ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း - Genesis 

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Chapter 23
• Chapter 24
• Chapter 25
• Chapter 26
• Chapter 27
• Chapter 28
• Chapter 29
• Chapter 30
• Chapter 31
• Chapter 32
• Chapter 33
• Chapter 34
• Chapter 35
• Chapter 36
• Chapter 37
• Chapter 38
• Chapter 39
• Chapter 40
• Chapter 41
• Chapter 42
• Chapter 43
• Chapter 44
• Chapter 45
• Chapter 46
• Chapter 47
• Chapter 48
• Chapter 49
• Chapter 50

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The First Book of Moses Called GENESIS
ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း သည် မောရှေ (ဓမ္မဟောင်း)ကျမ်း၏ပထမဆုံးစာအုပ်ဖြစ်၏။

Title
ခေါင်းစဉ်

The Hebrew title of the book is bereshith, “in the beginning,” which is the first word of the Hebrew text. The Greek Septuagint translation used the word geneseos, “origins” (2:4; 5:1), which was adopted by the Latin Vulgate and became the title of most translations. Genesis forms part of the larger Pentateuch, or the “five books” associated with Moses, which Judaism and early Christianity considered a single volume. The Pentateuch is also known as the torah, or “law,” in Judaism and forms a structural unity whose basic framework is the story of the wanderings of God’s people and whose center is the book of Leviticus.

ဟေဗြဲကျမ်း၏ ခေါင်းစဉ်မှာ bereshith ဖြစ်ပြီး၊ "အစဦး၌" ဟု အဓိပ္ပာယ်ရသည်။ ၎င်းသည် ဟီဘရူးကျမ်းစာ၏ ပထမဆုံးစကားလုံးဖြစ်သည်။ ဂရိ စက်ကျူးဂျင့် Septuagint ဘာသာပြန်ကျမ်းတွင် geneseos ဟူသော စကားလုံးကို အသုံးပြုထားပြီး၊ "မူလအစ" (၂:၄၊ ၅:၁) ဟု အဓိပ္ပာယ်ရသည်။ ထိုစကားလုံးကို လက်တင်ဗူးဂိတ်ကျမ်းက လက်ခံသုံးစွဲခဲ့ပြီး၊ နောက်ပိုင်းဘာသာပြန်ကျမ်းအများစု၏ ခေါင်းစဉ်အဖြစ် ဖြစ်လာခဲ့သည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းသည် ပင်တာတုခ်ဟုခေါ်သော "ကျမ်းငါးစောင်" ၏ တစ်စိတ်တစ်ပိုင်းဖြစ်ပြီး၊ ယုဒဒဿနနှင့် ခရစ်ယာန်အစောပိုင်းကာလများတွင် ဤကျမ်းငါးစောင်ကို တစ်အုပ်တည်းအဖြစ် ထင်မြင်ခဲ့သည်။ ပင်တာတုခ်ကို ယုဒ ဒဿနတွင် တောရ သို့မဟုတ် "ပညတ်တော်" ဟုလည်း ခေါ်ဆိုပြီး၊ ၎င်း၏ အခြေခံဖွဲ့စည်းပုံသည် ဘုရားသခင်၏ လူများတောထဲတွင်လှည့်လည်သည့် အကြောင်းဖြစ်ကာ၊ ၎င်း၏ ဗဟိုချက်မှာ ဝတ်ပြုရာကျမ်းဖြစ်သည်။

Author and Date
စာရေးသူနှင့် ရေးသားချိန်

While the book of Genesis has no explicit author, it is closely associated with the figure of Moses, as references in the New Testament suggest (e.g., Acts 15:1 referring to circumcision as “the custom of Moses”; see also John 7:22). Throughout history, most Jewish and Christian interpreters have understood Moses to be the author/editor of the Pentateuch. However, over the past two centuries and paralleling the rise of rationalism, this understanding was questioned, and scholars using the literary method of higher criticism of the Bible suggested that the Pentateuch is the result of a complex editorial history, drawing on at least four different sources that were written by anonymous authors between the tenth and fifth centuries B.C.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းတွင် စာရေးသူအမည် တိတိကျကျ မပါရှိသော်လည်း၊ ယင်းကျမ်းသည် မောရှေနှင့် နီးစွာဆက်စပ်နေသည်။ ထိုအချက်ကို ဓမ္မသစ်ကျမ်းတွင် ဖော်ပြထားသော ကိုးကားချက်များက ညွှန်းဆိုသည် (ဥပမာ၊ တမန် ၁၅:၁ တွင် အမျိုးသားအရေဖျားလှီးခြင်းကို "မောရှေ၏ထုံးတမ်း" အဖြစ် ရည်ညွှန်းထားသည်။ ယောဟန် ၇:၂၂ ကိုလည်း ကြည့်ပါ)။ သမိုင်းတစ်လျှောက်တွင်၊ ဂျူးနှင့် ခရစ်ယာန်အနက်ပြန်ဆိုသူအများစုက ပင်တာတုခ် (ကျမ်းငါးစောင်) ၏ စာရေးသူ/တည်းဖြတ်သူသည် မောရှေဖြစ်သည်ဟု နားလည်ခဲ့ကြသည်။ သို့သော်၊ ပြီးခဲ့သော နှစ်ရာစုနှစ် နှစ်ခုအတွင်း ဆင်ခြင်တုံတရားဝါဒ၏ တိုးတက်မှုနှင့်အတူ၊ ဤအမြင်ကို မေးခွန်းထုတ်ခဲ့ကြပြီး၊ ကျမ်းစာ၏ စာပေ(အနုတ်သဘောဆောင်)ဝေဖန်ရေးနည်းလမ်း (higher criticism) ကို အသုံးပြုသော ပညာရှင်များက ပင်တာတုခ်သည် ဘီစီ ၁၀ ရာစုမှ ၅ ရာစုအတွင်း နာမည်မဖော်လိုသော စာရေးဆရာများမှ ရေးသားခဲ့သည့် အနည်းဆုံး အရင်းအမြစ်လေးခုမှ ဆင်းသက်လာသည့် ရှုပ်ထွေးသော တည်းဖြတ်မှုသမိုင်း၏ ရလဒ်ဖြစ်သည်ဟု အဆိုပြုခဲ့ကြသည်။

Considering biblical chronology and the internal evidence of Genesis, it is more likely that the book (together with the rest of the Pentateuch) was, indeed, written sometime in the fifteenth century B.C. by Moses. Since he could not have been an eyewitness to the events described in Genesis (creation, fall, flood, patriarchs), it is most likely that—apart from having received divine guidance and visions—he also made use of collected stories and genealogical notes, records, and traditions.

