molest Isaac or his wife.

b. The noteworthy things connected with the narrative—Note five things:

(1) The power of parental example—Isaac followed his father’s example, 12:13; 20:2.

(2) The selfishness of Isaac—He sacrificed his wife Rebekah to save his own life.

(3) The fallacy behind this sin—Men of all ages have believed the fallacy that the end justifies the means.

(4) The uprightness of Abimelech—He was afraid to sin against God, Isaac was not. The unjust are
sometimes more fearful of God than are the just.

(5) The rebuke of the just by the unjust—Isaac was rebuked by Abimelech. How Isaac must have been
humbled!

4. The prosperity of Isaac (26:12–14)

In fulfillment of his promise, 26:3, God blessed Isaac with an abundant harvest and with the
possession of flocks, herds, and servants. God blessed Isaac, not because of his sin but in spite of it. God
often chastens us secretly while He is blessing us openly before the heathen.

5. The envy of the Philistines (26:14–22)

a. The cause of their envy

They were envious of Isaac’s wealth and power.

b. The expression of their envy

(1) The Philistines filled the wells dug by Abraham (26:15)

(2) The King (Abimelech) commanded Isaac to depart (26:16)

(3) The Philistines contended with Isaac for the new wells dug by Isaac (26:17–21)

6. The meekness of Isaac

In his submission to Ishmael’s mocking, to Abraham’s knife, to Eliezer’s choice of Rebekah to be his
wife, to Abimelech’s command to depart, and to the contention of Abimelech’s servants, Isaac
demonstrated his meekness of spirit. In relationship to his wife and sons, this meekness became
weakness.
C. ISAAC’S RENEWED SOJOURN IN BEERSHEBA (26:23–35)

1. The reappearance of God (26:24, 25)

a. God’s appearance (26:24)—God appeared to Isaac the very night that he returned to Beersheba and
spoke to him: “I am the God of Abraham (this is the Bible’s first use of this name for God) and for
Abraham’s sake I am with you and will bless you and multiply your seed. You need not fear hunger [and
go down to Egypt] nor death [and lie to the Philistines].”

b. Isaac’s response (26:25)—He built an altar, he prayed, he pitched his tent there, and he dug a well.

2. The covenant with Abimelech (26:26–33)

Note six things:

a. The repetition of an event which occurred in Abraham’s day—The names “Abimelech” and “Phichol” are
hereditary names, so the “Abimelech” and “Phichol” mentioned here are not necessarily the
“Abimelech” and “Phichol” who made a covenant with Abraham, 21:22–32.

b. The recognition by the unjust of God’s blessing upon the just—See 21:22; 39:3. The closer we live to
God, the more clearly does the world see that our wisdom, power, and material blessings are not of
ourselves but of God.

c. The fear of the just by the unjust—Abimelech feared the power of Isaac. The unsaved secretly, and even
openly, fear the saved, for they see that the Lord is with them, 1 Sam. 18:28–30.

d. The willingness to make a treaty—We as Christians should always be ready to enter into covenants of
peace with all men as long as we do not have to compromise our principles in doing so.

e. The rewards of peace—The very day that Isaac made peace with Abimelech, his servants found water in
the well that they digged, 26:25, 32. God blesses peacekeepers and peacemakers.

f. The renaming of the well—The well of 26:33 is the same well as the well of 21:19 and the well of 21:31.
It is probably the same well as the well of 16:14. The original well had been stopped up and Isaac’s
servants had redigged it.

3. The marriages of Esau (26:34, 35)

When Esau was forty years old, he married two daughters of the Hittites, who caused Isaac and
Rebekah much grief of mind, 26:35; 27:46; 28:8.

III. THE STORY OF JACOB (chapters 27–36)

(The record of Jacob’s life is so interwoven with that of his father Isaac and his son Joseph that it is
difficult to know the proper place to make the break between these lives.)

A. JACOB’S INITIAL SOJOURN IN CANAAN (27:1–28:9)

 (The first 77 years of Jacob’s life were spent in Canaan. Many of these years of his life have been
touched upon in the section of Genesis devoted to Isaac. We here begin a separate study of his life at a
time when he was around 77 years of age.)

1. The bestowal of the birthright blessing (27:1–40)

a. The time of this drama

These events took place when Jacob was around 77, and his father Isaac was 137, years of age. They
took place at a time when Isaac was blind and believed that he was near death (although he lived
around 43 more years).

b. The essence of this drama

In direct opposition to the revealed will of God, Isaac secretly plotted with Esau to bestow the
birthright blessing upon Esau. Rebekah, hearing of her husband’s plot, counterplotted with Jacob to
frustrate the plot of her husband. The counterplot was successful and the birthright blessing was
bestowed upon Jacob rather than upon Esau. Isaac, recognizing that God’s will had been done, left the
blessing upon Jacob in spite of the bitter cries of Esau. Esau repented, not of his sins, but of having lost
the birthright blessing but he was not able to have the blessing removed from Jacob and bestowed upon
himself, Heb. 12:16, 17.

c. The danger facing the reader of this drama

As we read this story, there is a danger that we will sympathize with Esau, the opposer of God’s
revealed will, rather than with Jacob, the promoter of God’s revealed will. On the other hand, there is a
danger that we will condone Jacob’s method just because it promoted God’s will. We must be careful to
commend his desire but to condemn his method of fulfilling this desire.

d. The actors in this drama

(1) Isaac—He was wrong in his desire and wrong in his method, but he was right in his ultimate submission
to God’s will.

He desired that Esau receive the blessing, knowing that the blessing belonged to Jacob both by
divine decree and by human purchase.

He used questionable methods in his bestowal of the blessing. He planned a secret, hurried, secular
ceremony when he should have planned an open, calm, religious ceremony. The whole family should
have been invited. The meal, the investment of Esau with the garment of primogeniture, and the
pronouncement of the birthright blessing should have been calm and deliberate, and the whole
ceremony should have had a religious tone.

But when Isaac saw that he was opposing God’s will and that God had overruled him and his plan,
he meekly submitted to God’s will and in faith left the blessing upon Jacob, Heb. 11:20.
(2) Esau—He was wrong in his desire and his methods.

He desired the blessing knowing that the blessing belonged to Jacob both by divine decree and by
human purchase.

Instead of going openly to Jacob and negotiating with him for the repurchasing of the birthright, he
eagerly fell in line with his father’s plot.

(3) Rebekah—She was right in her desire but wrong in her method.

She desired the birthright blessing for Jacob to whom it belonged by divine promise and by human
purchase. She learned that her husband was preparing to thwart the revealed will of God. She felt that
she could not stand idly by and see God’s will pushed aside. Something had to be done.

Although her desire was good and right, her method of obtaining the desire was wrong. She used
lies to obtain her goal. Her end did not justify her means.

(4) Jacob—He, like his mother, had a right desire but a wrong method. He placed high value upon being
the family ruler and priest and upon being the progenitor of the Messiah, so he greatly desired the
birthright and the birthright blessing, believing that they belonged to him by God’s decree and by his
own purchase.

His method was reprehensible. He used an unworthy means to obtain a worthy end. He repeatedly
lied, both in his words and his deeds, in his endeavor to secure the blessing. He in impatience and
unbelief of God’s promise, took matters into his own hands and obtained the blessing through deceit.

None of the four actors mentioned thus far believed 25:23 or else they would not have acted as they
did.

(5) God—God overruled the sin of Rebekah and Jacob and used this sin as a means of fulfilling His will.

e. The lessons to us from this drama

(1) The practice of favoritism destroys family unity.

(2) The end does not justify the means.

(3) The almighty God needs no help in fulfilling His promises.

(4) The telling of one lie calls for the telling of more lies.

(5) The acts of life often cannot be undone.

(6) The decrees of God cannot be frustrated.

2. The murderous hatred of Esau (27:41)

 Because the birthright blessing had gone to Jacob, Esau hated Jacob and planned to kill him after his
father’s death. Surely his sorrow and repentance had not been of the godly kind.

3. The counsel of Rebekah (27:42–46)

a. The content of her counsel

She counselled that Jacob go away for a few days to her brother Laban’s home in Haran.

b. The purpose of her counsel

(1) That Jacob might escape the wrath of Esau—This was the purpose spoken to Jacob.

(2) That Jacob might secure a wife from Rebekah’s kindred and not from the daughter of Heth—This was
the purpose spoken to Isaac.

Rebekah again proved herself to be a prompt, forceful, resourceful, and clever woman.

4. The departure of Jacob for Haran (28:1–5)

a. Isaac calls Jacob—Isaac prepares to carry out his wife’s counsel.

b. Isaac charges Jacob—“Do not take a wife from among the Canaanites but go to Haran and take a wife
from your mother’s kindred.” Note how God overruled Esau’s anger and made it work for good.

c. Isaac blesses Jacob—Isaac blesses him in regard to a numerous seed and inheritance of the land. He is
reconciled to God’s decree that Jacob possess the birthright and its blessings.

d. Isaac dismisses Jacob—Little do the parents of Jacob know that he will be away for many years.
Probably Rebekah died during Jacob’s absence but Isaac lived to see Jacob’s return and then lived on for
several more years.

5. The third marriage of Esau (28:6–9)

Hoping to please his father and to regain the birthright during Jacob’s absence, Esau adds error to
error in marrying one of the daughters of rejected Ishmael.

B. JACOB’S JOURNEY TO HARAN (28:10–29:1)

1. The journey to Bethel (28:10)

No doubt as Jacob journeys northward from Beersheba, he is reminiscing the past and
contemplating the future. Has his past life really been successful? Will he find a wife in Haran? Will he
ever return to his father’s house? Will Esau ever be appeased? Will he himself ever really possess the
birthright blessing?

