January 6, 2025
Who Gets the Inheritance?
Genesis 23-28
Gordon Burgett
Big Book Idea
From the beginning, Jesus has always been God's plan A.
Key Verse | Genesis 24:7
"The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there."
Genesis 23-28
Sarah's Death and Burial
1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, 1 23:3 Hebrew sons of Heth; also verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20 4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5 The Hittites answered Abraham, 6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God 2 23:6 Or a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.” 7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8 And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”
10 Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, 11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12 Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13 And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels 3 23:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” 16 Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.
Isaac and Rebekah
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia 4 24:10 Hebrew Aram-naharaim to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this 5 24:14 Or By her I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden 6 24:16 Or a woman of marriageable age whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, 7 24:22 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD 27 and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen.” 28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
34 So he said, “I am Abraham's servant. 35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38 but you shall go to my father's house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’
42 I came today to the spring and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master's son.’
45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way 8 24:48 Or faithfully to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has spoken.”
52 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”
9
24:60
Or hate them
61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Abraham's Death and His Descendants
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled 10 25:18 Hebrew fell over against all his kinsmen.
The Birth of Esau and Jacob
19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” 11 25:22 Or why do I live? So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you
12
25:23
Or from birth
shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.”
24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. 13 25:26 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Esau Sells His Birthright
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom. 14 25:30 Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red ) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
God's Promise to Isaac
1 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 2 And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
Isaac and Abimelech
6 So Isaac settled in Gerar. 7 When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. 8 When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with 15 26:8 Hebrew may suggest an intimate relationship Rebekah his wife. 9 So Abimelech called Isaac and said, “Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’” 10 Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” 11 So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. 15 (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) 16 And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
17 So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. 18 And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, 16 26:20 Esek means contention because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah. 17 26:21 Sitnah means enmity 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, 18 26:22 Rehoboth means broad places, or room saying, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake.” 25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well.
26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.” 30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. 32 That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah; 19 26:33 Shibah sounds like the Hebrew for oath therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
34 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and they made life bitter 20 26:35 Hebrew they were bitterness of spirit for Isaac and Rebekah.
Isaac Blesses Jacob
1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”
5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”
14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.
26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,
“See, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed!
28
May God give you of the dew of heaven
and of the fatness of the earth
and plenty of grain and wine.
29
Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”
30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? 21 27:36 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:
“Behold, away from
22
27:39
Or Behold, of
the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,
and away from
23
27:39
Or and of
the dew of heaven on high.
40
By your sword you shall live,
and you shall serve your brother;
but when you grow restless
you shall break his yoke from your neck.”
41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away— 45 until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”
46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. 24 27:46 Hebrew daughters of Heth If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
Jacob Sent to Laban
1 Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother's father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. 3 God Almighty 25 28:3 Hebrew El Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” 5 Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
Esau Marries an Ishmaelite
6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. 8 So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, 9 Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth.
Jacob's Dream
10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder 26 28:12 Or a flight of steps set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it 27 28:13 Or beside him and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel, 28 28:19 Bethel means the house of God but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”
Footnotes
[1] 23:3 Hebrew sons of Heth; also verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20[2] 23:6 Or a mighty prince
[3] 23:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[4] 24:10 Hebrew Aram-naharaim
[5] 24:14 Or By her
[6] 24:16 Or a woman of marriageable age
[7] 24:22 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[8] 24:48 Or faithfully
[9] 24:60 Or hate them
[10] 25:18 Hebrew fell
[11] 25:22 Or why do I live?
[12] 25:23 Or from birth
[13] 25:26 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats
[14] 25:30 Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red
[15] 26:8 Hebrew may suggest an intimate relationship
[16] 26:20 Esek means contention
[17] 26:21 Sitnah means enmity
[18] 26:22 Rehoboth means broad places, or room
[19] 26:33 Shibah sounds like the Hebrew for oath
[20] 26:35 Hebrew they were bitterness of spirit
[21] 27:36 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats
[22] 27:39 Or Behold, of
[23] 27:39 Or and of
[24] 27:46 Hebrew daughters of Heth
[25] 28:3 Hebrew El Shaddai
[26] 28:12 Or a flight of steps
[27] 28:13 Or beside him
[28] 28:19 Bethel means the house of God
Table of Contents
Introduction to Genesis
Timeline
Author, Date, and Recipients
Traditionally, Moses is considered to have been the author of Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch (see Num. 33:2; Deut. 31:24; John 5:46). Of course, Moses lived much later than the events of Genesis. Presumably, stories were passed down about those earlier events, and Moses brought them all together.
