What I learned from reading Genesis 1:1-31
It was God who created the heavens and the earth.
On the first day or time period of making our planet inhabitable, the earth was a formless cloud of mineral rich dust that God gradually formed into a solid. Surrounding it was a thick canopy of gaseous water. God’s active force moved over the water and made it possible for the light from the sun to shine through it. It was probably at this time he also set the land mass to start spinning for the account says God divided the light from the darkness and called the light Day and the darkness Night.
The second day, God divided the waters so there was an expanse between the liquid water below and the gaseous water above. He called the area between heaven.
Next, God caused the land to come up through the liquid water by means of earthquakes and volcanic action. He called the dry land Earth, while the water surrounding the land he called Seas. He then created grass, seed-bearing plants and trees that bore fruit on the land. That all happened during the third time period or day.
Since God wanted the earth to have seasons, days and years, he made the earth to tip slightly on its axis on the fourth day. He also made it possible for the sun, the moon and even stars to be more visible through the water canopy.
On the fifth day God created many creatures to live within the waters of the sea and to fly in the heavens above the land. Today, many scientists now call those creatures dinosaurs.
The sixth day saw God creating the land animals, domestic animals, and creeping animals. Then after seeing that everything he'd made was good, God made a creature in his image and called it man. This man or human was to be over all the other animals and would be responsible for caring for them as well as all the plant life upon the earth.
Since God wanted the earth to have seasons, days and years, he made the earth to tip slightly on its axis on the fourth day. He also made it possible for the sun, the moon and even stars to be more visible through the water canopy.
On the fifth day God created many creatures to live within the waters of the sea and to fly in the heavens above the land. Today, many scientists now call those creatures dinosaurs.
The sixth day saw God creating the land animals, domestic animals, and creeping animals. Then after seeing that everything he'd made was good, God made a creature in his image and called it man. This man or human was to be over all the other animals and would be responsible for caring for them as well as all the plant life upon the earth.
What I learned from reading Genesis 2:1-25
By the end of the sixth time period or day, God had finished his work of creating the heavens and the earth. Still, he had one more thing he wanted to do before the start of the seventh time period, which he declared would be a sacred day of rest.
At that time it never rained on the earth. Instead, a mist came up from the ground to water all the surface of the land. So Jehovah looked around for the perfect place to plant a garden. He chose an area he called Eden, a place in the Middle-East where one river divided into four other rivers. These rivers were named Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates. In this area where the Euphrates still exists today, God planted all the trees that were pleasing to look at and were good for food. He also placed two special trees there, one he called the Tree of Life and the other he called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad. He placed them in the middle of the garden.
Then Jehovah God took some minerals from the dust of the ground, formed a man out of them and with his holy spirit, blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The man was placed in the garden to cultivate it and take care of it. Later, all the different types of animals were brought to the man so he could name them.
God gave the man only one command. He could eat from every tree in the garden accept for the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. If he did so, he would certainly die.
Jehovah then noticed that while all the animals had a male and a female, man didn't have a similar compliment of him. So God had the man fall into a deep sleep. He took a rib bone from the man, built it into a female and brought her to the man.
Jehovah then noticed that while all the animals had a male and a female, man didn't have a similar compliment of him. So God had the man fall into a deep sleep. He took a rib bone from the man, built it into a female and brought her to the man.
The man was very happy to see her. He called her woman, for she was taken from the man. That is why when a man and a woman come together, they become as one flesh.
What I learned from reading Genesis 3:1-24
One of the animals in the garden, a cautious serpent, approached the woman. It asked her if it was true God said she couldn't eat from every tree in the garden. She told the creature they could eat from all of the trees of the garden, but the one tree in the middle they must not eat from it or even touch it or they would die.
The serpent then told the first lie and said she certainly would not die, for God knew if she ate from that tree her eyes would be opened and she'd know good and bad like God.
Then the woman noticed that the tree was pleasing to look at. It’s even possible she saw the serpent eating from it with nothing happening to it. Starting to desire it, she took some of the fruit and ate it. Later, she gave some to her husband. When he took it and ate it, they both realized they were naked, so they sewed together loin coverings for themselves with fig leaves.
That evening, when they heard Jehovah's voice, they hid from him. But Jehovah kept calling until finally the man came out of hiding. He admitted he'd heard God's voice, but said he'd hid because he was afraid, for he was naked.
Jehovah asked if he'd eaten from the tree he was told not to eat from. The man said the woman gave him some, so he ate. When Jehovah asked the woman what she'd done, she replied that the serpent had deceived her.
Jehovah cursed the serpent and said from then on it would crawl on its belly in the dust. He said the woman's offspring would crush the head of the serpent while the offspring of the serpent would strike the woman's offspring in the heel. He further told her she'd give birth to her children in greatly increased pain, plus she'd long for her husband, but he'd dominate her.
To the man Adam, he said the earth was cursed because of what he'd done. He'd have to eat what he could find from the vegetation of the field, then he'd die and return to the ground.
Adam now named his wife Eve. God made garments of skin for them to wear, then expelled them from the garden. He posted cherubs, each with the flaming blade of a sword that turned constantly at the east of the garden so they couldn't return and eat from the the tree of life.
What I learned from reading Genesis 4:1-26
After they were expelled from the garden, Eve became pregnant and gave birth to a son she named Cain. Later she gave birth to Abel. Cain became a cultivator of vegetation, while Abel became a shepherd.
They both decided to make an offering to Jehovah, but only Abel's offering was looked upon favorably by God. Jehovah told Cain that if he would turn to doing good, then he could earn his favor, for it is possible to get the mastery over sin.
But Cain didn’t listen to God’s warning. Instead, he did the opposite by becoming jealous and striking and killing his brother Abel. Later, when Jehovah asked Cain where his brother was, Cain said he didn't know. But Jehovah had seen what happened. He told Cain the ground would no longer give back its fruit for him as it once had, and he'd become a fugitive and a wanderer.
Cain insisted that the punishment was too great, for now anyone could look for him and kill him too. So Jehovah set up a sign for Cain that no one was allowed to strike him. Thus Cain went away and took up residence in exile, where he and his wife, his sister, had a son they named Enoch. Enoch had a son named Irad. Irad had a son named Mehujael. Mehujael then became father to Methushael who became father to Lamech.
Lamach had two wives, Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal and Jubal. Zillah gave birth to Tubelcain and his sister Naamah. Lamach also killed a man, one who had struck him.
After Able was killed, Adam and Eve had another son, one she named Seth. Seth's son was Enosh. He was the first human since Able who called on the name of Jehovah.
What I learned from reading Genesis 5:1-32
Adam was created by God to have his same qualities: love, justice and wisdom. God named his creation Man, and he blessed them.
After Cain killed his brother Abel, Eve gave birth to another son. Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born. He lived another 800 years, had other sons and daughters, then died when he was 930 years of age.
Seth became father to Enosh when he was 105 years old. He lived another 807 years and died when he was 912 years of age.
Enosh was 90 years old when he became father to Kenan. He lived another 815 years and died at 905 years of age.
Kenan's son Mahalalel was born when he was 70 years old. He lived another 840 years and died when he was 910 years of age.
Mahalalel became a father to Jared when he was 65 years old. He then lived another 830 years and died at 895 years of age.
Jared was 162 years old when he fathered Enoch. He lived another 800 years and died at 962 years of age.
Enoch became father to Methuselah when he was 65. Enoch walked with the true God for 300 years. The account says God took him, but doesn't explain why. Possibly because he was being threatened by someone in some way.
Methuselah fathered Lamech when he was 187 years old. Then he lived for another 782 years, making him 969 years old when he died. He was the longest living person named in the Bible.
Lamech became a father to Noah when he was 182 years old. He prophesied that Noah would help comfort the people from the painful toil of the ground Jehovah had cursed. He lived another 595 years and died at 777 years of age.
Noah was 500 years old when he became father to Shem, Ham and Japheth. If my math is correct Noah was probably 4 when Adam died and 91 when Seth died.
What I learned from reading Genesis 6:1-22
Some of the spirit sons of God noticed that the daughters of men were beautiful to look at. They abandoned their assigned places in heaven, materialized as humans and came to earth to take them as wives. Their children were called Nephilim and they filled the earth with wickedness.
Jehovah became sad and regretted that he'd made man. He decided to wipe mankind and all the other creatures he'd made from the earth.
Noah, however found favor with God. He was a righteous man who walked with the true God even though the rest of the world was full of violence. God told Noah that in another 120 years He was going to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.
God then told Noah to make an ark from resinous wood and cover it with tar inside and out. It was to be three decks high, have a window at the top and an entrance on the side.
After Jehovah told Noah He was going to bring floodwaters upon the earth and destroy every living thing on it, He then made a covenant with Noah. God told Noah he was to take his wife, his sons and their wives, along with two of each kind of every living creature. Plus he was to gather and take enough food for all of them.
Noah listened carefully to everything God said, and he did everything exactly as God told him to do.