2. The stop at Bethel (28:11–22)

a. Jacob’s retirement (for the night) (28:11)

Lonesome, dejected, and weary, Jacob stops for the night at Bethel. He lies down to rest, using
stones for his pillow.

b. Jacob’s dream (28:12–15)

(1) The content of the dream

(a) Jacob sees something—A ladder (stairway) reaching from earth to heaven

This stairway is typical of Jesus Christ, man’s way of access to God, John 1:51 (He is the God-man,
“Son of God” and “Son of Man”).

(b) Jacob hears something—The voice of the Lord speaking to him from the top of the stairway

God identifies Himself as the God of the covenant promises, recognizes Jacob as the heir of the
covenant promises (promises concerning possessing the land, producing numerous seed, and being a
channel of blessing to all the families of the earth), and gives assurance to Jacob as the heir of these
covenant promises (assurance of God’s presence, God’s protection, God’s preservation, and God’s
faithfulness).

(2) The significance of the dream

The stairway means that God is entering into personal relationship with Jacob (Jacob is saved at this
time, Hos. 12:4) and the divine communication means that God is entering into covenant relationship
with Jacob (recognizing him as the heir of the Abrahamic covenant. He is no longer just the divinely-
prophesied heir and the paternally-blessed heir, but is now the divinely-recognized heir).

c. Jacob’s response (to the dream) (28:16–22)

(1) His response when he awakens (28:16, 17)

(a) He is afraid

(b) He recognizes the place: (1) as a dreadful place; (2) as the house of God, and (3) as the gate of heaven.

(2) His response when he rises up early in the morning (28:18–22)

(a) He anoints his stone pillow—He makes it a memorial of his encounter with God.

(b) He names the place “Bethel”—“Bethel” means “the house of God.”

(c) He makes a vow unto God—Jacob makes this response to God’s promises. The “if” of verse 20 means
since.

3. The journey on to Haran (29:1)

 He completes his journey, now a saved person and the divinely-recognized heir of the Abrahamic
covenant.

C. JACOB’S SOJOURN IN HARAN (29:2–31:16)

(Jacob is a believer but he is a carnal believer. He is full of himself, his own wisdom and his own
power. His twenty years in Haran plus the events of the return journey to Canaan are used of God to
empty Jacob of himself so that God can use for His own purposes the remaining years of Jacob’s life. Like
Job of old, Jacob must see himself and abhor himself before he is of value to God.

Jacob remains in Haran for 20 years. He serves Laban 7 years for Leah, 7 years for Rachel, and 6
years for his [Laban’s] cattle, 31:41).

1. Jacob meets Rachel (29:2–12)

Note three things:

a. Jacob’s providential guidance—God leads him to the right place at the right time to meet the right girl.

b. Jacob’s confidence that he is about to meet the right girl—He remembers the story of Eliezer. He
believes that God has led him, as He led Eliezer, to the right girl. He desires that the shepherds leave the
well that he may meet Rachel in private.

c. Jacob’s instant love for Rachel—It seems that Jacob and Rachel love each other at first sight. When the
right boy meets the right girl, God causes them to love each other.

2. Jacob meets Laban (29:13, 14)

Laban, Rachel’s father, is a thoroughgoing man of the world. Outwardly, he is a warm, friendly,
hospitable person, but inwardly, he is selfishly ambitious, clever, and determined. He is the master
trickster in a family of tricksters. In him, Jacob meets his match. Jacob and his uncle Laban spend the
next 20 years trying to out-trick each other. Jacob, assisted by God, finally emerges as the champion.

We see the traits of recourcefulness and cunning in Laban, Rebekah, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel. These
were family traits.

3. Jacob bargains for Rachel (29:15–19)

Laban offers to pay Jacob for his service in caring for his (Laban’s) flock. Jacob, deeply in love with
Jacob’s youngest daughter, Rachel (she was beautiful but her older sister, Leah, was tender-eyed, squint
eyed), volunteers to serve Laban seven years for Rachel’s hand. Laban agrees to this proposal for two
reasons: (1) he prefers that Rachel marry one of his relatives rather than an outsider; and (2) he knows a
bargain when he sees one (the service was offered as a dowry).

If Jacob had prayed and had not been so hasty and self-willed, perhaps God would have instructed
him to forthrightly ask Laban for Rachel’s hand and then God would have moved Laban to give a positive
response, permitting Jacob to return immediately to Canaan.
4. Jacob fails to receive Rachel (29:20–26)

After Jacob has served 7 years for Rachel (years that to Jacob seem like a few days because of his
love for Rachel), he asks Laban for her but is given Leah instead.

Here we see Laban’s true nature exposed and we see Jacob’s trickery of his brother and father
repaid.

5. Jacob re-bargains for Rachel (29:27–30)

Laban asks that Jacob fulfil the seven-days wedding feast with Leah and then he will give him Rachel
immediately if Jacob will agree to serve him seven more years. Again, notice Laban’s greed and his
cunning.

To this proposal Jacob agrees, probably without praying. He fulfils Leah’s week and then takes
Rachel unto himself as his second wife, loving her more than he does his first wife.

Both of the wives of Jacob are given handmaids by Laban, their father.

6. Jacob lives in the midst of family strife (29:31–30:24)

Note seven things:

a. The jealousy and envy of the two wives—Almost every line of these verses reveals the bitter strife
between these sisters.

b. The fruits of this jealousy and envy—We name four:

(1) Each wife gives names to her children which reflect the bitter strife.

(2) Each wife bears children by proxy through her maid.

(3) Rachel blames her husband for her barrenness, 30:1, 2.

(4) Rachel purchases Reuben’s mandrakes (hoping they will make her fertile) (30:14–17)

c. The fruits of the sin of polygamy—These include unequal love, envy, jealousy, strife, hatred, and family
disorder.

d. The number of mothers of the twelve sons of Jacob—They have four mothers. No wonder that they, the
twelve sons, later strive with each other.

e. The misery of Jacob—He is in the center of all of the family strife.

f. The long-range result of the family strife—This strife between Leah and Rachel continues in their
children and it later culminates in the division of the twelve tribes in 933 B.C. This division has not been
healed until this day.
g. The favor of God shown to the hated wife—See 29:31; 49:10, 31.

7. Jacob turns his face homeward (30:25, 26)

Jacob has faithfully served Laban for fourteen years. Now his wives and his children are his own
property. His debt to Laban has been paid. Now he asks that Laban send him away with his wives and his
children that he may go to his own country and people.

8. Jacob agrees to remain in Haran (30:27–36)

a. The request of Laban (30:27, 28)—Laban requests that Jacob remain with him, naming his own wage.
Note two things: (1) Laban knows that God has blessed him for Jacob’s sake; and (2) Laban confesses his
mercenary reason for desiring that Jacob remain with him (his reason is not that he loves his children,
his grandchildren, and Jacob).

b. The situation of Jacob (30:29, 30)—“I have served you for fourteen years and God has greatly blessed
you because of me. You have become rich and I have remained poor. I must now begin to make
provision for my own family.” Jacob is not murmuring, he is stating facts.

c. The question of Laban (30:31)—“What shall I give thee?” “What is your price for staying?”

d. The terms of Jacob (30:31–33)—“Remove all the multicolored goats and all the brown (black) sheep
from your flocks, leaving only the solid-colored goats and the white sheep with me. Then all the
multicolored goats and black sheep which are born of your solid-colored flock left with me shall be
mine, shall be my hire.”

Jacob’s terms are very generous. It seems that Jacob will get nothing and that Laban will get
everything.

e. The acceptance of Laban (30:34–36)—Laban accepts Jacob’s proposal and separates from the flock
under Jacob’s care all the multicolored goats and the black sheep, placing these in his son’s care three
days journey from the flock left in Jacob’s care (he places the two flocks far apart so that the males of his
sons’ flocks can not impregnate the females of the flock left with Jacob).

9. Jacob prospers in Haran (30:37–42)

a. Jacob’s cunning—He devises a plan to produce multicolored offspring of Laban’s cattle and a plan to
make these offspring to be of the stronger kind.

b. Jacob’s prosperity—Jacob’s cattle increase in number and in strength while Laban’s cattle decrease in
number and in strength.

His prosperity is due, not to his cunning (as he supposes) but to God’s blessing. Because of Laban’s
mistreatment of Jacob, God prospers Jacob in spite of his cunning.

c. Jacob’s sin—Jacob here repeats his besetting sin, the sin of using wrong means to bring about right
ends. He believes that Laban has defrauded him and that God desires to right this wrong by giving him
 Laban’s cattle. Instead of using God-approved means, Jacob uses his own questionable means to bring
about the divinely-purposed end.

10. Jacob becomes a rich man (30:43)

He increases exceedingly in his possession of cattle and servants. God prospers him just as he
prospered Abraham and Isaac, 13:2; 26:13, 14.

11. Jacob again turns his face homeward (31:1–16)

a. The story

Jacob sees that the attitude of Laban and his sons toward him has changed. Then in a dream, God
appears to Jacob and explains to him the reason for his prosperity and then commands him to arise and
return to Canaan. Jacob calls his wives to the field and explains to them the whole situation. They then
express their willingness to leave their father and go with Jacob to Canaan.

b. The noteworthy things in this story

(1) The rejection of Jacob—Laban and his sons receive Jacob as long as they can use him but reject him
when they can no longer use him. The unsaved reject those whom they cannot use.

(2) The dream given to Jacob (31:11–13)—In this dream, God explains to Jacob the reason for his
prosperity (God has blessed him to recompence him for Laban’s injustice toward him) and then
commands him to return to Canaan, promising him blessing for obedience, 31:3.