The first audience would have been the Israelites Moses led through the wilderness. For readers today, Genesis is an essential introduction to the rest of the Bible. It is rightly called the book of beginnings.
Theme
The theme of Genesis is creation, sin, and re-creation. God made the world very good, but first cursed it and then destroyed it in the flood because of man’s disobedience. The new world after the flood was also spoiled by human sin (ch. 11). God chose Abraham for a special purpose. Through his family, all nations would be blessed (12:1–3). God’s purpose will eventually be fulfilled through Abraham’s descendants (ch. 49).
Key Themes
- The Lord God commissions human beings to be his representatives on earth. They are to take care of the earth and govern the other creatures (1:1–2:25).
- Instead of acting as God’s representatives on earth, the first man and woman—Adam and Eve—listen to the serpent and follow his advice. Their disobedience has devastating results for all mankind and for the entire created world (3:1–24; 6:5–6).
- God graciously announces that Eve’s offspring will free humanity from the serpent’s control (3:15). Genesis then begins tracing the history of one family that will become the people of Israel. This family has a special relationship with God and will become a source of blessing to fallen humanity (12:1–3).
- As a result of Adam’s disobedience, his unique relationship with the ground degenerates, resulting in hard work and later in flood and famine. But the special family descending from Adam also brings relief from the difficulties (3:17–19; 5:29; 50:19–21).
- While Eve’s punishment centers on pain in bearing children (3:16), women play an essential role in continuing the unique family line. With God’s help, even barrenness is overcome (11:30; 21:1–7; 25:21; 38:1–30).
- The corruption of human nature causes families to be torn apart (4:1–16; 13:5–8; 25:22–23; 27:41–45; 37:2–35). Although Genesis shows the reality of family conflicts, individual members of the chosen family can also help resolve those conflicts (13:8–11; 33:1–11; 45:1–28; 50:15–21).
- The wicked are exiled from Eden and scattered throughout the earth (3:22–24; 4:12–16; 11:9), but God is kind to his chosen people and promises them a land of their own (12:1–2, 7; 15:7–21; 28:13–14; 50:24).
- God is prepared to destroy almost the entire human race because of its corruption (6:7, 11–12; 18:17–33), but he still wants his world to be populated by righteous people (1:28; 9:1; 15:1–5; 35:11).
Outline
- Primeval History (1:1–11:26)
- Patriarchal History (11:27–50:26)
- Terah’s descendants (11:27–25:18)
- Isaac’s descendants (25:19–37:1)
- Jacob’s descendants (37:2–50:26)
The Near East at the Time of Genesis
Fact: In the Beginning
In the Hebrew Bible, the title of Genesis is In the Beginning, the book’s first words. The English title is related to the Greek word genesis, which means “beginning.”
Fact: Genesis through Deuteronomy
Genesis through Deuteronomy are the foundation of the Bible. They introduce the key promises that show God’s purposes in history and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Fact: The Sadducees
The Sadducees were a small but powerful group of Jewish leaders who did not believe in the resurrection (12:18). This may have been because of their emphasis on the Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy), which does not seem to explicitly mention the resurrection. But Jesus showed them that the idea of resurrection can, in fact, be found in the Pentateuch (Mark 12:26–27).
Fact: All things were made through him
All things were made through him. John begins his Gospel in the same way that Genesis begins: with creation (1:1–5; Gen. 1:1). He reveals that Jesus, God’s Son, existed eternally with God the Father, and the whole creation was made through him (Col. 1:15–16; compare 1 Cor. 8:6).
Fact: As numerous as the stars
As numerous as the stars. As the book of Exodus begins, some 350 years have passed since the end of Genesis. The 70 Israelites who went to Egypt have grown into a great multitude. This fulfills God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants and to make them a blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:5).