What I learned from reading Genesis 7:1-24
Seven days before it was to start raining, Jehovah told Noah to go into the ark with his family. He was the only one living of his generation who had been found righteous. He was to take with him 7 each of the clean animals and 2 each of the unclean animals, a male and a female.
Noah was now 600 years old and his three sons 100 years old. He did just as Jehovah told him and took the animals and his family into the ark. Every kind of animal went into the ark, wild and domestic, creeping and flying, birds and other winged creatures. When they were all inside, Jehovah shut the door and sealed it.
On the exact day that Jehovah said it would happen, the second month and the 17th day of the month of the 120th year after he'd decided to wipe life off the earth, the overhead canopy of water burst open and it began to rain. It rained continually for forty days and 40 nights, overwhelming the earth with water until it rose 15 cubits (21.875 feet, or 6.675 meters) above the tallest mountain.
For another 150 days the floodwaters continued to overwhelm the earth, and all the living creatures that moved upon the earth, including all mankind, died. Only Noah, his family and the creatures with them in the ark survived.
What I learned from reading Genesis 8:1-22
Even though the rain stopped after forty days, it was another 150 days before the water began to decrease. Noah, his family and the animals had been in the ark for over six months by now. God hadn't forgotten them, though, for he caused a great wind to blow over the waters to help them recede.
Finally, on the 17th day of the 7th month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. For two more months, the waters slowly receded, and by the 1st day of the tenth month Noah could see the tops of distant mountains.
Forty days later Noah opened the window he'd made in the ark and sent out a raven. It flew around for a while then returned to the vicinity of the ark.
Later he sent out a dove, but it too could find no resting place and returned. Seven days later, he sent the dove out again, and this time it returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. When he sent the dove out the following week, it didn't return at all.
It was now the 1st. day of the 1st. month of Noah's 601st year of life. At that time, he removed the covering of the ark so they could see better how the surface of the earth was drying up.
On the 27th day of the second month, a whole year after they'd entered the ark, God told Noah he could now leave the ark with his family and all the animals. The first thing Noah did was to build an alter to Jehovah. He took some of the clean animals and the birds and he made a burnt offering with them.
Jehovah was pleased with Noah’s offering. He vowed that never again would he wipe all living creatures off the earth. The earth would continue to always have seasons, cold and heat, day and night.
What I learned from Genesis 9:1-29
After Noah and his family left the ark, Jehovah told them to fill the earth with mankind. As for the animals, they would now be fearful of man, for in addition to all the vegetation he'd already given to Adam to eat, God gave Noah’s descendants all the animals to serve as food. Only the blood, the life within the flesh, was not to be eaten.
God also demanded an accounting from mankind for the lives of others. Those who shed another man's blood, would face God's judgement where their own blood would be shed.
Then God established a covenant with Noah, his sons and their offspring and all the other living creatures that came out of the ark. He promised that never again would floodwaters ruin the earth and all flesh be destroyed by it. The rainbow was a sign of this covenant, and whenever God or mankind saw it they were to be reminded of that promise.
Later, Noah planted a vineyard. When he drank some of the juice of the grapes, it had already fermented, turning into wine. Going into his tent to lie down, he removed all his clothing.
Ham, now a father to the boy Canaan, went into the tent afterward, and the account says he saw his father's nakedness. He went outside to tell his brothers, most likely laughing disrespectfully. Shem and Japheth gathered up a garment, walked in backward with their faces turned away and covered their father, showing him respect unlike their brother Ham.
When Noah woke up and learned what had happened, he cursed Ham's son Canaan. He said Canaan and his descendants would become slaves to Shem, Japheth and their descendants.
Noah died at age of 950 years, living another 350 years after the flood began.
Noah died at age of 950 years, living another 350 years after the flood began.
What I learned from reading Genesis 10:1-32
Noah had three sons. Japheth was the oldest, followed by Shem and then Ham.
Japheth had 7 sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. Gomer was the father of Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah. Javan's sons were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim.
Ham had 4 sons: Cush, Mizraim, Put and his firstborn Canaan. Cush became father to Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca. Raamah's sons were Sheba and Dedan.
One of Cush's sons was the rebel Nimrod who was the first man after the flood to set himself up as a leader over his people. He was also the first to oppose God's sovereignty and to attack others, specifically the land of Assyria where the descendants of Shem's son Asshur had settled. The first city in his kingdom was Babel, then Erech, Accad, and Calneh in Shiner. After he invaded the land of Assyria, he built the cities of Nineveh, Rehobothir, Calah and Resen.
Mizraim fathered, Ludim, Anakin, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (the Philistines) and Caphtorim.
Canaan had 2 sons, Sidon and Heth. Their descendants became the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites and the Hamathites.
Shem became a father to 5 sons: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud and Aram.
Aram's sons were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.
Arpachshad's son was Shelah while Shelah's son was Eber.
Eber had 2 sons, Peleg and Joktan.
Joktan became father to Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab.
Each of these names became either a city or a nation consisting of their descendants. From there, they spread out from the Middle-East to Arica, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Pacific Islands. Then from there across both oceans to the Americas, forming all the nations on the earth.
What I learned from reading Genesis 11:1-32
After a while, the people settled in a land to the East they called Shinar. They decided to make bricks and bake them so they could build a city with a tower in the heavens and make a celebrated name for themselves.
When Jehovah saw that they were doing the opposite of what he'd told them to do, he caused them to speak in different languages. Because of this, they stopped building the city and that place became known as Babel. It was from there then that humankind began to scatter to all parts of the earth.
Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became a father to Arpachshad. Then after having more sons and daughters, he died when he was 500 years old.
Arpachshad was 35 when he became a father to Shelah. He then lived another 403 years.
Shelah was 30 years when he became a father to Eber. After that he continued to live 403 years.
Eber lived for 34 years before becoming a father to Peleg, then he lived another 430 years.
Peleg was 30 when he became father to Reu. He then lived another 209 years.
Reu became a father to Serug when he was 32 and then lived another 207 years.
Serug was 30 years old when he became father to Nahor, then lived another 200 years.
Nahor became a father to Terah when he was 29 and lived another 119 years.
Terah was 70 when he became a father to Abram. Later he became a father to Nahor and Haran. They lived in Ur of the Chaldeans.
Haran had a son named Lot and two daughters named Milcah and Iscah. Then he died.
Haran had a son named Lot and two daughters named Milcah and Iscah. Then he died.
Abram took Sarai as his wife, while Nahor took Milcah, Haran's daughter.
Terah then took Abram, Sarai, and his grandson Lot to the land of Canaan. They settled in Haran and Terah died there when he was 205.
What I learned from reading Genesis 12:1-20
Abram was 75 years old when Jehovah told him to leave the land of Haran and go to the place he'd show him to live. There he'd be blessed, his name would become great and he'd become a great nation. All the families of the earth would be blessed because of him as well.
So Abram took his wife and his brother's son Lot and headed toward the land of Canaan. When they reached Shechem near the big trees of Moreh, Jehovah again spoke to Abram and said he'd give all that land to his offspring. This was significant, for Abram and Sarai had no children and she was already past childbearing age. So Abram built an alter there to Jehovah.
Later they moved to the mountainous region between Bethel and Ai where he built another alter. Then they journeyed toward the Negeb and other places.
When a severe famine struck the land, Abram took his family toward Egypt. He told Sarai to say she was his sister for he was afraid her beauty would attract attention and they'd kill him. As he had feared, the princes of Pharaoh noticed and praised her to him. After seeing her, she was taken into his household. Meanwhile Abram acquired sheep, cattle, donkeys, servants and camels.
Then because Pharaoh was thinking of taking her for his wife, Jehovah caused a plague to strike him and his household. After Pharaoh learned the reason for the plague was because Sarai was Abram's wife, he called him into his presence and told him to take her and go.
What I learned from reading Genesis 13:1-18
After Pharaoh told him to leave Egypt, Abram gathered together his wife, all the livestock, silver and gold he'd accumulated, along with his nephew Lot and all his possessions. They traveled north and returned to the Nageb, then back to where he'd camped before between Bethel and Ai. At the same place where he'd previously built an alter, he called on the name of Jehovah.
It was there that a quarrel arose between the herders of Abram's livestock and that of Lot's herdsmen. Abram told Lot to go wherever he chose, and then he'd go the opposite direction. So Lot chose to go toward the district around the Jordan while Abram continued to live in the land of Canaan in tents. Eventually, Lot set up his tent near Sodom, a city where the men were wicked and gross sinners against Jehovah.
Jehovah told Abram to look all around him, for as far as he could see in all directions belonged to him and his offspring. Later Abram began to dwell among the big trees of Mamre and he built another alter there to Jehovah.
What I learned from reading Genesis 14:1-24
While Abram was dwelling by the big trees of Mamre, Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, attacked Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, later known as Zoar. They fought at the Valley of Siddim, which is near the Salt Sea.
Chedorlaomer and his armies had already fought and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim and the Horites in the mountain of Seir. They had also conquered Enmispat, also known as Kadesh, plus the Amalekites and the Amorites.