(3) The wisdom of Jacob (31:4–13)—He explains the situation to his wives and gains their approval before
he takes the drastic step ordered by God. All wise leaders seek to gain the approval of their associates
before making drastic moves.

(4) The greed of Laban—In 31:7, 8, 38–41, we see the intense greed of Laban. Gain is his god. It is no
marvel that God favors Jacob in his struggle with this man.

(5) The lack of a sense of wrongdoing on the part of Jacob—He knows that he has been wronged by Laban,
he knows that God has righted this wrong but he senses no wrongdoing in himself in his use of wrong
means. Jacob yet has much to learn.

(6) The willingness of Jacob’s wives to follow Jacob (31:14–16)—It is remarkable that they side with Jacob
against their father. They know that their father cares nothing for them and that his only love is of gain.

(7) The guidance of Jacob—He is led to return to Canaan in a three-fold way: (1) by inward conviction; (2)
by outward circumstances (the door in Syria is closing and the door to Canaan is opening); and (3) by
command of God (the word of God).

D. JACOB’S RETURN TO CANAAN (31:17–33:17)

1. The flight from Haran (31:17–24)—Note:

a. The contrast between Jacob’s arrival and his departure (31:17, 18)—He arrived in Haran empty, he
leaves full. God has given him far more than the bread and raiment promised, 28:20.

b. The characteristic cunning of Jacob (31:20, 21)—“He stole away unawares to Laban.” Jacob was lacking
in openness, frankness, and forthrightness. See 31:31 for his reason for stealing away.

c. The idolatry of Rachel (31:19)—She steals her father’s teraphim (household gods used as good luck
charms). Her character and her consecration seem to have been inferior to that of Leah. Outward
beauty is sometimes not accompanied by inward beauty.

d. The eagerness of Jacob to see his relatives (31:30)—He has been away for 20 years.

e. The hot pursuit of Laban (31:22–24)—When Laban becomes aware of Jacob’s flight, he with his
brethren hurriedly pursues him, intending to recover his daughters, his grandchildren, and his
possessions by force. The night before Laban overtakes Jacob in Mt. Gilead, God appears to Laban and
warns him against harming Jacob.

2. The encounter in Mt. Gilead (31:25–55)

a. Laban’s pretence (31:25–28)

He pretends that he would have given Jacob and his family a willing and a gracious farewell if only
Jacob had approached him openly. He makes himself an angel and Jacob a villian.

b. Laban’s confession (31:29)

By implication, he confesses what he had planned to do had he not been warned of God. This
confession is really a boast.

c. Jacob’s confession (31:31)

He confesses that his reason for stealing away from Haran was his fear of Laban. Jacob had not
really believed God’s promise, 31:3.

d. Laban s concern for his teraphim gods (31:30–35)

He is greatly concerned over these Syrian good-luck charms and so searches through Jacob’s tents to
find them. Note Rachel’s deception. She possessed much of her father’s nature.

e. Jacob’s anger (Jacob’s vindication of himself) (31:36–42)

“What sin have I committed which justifies you in pursuing so hotly after me? Let me remind you of
my 20 years of more-than-faithful service to you and of my without-stealing-from-you departure from
you and how was this faithful service repaid by you? You changed my wages ten times and you would
now send me away empty (taking from me even my family and cattle purchased from you) if God had
not rebuked you last night. I should be hotly pursuing you rather than you hotly pursuing me.”
f. Laban’s willingness to make peace (31:43–54)

(1) The call for a covenant (31:43, 44)—Laban is unable to answer Jacob’s angry charges against him, so he
saves face by assuming an air of meekness and moderation. He might justly claim Jacob’s wives,
children, and cattle but he, being a more-than-fair man, is willing to waive his rights and make a
covenant of peace.

(2) The content of the covenant—It is essentially a covenant of peace, an agreement that each Will do the
other no harm.

(3) The tokens of the covenant (31:45–52)—A pillar (called “the watchtower”) and a heap (called “the
heap of witness”) are God’s witnesses that neither of the parties to the covenant will hurt the other.

(4) The confirmation of the covenant (31:53–55)—It is confirmed in two ways: (l) By an oath (Laban swears
by the God of Abraham’s father and Jacob swears by the God of Abraham’s son, the God feared by Isaac.
Each believes that the God he swears by is the God of Abraham); and (2) by a sacrifice (sacrifices are
offered and a sacrificial meal is eaten).

g. Laban’s departure (31:55)

God has turned a potential massacre into a peaceful separation. Laban blesses his children and
grandchildren and then departs for Haran. The curtain falls upon the Syrian portion of Jacob’s life.

3. The welcome by the angels (32:1, 2)

Just as twenty years earlier Jacob had been dismissed from Canaan by the angels, even so now is he
welcomed by them as he returns to Canaan. Jacob understands the vision of the angels to mean that
God’s mighty host (army) accompanies his feeble host, so he calls the place of meeting “Mahanaim,” or
“two hosts.”

This vision is given in preparation for Jacob’s meeting with Esau. Jacob needs not fear Esau for the
mighty host of God hovers over his little host, 2 Kgs. 6:15–18; Psa. 34:7; Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5, 6.

4. The meeting with Esau (32:3–33:16)

a. Jacob sends a message to Esau (32:3–5)

One enemy, Laban, has been dealt with but another, Esau, is just ahead. As Jacob nears Canaan,
memory and conscience turn his mind toward Esau. In order to learn Esau’s attitude toward him and to
pacify Esau if his attitude is yet hostile, Jacob sends messengers to Esau, who now dwells in Mt. Seir.

Note three things in Jacob’s message to Esau: (1) his fear of Esau; (2) his obsequiousness toward
Esau; and (3) his willingness to concede the birthright blessing to Esau. Note also that he does not
mention the reason for his being in Haran.

b. Jacob fears Esau (32:6, 7)

 The messengers return and inform Jacob that Esau is coming with 400 men, evidently to harm Jacob
and his band. Jacob goes into a near panic, forgetful of God’s covenant promise, 28:14; of God’s Bethel
promise, 28:15; of God’s Haran promise, 31:3; and of the angelic vision, 32:1, 2.

c. Jacob prepares to meet Esau (32:7–23)

(1) He plans—He divides his people and his possessions, 32:7, 8. He fears the worst, so he plans to save at
least a portion of his persons and property.

(2) He prays—He looks to God for help, 39:9–12. His prayer has commendable features: (1) he confesses
his fear; (2) he confesses his unworthiness; and (3) he bases his prayer upon God’s covenant promise
and upon God’s personal promise given to him at Haran. But note that his praying comes after his
planning.

(3) He plots—He uses psychology to win Esau’s favor, 32:13–21. He plans to present 550 cattle to Esau, to
present them in successive droves so as to have maximum psychological impact upon Esau. Note his
sychophantic attitude toward Esau.

(4) He ponders—He sends his persons and his possessions across the Jabbok River and remains alone to
ponder the meeting with Esau on the morrow, 32:22, 23.

d. Jacob is prepared to meet Esau (an angel wrestles with Jacob at the River Jabbok) (32:24–32)

(1) The wrestling and the victory of the angel (32:24, 25)

(a) The wrestling—Note three things:

1). The beginner of the wrestling—An Angel (Hosea 12:4, 5).

The angel of Jehovah initiates the wrestling with Jacob. God often initiates a wrestling with us, a
wrestling to overcome our opposition to His will, our reluctance to obey His commands.

2). The time of the wrestling—When “Jacob was left alone.”

Our greatest inward struggles take place when we are alone.

3). The duration of the wrestling—“Until the breaking of the day.”

God sometimes wrestles with us many years. Note Jacob’s prolonged resistance.

(b) The victory of the angel—After wrestling with Jacob all night long without prevailing, the angel touches
Jacob and puts his thigh out of joint. God touches us with His “sledgehammer blows” only after he has
patiently waited for us to voluntarily surrender ourselves or to yield to His “pillow blows.”

(2) The clinging and the victory of Jacob (32:26–32)

(a) The clinging

1). The reason for Jacob’s clinging—He is no longer able to wrestle, all he can do is to cling.

2). The purpose of Jacob’s clinging—He desires a blessing. He is no longer wrestling against something but
clinging for something.

3). The persistence of Jacob’s clinging—He will not let go until he is blessed.

(b) The victory of Jacob

1). He is given a new name—He is no longer “Jacob” (a supplanter) but “Israel” (a prince of God). Jacob is
elevated from a carnal to a spiritual plane of living, but he often descends to his old level of life, for after
this incident, he is called “Jacob” forty five times and “Israel” around twenty five times.

2). He has power with God and with men—When we are yielded to God, we have power with God. When
we have power with God, we have power with men, 33:4. When we are weak, we are strong.

3). He is blessed—God blesses a yielded life.

4). He has the sun to rise upon him—The sun rises upon him both naturally and spiritually. He is a limping
man but a blessed man.

e. Jacob meets Esau (33:1–16)

(1) Jacob’s renewed fear (33:1–3)—When Jacob sees Esau and his band of men, his early-morning
experience is forgotten and his fear is renewed. This fear causes him to line up his family in accordance
with his esteem for them and then to bow excessively before his brother. It is amazing how quickly we
forget our spiritual encounters with God and fall from our places of spiritual blessing.

(2) Jacob’s acceptance by Esau (33:4–12)—Esau runs to Jacob, embraces him, kisses him, greets Jacob’s
family, and refuses the propitiatory gift of cattle until Jacob persuades him to accept this gift as a thanks
offering.