ကျမ်းစာ၏ ကာလသတ်မှတ်ချက်နှင့် ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း၏ အတွင်းပိုင်းသက်သေအထောက်အထားများကို ထည့်သွင်းစဉ်းစားပါက၊ ဤစာအုပ်ကို (ပင်တာတုခ်၏ ကျန်ကျမ်းများနှင့်အတူ) ဘီစီ ၁၅ ရာစုခန့်တွင် မောရှေမှ ရေးသားခဲ့သည်ဟု ယူဆရန် ပိုမိုဖြစ်နိုင်သည်။ သို့သော်၊ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းတွင် ဖော်ပြထားသော ဖြစ်ရပ်များ (ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်း၊ အပြစ်တွင်ကျရှုံးခြင်း၊ ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်း၊ ဘိုးဘေးဘီဘင်များ) ကို မောရှေသည် မျက်မြင်သက်သေ မဟုတ်နိုင်သောကြောင့်၊ သူသည် ဘုရားသခင်၏ လမ်းညွှန်မှုနှင့် ရူပါရုံများကို ရရှိခြင်းအပြင်၊ စုဆောင်းထားသော ပုံပြင်များ၊ မျိုးရိုးစာရင်းများ၊ မှတ်တမ်းများနှင့် ရိုးရာဓလေ့များကိုလည်း အသုံးပြုခဲ့ဖွယ်ရှိသည်။

Content and Themes
အကြောင်းအရာနှင့် အဓိကအချက်များ

One of the key themes of Genesis is beginnings. Earth, heaven, light, darkness, animals, plants, humanity, marriage, Sabbath, the covenant family, sin, and salvation—all have their beginnings chronicled in the book. By the careful location of genealogical notes throughout the volume the reader is reminded of the importance of beginnings (births) and continuity.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း၏ အဓိကအချက်တစ်ခုမှာ အစပြုခြင်း ဖြစ်သည်။ ကမ္ဘာမြေ၊ ကောင်းကင်၊ အလင်း၊ အမှောင်၊ တိရစ္ဆာန်များ၊ အပင်များ၊ လူသားမျိုးနွယ်၊ အိမ်ထောင်ရေး၊ ဥပုသ်နေ့၊ ပဋိညာဉ်မိသားစု၊ အပြစ်နှင့် ကယ်တင်ခြင်း—ဤအရာအားလုံး၏ အစသည် ဤစာအုပ်တွင် မှတ်တမ်းတင်ထားသည်။ စာအုပ်တစ်လျှောက် မျိုးရိုးစာရင်းများကို ဂရုတစိုက် ထည့်သွင်းဖော်ပြခြင်းဖြင့်၊ စာဖတ်သူအား အစပြုခြင်း (မွေးဖွားခြင်း) နှင့် ဆက်တိုက်ဖြစ်ပေါ်မှု၏ အရေးပါပုံကို သတိပေးထားသည်။

Genesis is also foundational for understanding the rest of the Bible. Theology (God is Creator and Savior), anthropology (humanity is made from the dust of the ground and will return to dust), sociology (understanding marriage, family, and the larger community), cosmology (regarding the origins of the cosmos), and soteriology (studying the plan of salvation in the light of creation and the fall) are just some of the foundational ideas of Genesis that are needed to understand the remainder of Scripture.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းသည် ကျမ်းစာ၏ ကျန်အပိုင်းများကို နားလည်ရန်အတွက်လည်း အခြေခံအရေးပါသော ကျမ်းတစ်စောင်ဖြစ်သည်။ ဓမ္မဒသန (ဘုရားသခင်သည် ဖန်ဆင်းရှင်နှင့် ကယ်တင်ရှင်ဖြစ်သည်)၊ လူသားဗေဒ (လူသားမျိုးနွယ်ကို မြေမှုန့်မှ ဖန်ဆင်းထားပြီး မြေမှုန့်သို့ ပြန်လည်ရောက်ရှိမည်)၊ လူမှုဗေဒ (အိမ်ထောင်ရေး၊ မိသားစုနှင့် ပိုမိုကျယ်ပြန့်သော လူ့အဖွဲ့အစည်းကို နားလည်ခြင်း)၊ စကြဝဠာဗေဒ (စကြဝဠာ၏ မူလအစနှင့်ပတ်သက်သော အယူအဆ)၊ နှင့် ကယ်တင်ခြင်းဗေဒ (ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းနှင့် ပြစ်မှားခြင်း၏ အလင်းတွင် ကယ်တင်ခြင်းအစီအစဉ်ကို လေ့လာခြင်း) တို့သည် ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းမှ ရရှိသော အခြေခံအယူအဆအချို့ဖြစ်ပြီး၊ ကျမ်းစာ၏ ကျန်အပိုင်းများကို နားလည်ရန် လိုအပ်သော အခြေခံများဖြစ်သည်။

Another important theological topic, linking creation with re-creation, involves the theme of disorder-order. While Genesis 1:2 describes the earth in a state of disorder (“without form, and void”), the divine word brings order to the chaos in a systematic manner, forming and filling the physical as well as the temporal environment. The seventh-day Sabbath is the pinnacle of ordered, sanctified life. However, the entrance of sin in this world, as told in the fall narrative in Genesis 3, reverses the initial creation order and creates disorder, affecting man and woman (3:12) and the rest of creation (3:15, 17–19). Further disorder is visible in the first human death (4:8) and the human depravity that causes divine judgment and the near-complete destruction of the world by the flood (chaps. 6–9). Even following the flood, disorder reigns supreme, as can be seen in the divine judgment to confuse the languages and disperse the people (11:1–9).

ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းနှင့် ပြန်လည်ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းကို ဆက်စပ်ပေးသော အခြားအရေးကြီးသည့် ဓမ္မဒသနတစ်ခုမှာ ဖရိုဖရဲဖြစ်မှု-စနစ်တကျဖြစ်မှု အဓိကအချက်တစ်ခု ဖြစ်သည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၁:၂ တွင် ကမ္ဘာမြေကို ဖရိုဖရဲဖြစ်နေသော အခြေအနေ (“အဆင်းသဏ္ဍာန်မရှိ၊ လွတ်လပ်လဟာဖြစ်၏”) အဖြစ် ဖော်ပြထားသော်လည်း၊ ဘုရားသခင်၏ နှုတ်ကပတ်တော်သည် ကမ္ဘာလောကကို စနစ်တကျ ဖွဲ့စည်းပေးကာ ရုပ်ပိုင်းဆိုင်ရာနှင့် အချိန်ကာလဆိုင်ရာ ပတ်ဝန်းကျင်ကို ဖန်တီးပေးခဲ့သည်။ သတ္တမနေ့ ဥပုသ်နေ့သည် စနစ်တကျဖွဲ့စည်းထားပြီး သန့်ရှင်းသောအသက်တာ၏ အထွတ်အထိပ်ဖြစ်သည်။ သို့သော်၊ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၃ တွင် ဖော်ပြထားသော အပြစ်ထဲတွင်ကျရောက်ခြင်းဖြစ်ရပ်အရ၊ အပြစ်၏ဝင်ရောက်မှုသည် ကနဦးဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းစနစ်ကို ပြောင်းပြန်လှန်ပစ်ကာ ဖရိုဖရဲဖြစ်မှုကို ဖန်တီးခဲ့ပြီး၊ ယောက်ျားနှင့်မိန်းမ (၃:၁၂) နှင့် ကျန်ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းများ (၃:၁၅၊ ၁၇–၁၉) ကို ထိခိုက်စေခဲ့သည်။ ထို့ထက်ပို၍ ဖရိုဖရဲဖြစ်မှုသည် ပထမဆုံးလူသေခြင်း (၄:၈) နှင့် လူသား၏ဆိုးယုတ်မှုကြောင့် ဘုရားသခင်၏ တရားစီရင်ခြင်းနှင့် ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်းဖြင့် ကမ္ဘာကို အလုံးစုံနီးပါးဖျက်ဆီးခြင်း (အခန်း ၆–၉) တို့တွင်လည်း မြင်တွေ့နိုင်သည်။ ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်းအပြီးတွင်ပင်၊ ဖရိုဖရဲဖြစ်မှုသည် ဆက်လက်ရှင်သန်နေပြီး၊ ဘာသာစကားများကို ရှုပ်ထွေးစေကာ လူများကို ပြန့်ကျဲစေသော ဘုရားသခင်၏ တရားစီရင်ခြင်း (၁၁:၁–၉) တွင်လည်း ထင်ရှားစွာတွေ့မြင်နိုင်သည်။

Genesis is also a book of promises. Beginning in Genesis 3:15 God takes the initiative and promises a solution to the conflict between the seed (descendants) of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Similarly, a divine promise of protection and blessing is included after the flood (8:21–9:1). The divine election of Abraham and his descendants and the involved promises (12:1–3, 7; 13:15–17; 15:7–21; 17:4–8; 22:16–18; 26:2–4; 28:13–14) play a major role in the development of the story and also link it to Deuteronomy, where further communal promises and curses appear (Deut. 28–32). Important elements of the promises include descendants, land, and God’s intention that His people be a source of blessings for the nations (Gen. 12:3). Divine blessings in Genesis are radically God-centered and, while containing conditions, are not entirely dependent upon human performance.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းသည် ကတိတော်များ စာအုပ်လည်းဖြစ်၏။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၃:၁၅ တွင် စတင်ကာ၊ ဘုရားသခင်ဖက်မှ အစပြုလှုပ်ရှားပြီး မိန်းမ၏အမျိုးအနွယ် (သားစဉ်မြေးဆက်) နှင့် မြွေ၏အမျိုးအနွယ်ကြား ပဋိပက္ခကို ဖြေရှင်းမည့် ကတိတော်ကို ပေးခဲ့သည်။ အလားတူ၊ ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်းအပြီးတွင် ကာကွယ်ပေးမှုနှင့် ကောင်းချီးမင်္ဂလာဆိုင်ရာ ဘုရားသခင်၏ ကတိတော်ကို ထည့်သွင်းပေးခဲ့သည် (၈:၂၁–၉:၁)။ အာဗြဟံနှင့် သူ၏အမျိုးအနွယ်များအား ဘုရားသခင်၏ ရွေးချယ်ခြင်းနှင့် ပတ်သက်သော ကတိတော်များ (၁၂:၁–၃၊ ၇၊ ၁၃:၁၅–၁၇၊ ၁၅:၇–၂၁၊ ၁၇:၄–၈၊ ၂၂:၁၆–၁၈၊ ၂၆:၂–၄၊ ၂၈:၁၃–၁၄) သည် ဇတ်ကြောင်းဖွံ့ဖြိုးတိုးတက်မှုတွင် အဓိကအခန်းကဏ္ဍမှ ပါဝင်ပြီး၊ ထို့အပြင် ထိုကတိတော်များသည် တရားဟောရာကျမ်း နှင့်လည်း ဆက်စပ်နေသည်။ ထိုကျမ်းတွင် လူမျိုးတစ်ခုလုံးနှင့်ဆိုင်သော ကတိတော်များနှင့် ကျိန်ဆဲခြင်းများ ပါဝင်သည် (တရား ၂၈–၃၂)။ ကတိတော်များ၏ အရေးကြီးသော အစိတ်အပိုင်းများတွင် အမျိုးအနွယ်၊ မြေယာနှင့် ဘုရားသခင်၏ လူမျိုးများအား တိုင်းနိုင်ငံများအတွက် ကောင်းချီးမင်္ဂလာ၏ အရင်းအမြစ်ဖြစ်စေရန် ရည်ရွယ်ချက် (ကမ္ဘာဦး ၁၂:၃) တို့ ပါဝင်သည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းရှိ ဘုရားသခင်၏ ကောင်းချီးမင်္ဂလာများသည် ဘုရားသခင်ကို ဗဟိုပြုထားပြီး၊ အခြေအနေပေါ်မှုတည်သည့် အရာများ ပါဝင်နေသော်လည်း၊ လူသား၏လုပ်ဆောင်မှုအပေါ် လုံးဝမှီခိုနေခြင်းတော့ မဟုတ်ချေ။

The concept of the covenant permeates Genesis and is first introduced in the flood narrative (6:8; 9:8–17), but is further developed formally in God’s covenant with Abraham (15:18; 17:2–27). The covenant develops from the universal to the more specific, even though the tenor of all its manifestations is God’s commitment to humanity.

ပဋိညာဉ် အယူအဆသည် ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းတစ်လျှောက်လုံး ပျံ့နှံ့နေပြီး၊ ပထမဆုံးအနေဖြင့် ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်းဇာတ်ကြောင်းတွင် မိတ်ဆက်ခဲ့သည် (၆:၈၊ ၉:၈–၁၇)။ သို့သော်၊ အာဗြဟံနှင့် ဘုရားသခင်၏ ပဋိညာဉ်တွင် ပိုမိုတရားဝင်စွာ ဖွံ့ဖြိုးတိုးတက်လာခဲ့သည် (၁၅:၁၈၊ ၁၇:၂–၂၇)။ ပဋိညာဉ်သည် ယေဘုယျအဆင့်မှ ပိုမိုတိကျသောအဆင့်သို့ ဖွံ့ဖြိုးလာသော်လည်း၊ ၎င်း၏ဖော်ပြချက်အားလုံး၏ အဓိကအချက်မှာ ဘုရားသခင်၏ လူသားမျိုးနွယ်အပေါ် ကတိပြုချက်ဖြစ်သည်။

On a practical level, personal devotion, prayer, and worship play an important role in Genesis. Abraham’s prayers for a son (15:1–3), for doomed Sodom and Gomorrah (18:16–33), and for King Abimelech (20:7, 17–18) are good examples of personal expressions of faith. The prayer of Abraham’s servant is also answered (24:12–14, 26–27, 42–44), as is Isaac’s prayer for barren Rebekah (25:21). Women also pray in Genesis, as can be seen in Leah’s prayer for children and for the love of her husband (29:32–33; 30:17), and in Rachel’s similar prayer (30:22). More prayers could be added to this list. The God of Genesis is a God who is interacting with His creation, who hears prayers and answers them at the divinely appointed time. Humans respond with acts of worship (8:20ff.; 12:7–8; 13:4, 18; 14:20; 22:9–10; 26:25; 35:1, 7; 46:1).