For 12 years the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim
and Bela had paid tribute to them, but 2 years previously they had stopped, so when the armies of Chedorlaomer came, they went out to meet them. But the Valley of Siddim contained pits of bitumen and both the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah fell in them. The others fled to the mountains leaving their cities undefended.
and Bela had paid tribute to them, but 2 years previously they had stopped, so when the armies of Chedorlaomer came, they went out to meet them. But the Valley of Siddim contained pits of bitumen and both the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah fell in them. The others fled to the mountains leaving their cities undefended.
When Abram learned Lot and his family were part of the spoils that were taken away, he took 318 of his trained servants plus his allies at Aner, Eshcol and Mamre to Hobah, north of Damascus, and defeated them. He recovered all the people and goods that were taken as well as Lot and his family.
Returning home, Abram was met by Melchizedek, the king and high priest of Jehovah at Salem, later called Jerusalem. Melchizedek brought him bread and wine and blessed him. Abram then gave him a tenth of all he had.
The king of Sodom also met him and told him he could keep all the goods he recovered, but Abram refused and returned everything to him.
What I learned from reading Genesis 15:1-21
One night while he was sleeping, Abram had a vision where Jehovah appeared to him. God said not to fear, for he was a shield for him and would reward him. But Abram reminded God he was still childless and his current heir was Eliezer of Damascus. Jehovah reassured him he'd have his own son to succeed him.
Jehovah then took him outside, showed him the stars and told him his descendants would become more plentiful than all the stars he could count. More then that, the land he was then living on would be theirs.
When Abram asked how he would know that would happen, he was told to take a 3 year old heifer, a 3 year old female goat, a 3 year old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon. So Abram killed the animals, cut the larger ones in half and laid them on the alter he'd made.
When Abram asked how he would know that would happen, he was told to take a 3 year old heifer, a 3 year old female goat, a 3 year old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon. So Abram killed the animals, cut the larger ones in half and laid them on the alter he'd made.
That evening, Abram fell into a deep sleep where Jehovah told him his offspring would become foreigners in another land and become slaves there for 400 years. But God would judge that nation and the people would leave with many goods. Abram himself would live to a good old age.
Then a fiery torch passed between the pieces of offering on the alter, and a covenant was made between Jehovah and Abram that his offspring would possess the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates.
What I learned from reading Genesis 16:1-6
Ten years after they’d left Egypt,Abram's wife Sarai felt guilty that she'd still been unable to give him any children. She told him to take her Egyptian servant Hagar as a second wife so she could give him a child. Abram did as she asked, but when the younger woman became pregnant, Hagar began to despise Sarai.
When Sarai realized her servant despised her, she went to Abram and told him it was his fault. Abram told her the woman was her responsibility and to do what she thought was best. So Sarai humiliated Hagar so badly that the young woman ran away.
Jehovah, however, was watching. He sent an angel to Hagar. The angel told her to return to her mistress and to humble herself, for Jehovah would greatly multiply her offspring. He said she would give birth to a son and she should call him Ishmael, meaning God hears. The boy would become a man with a wild spirit and he'd dwell opposite his brothers.
Hagar obeyed God and returned to Abram's camp. There, when Abram was 86 years old, Hagar bore him a son and he named him Ishmael.
What I learned from reading Genesis 17:1-27
An angel of Jehovah appeared to Abram when he was 99 years old and reminded him of the covenant Jehovah had made with him several years earlier where Abram was promised that he'd become a father to as many people as there were stars in the night sky.
Now there was to be a further covenant, one where Abram would become many nations and kings. Because of this his name would now be changed to Abraham, which means father of a multitude.
This covenant would be between Jehovah, Abraham and his offspring, and they would have the entire land of Canaan and Jehovah would be their God. As for Abraham and his household all males must have their foreskins circumcised. Any child born throughout the generations would be circumcised when they were 8 days of age as a sign of the covenant between them.
As for Sarai, her name would now be Sarah, which means princess. She will have a son and nations and kings will come from her. At this Abraham fell facedown and began to laugh, saying to himself, can a man 100 years old and a woman 90 years old give birth?
Then Abraham told God's angel that he wished his son Ishmael could come before Jehovah. At this God told him his son by Sarah would be named Isaac. But in regard to Ishmael, he too would be blessed. He would produce 12 chieftains and become a great nation. However God's covenant was with Sarah's son Isaac.
So that very day, Abraham and every male born or purchased within his household, including 13 year old Ishmael, were circumcised.
What I learned from reading Genesis 18:1-33
While Abraham was talking to the angel of Jehovah just outside his tent among the big trees of Mamre, he saw three other materialized angels standing a short distance away. He went to them and invited them to stay a while, to eat and drink and have their feet washed.
When they agreed, he went to the tent and had Sarah make some bread for them. Then he chose a good young bull from his herd and had his attendant prepare it. When the meat was ready, he served it to them with the bread, butter and milk.
One of the angels asked Abraham where his wife Sarah was. He told them in the tent. He was then told that next year at this time, Sarah would have a son.
Within the tent Sarah heard and began to laugh, for she was way past the age of childbearing. When Jehovah's angel asked her why she laughed, she tried to deny it as she was afraid, but he told her he'd return in a year and she'd have a son.
After they finished eating, Abraham began to escort the angels toward Sodom. He was told that the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was very great so they were being sent to investigate. Abraham asked if they found 50 good men in those cities, would they be destroyed along with the wicked ones. Jehovah answered that if there were 50 righteous ones there, he would pardon the cities for their sake.
Abraham asked about 45, then 40, 30, 20 and finally 10. Jehovah promised he'd not destroy the city if only ten righteous ones were found there.
What I learned from reading Genesis 19:1-38
Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom when the two angels of Jehovah arrived there that evening. Seeing them, he bowed down to the ground and insisted that they stay at his house for the night. There he made bread and prepared a feast for them.
A short time later, all the boys and men of the city surrounded the house and demanded that the two men come out so they could have sex with them.
Lot went out and begged the men to not act wickedly to the strangers. He even offered to send his two virgin daughters out to them instead. His words, though made the crowd angry and they started to press in and threaten harm to him.
Before anything could happen to Lot, the two materialized angels opened the door, brought him inside and struck those outside with blindness. They told Lot to gather his family and take them from that place, for Jehovah had sent them to destroy it. Lot did so then went out and tried to get the two men who were engaged to his daughters to come with them. They laughed, thinking he was joking.
By then it was dawn and the angels were insistent that Lot leave with his wife and two daughters. Still Lot tried to linger, but the angels seized their hands and brought them out of the city. They told them to run away and not look back. So Lot, his wife and daughters hurried toward the little town of Zoar. Lot arrived there just past sunrise, but his wife lingered behind him and looked back. She was turned into a pillar of salt when the entire district was struck by a sudden raining down of sulfur and fire.
Afraid to stay in Zoar, Lot and his daughters moved into a cave up in the mountainous region. After a while the oldest daughter told the younger that since there were no men to have relations with them, they needed to give their father some wine to drink and then lie down with him to preserve offspring from him. So they did so and the firstborn's son became the forefather of the Moabites, while the younger's son became the forefather of the Ammonites.
What I learned from reading Genesis 20:1-18
When Abraham moved his camp to the land of the Negeb and began dwelling between Kadesh and Shur, he kept telling everyone that Sarah was his sister. Abimelech, king of Gerar heard about her beauty and sent for her.
A while later, the king had a dream where he was told that he was as good as dead because he'd taken the wife of another. But Abimelech said to Jehovah that he and his nation were innocent, for the woman said Abraham was her brother. God then said to the king that he knew he was innocent, but he must now return her to Abraham for he was a prophet.
So Abimelech sent for Abraham and asked what his intentions had been. Abraham said it was because he was afraid he'd be killed if it was learned that he was her husband. Besides, she really was his sister, the daughter of his father but not his mother, and then she became his wife.
As a sign of his innocence toward Sarah, Abimelech returned her along with some sheep, cattle and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave him 1,000 pieces of silver and told him he could dwell wherever he wanted in the land. So Abraham made a supplication to the true God and Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls were healed of their barrenness because of Sarah.
What I learned from reading Genesis 21:1-34
At the exact time Jehovah’s angel told Abraham Sarah would have a child, she gave birth to a son. Abraham named him Isaac and circumcised him on the 8th day, just as Jehovah had commanded. Abraham was now 100 years old and Sarah was 90.
Five years later, Isaac was weaned and Abraham prepared a big feast in celebration. But Sarah noticed that Hagar's son Ishmael was mocking Isaac, so she told Abraham that he needed to drive the slave girl and her son away so the young man, now 19 years old, wouldn't try to be an heir alongside Isaac. Abraham was displeased, but then God said to him to listen to her, for only Isaac was to be his heir. But God would still make a great nation from Ishmael because he was Abraham’s offspring too.
Early the next day, Abraham took some bread and a flask of water and placed them on Hagar's shoulder, then he sent them away. This incident happened in 1913 BCE and marked the 400 years of affliction on Abraham's offspring that God had foretold to him earlier in the 15th chapter of Genesis.