On the human level, Esau’s change of mind toward Jacob was due to his impulsive nature, while on
the divine level, it was due to God’s moral suasion power, Prov. 16:7; Prov. 21:1.

(3) Jacob’s deceit (33:13–15)—Esau offers to journey with Jacob for Jacob’s protection. Jacob tactfully
declines the offer but deceitfully promises to join Esau later in Esau’s homeland, Mt. Seir, all the time
intending to journey on westward toward Canaan and not southward to Mt. Seir.

(4) Jacob’s separation from Esau (33:16)—Esau departs for Mt. Seir. Jacob and Esau meet at least one
more time, at the funeral of their father, 35:29.

5. The stop at Succoth (33:17)

Instead of going to Mt. Seir as he had promised Esau, 33:14, and instead of going on to Canaan (and
his kindred) as commanded by God, 31:3, Jacob stops at Succoth east of the Jordan.
 He is in a backslidden state, for here at Succoth he builds a house for himself and booths for his
cattle and remains for some time and does not go on to Canaan to obey God’s command, 31:13, or on to
Bethel to fulfill his voew, 28:20–22. The green pastures of Succoth are to him more appealing than are
the bleak wastelands of Bethel.

E. JACOB’S RENEWED SOJOURN IN CANAAN (33:18–36:43)

1. The stop at Shechem (33:18–34:31)

a. The low spiritual state of Jacob (33:18–20)—Jacob continues in a low spiritual state here at Shechem.
He has now re-entered the land of Canaan, but instead of hurrying on to Bethel to keep his vow and on
to Hebron to see his father, he tarries at Shechem, buys a piece of ground just outside the city and there
erects an altar calling it by a selfish name.

b. The defilement of Dinah (34:1, 2)—Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, goes out to see the Hivite girls of Shechem
and is defiled by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the prince of the country (Jacob has settled too near the
city and he has unwisely permitted Dinah to become socially involved with the idolatrous girls of
Shechem).

c. The inaction of Jacob (34:5, 7)—Jacob hears of his daughter’s defilement but holds his peace (remains
silent) until his sons come from the field. In his backslidden state, he takes no authoritative action but
waits to see what action his sons will take. His sons are furious when they come home and hear of
Dinah’s defilement.

d. The uprightness of Shechem (34:3, 4, 6, 34:8–12)—Apart from his sin toward Dinah, Shechem seems to
have been a clean-cut, honorable, choice young man of the world. He loves Dinah, desires to marry her,
and asks his father to arrange for him a marriage with her. Hamor, his father, approaches Jacob and his
sons and requestsnot only permission for Dinah to marry his son but also amalgamation of his people
and Jacob’s people. Shechem offers to pay any reasonable dowry for Dinah’s hand. In this eposide,
Hamar and his son appear in a much more favorable light than do Jacob and his sons.

e. The demand of Jacob’s sons (34:13–17)—They demand that the Hivites be circumcised before any
marriages take place between the Israelites and the Hivites. Note again that Jacob’s sons, and not Jacob,
rule Jacob’s family.

f. The circumcision of the Hivites (34:18–24)—After Hamar and Shechem explain the terms for, and the
benefits of, a union of the Israelites and the Hivites, the Hivites become a circumcised people. If Jacob
had been spiritually-minded at this time, he would not have approved the proposed union with the
Hivites nor circumcision of the Hivites for a commercial, and not for a religious, purpose.

g. The treachery of Simeon and Levi (34:25–29)—While the men of Shechem are yet sore from their
circumcision, Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, full brothers of Dinah, come to the city and slay all the
males of the city and rescue Dinah from Shechem’s house. Then the other sons of Jacob come and take
the women and the children captive and spoil the city. Again we see that Jacob at this time has little or
no control over his family.
 Because of their treacherous act, Simeon and Levi are cursed by Jacob on his deathbed, 49:5–7,and
are passed over when the heir to the genealogical blessing is chosen, 1 Chron. 5:1, 2.

h. The rebuke of Simeon and Levi (34:30, 31)—Jacob feebly rebukes his sons. Notice that he is not
concerned with the sin’s effect upon God or the Hivites, but that he is selfishly concerned with the sin’s
effect upon himself. His life has been imperiled.

2. The renewal at Bethel (35:1–15)

(Chapter 34 has been a chapter of defeat. Chapter 35, our present chapter, is a chapter of victory.)

a. God’s command (35:1)

Bethel was only 30 miles from Shechem, yet Jacob has dwelled in Shechem for a long period of time
without going up to Bethel to pay his vow made there when he fled to Haran. Now the faithful God, who
has fulfilled all of His promises to Jacob, commands Jacob to go up to Bethel and make an altar and
worship God, thereby fulfilling his (Jacob’s) vow to Him. Note that the altar at Shechem, erected and
used while Jacob was in a state of disobedience, is unacceptable to God.

b. Jacob’s obedience (35:2–8)

(1) His preparation for obedience (35:2–4)

(a) He announces his purpose (his determination) (35:3)—He announces his determination to obey God, to
arise and go up to Bethel and there erect an altar unto God (the God who came to his rescue in a day of
distress and then faithfully kept His promises to him during the following 20 years). It is clear that God’s
command awakened Jacob’s conscience and made him ashamed of not having paid his vow.

(b) He commands sanctification (35:2)—He commands his household to put away their teraphim gods and
their earrings, 35:2, 4, and to change their clothes (the earrings and the clothes may have been
associated with idol worship).

Note three things: (1) Rachel has contaminated all of Jacob’s household with her hidden idols,
31:34; (2) Jacob is aware of his family’s idolatry; and (3) Jacob has previously had no control of his
family.

(c) He disposes of the offensive things (35:4)—Jacob’s family give him prompt and full obedience,
surrendering to him all their possessions associated with idolatry (note that once Jacob becomes
obedient to God, his family becomes obedient to him). Jacob buries these offensive things under an oak
tree.

(2) His obedience (35:5–8)

(a) He arises and journeys to Bethel (35:5, 6)—Jacob had “settled on his lees,” Jer. 48:11. To do God’s will
we must “arise.” Note that when Jacob’s ways please the Lord, “He makes even his enemies to be at
peace with him,” 35:5; Prov. 16:7.
(b) He builds an altar at Bethel (35:7, 8)—He calls his altar “the God of Bethel” (not “the God of Israel,”
33:20). As he worships at this altar, his vow, made many years earlier, 28:20–22, is fulfilled.

Note that his obedience does not exempt him from sorrow, 35:8. Note the word “but.”

c. God’s reward (35:9–13)

(1) God appears to Jacob (again) (35:9)—The more than a score of years between the two appearances of
God to Jacob, 28:10–15; 35:9, were to Jacob wasted years (years of carnality with no acceptable altars).
Now, after these years of barrenness, Jacob is again obedient and God again blesses. This is the last of
the personal appearances of God to the Patriarchs.

(2) God confirms the new name of Jacob (35:10)—“Israel” had backslidden and had again become “Jacob.”
Now “Jacob” again becomes “Israel.”

(3) God renews the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob (35:11–13)—This covenant, promising a numerous seed
and the possession of Canaan, was first confirmed to Jacob many years earlier, 28:13, 14.

Now it is reconfirmed to him. God now reveals himself to Jacob as “God Almighty,” the God having
power to fulfill His covenant promises.

d. Jacob’s response (to God’s renewed promises) (35:14, 15)—Jacob’s response to God’s promises is
essentially the same response that he made here at Bethel many years earlier to similar promises from
God (on both occasions, Jacob erected a pillar, poured oil on it, and called the place “Bethel”), only now
he adds a drink offering (a thanks offering) to his response. He is thankful that God has renewed him
after his many years of disobedience.

3. The journey to Hebron (the dwelling place of Isaac) (35:16–26)

a. Rachel’s death (35:16–20)—As Jacob and his household move on to Hebron (perhaps hoping to arrive in
time for Rachel’s expected child to be born there), Jacob’s beloved Rachel dies in childbirth as they near
Bethlehem. As she leaves this world, she gives birth to Benjamin, a boy who is to be “the son of Jacob’s
right hand” and one of the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.

This is the first in a series of great sorrows which come upon Jacob after his reconsecration to God,
sorrows which assist him in maintaining his consecration. Jacob never forgets Rachel’s death, 48:7.

b. Reuben’s incest (35:21, 22)—As the Israelites journey on toward Hebron, they pause for a time beyond
the tower of Edar. Here Reuben, Leah’s oldest son, commits incest with Bilhah, his father’s concubine,
reaping his father’s dying curse, 49:3, 4, and the loss of both the birthright and the genealogical blessing,
1 Chron. 5:1, 2.

c. Jacob’s twelve sons (35:22b–26)—These twelve sons are named in four groups, the 6 sons of Leah, the 2
sons of Rachel, the 2 sons of Bilhah, and the 2 sons of Zilpah. Soon to become, at his father’s death, the
new head of the chosen race, Jacob approaches Hebron with a full complement of sons.
4. The reunion at Hebron (35:27–29)

After an absence of more than 20 years, Jacob is reunited to his father Isaac (Rebekah is not
mentioned, so she probably has passed on). Jacob had left Isaac’s home empty, now he comes home
full, 32:10.

Although Isaac lives on for several years after Jacob’s return, his death is recorded here to complete
Isaac’s genealogy, begun in 25:19 (after Esau’s genealogy, chapter 36, we begin Jacob’s genealogy in
chapter 37).