လက်တွေ့အဆင့်တွင်၊ တစ်ကိုယ်ရေဝတ်ပြုခြင်း၊ ဆုတောင်းခြင်းနှင့် ကိုးကွယ်ခြင်း တို့သည် ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းတွင် အရေးပါသော အခန်းကဏ္ဍမှ ပါဝင်၏။ အာဗြဟံ၏ သားတစ်ယောက်ရရန် ဆုတောင်းခြင်း (၁၅:၁–၃)၊ ပျက်စီးမည့် သောဒုံနှင့် ဂေါမောရမြို့များအတွက် ဆုတောင်းခြင်း (၁၈:၁၆–၃၃)၊ နှင့် ဘုရင်အာဘိမလက်အတွက် ဆုတောင်းခြင်း (၂၀:၇၊ ၁၇–၁၈) တို့သည် ယုံကြည်ခြင်းဆိုင်ရာ ကိုယ်ပိုင်ဖော်ပြချက်များ၏ ကောင်းသောဥပမာများဖြစ်သည်။ အာဗြဟံ၏ကျွန်ကလည်း ဆုတောင်းချက်ကို အဖြေရခဲ့သည် (၂၄:၁၂–၁၄၊ ၂၆–၂၇၊ ၄၂–၄၄)၊ ထို့အတူ ဣဇက်သည် မြုံနေသော ရေဗက္ကအတွက် ဆုတောင်းပြည့်ခဲ့သည် (၂၅:၂၁)။ အမျိုးသမီးများလည်း ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းတွင် ဆုတောင်းကြသည်။ လေအာ၏ သားသမီးရရန်နှင့် ခင်ပွန်း၏ချစ်ခြင်းမေတ္တာရရန် ဆုတောင်းခြင်း (၂၉:၃၂–၃၃၊ ၃၀:၁၇)၊ နှင့် ရာခေလ၏ အလားတူဆုတောင်းခြင်း (၃၀:၂၂) တို့ကို မြင်တွေ့နိုင်သည်။ ဤစာရင်းတွင် ဆုတောင်းချက်များစွာ ထပ်မံထည့်သွင်းနိုင်သည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းလာ ဘုရားသခင်သည် သူ၏ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းနှင့် ထိတွေ့ဆက်ဆံပြီး၊ ဆုတောင်းချက်များကို နားထောင်ကာ ဘုရားသခင်သတ်မှတ်ထားသော အချိန်တွင် အဖြေပေးတော်မူသည်။ လူသားများက ကိုးကွယ်ခြင်းဆိုင်ရာပြုမူမှုများဖြင့် တုံ့ပြန်ကြသည် (၈:၂၀ နှင့်အထက်၊ ၁၂:၇–၈၊ ၁၃:၄၊ ၁၈၊ ၁၄:၂၀၊ ၂၂:၉–၁၀၊ ၂၆:၂၅၊ ၃၅:၁၊ ၇၊ ၄၆:၁)။

Genesis introduces the reader of Scripture to the character of God and His plan of dealing with a rebellious human race. He is shown as creating both by words and by action, enjoying the multiplicity of shapes and forms and colors found in creation. God’s interest in and care for humanity is emphasized by His creation of the seventh-day Sabbath as a monument of rest from all activity and an opportunity for uninterrupted communion between Creator and creation.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းသည် ကျမ်းစာဖတ်သူအား ဘုရားသခင်၏ စရိုက်လက္ခဏာနှင့် ပုန်ကန်သောလူသားမျိုးနွယ်ကို ကိုင်တွယ်ဖြေရှင်းသည့် သူ၏အစီအစဉ်ကို မိတ်ဆက်ပေးသည်။ ဘုရားသခင်သည် နှုတ်တော်ထွက်စကားဖြင့်လည်းကောင်း၊ လုပ်ဆောင်ချက်ဖြင့်လည်းကောင်း ဖန်ဆင်းတော်မူကြောင်း၊ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်း၌ တွေ့ရသော ပုံစံ၊ သဏ္ဍာန်နှင့် အရောင်အမျိုးမျိုးကို နှစ်သက်တော်မူကြောင်း ဖော်ပြထားသည်။ ဘုရားသခင်၏ လူသားမျိုးနွယ်အပေါ် စိတ်ဝင်စားမှုနှင့် ဂရုစိုက်မှုကို သတ္တမနေ့ ဥပုသ်နေ့ကို ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းအားဖြင့် အလေးပေးဖော်ပြထားသည်။ ဥပုသ်နေ့သည် လုပ်ဆောင်မှုအားလုံးမှ အနားယူခြင်း၏ အထိမ်းအမှတ်တစ်ခုဖြစ်ပြီး၊ ဖန်ဆင်းရှင်နှင့် ဖန်ဆင်းခံတို့ကြား အနှောင့်အယှက်မရှိသော ဆက်ဆံရေးအတွက် အခွင့်အရေးတစ်ခုဖြစ်သည်။

Another important element of the big picture of Scripture introduced in Genesis is the great controversy between good and evil that, having caused disruption in the heavenly sphere (Rev. 12:7–9), finally reaches the planet. God’s response to this crisis is His commitment to a covenant that does not only involve certain individuals or families, but is intended to be a blessing for all nations. Jesus’ incarnation and complete defeat of Satan, foreshadowed in Genesis 3:15, is the ultimate answer of God to the sin problem.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းတွင် ကျမ်းစာ၏ ကြီးမားသောပုံရိပ်ကို မိတ်ဆက်ပေးသည့် အခြားအရေးကြီးသော အစိတ်အပိုင်းတစ်ခုမှာ အကောင်းနှင့်အဆိုးကြား မဟာတိုက်လှန်ပွဲ ဖြစ်သည်။ ဤပဋိပက္ခကို ကောင်းကင်မှ စတင်ဖြစ်ပွားခဲ့ပြီး (ဗျာဒိတ် ၁၂:၇–၉)၊ နောက်ဆုံးတွင် ဤကမ္ဘာမြေသို့ ရောက်ရှိလာခဲ့သည်။ ဤအကျပ်အတည်းကို ဘုရားသခင်၏ တုံ့ပြန်မှုမှာ သူ၏ပဋိညာဉ်ကို ကတိပြုခြင်းဖြစ်သည်။ ဤပဋိညာဉ်သည် တစ်ဦးတစ်ယောက် သို့မဟုတ် မိသားစုတစ်စုအတွက်သာမက၊ လူမျိုးတိုင်းအတွက် ကောင်းချီးမင်္ဂလာဖြစ်စေရန် ရည်ရွယ်သည်။ ယေရှု၏ လူ့ဇာတိခံယူခြင်းနှင့် စာတန်ကို အပြည့်အဝအောင်မြင်ခြင်းသည် ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၃:၁၅ တွင် အရိပ်အမြွက်ပြထားသော ဘုရားသခင်၏ အပြစ်ပြဿနာအတွက် နောက်ဆုံးအဖြေဖြစ်သည်။