Fact: Two biblical firsts
Two biblical firsts. The burial of Sarah (23:19) is the first biblical record of a burial. Abraham’s purchase of the burial plot is also the first biblical record of a business transaction.
Fact: Family ties
Family ties. Laban took responsibility for his sister Rebekah (24:29-51). Apparently their father, who was still alive, was unable to do so.
Fact: Tents
Tents were temporary shelters made of cloth and were often woven from black goat’s hair. The tent was held up by ropes and poles. Most tents were rectangular in shape. Because nomadic families moved often, they had little furniture. Tents still provide housing for nomadic peoples living in the Middle East today.
Fact: A father’s blessing
A father’s blessing (ch. 27) was not just a symbolic gesture. It established the identity of the heir, granting him all the privileges of that position. The father’s blessing was even seen as in some way shaping his future.
The Near East at the Time of Genesis
c. 2000 B.C.
The book of Genesis describes events in the ancient Near East from the beginnings of civilization to the relocation of Jacob’s (Israel’s) family in Egypt. The stories of Genesis are set among some of the oldest nations in the world, including Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, and Elam.
The Garden of Eden
Genesis describes the location of Eden in relation to the convergence of four rivers. While two of the rivers are unknown (the Pishon and the Gihon), the nearly universal identification of the other two rivers as the Tigris and the Euphrates suggests a possible location for Eden at either their northern or southern extremes.
The Generations of Genesis
| Primeval History (1:1–11:26) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | General heading | Specific heading | Section introduced |
| 2:4 | These are the generations of | the heavens and the earth | 2:4–4:26 |
| 5:1 | These are the generations of | Adam | 5:1–6:8 |
| 6:9 | These are the generations of | Noah | 6:9–9:29 |
| 10:1 | These are the generations of | the sons of Noah | 10:1–11:9 |
| 11:10 | These are the generations of | Shem | 11:10–26 |
| Patriarchal History (11:27–50:26) | |||
| 11:27 | These are the generations of | Terah | 11:27–25:11 |
| 25:12 | These are the generations of | Ishmael | 25:12–18 |
| 25:19 | These are the generations of | Isaac | 25:19–35:29 |
| 36:1, 9 | These are the generations of | Esau | 36:1–37:1 |
| 37:2 | These are the generations of | Jacob | 37:2–50:26 |
Esau
Esau, whose name means “hairy,” was the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the elder twin brother of Jacob. Esau was a skillful hunter and his father’s favorite son, but he brought misery upon his parents by marrying two Hittite women. Esau carelessly sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Jacob then tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for his brother. In response, Esau tried to kill Jacob. Years later, however, Jacob and Esau were reconciled. Esau founded the nation of Edom, which became an enemy of Israel. Jacob the chosen one and Esau the one not chosen typify the age-long struggle between the people of God and their adversaries. (Genesis 27:36)
Rebekah
Because he did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite, Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to find a wife for his son. The servant prayed for a sign to help him recognize the woman God had appointed for this purpose. Rebekah’s actions were the precise answer to the servant’s prayer. She was beautiful and hospitable, and in an act of faith she left her country and her family so that she could journey to Canaan and marry Isaac. Like Sarah, Rebekah was barren. Isaac prayed on her behalf, and God heard his prayer. Rebekah gave birth to Jacob and Esau. Favoring Jacob above his brother, Rebekah instructed him to trick his father into giving him the blessing intended for Esau. (Genesis 25:23)
Gen. 23:2 Kiriath-arba means “town of four” (see Josh. 14:15). It was later known as Hebron (see Judg. 1:10).
Gen. 23:4 a sojourner and foreigner among you. Despite God’s repeated promises that Abraham’s descendants will possess all the land of Canaan, after 62 years in the land Abraham has no permanent location to call his own. The NT explains that Abraham chose to go on living in tents because he was looking for a city “whose designer and builder is God” (Heb. 11:9–10).
Gen. 23:6 The Hittites recognize Abraham’s special relationship with God and give him the title prince of God.