5. The genealogy of Esau (chapter 36)

Note the following things concerning this genealogy:

a. Esau was the father of the Edomites (36:43)—The Edomites ceased to exist as a separate people shortly
before the coming of Christ.

b. Esau married three woman (36:2, 3)—He married two idolatrous Canaanitish girls and one of Ishmael’s
daughters.

c. Esau voluntarily gave up his birthright claims and moved to Mt. Seir (36:6–8)—Jacob finally possessed
the birthright material blessings, not through his own cunning, but through God’s providence.

d. Esau was the grandfather of Amalek (36:12)—The Amalekites later caused the Israelites much trouble.

e. Esau fathered many dukes

f. Esau fathered a line of kings—This dynasty of kings ruled in Edom long before Israel had a dynasty of
kings ruling in Canaan, 36:31.

IV. THE STORY OF JOSEPH (chapters 37–50)

We now come to the lengthy record of the life of Joseph, a record which embraces the last 14
chapters of Genesis. This record is lengthy, full, and complete: (1) because Joseph was an exemplary
person; (2) because Joseph was the birthright heir of Jacob; (3) because Joseph is the link between Israel
in Canaan and Israel in Egypt; and (4) because Joseph is clearly a type of Christ.)

A. JOSEPH’S ELEVEN YEARS OF BOYHOOD IN CANAAN (chapters 37)—The first six years of his life were
spent in Haran, 30:25–34: 31:41

1. Joseph is loved by his father (37:3, 4)

Because Joseph was the son of his old age and because Joseph was the son of his beloved wife
(Rachel), Jacob loved Joseph more than he did his other children. He manifested this love by giving to
Joseph a coat of many colors (pieces), indicating that Joseph was now the chosen heir of the birthright
forfeited by Reuben, 1 Chron. 5:1.
2. Joseph is hated by his brethren (37:2, 4–11)

a. They hate him because of his righteous character—This is not stated but it is implied.

b. They hate him because of his evil reports (37:2)—He reported to his father the evil doings of his
brothers.

c. They hate him because of his favored status (37:4)—Their envy would not permit them to speak
peaceably unto him.

d. They hate him because of his many-colored coat (37:23)—This mark of favor infuriated them.

e. They hate him because of his exalted dreams (37:8, 11)—Joseph had two dreams which indicated God’s
approval of Jacob’s choice of Joseph as the birthright heir. Joseph’s telling of these dreams caused his
brethren to hate him the more.

3. Joseph is sold by his brethren (37:12–28)

a. The concern of Jacob (37:12, 14)—Jacob is concerned for his sons’ safety, for Shechem is a place of
danger for them, 34:30. They had gone to Shechem to find pasture for Jacob’s flocks.

b. The obedience of Joseph (37:13)—His “here am I” expresses his readiness to obey, and he does obey.

c. The conspiracy of Joseph’s brothers (37:18–20)—As Joseph approaches his brethren, they conspire to
slay him, to hide his body, to report that a wild beast has devoured him, and then to see what will come
from his dreams.

d. The suggestion of Reuben (37:21, 22)—He advises his brethren to shed no blood but to cast Joseph into
a dry pit and let him perish there. He secretly plans to rescue Joseph from the pit before he perishes and
to return him safely to his father.

e. The evil treatment of Joseph by his brethren (37:23–25)—They strip Joseph of his hated cloak, cast him
into a dry pit, and callously eat bread by the pit, ignoring Joseph’s cries for mercy, 37:25; 42:21.

f. The selling of Joseph to the Ishmaelites (37:25–28)—While Reuben is away, his brethren evidently
decide to go ahead and kill Joseph but, at Judah’s suggestion, change their mind and sell him to some
passing Ishmaelite merchantmen for twenty pieces of silver. Note Judah’s inconsistency, 37:27.

4. Joseph is mourned by his father (37:29–35)

Reuben returns to the pit to deliver Joseph, finds the pit empty, wonders how he as the eldest
brother can give account for Joseph unto his father, and then apparently falls in line with his brothers’
plan to deceive their father.

Jacob, deceived by his sons, is convinced that Joseph has been devoured by a wild beast. He refuses
to be comforted.
B. JUDAH’S DISGRACE IN THE LAND OF CANAAN (chapter 38)

(This story of Judah comes as a parentheses in the record of the life of Joseph).

1. The story told in this chapter—This chapter tells of Judah’s unwise association with a man of Canaan
(Hirah), of his unwise marriage to a woman of Canaan (Shuah), and of the birth of three sons to this
woman of Canaan, two of whom were so wicked that they died untimely deaths at the hands of the
Lord. Then it tells of Judah’s unfaithfulness to a promise made to Tamar (the widow of his son, Er), of his
unknowing sin of incest with Tamar, and of the birth of twins from this sin of incest, one of which twins
(Pharez) became the ancestor of Jesus Christ.

2. The reasons for the insertion of this chapter—(1) To reveal the fearful moral contamination of Canaan
from which God later wisely removed his chosen people; (2) to unveil the pre-conversion life of Judah
that we may better appreciate his later conversion in Egypt; (3) to record another link in the ancestry of
Christ; and (4) to teach us some valuable moral lessons.

3. The lessons from this chapter—We give four:

a. We should not be unequally yoked in fellowship (38:1, 12, 20)—Judah’s intimate friendship with Hirah, a
pagan, is basic to all the sins of this chapter.

b. We should not be unequally yoked in marriage (38:2)—Except for God’s grace, only evil would have
come from the marriage of Judah to a Canaanitish woman.

c. We should be faithful to our word (38:11, 14)—Our word should be our bond. No oath should be
necessary.

d. We should confess and forsake our sins (38:26)—Judah did confess and forsake his sin of incest.

e. We should never boast of our ancestry—All ancestries, including that of Christ, are contaminated (Christ
came from Judah through Tamar).

C. JOSEPH’S THIRTEEN YEARS OF HUMILIATION IN EGYPT (chapters 39 and 40)

1. Joseph is purchased by Potiphar (39:1)

Potiphar, a high official in Pharaoh’s court, purchased Joseph from the Ishmaelites to be his
domestic servant.

2. Joseph is prospered by God (39:2)

Because of Joseph’s faithfulness to God and his diligence in the performance of his duties, God
prospered (blessed) him in all that he did.

3. Joseph is promoted by Potiphar (39:3–6)

 When Potiphar saw that the Lord prospered Joseph and his work, he made him the steward over all
his possessions. From that time, God, for Joseph’s sake, materially blessed Potiphar and his household.
Potiphar so trusted Joseph’s management of his business that he ceased to read Joseph’s periodic
financial reports. Note that God blesses others for His servants’ sake.

4. Joseph is tempted by Potiphar’s wife (39:7–12)

a. The power of the temptation—Potiphar was away from home. His beautiful wife offered herself to
Joseph. No one would every know. Joseph’s flesh cried out for gratification. Yielding would probably be
rewarded. Refusing would probably be punished.

b. The resistance to the temptation (39:8, 9)—Joseph answered with an emphatic “no,” giving faithfulness
to God and faithfulness to his earthly master as the reasons for his answer.

c. The persistence of the temptation (39:10)—“She spoke to Joseph day by day.” Persistent temptation is
the most dangerous kind.

d. The continued resistance to the temptation (39:10–12)—He steadfastly refused to be with the woman
or to lie with her, and finally, he fled when she laid hold upon him. Note the three phases of the
temptation, verses 7, 10, 12, and Joseph’s response to each phase.

5. Joseph is imprisoned by Potiphar (39:12–20)

Note four things: (1) The determination of Potiphar’s wife to conquer or ruin; (2) the grave injustice
done to Joseph; (3) the silent meekness of Joseph; and (4) the suffering of Joseph in the prison, Psa.
105:18.

6. Joseph is shown mercy by God (39:21)

Note the three wonderful things stated in verse 21. These three things make our “prison”
experiences bearable. Note that God is able to make men show us favor.

7. Joseph is promoted by the prison keeper (39:22, 23)

Influenced by God, the prison keeper committed all the prisoners and, their activities into Joseph’s
hands. Seeing that God was prospering Joseph and his work, he left the management of the prison
entirely in the hands of Joseph.

8. Joseph is given the power to interpret two dreams (chapters 40)

a. The background to the two dreams (40:1–4)

Pharaoh became angry with his chief butler and his chief baker and cast them into prison, where
they were placed under the custody of Joseph. What far-reaching and tremendous results came from
this seemingly-insignificant event!

b. The dreaming of the two dreams (40:5)

 Both the butler and the baker dreamed a dream the same night.

c. The perplexity concerning the two dreams (40:6–8)

The king’s officers, unable to find an interpreter of their dreams, were perplexed and saddened.
Joseph offered to interpret their dreams, making it clear that all true interpretations come from God.

d. The interpretations of the two dreams (40:9–19)

(1) The butler’s dream means that he is to be restored to his high office within three days—Based upon his
innocence and upon his favor shown the butler, Joseph asked the butler to petition the king to release
him (Joseph) from prison.

(2) The baker’s dream means that he is to be put to death within three days—The butler and the baker are
typical of the two thieves crucified with Christ.

e. The fulfillment of the two dreams (40:20–23)

(1) The dreams were fulfilled as Joseph had interpreted

(2) The restored butler forgot Joseph and his request—When things go well with us, how quickly do we
forget those who helped us in our time of trouble!

D. JOSEPH’S EIGHTY YEARS OF EXALTATION IN EGYPT (chapters 41–50)

(Joseph’s years of training and preparation are over. He has been faithful over a few things, so now
he is ready to be made the ruler over many things.)