Together with Revelation, Genesis forms a bracket that holds together the entire span of Scripture. Between paradise lost and paradise restored the plan of salvation is developed, providing ever-increasing specifics of this plan and ultimately the manifestation of divine love and justice in the birth, life, death, resurrection, and heavenly ministry of Jesus Christ.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းနှင့် ဗျာဒိတ်ကျမ်းသည် ကျမ်းစာတစ်ခုလုံး၏ အစနှင့်အဆုံးကို ချိတ်ဆက်ပေးသော ကွင်းစကွင်းပိတ်တစ်ခုကဲ့သို့ ဖြစ်သည်။ ပျောက်ဆုံးသော ဧဒင်ဥယျာဉ်နှင့် ပြန်လည်ထူထောင်သော ဥယျာဉ်ကြား တွင်၊ ကယ်တင်ခြင်းစီမံကိန်းကို ဖွံ့ဖြိုးတိုးတက်စေပြီး၊ ဤအစီအစဉ်၏ ပိုမိုတိကျသောအသေးစိတ်များကို ဆက်လက်ဖော်ပြသည်။ နောက်ဆုံးတွင်၊ ယေရှုခရစ်၏ မွေးဖွားခြင်း၊ ဘဝ၊ သေခြင်း၊ ရှင်ပြန်ထမြောက်ခြင်းနှင့် ကောင်းကင်ဆိုင်ရာအမှုတော်ဆောင်ခြင်းတို့တွင် ဘုရားသခင်၏ မေတ္တာတော်နှင့် တရားမျှတမှုကို ထင်ရှားစွာပြသခဲ့သည်။

Purpose and Literary Structure
ရည်ရွယ်ချက်နှင့် စာပေဖွဲ့စည်းပုံ

Genesis is characterized by an impressive move from the universal towards the personal and specific. Genesis 1:1–11:26 focuses upon ancient history and describes the origins of humanity (including the creation of this planet, the fall, a universal flood, and the division of people). Genesis 11:27–50:26 carries on with the patriarchal history and—instead of continuing with the description of the larger picture of humanity—focuses upon a single family, its ups and downs, growth, and development. The text is more specific and allows greater geographical and historical definition.

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းသည် ကမ္ဘာ့အနှံ့မှ တစ်ဦးချင်းနှင့် တိကျသောအကြောင်းအရာများဆီသို့ ချဉ်းကပ်မှု ဖြင့် ထင်ရှားသည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၁:၁–၁၁:၂၆ တွင် ရှေးခေတ်သမိုင်းကို အဓိကထားပြီး၊ လူသားမျိုးနွယ်၏ အစ (ဤကမ္ဘာမြေ၏ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်း၊ ပြစ်မှားခြင်း၊ ကမ္ဘာလုံးဆိုင်ရာ ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်းနှင့် လူမျိုးများကွဲပြားခြင်း)ကို ဖော်ပြထားသည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၁၁:၂၇–၅၀:၂၆ တွင် ဘိုးဘေးဘီဘင်များ၏ သမိုင်းကို ဆက်လက်ဖော်ပြပြီး၊ လူသားမျိုးနွယ်၏ ကြီးမားသောမျိုးရိုးဆင်းသက်ပုံကို ဆက်လက်ဖော်ပြခြင်းထက်၊ မိသားစုတစ်စုနှင့် ၎င်း၏ အတက်အကျများ၊ ကြီးထွားမှုနှင့် ဖွံ့ဖြိုးတိုးတက်မှုကို အဓိကထားသည်။ ဤအပိုင်းတွင် စာသားသည် ပိုမိုတိကျပြီး၊ ပထဝီနှင့် သမိုင်းဆိုင်ရာ အဓိပ္ပာယ်ဖွင့်ဆိုချက်များကို ပိုမိုထင်ရှားစေသည်။

Another important literary element is the toledoth (“genealogy/history”) expression or formula, which is generally linked to a genealogy. Genesis 1:1–11:26 contains five of these (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10), with another six to follow (11:27; 25:12, 19; 36:1 [repeated in 36:9]; 37:2). In all cases the toledoth formula either introduces or concludes an extensive genealogy or introduces a narrative with an initial summary genealogy of at least two generations (6:9; 11:27; 25:19). The locations of these formulaic expressions in the narrative suggest they were artfully included as links between major stories, introducing the building block of genealogies, so important in ancient society, and closely associated with the issue of origins.

အခြားအရေးကြီးသော စာပေအစိတ်အပိုင်းတစ်ခုမှာ တိုလေဒေါ့ (“မျိုးရိုးစာရင်း/သမိုင်း”) ဟူသော စကားလုံးဖြစ်သည်။ ၎င်းကို မျိုးရိုးစာရင်းနှင့် မကြာခဏ ဆက်စပ်ဖော်ပြလေ့ရှိသည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၁:၁–၁၁:၂၆ တွင် ဤစကားလုံးကို ငါးကြိမ် (၂:၄၊ ၅:၁၊ ၆:၉၊ ၁၀:၁၊ ၁၁:၁၀) အသုံးပြုထားပြီး၊ နောက်ထပ် ခြောက်ကြိမ် (၁၁:၂၇၊ ၂၅:၁၂၊ ၁၉၊ ၃၆:၁ [၃၆:၉ တွင် ထပ်မံဖော်ပြထားသည်]၊ ၃၇:၂) ကို ဆက်လက်အသုံးပြုထားသည်။ ဤတိုလေဒေါ့ စကားလုံးကို မျိုးရိုးစာရင်းများကို မိတ်ဆက်ရန် သို့မဟုတ် အဆုံးသတ်ရန်အတွက် သို့မဟုတ် အနည်းဆုံး မျိုးဆက်နှစ်ဆက်ပါဝင်သော မျိုးရိုးစာရင်းကို အစပြုရန် အသုံးပြုထားသည် (၆:၉၊ ၁၁:၂၇၊ ၂၅:၁၉)။ ဤစကားလုံးများ၏ တည်နေရာများကို ကြည့်ခြင်းအားဖြင့်၊ ၎င်းတို့သည် အဓိကဇာတ်လမ်းများကြား ချိတ်ဆက်မှုများအဖြစ် အနုပညာဆန်ဆန် ထည့်သွင်းထားပြီး၊ ရှေးခေတ်လူမှုအဖွဲ့အစည်းတွင် အရေးပါသော မျိုးရိုးစာရင်းများကို မိတ်ဆက်ပေးကာ၊ မူလအစနှင့် နီးစွာဆက်စပ်နေသည်။