Gen. 23:10 Although Ephron is present, Abraham seeks permission from the Hittite population as a whole—either because Abraham himself was not a Hittite or because the transfer of property required the involvement of a third party.
Gen. 23:11–16 Although Ephron first offers the field and cave to Abraham for free, this may not have been his true intention. The second time he offers it, he casually mentions what he would consider a fair price (v. 15). It is important that Abraham buy the property because that ensures that he has full legal title to the burial plot. Comparisons with 1 Kings 16:24 and Jer. 32:9 suggest that four hundred shekels of silver was a high price, although this cannot be known for sure, since the weight of a shekel could vary according to the weights current among the merchants.
Gen. 23:17–19 Mamre. See note on 13:18.
Fact: Two biblical firsts
Two biblical firsts. The burial of Sarah (23:19) is the first biblical record of a burial. Abraham’s purchase of the burial plot is also the first biblical record of a business transaction.
Gen. 23:1–20 Upon the death of Sarah, Abraham buys a cave in Hebron as a burial place. By acquiring this land, Abraham confirms that his descendants are to be associated with the land of Canaan, as God had already promised (12:7; 13:14–17; 15:18–21).
Gen. 23:20 Abraham’s purchase of the field and cave meant that his descendants would always own this land. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, and Leah would later be buried in this cave.
Gen. 24:2–6 Abraham did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite, fearing this would draw him away from the Lord. From ch. 9 onward, the Canaanites are frequently portrayed as wicked. put your hand under my thigh. See note on 24:9. In spite of having left Haran in northern Mesopotamia almost a hundred years earlier, Abraham refers to it as my country (v. 4). He emphasizes, however, that Isaac should not return there (v. 6); Isaac’s future is in Canaan.
Gen. 24:9 the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham. Since striking one’s thigh was possibly understood as a sign of remorse and submission (see Jer. 31:19; Ezek. 21:12), the placing of one’s hand under the thigh of another may have indicated submission to that person’s strength and authority.
Gen. 24:10 camels. See note on 12:16. Mesopotamia (literally, “between the rivers”) was the Greek title for the region between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Here it refers to only northwestern Mesopotamia. The city of Nahor, probably identified with Nakhur, was near Haran (see note on 11:31).
Gen. 24:12–14 The servant (like Abraham) has faith in the Lord and prays for guidance. The conditions he has set reveal that he seeks a wife who is generous and caring. The specific request in v. 14 is not the ordinary way to ask for guidance. Nevertheless, God graciously honors the request (compare Judg. 6:36–40).
Gen. 24:16 The description of Rebekah as a maiden whom no man had known confirms that she is a virgin, creating the expectation that she may well be the one God intends to be Isaac’s wife.
Gen. 24:27–28 God’s swift answer to the servant’s prayer prompts worship and praise.
Fact: Family ties
Family ties. Laban took responsibility for his sister Rebekah (24:29-51). Apparently their father, who was still alive, was unable to do so.
Gen. 24:50–51 Rebekah’s brother and father acknowledge the providential nature of these events. God clearly intends that Rebekah should become Isaac’s wife.
Gen. 24:53 The gifts confirm what the servant has earlier said about Abraham’s wealth (see v. 35).
Gen. 24:63 Isaac went out. This is another divinely directed event, allowing Isaac to be the first to meet Rebekah when they arrive.
Gen. 24:65 she took her veil and covered herself. It was customary for a woman to cover her face with a veil during the period of betrothal, when she was committed to be married.
Gen. 24:1–67 Abraham sends one of his servants to his homeland in Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac. The journey was about 550 miles (900 km) and would have taken the servant about 21 days.
Gen. 25:1–4 Abraham took another wife. Like Hagar, Keturah has the status of a “concubine” (see 1 Chron. 1:32; also note on Gen. 25:5–6). This relationship possibly existed before Sarah’s death. In the ancient Near East, wealthy men sometimes had “second” wives.
Gen. 25:5–6 These verses highlight Isaac’s position as Abraham’s main heir. “Concubines” probably refers to Hagar and Keturah, both of whom bore Abraham children. Neither woman shared the status of Sarah, Abraham’s first wife (see also 1 Chron. 1:28–34).