But Hagar got lost and began wandering in the wilderness of Beersheba until they ran out of water. She placed Ishmael in some shade under a bush, then turned away for she didn't want to watch him die. But God was watching and he told her not to be afraid, for he hadn't forgotten his promise to make Ishmael a great nation. So he showed her where there was some nearby water and she filled the flask and gave some to her son. God then remained with him as he grew up. They dwelt in the wilderness of Paran and later his mother took a wife for him from Egypt.
Now Abimelech and Phicol his army chief came to Abraham and asked him to swear by his God that he wouldn't deal falsely with him. Abraham swore that he would deal fairly, but mentioned that some of the king's servants had violently seized a well that he'd dug. Abimelech said that was the first he'd heard of it.
So Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to the king and they made a covenant. Abraham also set aside 7 female lambs to give to the king as a witness that the well had been one that he'd dug. Abimelech returned home and Abraham remained in the land of the Philistines for a long time.
What I learned from reading Genesis 22:1-24
When Isaac was around 25 years old, Jehovah again spoke to Abraham, now 125 years old. He was told to take his son Isaac to Mt. Moriah and offer him up there as a burnt sacrifice.
Even though he must have felt devastated at hearing that, Abraham had faith and trusted Jehovah. He got up early the next morning, split the wood for the fire, saddled his donkey and took Isaac and two of his servants toward the mountain.
Three days later he told his servants to remain where they were with the donkey, while he and Isaac went on up to worship Jehovah. Isaac carried the wood, while Abraham carried the fire and a knife. A little while later Isaac asked where was the sheep for the offering. Abraham told him with confidence that Jehovah would provide the sheep.
When they reached the area where God had indicated, Abraham built an alter and arranged the wood on it. By now Abraham must have told Isaac what God had said, for the young man willingly allowed his hands and feet to be bound, then laid down upon the alter. He could have easily overpowered his father, but he didn't, showing he too had faith and trusted Jehovah.
Abraham then took the knife in his hand and raised it up to kill his son. Immediately an angel called out from heaven and told him not to harm the boy. He'd proved he feared God by not withholding his son from him.
Looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket. He quickly released the bonds from his son, prepared the ram for the sacrifice and offered it up as a burnt offering instead. Abraham named that place Jehovah-Jireh, Jehovah Provides, so all would know that Jehovah will always provide whatever a person needs.
Again Jehovah's angel spoke. He told Abraham and Isaac that not only would their offspring be multiplied, but they would take possession of the gate of their enemies and obtain a blessing for themselves. All because they'd listened to God's voice.
After Abraham returned to Beersheba, he received news that his brother Nahor's wife Milcah had given birth to Uz, Buz, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. Bethuel then became the father of Rebekah.
What I learned from reading Genesis 23:1-20
Abraham's wife Sarah was 127 years old when she died in Kiriath-arba, in Hebron, in the land of Canaan. He wept and mourned over the loss of his beloved wife, then went to the sons of Heth and asked if he could buy some property from them to serve as a burial place.
The sons of Heth called him a chieftain of God and said he could choose to bury his dead in the choicest of their burial places. So Abraham bowed down to them and asked that they urge Ephron the son of Zohar to sell him the cave of Machpelah.
Since Ephron the Hittite was sitting among them, he'd heard what Abraham said and answered that he would give him the cave plus the field it was in for burying his dead. But Abraham spoke to Ephron in the hearing of all the sons of Heth and said he'd pay him the full amount of silver for the field.
When Ephron answered that the land was worth 400 silver shekels, Abraham weighed out that amount of silver by the weight accepted by the merchants and gave it to him. Thus the field of Ephron in Machpelah, the one which was in front of Mamre, the cave and the trees in it became the purchased property of Abraham and he buried his wife Sarah in it.
What I learned from reading Genesis 24:1-67
After his wife Sarah died and was buried, Abraham sent for the servant who managed all his affairs. He asked him to swear by Jehovah that he wouldn't take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites, but would go to the country of his relatives and find one there.
Taking ten camels loaded with all sorts of good things plus their handlers, the servant set out for Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor, Abraham's brother. It was early evening when he arrived at a well just outside the city. He prayed to Jehovah and asked to have the woman chosen for the son of his master to not only give him a drink of water from the well, but offer to water his camels as well.
He hadn't finished praying when a beautiful young woman approached, went down to the spring and filled her water jar. He ran to her and asked for a sip of water. She didn't hesitate, but gave him some water. Then she said she'd draw water for his camels too. The servant watched in amazement, then took out a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets
He gave her the gold, asked who she was and whether there'd be room for him and his men to spend the night at her father's house. She told him she was Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. And yes, there was plenty of fodder for the animals and a place where he and his men could spend the night. At this the servant prostrated himself before Jehovah and praised the God of his master for guiding him to Abraham's brothers.
Rebekah ran to her mother to tell her what had happened, then after hearing her story, her brother Laban went to the well to bring the men to their house. Before he could eat though, the servant told them of Abraham's request, his prayer to Jehovah and the actions of Rebekah. Then he asked if they'd show loyal love and faithfulness toward his master by letting him return to Canaan with Rebekah.
Bethuel and Laban told him that since this request was from Jehovah, he could take her just as God had spoken. Hearing this the servant again bowed down on the ground before Jehovah, then he went to get all the articles of silver and gold, and the garments he'd brought for Rebekah, her mother and brother.
The next morning, Rebekah’s mother and brother asked if she could spend ten days with them before she left. The servant said he really needed to leave right away. So they asked Rebekah if she was ready and willing to leave. After agreeing to leave right away, Rebekah, her nurse and female attendants climbed on the camels and left with Abraham's servant.
Isaac had just come from Beer-lahairoi, when he looked up and saw the camels approaching. When Rebekah saw him, she got down from the camel and covered herself with her veil. After the servant told him all that had happened, Isaac took her as his wife and fell in love with her.
What I learned from reading Genesis 25:1-34
After the death of Sarah, Abraham took Keturah for his wife. With her he had six more sons: Zimran, Jockshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.
Jokshan became a father to Sheba and Dedan. Dedan became a father to Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
Midian was the father of Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
Later, Abraham gave gifts to all his sons by Keturah, then sent them away to the East. He then gave everything else he had to Isaac. He died at the age of 175 years and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave where he'd buried Sarah.
Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar, had 12 sons just as Jehovah had foretold. They were Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. Ishmael lived to be 137 years old.
When Isaac was 40 years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramaean of Paddan-aram, and the sister of Laban the Aramaean.
Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah finally became pregnant with twins. She had a difficult pregnancy and wondered if she'd go on living. Jehovah told her she'd bear two nations, one stronger than the other, and the older would serve the younger.
The first born was covered with hair and was named Esau. The second was born holding on to the heal of his older brother, and he was named Jacob.
Esau became a skilled hunter, while Jacob remained blameless and dwelt in tents. One day Jacob was cooking some Lentil stew when Esau returned hungry and exhausted. When he asked for some of the food, Jacob asked him to sell his right as firstborn first. Showing no regard for the law of birthright, Esau swore Jacob could have it in his place.
This was extremely significant for not only did it mean the son would become the patriarch of the family upon the father's death, but he would receive a double share of all the goods his father had accumulated up until then. In this incidence Esau sold his right to become the forefather of Abraham's promised seed.
What I learned from reading Genesis 26:1-35
Because a famine occurred in the land of Canaan, Isaac moved his family close to Gerar, a Philistine city where Abimelech was king. Jehovah appeared to Isaac and told him not to go down to Egypt, but to stay in the land of Canaan, for his offspring would someday have all that land just as he'd promised to Abraham.
Since Rebekah was very beautiful, Isaac was afraid he'd be killed, so he kept telling everyone she was his sister. But then one day the king happened to look out his window as Isaac was showing affection to Rebekah. Isaac was called in to see the king and asked to explain himself. Even though he was angry with Isaac for possibly bringing guilt upon the city, the king decreed that anyone touching Isaac or Rebekah would be put to death.
While Isaac lived in the land of Gerar, he was blessed by Jehovah and became very wealthy with flocks of sheep, herds of cattle and a large body of servants. The Philistines began to envy him however, so Abimelech asked him to move somewhere else to avoid trouble. Now that the famine had ended, Isaac moved his family back to the valley where Abraham had camped. Many of the wells there had been stopped up by the Philistines though, and whenever his men tried to dig one open, the shepherds of Gerar would start quarreling with them.
Isaac then moved his camp to Beer-Sheba. Again Jehovah appeared to him and told him not to be afraid for he was with him. So Isaac built an alter there and had his servants dig another well. After a while King Abimelech came to him and said he'd noticed Jehovah had been with Isaac and he wanted to make a covenant with him that he'd do nothing bad to them. So Isaac made a big feast for the king and his men and in the morning they both swore an oath of peace.
Esau was 40 years old when he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basamath the daughter of Elon the Hittite for his wives. It wasn’t long though before they proved to be a source of grief to both Isaac and Rebekah.