1. The exaltation of Joseph (41:1–45)

a. The dreams of Pharaoh (41:1–7)—Two years after the chief butler’s release from prison, Pharaoh
dreams a double dream, a dream of well-favored and ill-favored kine and a dream of seven fat ears and
seven thin ears. Pharaoh dreams the one dream, awakens, falls asleep, and dreams the second dream.

b. The failure of the wise men (41:8)—The dreams trouble Pharaoh, so he sends for the wise men of Egypt
but they are unable to interpret the dreams.

c. The jogged memory of the butler (41:9–13)—The puzzling dreams of Pharaoh remind the king’s butler of
his and the king’s baker’s puzzling dreams two years earlier and of the young Hebrew’s interpretation of
these dreams, so he tells Pharaoh of Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams.

d. The call for Joseph (41:14)—This verse gives us a beautiful type of Jesus’ resurrection.

e. The disclosure of the dream to Joseph (41:14–24)—Joseph’s humility and his confidence in God move
Pharaoh to tell his dreams to Joseph.

f. The interpretation of the dreams (41:25–32)—Joseph tells Pharaoh that:

(1) The dreams are one (41:25)—They both portend the same thing.

(2) The dreams are purposeful (41:25, 28)—God is showing Pharaoh what He is about to do, Dan. 2:29, 45:
Rev. 1:1; 4:1.

(3) The dreams are prophetical (41:26–31)—In Egypt, there will be 7 years of plenty followed by seven
years of famine.

(4) The dreams are certain of fulfillment (41:32)—This is the reason that the dream is doubled unto
Pharaoh.

g. The counsel of Joseph (41:33–36)—Inspired of God, Joseph not only interprets but also advises: “Let
Pharaoh appoint a wise man over the land of Egypt to prepare in the years of plenty for the years of
famine.” Note Joseph’s humility and fearlessness before the king. He is conscious of being the agent of
God.

h. The elevation of Joseph (41:37–45)—Pharaoh recognizes Joseph’s divinely-given wisdom, commissions

him with supreme authority (he is to be over all the persons of Egypt, excepting Pharaoh himself), and
gives him the usual symbols of authority (a regal ring, clothes of fine linen, a gold chain, and a regal
chariot). He also gives to Joseph a new name (“Zaphnathpaaneah,” meaning “the savior of the world”)
and an Egyptian wife (Asenath, the daughter of the priest of On).

Note that the events of these verses typify the events connected with the exaltation of Christ.

2. The preparation for the famine (41:46–49)

Joseph, the new overseer of all Egypt, during the seven years of plenty, lays up in the cities one fifth
of each year’s produce. The stores of food became so great that Joseph ceases keeping records.

3. The birth of Joseph’s sons (41:50–52)

Of Joseph’s Gentile wife are born two sons during the years of plenty. Joseph calls these sons
“Manasseh” (forgetting) and “Ephraim” (fruitful). God has caused him to forget his former sufferings and
God has made him fruitful in the land of his former sufferings. His exaltation has made him to forget his
former humiliation.

4. The beginning of the famine (41:53–57)

After the seven years of plenty, a famine comes upon Egypt and all the surrounding lands and only
in Egypt is there stored-up bread. When the people of Egypt come to seek food of Pharaoh, he directs
them to Joseph, who sells them corn. Note that Joseph, like the exalted Christ, first blesses the Gentiles
and then his brethren, the Israelites.

5. The relief mission to Egypt (chapter 42)

a. The situation in Canaan (42:1, 2)

 Other peoples have gone down to Egypt seeking bread but Jacob’s sons hesitate. Why? Perhaps
their consciences keep them away from Egypt. Urged by the voice of physical necessity and by the
remonstrance of their father, the patriarchs become willing to go to Egypt.

b. The journey to Egypt (42:3–5)

Along with other peoples from Canaan, ten of Jacob’s sons go down to Egypt to buy corn. Jacob
keeps Benjamin at home for Benjamin is his last connection with his beloved Rachel and Jacob well
remembers what happened when he entrusted the other son of Rachel to his brethren’s care.

c. The appearance before Joseph (42:6–25)

(1) Joseph possesses the keys to the food of Egypt (42:6)—Here we have a beautiful picture (type) of
Christ. He (Christ) has the keys to the spiritual corn of this world. Note the typology of this whole
chapter.

(2) Joseph recognizes his brethren (42:7, 8)—But they do not recognize him. No doubt, for many months
Joseph has awaited their arrival.

(3) Joseph remembers his boyhood dreams (42:9)—As his brethren prostrate themselves before him, he
remembers these dreams.

(4) Joseph deals harshly with his brethren (42:7–24)—(The God-inspired harsh treatment by Joseph of his
brethren during their two visits to Egypt is intended to awaken their consciences and to bring them to
repentance that their sins might be forgiven.)

Joseph accuses them of being spies and announces his intention to imprison nine of them while one
of them goes to bring Benjamin to Egypt to verify their testimony. After keeping his ten brethren in
prison for three days, Joseph announces his new intention to keep one of the ten brothers bound in
Egypt while the other nine return to Canaan with corn for their households and then return to Egypt
with Benjamin. Then after listening to the confessions of his brothers’ awakened consciences, he binds
Simeon to keep him in Egypt (probably Simeon had been the leader in the conspiracy against Joseph,
37:18).

Note the confession of the brothers, 42:21, 22, and the compassion of Joseph for his brethren,
42:24.

(5) Joseph deals kindly with his brethren (42:25)—He loads them with corn and with provisions for their
return journey to Canaan and then secretly restores to them the money given to him in payment for the
corn.

d. The journey back to Canaan (42:26–28)

As the nine brothers return to Canaan, one of them opens his sack and finds his money returned. All
the brethren sense that they are reaping retribution from God. They now, for the first time on this
journey to Egypt, mention God’s name.
e. The arrival back in Canaan (42:29–38)

(1) The patriarch Jacob listens to his sons’ report (42:29–35)—They report their harsh treatment, the
imprisonment of Simeon, and the demand of the lord of Egypt that Benjamin be brought to Egypt. No
attempt is made to deceive their father. When they learn that the monies of all the men have been
returned (see 42:27), both they and their father fear greatly.

(2) The patriarch Jacob murmurs (42:36)—“All these things are against me.” Note that it is “Jacob” and not
“Israel” who is speaking. In unbelief, Jacob does not see the providential hand of God. Note that two of
the things spoken by Jacob in verse 36 were not true and that the third thing never came to pass.

(3) The patriarch Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go down to Egypt (42:37, 38)—Jacob ignores Reuben’s
impulsive offer of security and adamantly refuses to allow his sons to take Benjamin with them to Egypt.

6. The second relief mission to Egypt (chapters 43–45)

a. The acquiescence of Jacob (43:1–14)

(1) Jacob requests another relief mission to Egypt (43:1, 2)

(2) The brothers refuse to go without Benjamin (43:3–5)

(3) Jacob murmurs against his sons (43:6, 7)

(4) Judah offers himself as surety for Benjamin (43:8–10)—His offer is more practical than the offer of
Reuben, 42:37.

(5) Jacob acquiesces to his sons’ demand (43:11–14)—Jacob again becomes “Israel.” “Arise and go down
to Egypt, taking with you a present, double money for the corn, and Benjamin. May God show you
mercy and return Simeon and Benjamin but if God wills that I see them no more, then I bow before His
will.”

b. The meeting with Joseph (43:15–34)—Note 7 things:

(1) The compassion of Joseph (43:15, 16)—He desires to fellowship his brethren, especially Benjamin, so
he commands that a feast be prepared.

(2) The fear of the brothers (43:17–22, 25)—They fear that Joseph is about to seize them as bondsmen
because of the returned money, so they give an explanation to Joseph’s steward before Joseph’s arrival
and they make ready the gift for Joseph.

(3) The friendliness of the steward (43:23, 24)—He calms the brothers, assures them that the returned
money is of God, restores Simeon to them, and shows them great hospitality.

(4) The obeisance of the brothers (43:26, 28)—See also 42:6 and 44:14. Joseph’s dreams are fulfilled.
(5) The emotionalism of Joseph (43:29–31)—When he sees his full brother Benjamin, he only with
difficulty retains control of himself.

(6) The amazement of the brothers (43:33)—They marvel that Joseph knows their ages, as is revealed in
the order in which he seats them.

(7) The testing of the brethren (43:34)—The brethren of Joseph seem to pass his test, showing no jealousy
of Benjamin as they had of Joseph (37:4, 11), Rachel’s other son, many years before.

c. The departure for Canaan (44:1–5)

The steward of Joseph sends the brethren away in accordance with Joseph’s instructions.

d. The discovery of the cup in Benjamin’s sack (44:6–12)

The steward carries out Joseph’s instructions carefully and Joseph’s cup is found in Benjamin’s sack.

e. The return to the palace (44:13–17)

The brethren are being tested again. Will they sacrifice Benjamin for their own safety and freedom?
They pass the test. They will not desert Benjamin. They confess that their adversities are the results of
their common sin.

f. The intercession of Judah (44:18–34)—Note three things:

(1) The pathos of Judah’s plea—Here is one of the most touching stories of all literature.

(2) The change in Judah’s character—Certainly God has wrought a great transformation of character in the
heartless ringleader of Joseph’s sale into Egypt. Now he is willing to sacrifice himself in behalf of his
father and his half-brother.

(3) The proof of the brothers’ repentance—Judah is their spokesman. As a group, they are willing to
sacrifice all for their father and their brother. Truly, they are changed men.

g. The unveiling of Joseph (45:1–15)

(1) Joseph unveils himself to his brethren (45:1–4)—The brethren having passed their test, the time for
Joseph’s disclosure of himself has arrived. After dismissing the Egyptians present, Joseph tearfully makes
himself known to his brethren. What a dramatic moment!

(2) Joseph comforts his brethren (45:4–8)—After inviting his brethren to draw near to him, Joseph assures
them that he is in Egypt, not because of their evil deed, but because of God’s providence. God sent him
to Egypt to preserve their lives through a great deliverance. Note that Joseph voices no words of
censure.