Genesis should be read and understood in the larger context of the Pentateuch as a whole. The book of beginnings sets the foundation for the following books, which further focus on the specifics of a people destined to be God’s covenant people. A significant part of the remaining four books focuses upon the what and the how of holy living in a holy community. The seam between Genesis and Exodus is full of textual links. Genesis 50 leaves the reader in Egypt where the death and embalming of Joseph is reported, while Exodus 1:1 picks up the thread in Egypt, but refers back to Joseph’s death and describes the completely changed circumstances of Jacob’s sons in Egypt. The language of Israel’s growth echoes creation (Ex. 1:7; see also Gen. 1:22, 28), Noah’s new creation (8:17; 9:1, 7), and the patriarchal promises (17:6, 20; 28:3).

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းကို ပင်တာတုခ် (ကျမ်းငါးစောင်) တစ်ခုလုံး၏ ကျယ်ပြန့်သောအကြောင်းအရာထဲ၌ ဖတ်ရှုနားလည်သင့်သည်။ အစပြုခြင်းကျမ်းသည် နောက်ကျမ်းများအတွက် အခြေခံအုတ်မြစ်ကို ချပေးထားပြီး၊ ထိုကျမ်းများတွင် ဘုရားသခင်၏ ပဋိညာဉ်ခံလူမျိုးဖြစ်ရန် ရည်ရွယ်ထားသော လူမျိုးတစ်စု၏ အသေးစိတ်အကြောင်းအရာများကို ပိုမိုအလေးထားဖော်ပြထားသည်။ ကျန်လေးကျမ်းတွင် သန့်ရှင်းသောလူ့အဖွဲ့အစည်းတွင် သန့်ရှင်းသောဘဝနေထိုင်နည်းနှင့် ပတ်သက်သော အကြောင်းအရာများကို အဓိကထားဖော်ပြထားသည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်းနှင့် ထွက်မြောက်ရာကျမ်းကြား ဆက်စပ်မှုများသည် စာသားဆိုင်ရာ ချိတ်ဆက်မှုများဖြင့် ပြည့်နှက်နေသည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၅၀ တွင် ယောသပ်၏ သေခြင်းနှင့် သူ၏အလောင်းကို မံသွင်းခြင်းအကြောင်း ဖော်ပြထားပြီး၊ ထွက်မြောက်ရာကျမ်း ၁:၁ တွင် အဲဂုတ္တုပြည်၌ ယာကုပ်၏သားများ၏ အခြေအနေများ လုံးဝပြောင်းလဲသွားပုံကို ဖော်ပြထားသည်။ ဣသရေလလူမျိုး၏ ကြီးထွားမှုကို ဖော်ပြသော စကားလုံးများသည် ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်း (ထွက်မြောက်ရာ ၁:၇၊ ကမ္ဘာဦး ၁:၂၂၊ ၂၈)၊ နောဧအချိန် ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းအသစ် (၈:၁၇၊ ၉:၁၊ ၇)၊ နှင့် ဘိုးဘေးဘီဘင်များအား ပေးထားသော ကတိတော်များ (၁၇:၆၊ ၂၀၊ ၂၈:၃) တို့နှင့် ပြန်လည်သံယောင်လိုက်နေသည်။

Outline

            I.      Ancient history: focusing upon humanity as a whole (1:1–11:26)

         A.      God’s perfect creation (1:1–2:25)

         B.      Humanity’s fall (3:1–24)

         C.      Death enters the world (4:1–26)

         D.      Bridging the gap: genealogy from Adam to Noah (5:1–32)

         E.      Flood and covenant (6:1–9:29)

         F.      Dispersion of the nations (10:1–11:26)

            II.      Patriarchal history: focusing upon a single family line (11:27–50:26)

         A.      Abraham’s story (11:27–25:18)

         B.      Isaac’s story (25:19–26:35)

         C.      Jacob’s story (27:1–35:29)

         D.      Esau’s descendants (36:1–43)

         E.      Joseph and his brothers (37:1–50:26)

ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း၏ အကျဉ်းချုပ်

၁။ ရှေးခေတ်သမိုင်း - လူသားမျိုးနွယ်တစ်ရပ်လုံးကို အဓိကထားခြင်း (၁:၁–၁၁:၂၆)

• က။ ဘုရားသခင်၏ စုံလင်သောဖန်ဆင်းခြင်း (၁:၁–၂:၂၅)

• ခ။ လူသားမျိုးနွယ်၏ ကျရှုံးခြင်း (၃:၁–၂၄)

• ဂ။ သေခြင်းတရား ဝင်ရောက်လာခြင်း (၄:၁–၂၆)

• ဃ။ ချိတ်ဆက်မှု - အာဒံမှ နောဧအထိ မျိုးရိုးစာရင်း (၅:၁–၃၂)

• င။ ရေလွှမ်းမိုးခြင်းနှင့် ပဋိညာဉ် (၆:၁–၉:၂၉)

• စ။ တိုင်းနိုင်ငံများ ပြန့်ကျဲခြင်း (၁၀:၁–၁၁:၂၆)
  
  

၂။ ဘိုးဘေးဘီဘင်သမိုင်း - မိသားစုတစ်စုကို အဓိကထားခြင်း (၁၁:၂၇–၅၀:၂၆)

• က။ အာဗြဟံ၏ ဇာတ်ကြောင်း (၁၁:၂၇–၂၅:၁၈)

• ခ။ ဣဇက်၏ ဇာတ်ကြောင်း (၂၅:၁၉–၂၆:၃၅)

• ဂ။ ယာကုပ်၏ ဇာတ်ကြောင်း(၂၇:၁–၃၅:၂၉)

• ဃ။ ဧသော၏ သားစဉ်မြေးဆက် (၃၆:၁–၄၃)

• င။ ယောသပ်နှင့် သူ၏ညီအစ်ကိုများ (၃၇:၁–၅၀:၂၆)

Chapter 1
အခန်း ၁

Notes
မှတ်တမ်းများ

 1:1 This verse is the theological foundation of Genesis and—by extension—Scripture. God (in contrast to atheism) created alone (in contrast to polytheism) and rules over creation (in contrast to pantheism). Readers are reminded that matter had a beginning (as opposed to materialism) and that the ultimate reality is God (not humanity).