What I learned from reading Genesis 27:1-46
As Isaac got older he became blind. When he weakened to the point he thought he was nearing death, he called his son Esau to him and asked him to go hunting and make a tasty dish of whatever meat he got. Then he'd bless him before he died.
Rebekah heard their conversation, so she called Jacob to hurry and get two of the best of their young goats and bring them to her. Then she cooked them up and taking some of their furry skin, she placed some on each of Jacob's hands and the back of his neck. She also got out some of Esau's best garments and had him wear them.
So Jacob took the tasty dish in to his father and asked for the blessing he'd been promised. Isaac however was hesitant at first as he recognized Jacob's voice. But after feeling his goatskin covered hands and smelling the clothes that he wore, Isaac ate the food and drank the wine that Jacob had brought.
Then Isaac blessed his son Jacob, saying that people would serve him and bow down to him. He'd be a master over his brothers and those that cursed him would themselves be cursed.
Not long after Jacob left his father's side, Esau returned and prepared the meat dish his father loved. Isaac was surprised to have him there and then told him of Jacob's deceit. Esau cried out bitterly and asked if there wasn't anything left that his father could bless him with. Isaac told Esau he'd appointed Jacob master over him and given him all his grain and wine. At this Esau burst into tears for he'd not only lost his birthright but his father's blessing as well.
Again Esau asked for a blessing. So Isaac told him his dwelling place would be in another place and he'd live by his sword and would serve his brother. At this Esau began to harbor animosity against Jacob and plotted to kill him after their father's death. But Rebekah heard about Esau's plan and told Jacob to go to her brother Laban, to dwell with him until his brother's anger subsided.
What I learned from reading Genesis 28:1-22
After Rebekah complained to her husband of her fears that Jacob would take a wife from Canaan like his brother did, Isaac sent for him. He told him to go to his mother's brother Laban, in Paddan-Aram, and find a wife from his household. If he did, then Jehovah would bless him and his offspring would take possession of the land God had given to Abraham.
After Jacob left, Esau realized his father wasn't pleased with him for taking his wives from the land of Canaan, so he went to Ishmael, Isaac's half-brother, and took his daughter Mahalath to be his third wife.
Jacob left Beer-Sheba and went toward Haran. That evening he lay down with a stone beneath his head and had a dream. He saw a stairway leading from the earth to the heavens and there were angels ascending and descending upon it. A voice came from the throne stationed above it that said he was Jehovah, the God of Abraham and Isaac. The land Jacob was lying on would be given to his offspring and they would become like the particles of dust from the earth. They would spread out in all directions and because of him all the families of the earth would be blessed. Jehovah would be with him wherever he went and he'd be returned to that land.When Jacob awoke he became fearful, for he realized Jehovah had been there with him. So he took the stone he'd rested his head on and sat it up as a pillar. Pouring oil on it he named it Bethel, meaning house of God.
Then he made a vow, saying that if God would continue with him and protect him until he could return in peace to his father's house, then certainly Jehovah would prove to be his God. The stone pillar he'd set up would become a house of God and he'd return a tenth of everything God gave him back to him.
What I learned from reading Genesis 29:1-35
Jacob continued traveling toward the east until he came to a stone-covered well with three herds of sheep lying down next to it. He asked the shepherds where they were from. When they told him Haran, he asked if they knew Laban the grandson of Nahor.
They said they knew him well, and besides, that was Laban's daughter Rachel who was coming then with her sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw her, he went to the well and removed the stone so the sheep could be watered. After he told Rachel who he was, she ran off to tell her father.
Laban ran to the well to meet this son of his sister, then brought him into his house where he stayed for the next month. At that time, Laban asked him what he'd like to be paid for working for him. Jacob told him he'd be willing to work for him for 7 years for the hand of his daughter Rachel, for he'd fallen in love with her.
Laban agreed to the arrangement, and at the end of the 7 years Jacob asked Laban to give him Rachel so he could have relations with her. Laban gathered together all the men of that place and made a great feast for them. But instead of bringing Rachel to Jacob's tent that night, Laban brought her older sister Leah.
The next morning Jacob asked Laban why he'd tricked him. Laban said it was their custom that the older daughter must be married before the younger. Jacob agreed to spend the rest of the week with Leah, and then take Rachel as his second wife and work another 7 years for her. Laban also gave Leah his female servant Zilpah and to Rachel he gave his female servant Billah.
Even though Leah wasn’t loved as Rachel was, she gave Jacob 4 sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. Rachel, however, remained barren.
What I learned from reading Genesis 30:1-43
Rachel became so jealous of her sister Leah for giving their husband 4 sons that she told Jacob to give her a child or she'd die. Of course he became angry at this and told her he wasn't God. So Rachel gave him her maidservant Bilhah as another wife and in time she bore him a son she named Dan. Later, Bilhah had another son that Rachel named Naphtali.
When Leah realized she'd stopped giving birth, she gave her maidservant Zilpah to Jacob as his wife. Zilpah then gave birth to Gad and Asher.
One day Leah's oldest son Reuben was walking in a wheat field and found some Mandrake, an herb-type plant from the potato family. He took some to his mother. When Rachel saw it she asked for some from Leah. When Leah refused, Rachel told her she would send Jacob to lie down with her that night in exchange for the Mandrakes. To this Leah agreed. Since the plant has the reputation of being an aphrodisiac, it's thought that was why she wanted them so much.
So Rachel sent Jacob to her sister's bed that night and Leah became pregnant with a son she named Issachar. Later she bore him another son, Zebulun, and a daughter named Dinah.
Finally, God answered Rachel's prayer and she gave birth to a son she named Joseph.
Jacob now went to Laban and asked him to let him leave so he could set up his own household. Laban however, didn't want to let him go because of the prosperity he too had received while Jacob had been with him, so he asked what wages he'd want to have him give him to stay. Jacob told him that from then on he would take just those of the flocks with dark colors, striped, speckled or with patches. Laban agreed.
So they separated the flocks and kept their camps a distance of three days journey apart. Then Jacob took sticks and cut spots out of them so the white inside was exposed. He placed them near the robust animals so when they produced young they'd have striped, speckled and color-patched ones. Thus Jacob grew very prosperous and acquired large flocks of sheep, goats, camels and donkeys plus servants to care for them.
What I learned from reading Genesis 31:1-55
After a while Jacob learned that Laban's sons were saying that he'd taken everything belonging to their father for himself and that is how he'd become so wealthy. He also noticed that Laban's attitude toward him had changed. Finally, Jehovah spoke to him and told him to return to the land he'd given to his fathers, for he'd be with him when he did.
So Jacob sent for Leah and Rachel and told them what God had said. They agreed to go for not only had their father sold them to Jacob, but they’d noticed he'd been using their children's inheritance for himself.
Jacob put his children and wives on camels and began driving all the herds and goods he'd accumulated in Paddan-Aram to where his father lived in the land of Canaan. He didn't realize at that time that while Laban had been shearing his sheep, Rachel had stolen the teraphim statues of false gods that belonged to him.
It was three days before Laban learned that Jacob had left. Taking his sons and brothers along with him, it took him another 7 days to catch up with Jacob and his famiy. God had come to Laban in a dream the night before though, and told him to be careful about what he said to Jacob.
Arriving in the mountainous region where Jacob had pitched his tent, Laban approached and asked why he'd tried to outwit him and carry off his daughters and grandchildren in secret. He added that while it was alright for Jacob to want to return to the house of his father, why had he stolen the statues of his gods.
Jacob answered that he'd been afraid that Laban wouldn't allow him to leave with his wives. As for Laban's gods, he could search through all their belongings for them. So Laban searched through all of their tents, not knowing that Rachel had taken the teriphim and placed them in the saddle basket of her camel and was sitting on them. When he came to her, she told him she couldn't get up because the customary thing with women was upon her.
By now Jacob was angry over the thorough search, and he told Laban to put everything he'd found that belonged to him on the ground before them. He'd worked hard for Laban for 20 years and during that time he'd had his wages changed 10 times. He'd never had a sheep or goat miscarry and if any animal was lost or stolen, he'd stood the loss himself. He'd served him 14 years for his daughters and another 6 years for a share of his flock. It was the God of his father and grandfather Abraham, who had blessed him with what he had.
With no proof of any falsehood against Jacob, Laban then proposed the two men make a covenant that would be a witness between them.
So they each took stones and built a pillar. Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed for it would be a Watchtower, where Jehovah would keep watch between them that Jacob wouldn't mistreat his wives nor pass that spot to do harm to Laban. In turn Laban wouldn't pass the stone pillar to do harm to Jacob. Then they both swore to this by the God of Abraham.
After that Jacob offered up a sacrifice and fed Laban and all his men. Early the next morning Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren, blessed them and left to return home.
What I learned from reading Genesis 32:1-32
After Jacob left the mountainous region where Laban had caught up with him, he was met by some angels, so he called that place Mahanaim or Camp of God.