(3) Joseph commissions his brethren (45:9–13)—“Go in haste and tell my father that I am alive and am the
governor of all Egypt and that I invite him and his household to come to Egypt and dwell in the land of
 Goshen that they may be near me and that I may nourish them during the remaining five years of the
famine.”

(4) Joseph embraces his brethren (45:14, 15)—After embracing and kissing his brethren, Joseph’s
reconciliation with his brethren is complete. The brethren then talk with Joseph.

h. The goodness of Pharaoh (45:16–20)

Pharaoh is well pleased that Joseph’s brethren have come. Through Joseph, he invites Joseph’s
brethren to return to Canaan with laden beasts and with wagons to bring their father and their
households to Egypt to live in the choicest part of Egypt and to eat the good of the land.

Note the unity of the mind of Joseph and the mind of Pharaoh (a picture of the unity of the mind of
Christ and the mind of God).

i. The departure of the brethren (45:21–24)

Joseph sends his brethren away with wagons, provisions for the journey back to Canaan, provisions
for the Israelites back in Canaan, and provisions for their father’s descent into Egypt. He also gives them
parting advice, “see that you fall not out by the way [be sure that your old natures are not revived on
your journey back to Canaan].”

j. The arrival back in Canaan (45:25–28)

(1) Jacob receives Simeon and Benjamin safely back to his embrace

(2) Jacob hears the joyful news—The sons tell their father: “Joseph is yet alive and is the governor over all
Egypt and he desires you to come unto him.” No doubt, at this time the sons confess their sin unto their
father.

(3) Jacob faints—His faith fails him.

(4) Jacob recovers—His faith returns when he sees the wagons. “Israel” says “I will go see my son before I
die.”

7. The descent (of Jacob and his household) into Egypt (46:1–27)

a. The departure from Hebron (46:1)

Jacob leaves Hebron for Egypt with his family, his cattle, and his goods. He believes that he will be in
Egypt only for the remaining years of the famine. He does not know that he will die in Egypt and that his
family will remain in Egypt for over 200 years.

b. The stop at Beersheba (46:1–4)

(1) Jacob offers sacrifices (46:1)—As Jacob journeys southward on his journey to Egypt, his heart is filled
with fear. He is leaving the land of promise with its sacred associations for a strange land. Is he, like his
 grandfather Abraham, going to Egypt out of God’s will? When Jacob reaches Beersheba, on the southern
border of Canaan, he offers sacrifices to God, hoping to ascertain God’s will before he leaves the land of
promise.

(2) Jacob receives assurance from God (46:2–4)—God tells him to fear not to go down into Egypt for He
will go down with him, He will there in Egypt make of him a great nation, and He will bring him up again
(in a casket after his son Joseph has closed his eyes in death). His seed were brought up again alive after
a period of 215 years had passed.

c. The resumption of the journey (46:5–7)—Jacob leaves Beersheba with all his family and all his
possessions and journeys on to Egypt.

d. The register of the emigrants (46:8–27)—Here we have the emigrants listed in accordance with their
tribes. Counting Joseph and his two sons, who are already in Egypt, the emigrants number seventy souls.

8. The entrance into Egypt (46:28–47:10)

a. Jacob is greeted by Joseph (46:28–30)

Jacob, arriving in Egypt, sends Judah to Joseph to inform Joseph of his (Jacob’s) arrival in Egypt. In
great glory, Joseph goes up to Goshen to meet his father whom he has not seen for twenty two years.
After a tearful reunion with Joseph, Jacob expresses his readiness to die now that he has seen Joseph’s
face again.

b. Jacob and his sons are welcomed by Pharaoh (46:31–47:6)

(1) The preparation for the meeting with Pharaoh (46:31–34)—Joseph will inform Pharaoh of the arrival of
his father and brethren. When Joseph’s brethren are interviewed by Pharaoh, they are to emphasize
their shepherd occupation so that Pharaoh will settle them apart from the Egyptians in the frontier land
of Goshen (for shepherds are detested by the Egyptians). Joseph desires that Pharaoh and the Egyptians
recognize his kinsmen as a separate and an independent people in Egypt and he desires that his kinsmen
be kept from the idolatry and pollution of the Egyptians.

(2) The meeting with Pharaoh (47:1–6)—Joseph goes in to Pharaoh and announces the arrival of his father
and brethren in the land of Goshen with all their possessions and then he presents five of his brethren
to Pharaoh. The brethren answer Pharaoh’s question in accordance with the previous instruction of
Joseph.

Pharaoh directs Joseph to settle his kinsmen in the best part of Egypt, Goshen, and to appoint his
brethren rulers over Pharaoh’s cattle (a shepherd, “Hyksos,” king was on the throne of Egypt at this
time).

c. Jacob is interviewed by Pharaoh (47:7–10)—Note five things:

(1) Joseph is unashamed of his shepherd father

(2) Jacob blesses Pharaoh—The lesser is blessed of the better, Heb. 7:7.

(3) Jacob is 130 years old when he enters Egypt—He dwells 17 years in Egypt and then dies in Egypt.

(4) Jacob testifies to his pilgrim walk—He walks in this life as a pilgrim on his way to a better country.
What a testimony before the great Pharaoh!

(5) Jacob testifies to a lifetime of suffering—His days have been evil ones filled with trials and sufferings.

9. The settlement of Goshen (47:11, 12)

Joseph settles his kindred in Goshen and then nourishes them with food for the duration of the
famine.

10. The food administration of Joseph (47:13–26)

(Verses 47:11, 12 record the settling of Israel in Egypt. Verses 47:27, 28 record the prosperity of
Israel in Egypt. Verses 47:13–26 are parenthetical. They are inserted to show us how the Pharaohs
became absolute monarchs, able to enforce a favorable policy toward the Israelites [as did the present
Pharaoh] or an unfavorable policy toward the Israelites [as did the later “Pharaoh who knew not
Joseph,” Exo. 1:8]).

In these verses, we have the record of how the Egyptians, in exchange for food, bartered first their
money, then their cattle, and finally their lands and their persons. The farmers of Egypt became tenants
of Pharaoh, giving to him one fifth of each year’s produce. Both Pharaoh and the people of Egypt were
blessed by Joseph’s wise policy but this policy was dictated by God primarily for the effect that it had
upon His own people, the Israelites.

11. The prolonged prosperity in Goshen (47:27, 28)

a. The Israelites dwell in the best of the land—With Pharaoh’s blessing, they dwell apart from the
Egyptians in the lush frontier pasturelands of Goshen.

b. The Israelites retain their possessions—Pharaoh and Joseph have a different policy toward the Israelites
than the one they have toward the Egyptians. Corn is given to them without charge. They are not
required to give up their money and their cattle for food as were the Egyptians.

c. The Israelites multiply exceedingly—It had taken around 200 years for the chosen seed to grow to 70
souls. Now in Goshen these 70 souls soon become a multitude of souls.

d. The patriarch of the Israelites dwells quietly and peaceably in Goshen for 17 years—Jacob, the patriarch
of the chosen family, dwells with the chosen family in Goshen for 17 years. It is implied that these last
17 years of Jacob’s life are spent in quietness and peace. Even the quarrelsome sons of Jacob appear to
be dwelling together in unity.

12. The closing days of Jacob’s life (47:29–49:32)

a. Jacob gives instructions concerning his burial (47:29–31)

As Jacob’s death draws nigh, he takes an oath of Joseph that Joseph will not bury him in Egypt but in
Canaan. Why be buried in Canaan? Jacob’s life has been associated with the Israelites in Canaan so he
wishes to be buried with his family and his forefathers there. In addition, his burial in Canaan will
constantly remind the Israelites in Egypt that their future inheritance is in Canaan and not in Egypt.

b. Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph (chapter 48)

(1) The background to the blessing (48:1, 2)—Jacob is gravely ill. Joseph hears of Jacob’s illness and hurries
to his father’s bedside, accompanied by his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Jacob hears that Joseph is
coming and strengthens himself for the visit.

(2) The preparation for the blessing (48:3–14)—Note four things:

(a) Jacob rehearses God’s covenant promises (48:3, 4)—Why does Jacob rehearse these promises
concerning a numerous seed and a permanent possession of the land of Canaan? Because Jacob
believes these promises and is preparing to claim Joseph’s two sons as his own sons that they may be
allotted a full portion in the promised land.

(b) Jacob adopts the two sons of Joseph (48:5–7)—What is the meaning of Jacob’s adoption of Joseph’s
two sons? It means: (1) The birthright and its right to a double portion of Canaan have been transferred
from Reuben to Joseph, 1 Chron. 5:1, 2; (2) the patriarch Joseph will personally receive no portion of the
promised land but will receive a double portion in the persons of his two sons; (3) the two sons of
Rachel will receive three portions of the promised land; (4) the two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and
Ephraim, have relinquished their inheritance in Egypt for a better one in Canaan, and (5) the later-born
sons of Joseph will belong to Joseph and will receive inheritance in Canaan in the two portions assigned
to Ephraim and Manasseh.

As Jacob beholds Joseph, he is reminded of Rachel and her death, so he inserts a little parentheses,
48:7.

(c) Jacob requests the presentation of the two sons of Joseph (48:8–13)—Jacob, nearly blind, requests that
Joseph’s sons be set before him that he may bless them. He then kisses them, embraces them, and
rejoices that God has let him see them. Joseph then formally presents them before Jacob for his blessing
of them.

(d) Jacob lays his hands upon the two sons of Joseph (48:14)—He crosses his hands before he lays them
upon his grandsons’ heads. He has limited natural vision but unlimited spiritual vision.