၁:၁ ဤကျမ်းပိုဒ်သည် ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း၏ ဓမ္မဒသနဆိုင်ရာ အခြေခံဖြစ်ပြီး၊ ကျမ်းစာတစ်ခုလုံး၏ အခြေခံလည်းဖြစ်သည်။ ဘုရားသခင်သည် (ဘုရားမဲ့ဝါဒနှင့်မတူဘဲ) တစ်ပါးတည်း (ဘုရားများစွာကိုးကွယ်ခြင်းနှင့်မတူဘဲ) ဖန်ဆင်းတော်မူပြီး၊ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းကို အုပ်စိုးတော်မူသည် (ဘုရားသခင်နှင့် ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းအရာကို တစ်သားတည်းမှတ်ယူသော သဘောတရားနှင့်မတူပါ)။ စာဖတ်သူများအား ရုပ်ဝတ္ထုပစ္စည်းများတွင် အစပြုခြင်းရှိကြောင်း (ရုပ်ဝါဒနှင့်မတူဘဲ) နှင့် နောက်ဆုံးအမှန်တရားမှာ ဘုရားသခင်ဖြစ်သည် (လူသားမဟုတ်ကြောင်း) ကို သတိပေးထားသည်။

In the beginning. Introduces the story of CREATION. The universe has a beginning, because God created it out of nothing. The creation stories of ancient Near Eastern cultures usually require the gods to use preexisting material. Gen. 1:1 challenges this concept by simply implying that God created—from nothing (see Heb. 11:3).

အစဦး၌ - ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းဇာတ်လမ်းကို မိတ်ဆက်ပေးသည်။ စကြဝဠာတွင် အစပြုခြင်းရှိသည်၊ အဘယ်ကြောင့်ဆိုသော် ဘုရားသခင်သည် ဗလာနတ္တိမှ ဖန်ဆင်းတော်မူခဲ့သည်။ ရှေးခေတ်အနီးအရှေ့ယဉ်ကျေးမှုများ၏ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းပုံပြင်များတွင် နတ်ဘုရားများသည် ကြိုတင်တည်ရှိပြီးသော ပစ္စည်းများကို အသုံးပြုရန် လိုအပ်သည်။ ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၁:၁ သည် ဤအယူအဆကို စိန်ခေါပြီး၊ ဘုရားသခင်သည် မရှိသည်မှ ဖန်ဆင်းတော်မူကြောင်း ညွှန်းဆိုသည် (ဟေဗြဲ ၁၁:၃ ကိုကြည့်ပါ)။

God. God is introduced as an agent who stands beyond and outside the creation to undertake the act of creation. God’s being is not confused with creation.

ဘုရားသခင် - ဘုရားသခင်ကို ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းလုပ်ငန်းကို လုပ်ဆောင်ရန် ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းကို ကျော်လွန်ပြီး ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းအပြင်ဖက်တွင်ရှိသော လုပ်ဆောင်သူအဖြစ် မိတ်ဆက်ထားသည်။ ဘုရားသခင်၏ဖြစ်တည်မှုသည် ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းနှင့် ရောထွေးမနေပေ။

created. The Hebrew verb is always linked to divine creative activity (Ps. 33:6, 9; Amos 4:13), though not always referring to a creation from nothing (Is. 65:17).

ဖန်ဆင်းတော်မူ၏ - ဟေဗြဲကြိယာသည် ဘုရားသခင်၏ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းလုပ်ငန်းနှင့် အမြဲဆက်စပ်နေသည် (ဆာလံ ၃၃:၆၊ ၉၊ အာမောက် ၄:၁၃)၊ သို့သော် ဗလာနတ္တိမှ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းကို အမြဲတမ်း ရည်ညွှန်းခြင်းမဟုတ်ပေ (ဟေရှာယ ၆၅:၁၇)။

the heavens and the earth. This has been understood as a reference to the entire universe. Because of the earth-centered focus of the creation account, however, it can also designate the earth and the atmospheric heaven surrounding it. Both views are possible. For the entire story of CREATION, see Gen. 1–2. For the revelation of God in CREATION, see Ps. 19:1–6; Rom. 1:20. For CREATION as the basis for worship, see Ps. 95:1–6; Rev. 14:7.

ကောင်းကင်နှင့် မြေကြီးကို - ဤစကားလုံးကို စကြဝဠာတစ်ခုလုံးကို ရည်ညွှန်းသည်ဟု နားလည်ကြသည်။ သို့သော်၊ ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းဇာတ်လမ်း၏ ကမ္ဘာမြေကို ဗဟိုပြု အာရုံစိုက်မှုကြောင့်၊ ကမ္ဘာမြေနှင့် ၎င်းကို ဝန်းရံထားသော မိုးကောင်းကင်ကို ရည်ညွှန်းသည်ဟုလည်း နားလည်နိုင်သည်။ ထိုအမြင်နှစ်မျိုးလုံး ဖြစ်နိုင်သည်။

ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းဇာတ်ကြောင်းတစ်ခုလုံးအတွက် - ကမ္ဘာဦးကျမ်း ၁–၂ ကိုကြည့်ပါ။
ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းတွင် ဘုရားသခင်၏ ထင်ရှားခြင်းအတွက် - ဆာလံ ၁၉:၁–၆၊ ရောမ ၁:၂၀ ကိုကြည့်ပါ။
ဖန်ဆင်းခြင်းကို အခြေခံသော ကိုးကွယ်ခြင်းအတွက် - ဆာလံ ၉၅:၁–၆၊ ဗျာဒိတ် ၁၄:၇ ကိုကြည့်ပါ။

 1:2 without form, and void. Refers to the unorganized state of the earth before its ordering through God’s word. As a result of divine judgment the earth becomes again “without form, and void” (Is. 34:11; Jer. 4:23). Spirit of God. References the Holy Spirit as an important member of the Godhead creation team (Gen. 6:3; 41:38; Ex. 31:3). Other descriptors for the Holy Spirit in the OT include “good Spirit” (Neh. 9:20; Ps. 143:10) and Holy Spirit (Ps. 51:11; Is. 63:10). For more on the work of the HOLY SPIRIT, see John 14:16–18 and Acts 1:8. On the Godhead in CREATION, see note on Gen. 1:26.

 1:3 The progress of CREATION moves chronologically from forming to filling as the “Days of Creation” chart illustrates. Note the similar literary design which also becomes visible in the different formulas used in the story. Each creation day includes an announcement, a particular commandment, separation, a report, naming, evaluation, and chronological framework. God said. Appears nine times in chap. 1 (vv. 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29). For more on CREATION by the word of God, see Ps. 33:6, 9; Heb. 11:3. Creation happens through the cooperation of the divine Word and the divine Spirit. John 1:1–3 attributes the creative activity to the Word, the pre-incarnate Christ. On the role of Christ in CREATION, see Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2. light. God Himself is the source of light during the first day, before the creation of luminaries on the fourth day. There is an apparent parallelism between v. 4 and v. 18; God divides “the light from the darkness,” and the luminaries “divide the light from the darkness.” See 2 Cor. 4:1–6.