Gen. 25:9–10 the cave of Machpelah . . . that Abraham purchased. See ch. 23.
Gen. 25:12 These are the generations of. See note on 2:4.
Gen. 11:27–25:18 Terah’s Descendants. These chapters focus on the immediate family of Terah, paying special attention to Abram. Abram will later have his name changed to “Abraham” (see 17:5).
Gen. 25:12–18 This short section names Ishmael’s 12 sons, who became heads of tribes in Arabia, fulfilling God’s promise in 17:20.
Gen. 25:20 The repeated use of the term Aramean and the designation of their dwelling place as Paddan-aram (“plain of Aram”) indicate that Abraham’s family was considered to be Aramean.
Gen. 25:21 Like Sarah, Rebekah is also barren.
Gen. 25:22–23 The observation that the children struggled together within her introduces one of the main themes of chs. 25–36. The relationship between the twin boys will often be hostile. The divine revelation that the older shall serve the younger indicates that Jacob will have a significant role in the family line.
Gen. 25:26 holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. The name “Jacob” resembles the Hebrew term for “heel” and has the connotation of “deceiver.” To grasp someone by the heel was apparently a figure of speech meaning “to deceive.” The idea of deception will be a repeated theme in the life of Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old. The twins are born 15 years before the death of Abraham, which is recorded in vv. 7–8. Occasionally in Genesis, events are narrated out of chronological order, as here.
Fact: Tents
Tents were temporary shelters made of cloth and were often woven from black goat’s hair. The tent was held up by ropes and poles. Most tents were rectangular in shape. Because nomadic families moved often, they had little furniture. Tents still provide housing for nomadic peoples living in the Middle East today.
Gen. 25:30 In Hebrew, the name Edom is similar to the word red.
Gen. 25:27–34 These verses tell of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob. While Jacob may be criticized for exploiting his brother in a moment of weakness, Esau is indifferent toward his firstborn status. That is why Heb. 12:16 describes Esau as “unholy.” He did not appreciate that his birthright was linked to God’s plan of redemption.
Rebekah
Because he did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite, Abraham sent his servant to Mesopotamia to find a wife for his son. The servant prayed for a sign to help him recognize the woman God had appointed for this purpose. Rebekah’s actions were the precise answer to the servant’s prayer. She was beautiful and hospitable, and in an act of faith she left her country and her family so that she could journey to Canaan and marry Isaac. Like Sarah, Rebekah was barren. Isaac prayed on her behalf, and God heard his prayer. Rebekah gave birth to Jacob and Esau. Favoring Jacob above his brother, Rebekah instructed him to trick his father into giving him the blessing intended for Esau. (Genesis 25:23)
Gen. 26:1–2 besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. See 12:10. On that occasion, Abraham went down to Egypt. Isaac, however, is instructed to remain in Gerar. Abimelech. See note on 20:2. It is possible that this is the king mentioned in chs. 20–21. Perhaps more likely, he is his son or grandson. Philistines. See note on 21:32.
Gen. 26:3–5 I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham. This refers to the oath in 22:16–18, the substance of which is repeated here (see note on 22:15–18). Isaac is the heir to the promises God made to Abraham.
Gen. 26:6–7 She is my sister. Isaac makes the same dishonest claim that Abraham earlier used in both Egypt (12:10–12) and Gerar (20:1–18).
Gen. 26:8 saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah. The Hebrew verb implies they were laughing while caressing affectionately.
Gen. 26:15 The Philistines may have closed up the wells to discourage herdsmen from grazing their livestock in this region.
Gen. 26:17 Isaac relocates from the city of Gerar to the Valley of Gerar, a region under the control of Gerar but not next to it.
Gen. 26:19–22 Since water was vital in this arid region, disputes over the ownership of wells were common (see 21:25). The names of the wells reflect the events associated with them.
Gen. 26:23–25 Isaac’s servants dug a well. Years earlier Abraham dug a well at Beersheba (see 21:30), but the Philistines later filled it in (26:15).