Jacob then sent messengers ahead to Seir in Edom where his brother Esau was living. He told them to say that he'd acquired bulls, donkeys, sheep and many servants, and he was hoping to find favor in his brother's eyes. When they returned, though, they told him Esau was not only on his way to meet him, but he was bringing 400 other men as well. On hearing that, Jacob became afraid and anxious, so he divided up his goods into two camps so that if one was attacked the other could still escape.
Then Jacob prayed to Jehovah the God of Abraham and Isaac and asked him to save his family from his brother's anger. He then set aside 200 female and 20 male goats, 200 female sheep and 20 rams, 30 camels nursing their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, and 20 female and 10 male donkeys to give as a gift to his brother. He told their drovers to set a distance between each herd and go ahead of him and present them to Esau.
After allowing them time to get ahead of him, in the middle of the night Jacob took his wives and children and the rest of his goods over the ford of Jabbok. When he was alone, an angel of God who'd taken on a man's form began wrestling with him. At dawn the angel touched the socked of Jacob's hip causing it to be dislocated and making him limp for the remainder of his life. Then the angel told Jacob to let him go. Jacob said he wouldn't until he received a blessing. The angel said that from then on Jacob would be known as Israel, for he'd prevailed over both man and God.
What I learned from reading Genesis 33:1-20
When Jacob saw Esau coming toward him with his 400 men, he divided up the children between their mothers, then bowed down to the ground 7 times as he went toward his brother. But Esau ran alone toward Jacob and embraced him and kissed him, and they both burst into tears.
Esau asked who the women and children were. Jacob said they were the children God had favored him with. The women and children came forward then, and they all bowed down before Esau. Then Esau asked why he'd been sent all the flocks with their drovers. He had plenty of possessions of his own. But Jacob insisted that he take them as they were his gift for the pleasure of seeing his brother's face once again.
Later, Esau suggested they continue on to his home in Seir, in Canaan, and Jacob could follow him there. But Jacob told him that his pace would be too fast for the children and the animals who were still nursing their young.
So Esau left for Seir while Jacob took his household to Succoth. He set up his tent near Shechem and paid Hamor, the patriarch father of that area, 100 pieces of money for a portion of his field. There Jacob built a house and set up an alter that he called the God of Israel.
What I learned from reading Genesis 34:1-31
A few years later, Dinah, Jacob's daughter by his wife Leah, started going out alone to spend time with the other young women who lived nearby. When the son of the chieftain Hamor the Hivite saw her, he fell in love with her. He then lay down with her, violating her. After this, Shechem asked his father to get the young woman for his wife.
When Jacob learned about it, his sons were in the field with the flocks, but as soon as they heard they became very angry. They had all gathered together when Hamor and his son Shechem arrived to form a marriage alliance with Jacob. Shechem offered to pay any bride price that Jacob demanded.
It was Jacob's sons though, who answered and said there was no way they could give their sister to anyone who wasn't circumcised. Since Shechem was the most honorable young man of the house of his father, he indicated he was willing. So the men returned to their city and spoke to the men at the gate, telling them that Jacob and his sons were willing to share their daughters and thus their wealth with them if they would become circumcised too. So Hamor, Shechem and all the other males of that city got circumcised.
Three days later Simeon and Levi took up their swords. Going into the city they killed Hamar, Shechem and all the other men. Then they took their sister and left. The other brothers then plundered the city, taking their flocks, herds, wives, children and whatever else they wanted.
When Jacob learned what Simeon and Levi had done he was angry at them for bringing trouble on him. He was afraid the other Canaanites would attack and annihilate him and his household in return. But his sons justified what they had done by reminding him his daughter had been treated as a prostitute.
According to Jewish tradition, Dinah returned to the house of her father and never married.
What I learned from reading Genesis 35:1-29
God told Jacob to go to the place he had named Bethel when he'd ran away from Esau. So he gathered together all his household and told them they must get rid of all the foreign gods in their possession, to cleanse themselves and put on new garments, for they were going to make an alter to the true God. After they did so, he buried the foreign gods under a big tree close to Shechem.
At Bethel, Jacob called the alter he made El-bethel because that was the spot the true God had revealed himself to him. While they were there, Deborah, Rebekah's nurse died and she was buried there at the foot of an oak tree he named Allon-bacuth.
After they left that place, God appeared to Jacob once again. God blessed him and told him his name was now Israel. He was to become very fruitful. Many nations would come from him and kings would descend from him. As for the land that God gave to Abraham and Isaac, it was now his and his offspring’s.
On their way to Ephrath, later called Bethlehem, Rachel began to give birth. It was a difficult labor, but she managed to name her son Benoni before she died. Jacob called his son Benjamin, then buried his wife and set up a pillar over her grave.
Leaving there, Israel pitched his tent at Eder. While there, his firstborn son Reuben laid down with Jacob’s wife Bilhah. His father was very displeased when he heard about it.
Jacob's sons by Leah were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. His sons by Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. His sons by Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali, while his sons by Zilpah were Gad and Asher.
They continued on to Mamre in Hebron, to where Isaac was dwelling. Isaac lived to be 180 years old, and at his death Esau and Jacob buried him.
What I learned from reading Genesis 36:1-43
The descendants of Esau became known as Edom, also called Edomites.
Esau had three wives. Adah the daughter of Elon the Hitite, bore Esau a son named Eliphaz. Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite had sons named Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth bore a son named Reuel.
Later, Esau took his whole household to the mountainous region of Seir, the area between the dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqabah, because the land of Canaan was too small to hold both his and Jacob's herds.
Eliphaz was the father of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
Eliphaz was the father of Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz.
Through his concubine, Timna, he became the father of Amalek.
Reuel's sons were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.
The land of Seir was named after Seir the Horite. His sons were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. Timʹna was his daughter.
Lotan's sons were Hori and Hemam.
The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho and Onam.
The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Aaah was the father of Dishon and Esau's wife, Oholibamah.
The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
Ezer's sons were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran.
These were the names of the sheikhs of the Horites in the land of Seir.
The kings who reigned in the land of Edom were Bela son of Beor from Dinhabah, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah, Husham from the land of the Temanites, Hadad son of Bedad from Avith, Samlah from Masrekah, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River, Baal-hanan the son of Achbor and Hadar from Pau.
The sheikhs of Edom through Esau were Sheikh Timna, Sheikh Alvah, Sheikh Jetheth, Sheikh Oholibamah, Sheikh Elah, Sheikh Pinon, Sheikh Kenaz, Sheikh Teman, Sheikh Mibzar, Sheikh Magdiel and Sheikh Iram.
What I learned from reading Genesis 37:1-36
Jacob continued to dwell in Canaan after the death of his father Isaac. When his son Joseph was 17 and tending the flocks with some of his half-brothers, he brought a bad report about them to their father. This was the beginning of his troubles with his siblings, for they began to hate him and refused to speak peaceably to him. It hadn't helped either that his father showed more affection for him than all the others and had even had a special robe made just for him.
Later, Joseph had a dream and told his brothers about a sheaf of grain that stood up while their sheaves bowed down to it. A second dream was about the sun and moon and stars that bowed down to him. These dreams made his brothers even more angry with him. Even his father when he heard about the dreams was upset and rebuked him over them.
A while later, Jacob told Joseph to go to the area of Shechem and find out how his brothers were doing with the flocks. They weren't there however, so Joseph asked a man there where they were and he was told Dothan.
His brothers saw him coming and started plotting to put him to death. Reuben, though, told them not to take his life, but to place him instead in a water pit in the wilderness. He planned on rescuing him later and returning him to their father.
So they stripped Joseph of his robe and threw him into an empty waterpit. Later as some of them were eating, a group of Ishmaelites approached who were on their way to Egypt to trade. Judah suggested that they sell Joseph to them instead of killing him. The others agreed and so they removed the boy from the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver.
When Reuben discovered Joseph was no longer in the pit, he was distraught. So they killed a young goat, smeared it's blood on Joseph's robe and sent it to their father. Jacob felt sure a wild animal had devoured Joseph, so he ripped his own garments and wore sackcloth as he mourned for his son, weeping for many days.
Meanwhile the Ishmaelites from Midian sold Joseph to Potiphar, the chief of Pharaoh's guard in Egypt.
What I learned from reading Genesis 38:1-30
Not long after Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua and had relations with her. She bore him three sons: Er, Onan and Shelah.
When Er was old enough to marry, Judah chose Tamar for him. However, Er displeased Jehovah and he was put to death.
Then Judah told his son Onan to have relations with Tamar so that she could have a child through brother-in-law marriage. But since Onan knew the child would be considered one of his dead brothers, he wasted his semen on the ground. This too was bad in Jehovah's eyes, so he also put Onan to death. Judah then told Tamar to go to the house of her father and stay there until Shelah was old enough to marry her.
After Judah's wife died, he went to Timnah to sheer his sheep. Tamar learned about it and saw that even though Shelah had now grown up, she still hadn't been given to him as his wife. So she removed her widow's clothing, veiled herself and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, a town which was on the road to Timnah.