(3) The preface to the blessing (48:15, 16)—He blesses in the name of God. He identifies God as the god of
his fathers, as the god who has provided for him all the days of his life, and as the god who has rescued
him from all evil.
(4) The substance of the blessing (48:16)—Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph (as being his own sons)
with the blessing of a numerous offspring.

(5) The objection to the blessing (48:17–19)—Joseph is displeased with the placing of Jacob’s hands, so he
attempts to uncross Jacob’s hands so that his right hand will rest upon the head of Manasseh, Joseph’s
eldest son. Jacob refuses to change the chief blessing from Ephraim to Manasseh, explaining that
Manasseh will father a great people but that Ephraim will father an even greater one.

(6) The greatness of the blessing (48:20)—Jacob makes this blessing the standard for all future blessing.

(7) The assured fulfillment of the blessing (48:21, 22)—Jacob is ready to die in Egypt but the faithful God
will bring Jacob’s seed out of Egypt into Canaan, where the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh will
receive its fulfillment. Joseph, in the person of his sons, will receive a double portion in the land.

c. Jacob prophesies the future of his sons (in their posterities) (49:1–27)

(1) The noteworthy things concerning this prophecy

(a) It is “a prophecy”—Some call these verses “the blessing of Jacob.”

(b) It is a death-bed prophecy—It is spoken by Jacob as he prepares to die.

(c) It is a prophecy from “Israel”—It is a prophecy from inspired “Israel” to his very-much human sons, the
sons of “Jacob.”

(d) It is a prophecy concerning the posterity of Jacob’s sons—The prophecy does not predict the future of
Jacob’s sons but the future of the tribes coming from the twelve sons. It predicts what will befall the sons
in their posterity “in the last days.”

(e) It is a prophecy which projects the character of the twelve sons into their posterities—Each tribe
inherited the character of its progenitor.

(f) It is a prophecy which centers in two of the sons of Jacob—It centers in Judah, the preeminent son
among the first four sons of Jacob, and in Joseph, the preeminent son among the other eight of Jacob’s
sons.

(2) The content of this prophecy

(a) Reuben—He is as unstable as water and shall not excel.

(b) Simeon and Levi—They are cruel and shall be divided and scattered in Israel.

(c) Judah—He is a lion, he will subdue his enemies, and he will be praised and bowed down to until Shiloh
(Christ) comes.

(d) Zebulun—He shall dwell by the sea and be a haven for ships.

(e) Issachar—He shall be a burden-bearing servant, loving rest rather than warfare.
(f) Dan—He shall be like a serpent and will judge his people, Israel.

(g) Gad—He shall be overcome but in the end shall be an overcomer.

(h) Asher—He shall abound in food and shall produce royal dainties.

(i) Naphtali—He shall be like a hind let loose and shall give goodly words (words of praise).

(j) Joseph—He shall be hated but shall be very fruitful, for God shall strengthen him and bless him with the
blessings of his father Jacob.

(k) Benjamin—He is as swift and ferocious as a wolf. He shall be warlike and shall devour his enemies.

d. Jacob commands his sons to bury him in the cave of Machpelah (49:28–32)

Jacob, after prophesying the future of his sons, blesses them and then charges them to bury him in
the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah are buried.

13. The death and burial of Jacob (49:33–50:14)

a. Jacob yields up the ghost and is gathered unto his people (49:33; 50:1)—Note four things:

(1) The preparation for Jacob’s death—He died after he had set his house in order; that is, after he had
foretold his sons’ future, after he had blessed them, and after he had charged them.

(2) The manner of his death—He died calmly and serenely. “He gathered up his feet into the bed.” He was
147 years old.

(3) The description of his death—“He yielded up the ghost” (this is the human view of death). “He was
gathered unto his people” (this is the divine view of death).

(4) The response to his death—Joseph was overwhelmed with grief. Joseph loved Jacob as dearly as Jacob
had loved Joseph.

b. Jacob is buried in the cave of Machpelah (50:2–14)

(1) The preparations for the journey to Canaan (50:2–6)

(a) Jacob is embalmed—At Joseph’s request, Jacob is embalmed (a 40-days process) for the journey
ahead.

(b) Jacob is mourned by the Egyptians—This 70-days mourning is not just ceremonial mourning but is the
expression of real grief.

(c) Joseph is given permission to carry his father up to Canaan—Pharaoh readily grants this permission to
Joseph after Joseph tells him of his oath to his father Jacob and of his intention of returning to Egypt
after his father’s burial.
(2) The journey to Canaan (50:7–9)

A very great company of people escort Jacob’s body from Egypt to Canaan. This company is made up
of the elders of Pharaoh’s house, the elders of Egypt, and the families of the twelve patriarchs
(excepting their little ones and a few caretakers of their flocks and herds). Pharaoh makes the funeral
procession a dignified and a stately one by adding chariots and horsemen to the cortege.

(3) The mourning beyond the Jordan (50:10, 11)

At this threshingfloor of Atad, the Israelites and the Egyptians hold a seven-days mourning for Jacob
in the presence of the native Canaanites. The Canaanites name the threshingfloor “Abel-mizraim”
(meaning “the mourning of the Egyptians”) to commemorate this mourning.

(4) The burial in Canaan (50:12, 13)

The Egyptians remain beyond the Jordan but Jacob’s sons carry Jacob into the land of Canaan and
bury him in the cave of Machpelah.

(5) The return to Egypt (50:14)

Joseph has not been in Canaan for thirty nine years and his brethren have been away from Canaan
for seventeen years. What memories are awakened within them on their present visit to the land of
their youth! Now they bid farewell to the land of promise until the morning of the resurrection.

14. The latter years of Joseph (50:15–25)

a. Joseph treats his brethren with kindness (50:15–21)

(1) The renewed fear of the brethren—Their evil consciences cause them to fear that Joseph has been
nursing his vengeance until the death of Jacob and now that Jacob is dead, it will be exercised. Their
littleness of spirit keeps them from believing in the wholeheartedness of Joseph’s former forgiveness,
45:5. Their fear causes them: (1) to tell Joseph of their father’s dying command; (2) to ask Joseph to
forgive them as the servants of Jacob’s God; and (3) to prostrate themselves before Joseph as his
servants.

(2) The comforting kindness of Joseph—Joseph weeps because his brethren so mistrust and misjudge him
and then: (1) he reminds them that vengeance belongs to God; (2) he informs them that their evil has
been overruled for good: (3) he promises them continued nourishment; and (4) he comforts them and
speaks kindly unto them.

b. Joseph lives on for 54 more years (50:22, 23)

He lives to see Ephraim’s great-grandchildren and Manasseh’s grandchildren.

c. Joseph makes preparations for his death (50:24, 25)

(1) He expresses his dying faith—He believes that God will remember His promise, Gen. 15:16, and will
bring the Israelites up out of Egypt into the promised land of Canaan. In spite of his exalted position in
Egypt, Joseph’s faith in God holds firm unto the end.

(2) He makes a dying request—He requests and exacts an oath of the Israelites that when God brings
them up out of Egypt, they will carry up his bones with them.

Why does Joseph desire to remain with the Israelites in Egypt until the exodus and then be carried
up with them to Canaan for final burial there? Joseph’s life has been associated, not with Israel in
Canaan, but with Israel in Egypt, so he desires to remain with Israel in Egypt until their deliverance from
Egypt. In addition, Joseph’s bones in Egypt will serve as a constant reminder to the Israelites in their
coming bondage in Egypt of Joseph’s faith in the promised deliverance from bondage and so will
strengthen their faith in this deliverance. When they are delivered, he desires to go up with them to
Canaan.

15. The death of Joseph (50:26)

Joseph dies in Egypt when he is 110 years of age and is embalmed and placed in a casket in Egypt.
Here he remains unburied for 144 years awaiting the exodus out of Egypt to Canaan and a later
resurrection in that land.

Roy E.Gingrich, Pastor

Faith Bible Church

Memphis, Tennessee

AN INVITATION BY THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK

True Christianity is flourishing in many parts of Africa. Many unsaved persons,
including Muslims, are heeding the gospel call. Great numbers of these new
converts feel themselves being called into full-time gospel ministries and many of
them are entering Bible colleges and seminaries to equip themselves to be more
effective in their work.

The majority of these students have two major problems: (1) they are poverty-
stricken and so do not have the funds necessary to buy Bibles, pay their tuition,
and purchase the necessary textbooks and (2) they attend schools which have
woefully inadequate libraries.

The author of this book has received and is yet receiving many hundreds of
letters and telephone calls from these students and their professors begging him
to send his Bible commentaries to them free of charge (they have little or no
money). In response, the author has sent many, many thousands of these
commentaries to them.

This ministry has grown into a large and a costly one but God has given the
author many helpers who have been and are giving generously of their finances to
the author’s “African Book Fund.”

Since the need is growing and the opportunities for blessing are great, the
author of this book invites its readers to join him in meeting the needs of our
brothers in Africa by sending a check to his church, Faith Bible Church, 3134
Benjestown Rd., Memphis, TN., 38127, with the designation that it is to be
placed in “The African Book Fund.” The gift will then be tax-deductible. May God
bless you richly!

A PLEA BY THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK

The author’s book ministry has grown rapidly and has spread far and wide,
chiefly through word-of-mouth testimonies of the readers of his books.

If you have benefited spiritually from this book and from the writer’s other
commentaries, will you please tell others of these books. Thanks. May God greatly
reward you.

Roy E. Gingrich • 3139 Benjestown Road • Memphis, TN 38127 (901) 357-5982