Gen. 26:26–31 Abimelech comes to Isaac to establish a covenant (v. 28) or treaty with him, guaranteeing they will live together peacefully (compare 21:22–32). Phicol is possibly the same individual as in 21:22. Alternatively, “Phicol” could be a family name or a title.
Gen. 26:32–33 This treaty coincides with the discovery of water in a well being dug by Isaac’s servants. Therefore the well is called Shibah, which resembles the Hebrew word for “oath.” Beersheba. See note on 21:31.
Gen. 26:1–35 The events in this chapter are difficult to date precisely but they probably took place after the death of Abraham (25:8), when Esau and Jacob were young men.
Gen. 26:34–35 The emphasis on the Hittite origin of Esau’s wives probably implies that Esau has not chosen them wisely. This is confirmed as they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah (v. 35).
Gen. 27:1–2 Isaac decides it is time to bless his firstborn son, Esau. Such blessings were seen as shaping the future of those blessed.
Gen. 27:4 that my soul may bless you before I die. Isaac intends that his blessing for Esau will establish the identity of the heir to the promises God had given to Abraham and Isaac.
Gen. 27:5–10 Rebekah was listening. Rebekah plans Jacob’s deception, but Jacob is still responsible for the part he plays in this trick.
Gen. 27:11 From birth, Esau was clearly distinguished from Jacob by his hairy appearance (see 25:25).
Gen. 27:29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Isaac’s blessing for his “firstborn” goes far beyond material prosperity (v. 28). Isaac asks for universal sovereignty over peoples and nations, building on God’s promise to Abraham that kings will be among his descendants (17:6). Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you! These words echo God’s promise to Abraham, in 12:3, that he will be a blessing to all nations.
Gen. 27:30–36 Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times (v. 36). Esau refers here to the name “Jacob,” which means “to deceive/cheat” (see note on 25:26). Esau believes that Jacob has cheated him out of both his birthright (see 25:29–34) and his blessing, although Esau willingly forfeited his birthright to Jacob (see 25:33).
Gen. 27:40 you shall break his yoke from your neck. Although Jacob has been given authority over his older twin brother, Esau will eventually free himself from his brother’s control. Later, Esau’s descendants will settle outside the Promised Land, to the east of the Jordan River (see note on 32:3–5). They will eventually control Seir, which is later named “Edom.”
Gen. 27:41–45 I will kill my brother Jacob (v. 41). When Rebekah learns of Esau’s desire to murder Jacob, she encourages Jacob to go to her brother Laban in northwestern Mesopotamia (Haran).
Gen. 27:46 the Hittite women. Rebekah is probably referring to Esau’s wives (see 26:34–35), although she could mean Hittite women in general. She may have raised this issue with Isaac as a reason for sending Jacob away.
Fact: A father’s blessing
A father’s blessing (ch. 27) was not just a symbolic gesture. It established the identity of the heir, granting him all the privileges of that position. The father’s blessing was even seen as in some way shaping his future.
Esau
Esau, whose name means “hairy,” was the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the elder twin brother of Jacob. Esau was a skillful hunter and his father’s favorite son, but he brought misery upon his parents by marrying two Hittite women. Esau carelessly sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Jacob then tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for his brother. In response, Esau tried to kill Jacob. Years later, however, Jacob and Esau were reconciled. Esau founded the nation of Edom, which became an enemy of Israel. Jacob the chosen one and Esau the one not chosen typify the age-long struggle between the people of God and their adversaries. (Genesis 27:36)
Gen. 28:1–2 Abraham issued similar instructions in 24:3–4. Canaanite women is a broader designation that would have included the Hittites (see note on 10:6–20).
Gen. 28:3–4 Isaac anticipates that Jacob will return to Canaan to take possession of the land divinely given to Abraham. make you fruitful and multiply you. See note on 1:28. A company of peoples echoes the idea of Abraham as the father of many nations (see 17:4–6). It is repeated in 35:11.
Gen. 28:6–9 Esau seeks to make amends for having taken Canaanite wives by marrying one of Ishmael’s daughters. However, he still retains his two Canaanite wives.
Gen. 28:10 Jacob sets out to travel the 550 miles (900 km) to Haran (see note on 11:31).