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute and asked to have relations with her. When she asked what he'd give her, he said a goat. She then asked for his seal ring, his cord and rod as security until he brought the goat. Agreeing to that, he had relations with her and she became pregnant.
Returning home, Judah sent a friend to return there with the goat, but the man never found her. Three months later, however, Judah heard that Tamar was pregnant. He ordered that she be brought to him. She sent Judah the seal ring, cord and rod and told him she was pregnant by the man who owned them. Upon seeing them, Judah exclaimed that Tamar was more righteous than he was.
When Tamar finally gave birth, she had twins. One put his hand out first and the midwife put a scarlet thread around his hand, but then he drew back his hand and the other brother came out first. He was named Perez, while the one with the scarlet string was named Zerah.
What I learned from reading Genesis 39:1-23
In Egypt, Joseph became the slave of a court official named Potiphar. Since Jehovah was with Joseph, he became successful at everything he did. Soon he was put over Potiphar's household. Then he became his personal attendant. Finally he was put over everything that Potiphar owned.
Joseph, however, grew to be a very handsome young man. Because of that, Potiphar’s wife began to notice him. Daily she would ask him to lay down with her and daily he refused saying his master had entrusted everything to him but his wife. He would be sinning against God if he lay down with her.
One day Joseph found himself alone with her in the house. She grabbed hold of his outer garment and demanded that he lay down with her. When he left the garment behind and fled, she was enraged and began calling out loudly. She then told the men that came running that Joseph had tried to make a laughingstock of her, but when she started screaming, he left his garment behind. She repeated her story when Potiphar returned. Angry, he took Joseph to the prison where Pharaoh's prisoners were kept.
Because of his faithfulness, Jehovah remained with Joseph. Showing him loyal love, Jehovah granted him favor in the eyes of the chief officer of the prison. Joseph was put in charge of all the prisoners and everything they were doing, and everything he did there was successful.
What I learned from reading Genesis 40:1-23
While Joseph was in prison, Pharaoh committed the chief cupbearer and chief baker there for sinning against him. Joseph was then assigned by the guard to take care of them.
One night they both had a different very vivid dream. The next morning they were dejected when Joseph came in to check on them. Joseph asked why. They said they each had a dream and there was no-one to interpret it for them. He told them interpretations belong to God. Then he asked them to please relate their dreams to him.
The chief cupbearer's dream was about a vine with three twigs that blossomed and ripened into grapes. Then he squeezed the grapes into the cup and put it into Pharaoh's hand. Joseph told him the three twigs represented three days, and at the end of that time Pharaoh would restore him as his cupbearer. He then asked him to remember him as he'd been kidnapped and had been imprisoned for nothing that he'd done.
The chief baker then told his dream. There were three baskets of bread and baked goods that sat upon his head and the birds were eating them. Joseph told him that in three days Pharaoh would behead him, hang him on a stake and the birds would eat his flesh.
Three days later was Pharaoh's birthday and he made a feast for his servants. He brought out both men from the prison, and while he returned the cupbearer to his post, he had the chief baker hanged.
What I learned from reading Genesis 41:1-57
Two years later Pharaoh had a dream no one could interpret. He became agitated and sent for all the magic-practicing priests of Egypt and all her wise men, but none could interpret it.
Finally, the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph. He told Pharaoh how he and the chief baker had both dreamed in the prison and Joseph had correctly interpreted for them the meaning of their dreams. Everything had turned out just as Joseph said.
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph. After shaving and changing his clothes Joseph went in to see him. Pharaoh told him he'd had two dreams. In the first there were seven fine, fat cows that came up from the Nile. Following them were seven thin and bad looking cows, and the skinny cows began to eat the fat cows. The second dream was about seven ears of grain. The first ones that came up were full and choice, while seven thin and shriveled ones came up after them and began devouring them.
Joseph told Pharaoh that God was telling him what he needed to do, for both dreams were the same. There would be seven years of good crops followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh needed to look for a discreet and wise man to collect one-fifth of the produce of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. It should be stored away, and then it would serve as a food supply for the seven years of famine that would follow.
Since this sounded good to Pharaoh, he appointed Joseph to be the man to collect the food, put it in the storehouse and then distribute it during the famine. He made him second in command to only himself and gave him his signet ring. He then clothed him in fine, linen garments, placed a gold necklace around his neck and provided him with a chariot of honor that followed his chariot wherever he went.
Pharaoh gave the now 30 year old Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, and then gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On as his wife. He had two sons with her who were born before the famine came, and he named them Manasseh and Ephraim.
So for seven years Joseph collected food and stored it in warehouses throughout the land. When the famine began, it was in all the lands all around them as well. As the people came to Pharaoh for help, they were told to go to Joseph, and people came from all around to buy grain as the famine was so severe.
What I learned from reading Genesis 42:1-38
The famine became so severe in the land of Canaan, that Jacob told 10 of his sons to go to Egypt and buy grain from them. The brothers left, leaving their father, their half brother Benjamin and the rest of their families behind.
When they entered the place where Joseph was in charge of selling the grain, he recognized them. Watching them bow down to him, he remembered his dreams, so he spoke to them harshly through an interpreter and concealed his identity. He asked where they came from, and when they told him Canaan, he accused them of being spies.
They tried to explain their situation, but when they mentioned their younger brother was still at home, he told them they must bring him there. Then he put them in custody for three days. Finally he had them all brought before him and he told them one had to remain there in Egypt while the others took grain to their families.
When Joseph heard Reuben say that their brother's blood was upon them for what they'd done to him, he had to turn away from them to hide his weeping.
When he returned, he had Simeon bound, then commanded that the rest be given the grain they'd come for. He also told his men to place their money sacks in with the grain and to supply them with enough provisions for their journey back to Canaan.
Later at a lodging place, one of the brothers opened his grain sack to give his donkey some fodder and saw the money sack. When the other brothers saw it, their hearts sank and they wondered what God was doing to them.
Returning to Canaan, they told their father everything that had happened. He was devastated, thinking that now both Joseph and Simeon were dead. And even though Reuben said he could kill his own sons if he didn't bring Benjamin back to him, Jacob refused to let them take the young man to Egypt.
What I learned from reading Genesis 43:1-34
The famine in the lands of Egypt and Canaan continued to be very severe. It wasn't long before all the grain Jacob's sons had bought from Joseph was gone.
Finally, Jacob told them to return and buy some more. Judah however, reminded him that they were ordered not to return unless they had their younger brother with them. He told his father he would personally be responsible for returning Benjamin to him.
Jacob relented, knowing that they would all perish if they didn't soon receive some grain to feed themselves and their flocks. He told them to take some of their land's fruitage as a gift, some balsam, honey, labdanum (a sweet smelling resinous substance used in perfumes), resinous bark, pistachio nuts and almonds. He also said to take twice the money they'd taken the time before plus the money that had been returned to them in their bags.
When they arrived in Egypt and Joseph saw them with his younger brother, he told the man in charge of his household to slaughter some animals and prepare a meal for all of them to eat together at noon.
When they saw they were being taken to Joseph's house, they became afraid, so they tried to give Joseph's head man the money that had been placed in their bags.
They were surprised when he told them not to be afraid, for the money had been given to him first and it was their God and the God of their father who returned their money to them. Then the man brought Simeon out to them, gave them water to wash their feet and fodder for their donkeys.
When Joseph arrived at noon, they presented their gifts to him and prostrated themselves to the ground before him. He asked how their father was and they told him he was alive and well, again prostrating themselves.
Seeing his younger brother Benjamin though, Joseph became overwhelmed with emotion and hurried out to find a private place to give way to tears. After getting control of himself, he washed his face and returned, ordering that the meal be served. While his brothers ate at one table, Joseph ate at another one alone. The Egyptians ate by themselves as they couldn't eat at the same table as the Hebrews because it was something detestable to them.
During the meal, Joseph kept sending portions of food from his table to his brothers, but to Benjamin, he sent 5 times as much as to the others.
What I learned from reading Genesis 44:1-34
After the meal, Joseph commanded his head man to fill the men's bags with as much grain as they were able to carry and again return their money pouches to each bag. He was also to take Joseph's silver cup and place it in the mouth of the bag of the youngest one.
Early the next morning the brothers were sent away. A short time later Joseph told his head man to hurry and overtake them and ask why they had repaid good for bad by taking the cup of his master.
When the head man caught up to them, the brothers told him it was unthinkable for them to do such a thing. If it was found among them the person who took it should die and they would become slaves to the man's master. Then each one brought his bag forward, and of course the cup was found in Benjamin's bag, just where the head man had put it.
Seeing that, they ripped their garments. Dejected, they placed their bags back on their donkeys and returned to the house they'd just left. Once again they fell to the ground before Joseph. He asked what they'd done? Judah asked what they could do to prove themselves righteous, for now all of them were his slaves.
Joseph told them only the one in whose bag the cup was found would become his slave. The rest were to go in peace to their father.
