Gen. 24:1-67 Locate the passage This passage takes place after the death of Sarah and at a time when Abraham is advancing in age. Abraham has secured land for his family’s future and now is concerned to provide a wife for his son, Isaac, through whom the Cov... Read More »

Gen. 23:1-20 Locate the passage Sarah’s death provides the occasion for Abraham’s first official land “ownership” in the land the Lord promised him. He was recognized by Abimelech to have dug a well in Beersheba, but here he acquires land. Genre The pa... Read More »

Gen. 22:1-24 Locate the passage This passage is after the call of Abraham, the clarification that Ishmael would not be the child of promise, and the birth of Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael have departed. Abraham trusted in God’s promise of an offspring before any ... Read More »

Gen. 21:22-34 Locate the passage This passage chronicles a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech. The significance of this passage is Abraham finding a place in the land promised to him in safety. Another highlight of this passage is the explanation for the o... Read More »

Gen. 21:1-21 Locate the passage Abraham believed God’s promise, but to this point, it had not been realized. God could have used other means to make of Abraham a great nation (as Abraham offered several times), but His promise was a child through Abraham and... Read More »

Gen. 20:1-18 Locate the passage This passage is immediately after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sin and the incest between Lot and his daughters and the consequences the text foreshadows. These two events point to the consequences of s... Read More »

Gen. 19:1-38 Locate the passage Abraham was successful in bargaining with the Lord for a reduced minimum number of righteous people required before the Lord would destroy the city, but was still unsuccessful in saving the city. In this passage, the messengers ... Read More »

Gen. 18:16-33 Locate the passage This pericope continues the encounter between Abraham and the “three men.” Having emphasized God’s Covenant Promise to Abraham, now the attention of the men moves to Sodom and Gomorrah. Genre The passage is narrative. It ... Read More »

Gen. 18:1-15 Locate the passage The Promise of an offspring for Abraham and Sarah was made and believed, but had not yet occurred. This time, it is Sarah’s turn to laugh. Genre The passage is narrative. It records a conversation between the Lord (angel?) and... Read More »

Gen. 17:1-27 Locate the passage This passage occurs after Abram’s belief expressed in God in Genesis 15 is followed by a lack of faith in Genesis 16. As with Gen. 15:1, the Lord appears to Abram and introduces Himself with a new understanding of who He is. G... Read More »