Gen. 28:12 ladder set up on the earth. What matters most is not the exact shape of this structure but its purpose. It provides a bridge between heaven and earth, showing that God is still committed to making the earth his dwelling place. Jesus identifies himself as the ladder linking earth and heaven (John 1:51). While human beings want to ascend to heaven (as reflected in the Tower of Babel story, Genesis 11), God is interested in making the earth his temple-city.
Gen. 28:13–15 The LORD stood above it (v. 13) could also be translated “the LORD stood beside him” (ESV footnote). The Lord’s words loudly echo his promises to Abraham (12:3, 7; 13:14–16; 17:7–8; 18:18; 22:17–18) and Isaac (26:4).
Gen. 28:16–17 Believing that the LORD is in this place, Jacob describes it as the house of God. The presence of God on earth is clearly central in Jacob’s thinking.
Gen. 28:18 Jacob marks this special event at Bethel (see v. 19) by setting up a pillar and consecrating it with oil, but he does not build an altar. This indicates that he has not yet fully accepted the Lord as his God. While setting up pillars was common in Canaanite worship, Deut. 16:22 prohibits it. Years later, after his faith-transforming encounter with God at Penuel (Gen. 32:22–32), Jacob returns to Bethel to construct an altar (35:1–7).
Gen. 28:19 the name of the city was Luz at the first. The city’s name continued to be “Luz” until the Israelites occupied Canaan many centuries later (see 35:6; 48:3; Judg. 1:23). The actual location called “Bethel” by Jacob probably lay outside the city of Luz (see Josh. 16:2).
Gen. 28:20–21 If God will be with me . . . , then the LORD shall be my God. The conditional nature of Jacob’s vow reveals that he is still not fully committed to the Lord (see note on v. 18).
Gen. 28:10–22 The Lord uses an extraordinary dream to confirm that the divine promises to Abraham will be fulfilled through Jacob. A similar event will take place upon Jacob’s return to Canaan (32:22–32).
Gen. 28:22 I will give a full tenth to you. Centuries later, Israelite worshipers give a tenth of their income (a “tithe”) to God as an expression of their commitment to him.
S4:005 Genesis 23-28
Listen NowDive Deeper | Genesis 23-28
Have you ever been promised something, and in anticipation of that promise you made different choices? Maybe you were promised a new job or promotion with a higher salary and bought a new car? In 2020, I gave my wife a wedding ring and promised to marry her. In anticipation of the wedding day, she put down deposits on a venue, bought a dress, and hired a caterer, knowing that I would follow through on my promise.
In today's passage, we see Abraham buying a field as a burial place for his wife Sarah. This is not just any field; it's the first piece of actual real estate that Abraham owns in the Promised Land. It's a down payment on the promise that God made: "To your offspring I will give this land" (Genesis 24:7). In anticipation of that promise, Abraham decides that he and his family will settle down and be buried here.
But this promise doesn't belong to all of Abraham's descendants. Jacob's older twin brother Esau "despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:34) and sold it to Jacob for a bowl of stew. Jacob later steals the blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau as the firstborn. Though the two later reconcile, Jacob and his family end up with the inheritance and the promise while Esau and his family moved far away.
So what happened to this promise? Did God follow through? Who ultimately gets to inherit it? Spoiler alert: it's Jesus! (Galatians 3:16). What God promised, He followed through on, even 1600 years later. What's more, if we are in Christ, we are adopted as sons and daughters of Abraham (Galatians 3:29).
Have you considered how amazing this is? Do you know "the riches of his glorious inheritance" (Ephesians 1:18)? One day God will follow through on His promise in its entirety, and we will share in the inheritance. Let's live differently today, knowing that His Son is coming back!
This month's memory verse
"The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.'"
– Exodus 34:6
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know with certainty that you are a part of "the children of the promise" (Romans 9:8) and destined to inherit eternal life? Would you like to be called a child of God? (John 1:12) If so, read Romans 10:9-10, 13 for some guidance.
2. What are you counting on to provide for you in the future? Is it your retirement account or Social Security? Your children? A wealthy relative's inheritance?
3. How can you live differently today, knowing that God will "graciously give us all things" (Romans 8:32)?