Gen. 30:25-43 Locate the passage This passage is the natural progression of Jacob’s growing family. This passage of the growth of Jacob’s flocks parallels the previous pericope which chronicled the growth of Jacob’s family. He realizes that he needs to b... Read More »

Gen. 29:31-30:24 Locate the passage This passage continues the story of Jacob’s growing family. For the first time, God is involved in the story, not by Jacob’s initiative, but because nothing and no one escapes His attention. Genre The passage is narrativ... Read More »

Gen. 29:1-30 Locate the passage This passage tracks Jacob as he travels to Padan Aram in search of a wife. His instructions are to meet his mother’s brother, Laban. Jacob finds Laban to be much like himself. What follows is the story of two deceivers deceivi... Read More »

Gen. 28:10-22 Locate the passage Jacob has left home. He had never in his life been alone, not even in the womb. Now, having left home by himself he meets the Lord who says to him, “I am with you.” Genre The passage is narrative. The Divine conversation is... Read More »

Gen. 26:34-28:9 Locate the passage While Jacob will be the child through whom the Covenant will extend, this pericope is more about Esau than Jacob. His marriage in defiance of his family, his lost blessing, his intention to kill his brother, and more marriage... Read More »

Gen. 26:1-11 Locate the passage Genesis 26 seems to be an interruption of the flow of thought between Genesis 25 and 27. In this chapter, the focus is on Isaac and not on Jacob. Like Genesis 34 (which also interrupts the Jacob Cycle) and 38 (which interrupts t... Read More »

Gen. 26:12-33 Locate the passage Isaac settled in Gerar and the Lord blessed him. Like his father before him, the people of the land became threatened by his blessing. The passage records three responses of the people of Gerar. The king asked him to leave thei... Read More »

Gen. 25:27-34 Locate the passage The two boys born to Isaac and Rebekah grew into men and the twins, who already don’t look alike reveal themselves to be even less identical in their personality and choice of profession. These distinctions also endear the ea... Read More »

Gen. 25:19-26 Locate the passage Immediately following the toledoth of Ishmael, the text turns to Isaac. The detail of the narrator resumes as he continues his perusal of the recipients of the Covenant. Genre This passage is narrative. The conversations in the... Read More »

Gen. 25:1-18 Locate the passage In this passage, Abraham gets married again. He will have more children with Keturah and those will be blessed by him, but only Isaac is the child of promise. This passage contains the 7th and 8th toledoths in Genesis. More is s... Read More »