Again Judah spoke, retelling the story of how they had gotten there and explaining that their father would surly die if the boy didn't return to him, for he was the only remaining child of his mother. He pleaded that he be allowed to take the boys place, as he couldn't' return to his father without him and watch his father die.
What I learned from reading Genesis 45:1-28
When Joseph heard Judah say he'd take Benjamin's place as his slave, for he wouldn't be able to stand to watch his father die, he sent all his servants away. He then began to weep so loudly that even Pharaoh and his household could hear him.
Finally, the 39 year old Joseph was able to get control of his emotions. He told his astonished brothers he was Joseph, the brother they'd sold into slavery in Egypt. He said not to reproach themselves for what had been done in the past, for it was God who had sent him ahead so he could preserve all of them alive. There were still five more years of famine yet to come, and it was God who'd sent him there so he cold be appointed chief advisor to Pharaoh and the lord of all the land of Egypt.
They were to return quickly to their father and tell him all they'd seen and heard. Then they were to bring him without delay, plus all of their own households, their families, their herds and everything they had. He would have them dwell in the land of Goshen so they would be near to him.
Then he embraced his brother Benjamin, which brought on more weeping. And he kissed his other brothers and wept over them.
When the news reached Pharaoh that Joseph's brothers had come from Canaan, he was pleased and told Joseph to have them go get their families and bring them to Egypt where they would all live off the riches of the land. They were to take wagons with them to carry their children and wives.
When the news reached Pharaoh that Joseph's brothers had come from Canaan, he was pleased and told Joseph to have them go get their families and bring them to Egypt where they would all live off the riches of the land. They were to take wagons with them to carry their children and wives.
So Joseph did as Pharaoh said and gave them wagons and plenty of provisions for their journey. He also gave them each a full change of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave 5 changes of clothing plus 300 pieces of silver. To his father, he sent ten donkeys carrying good things from Egypt and 10 female donkeys loaded with grain and bread.
When the men arrived in Canaan, they reported to their father that Joseph was alive and the ruler of all of Egypt. He didn't believe them at first, but when he saw everything they'd brought with them, he realized they spoke the truth. His spirit returned and he exclaimed that he must go and see his son Joseph before he died.
What I learned from reading Genesis 46:1-34
After Israel heard that Joseph was alive and well, he gathered together his family. He put all the women and children in the wagons Pharaoh had provided, then took all the goods and flocks he'd accumiulated while living in Canaan and departed for Egypt.
Arriving at Beer-sheba, he offered up sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. That night God spoke to him in a vision and told him not to be afraid to go to Egypt for he'd be with him and make him into a great nation there.
These are the names of his children and grandchildren that went with him to Egypt.
Jacob’s firstborn was Reuben. His sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
Simeon's sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul.
Levi's sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
Judah's sons were Er and Onan who died in Canaan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
Issachar's sons were Tola, Puvah, Iob and Shimron.
Zebulun's sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
These were Leah's sons, and with her daughter Dinah, they numbered 33.
Gad's sons were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
Asher's sons were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. His daughter was Serah. Beriah's sons were Heber and Malchiel.
The children of Zilpah, Leah's handmaiden then amounted to 16.
Rachel bore two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph's sons born in Egypt were Manasseh and Ephraim.
Benjamin's sons were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
The sons of Rachel then were 14 persons in all.
Dan's son was Hushim.
Naphtali's sons wereJahzeel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
These sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaiden amounted to 7.
So those who went with Jacob to Egypt were 66 men, women and children. Counting Joseph and the sons who were born to him in Egypt, the house of Jacob numbered 70 individuals.
Joseph was waiting in the land of Goshen when they arrived, for Jacob had sent Judah ahead to tell him. There were many tears as they embraced. Then Joseph told them he would let Pharaoh know they were there, and if he asked, they were to tell him they were all shepherds. He would then allow them to live peacefully in the land of Goshen, as herders of sheep were something detestable to the Egyptians.
What I learned from reading Genesis 47:1-31
Shortly after his family arrived in Egypt, Joseph took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked what their occupation was. They did like Joseph told them and replied that they were herders of sheep, just like their forefathers were. Pharaoh then told them to dwell in the land of Goshen and any of their capable men could take care of his own livestock as well.
Joseph then brought his father Jacob in to see Pharaoh. When he was asked what his age was, Jacob said he hadn't lived yet as long as his forefathers, for he was only 130. Jacob then blessed Pharaoh before he left.
So Jacob and his family received possession of the best part of Egypt, the land of Rameses, and they received food from Joseph according to their number.
The famine continued and eventually the people's money ran out. So Joseph said they could use their livestock to buy grain. But eventually they also ran out of livestock. Joseph told them they could then sell their land. So Joseph bought all the land and it too became Pharaoh's. Only the land of the priests he didn't buy as they were provided with food from Pharaoh's own household.
Eventually Joseph gave the people some seed with which to sow and decreed that they were to give a fifth of what it produced back to Pharaoh.
Israel continued to dwell there in the land of Goshen and they greatly increased their numbers. Seventeen years later, when Jacob was 147 years old, he called for his son Joseph. He told him to place his hand under his thigh and swear that he'd return his bones to the burial place of his forefathers in Canaan. So Joseph did just as his father asked.
What I learned from reading Genesis 48:1-22
When Joseph took his two sons in with him to see his father, Jacob gathered his strength and sat up on his bed.
Jacob told them how God Almighty had appeared to him at Luz in Canaan and told him he would make a congregation of peoples and they would come to possess the land as a lasting possession. Now that Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh would become as his own sons and receive their inheritance from him. Any further sons would receive their inheritance from Joseph.
Jacob asked to have the boys brought close to him for his eyes were failing, and he embraced and kissed them. Then Joseph knelt down before him, Manasseh, the oldest, on Jacob's right and Ephraim, the younger, on his left. But Jacob put his right hand on Ephraim's head and his left on Manasseh’s.
Jacob blessed all three of them, saying that the God of Abraham and Isaac, the one who'd shepherded him all his life, would have his name called on them and increase them to a multitude in the earth.
Then Joseph noticed that his father had his right hand on Ephraim's head and tried to move it to Manaseh's. But Jacob refused saying they would both become a great people, but the younger would become greater than the older. He also gave Joseph two portions of land, one for each of his sons and told him that God would continue with him and return him in time to the land of his forefathers.
What I learned from reading Genesis 49:1-33
After Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, he called the rest of his sons to him.
Reuben was Jacob's firstborn, but he was reckless and defiled his father's bed by taking one of his wives. For this he wouldn't excel.
Simeon and Levi used violence, and in their anger they killed men. They also took pleasure in their cruelty and were cursed because of it.
Judah was the one who his brothers would praise and bow down to. He was a lion cub that no one will dare arouse. The scepter would be with him until Shiloh (the one to whom the scepter belongs) arrives. He would wash his garments in the blood of grapes, and his teeth would be white from milk.
Zebulun's lands would be along the seashore and their borders would go as far as Sidon.
Issachar was like a strong-boned donkey, bending his shoulders to bear great burdens. His resting-place would be where the land was pleasant.
Dan would be a judge for his people, one like a serpent that bites the heels of a horse so its rider falls, but salvation would come from Jehovah.
Gad would be raided by a marauder band, but he would turn on them and raid at their heels.
Asher's bread would be abundant and fit for a king.
Naphtali would speak words of elegance.
Joseph was the offshoot of a fruitful tree, but he was shot at by arrows and harassed by those harboring animosity against him. In spite of that his hands remained strong and agile, for he was from the hands of the shepherd, the stone of Israel. God Almighty would bless him, for he had been singled out from his brothers.
Benjamin would be like a wolf, eating prey and dividing spoil.
After pronouncing these blessings, Jacob commanded them to bury him with his forefathers in the cave in the field of Machpelah in Canaan. Then he drew his feet up on the bed and breathed his last.
What I learned from reading Genesis 50:1-26
When Joseph saw that his father had taken his last breath, he wept over him and kissed him. Then he commanded that the physicians embalm his father, and they gave him the full 40 days of embalming. During that time and for 30 days after, the Egyptians continued to shed tears for Jacob.
When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh's court and asked permission to go and bury his father in the place he'd had excavated in the land of Canaan. Pharaoh told him to go and do as his father commanded.
So Joseph, Pharaoh's servants, the elders of the court and the other elders of the land of Egypt went with their chariots and horses to the threshing floor at Atad. All of Joseph's household, his brothers and his father's household went with them, leaving only the young children and their livestock behind. For a full 7 days they carried on a great mourning, and when the inhabitants of Canaan saw what they were doing there by the Jordan River, they named that place Abel-mizraim.
After they returned to Egypt, Joseph's brothers sent a message to him, asking that he pardon their transgression against him, for they were afraid he'd take retribution now that their father was gone. When they fell down before him and declared themselves his slaves, he wept. He told them not be afraid, for it was God who allowed it so that they all would be saved. Then he told them he would continue to supply them and their children with food.
Joseph lived then until he was 110. He made his brothers swear that when they returned to Canaan, they would take his bones with them. So Joseph too was embalmed, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.