1:4 good. A divine judgment on creation; appears as a summary for all days, except the second day (vv. 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). “Good” indicates that creation functioned the way God designed it, that it had aesthetic qualities and moral force. divided. Boundaries are important in creation and social orders. Order is the opposite of chaos (v. 2). Boundaries will also be very important during the construction of the tabernacle, highlighting the link to creation.

1:5 called. Naming marks the divine sovereignty. In Scripture, names indicate existence, hopes, and design. day. Creation days are divided into “evenings” and “mornings,” implying the existence of a normal day (of a week). When the noun “day” appears with numerals in the OT, it generally refers to a literal 24-hour normal day. The interaction between vegetation, light, and animals requires a short period. The Sabbath command in Ex. 20:11, a memorial of creation week, specifies a literal day.

1:6–8 Day two marks the creation of the firmament. The Hebrew term marks an “expanse,” which most likely is an indication of the atmosphere surrounding planet earth (and is called “Heaven” in v. 8).

1:9–13 On day three God separates the water from the dry land.

1:14–19 After having created the form and “outline” of the earth, God now begins to fill it (see “Days of Creation” chart). Sun, moon, and stars are under the dominion of the creator God and are not independent deities as most cultures surrounding Israel thought (Ps. 121:5–7). Note that sun and moon are not even named.

1:20–23 living creatures. The Hebrew term is used for all living beings (including human beings; 2:7) and is often translated as “soul.” fruitful. The command to be fruitful and multiply is part of the divine blessing and will result in the filling of the earth.

1:24–31 The creation of animals and human beings marks the sixth day.

 1:26 The creation of humanity follows a different pattern. A personal “Let Us make” is included, different from the previous commands. The plurality of the command supports the plurality of the Godhead, even though it does not explicitly refer to the Trinity. On the role of Christ in CREATION, see John 1:3; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2. On the presence of the Holy Spirit in CREATION, see Gen. 1:2. For more on the TRINITY, see Matt. 28:19. image … likeness. Terms refer to a copy or close representation. Gen. 1:26 is God’s statement of intention. God creates humanity in His image and then commands them to have dominion. The image appears to be necessary for the function; therefore, the image points to physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual endowments that would be needed for humanity to fulfill God’s purpose for them. Humans are made in the image of God and reflect divine characteristics (such as morality and the ability to choose), but they are not inherently divine.

                     Days of Creation

  Day                     Form                             Fill                          Day

  1             Light (1:3–5)               Lights (1:14–19)                     4

  2             Firmament (1:6–8)      Inhabitants (1:20–23)              5

                  Sky                             Birds

                  Seas                             Fish
3                Dry land (1:9–10)       Land animals (1:24–25)          6

                  Vegetation (1:11–13)  Human beings (1:26–31)

 1:27 male and female. Sexuality is by divine plan and will be the vehicle to realize God’s blessing in v. 28. Furthermore, neither male nor female are exclusively made in the image of God, but together they form complete humanity. For a detailed description of the CREATION of man, see 2:7; for the CREATION of woman, see 2:18–24.

 1:28 have dominion. Refers to supreme rule (1 Kin. 4:24; Ezek. 34:4). The term does not speak of exploiting the natural world, but rather of share in the divine rule, given to humanity because they are created in God’s image and are thus capable of distinguishing between exploitation and STEWARDSHIP. Human STEWARDSHIP is multifaceted. It acknowledges God as owner of all goods (see Ps. 24:1–2) and source of all power (see Deut. 8:18). It includes the principles of service (see Matt. 20:25–28) and accountability (see Matt. 25:14–30). For the financial aspect of STEWARDSHIP, see Lev. 27:30–33; Mal. 3:8–12; Matt. 6:21; 23:23.

 1:29–30 I have given you every herb … for food. In contrast to the gods of Mesopotamia who required humans to supply them food, God is presented as a beneficent Provider taking care of the dietary needs of humans and animals. Only after the flood does meat become part of the human diet (Gen. 9:3), and even then with restrictions (Lev. 11; Deut. 14). Meanwhile, habits of diet become a sign of one’s fidelity towards God (Dan. 1:8; Acts 10:12–14; Col. 2:16). For a return to the original vegetarian diet in the new earth, see Is. 11:7; 65:25. On general HEALTH principles, see 1 Cor. 6:19–20; 10:31. For God’s desire for His people to have HEALTH, see Ex. 23:25; Ps. 103:3; 3 John 2.

 1:31 very good. This evaluation does not only reflect on the sixth day but on “all” of creation, including matter. Therefore, the suggestion that matter is evil and spirit good creates a false dichotomy. On the praise of God’s CREATION, see Ps. 19:1–6; 104.

Chapter 2

2:1 Summary statement, emphasizing the successful completion of the heaven and the earth and its “filling” (see note on 1:3). Similar completion statements appear at the end of important events in Israelite history (e.g., completion of tabernacle [Ex. 39:32; 40:33], the division of the land among the tribes [Josh. 19:51]).

 2:2–3 The completion of creation is closely linked with the creation of the SABBATH. The seventh-day SABBATH is the ultimate culmination of creation as it provides time and space for holiness and communion. God does not rest because He is tired (Is. 40:28), but rather because He cherishes community. Of all the days of creation, God uniquely blessed and sanctified the seventh day, indicating that it belongs to Him in a special way. The blessing of the seventh day is intricately linked to the sanctification of the Sabbath, which reappears in Ex. 20:8–11 as part of the Sabbath command. However, the Sabbath rest does not originate with the divine commandments given to Israel at Mount Sinai. Rather it originates with God’s personal, creative activity during the week of creation. For more on the relationship of Christ as Creator (see note on Gen. 1:3) to the SABBATH as memorial of CREATION, see Matt. 12:8; Mark 2:28. For the permanence of the SABBATH as a memorial of creation, see note on Rev. 14:7, 12; Is. 66:22–23.

2:4–25 After the general outline of creation in chap. 1, chap. 2 focuses more closely on the creation of humanity. Note the subtle shift from “the heavens and the earth” (1:1) to “the earth and the heavens” (2:4).

2:4 LORD. Additional name for God, focusing upon the unique covenant relationship with humanity and (later on) Abraham’s seed (Ex. 3:14–15). Gen. 2:4–6 describes the status quo prior to God’s creative work.

 2:7 formed. Verb denotes the action of a potter (Is. 29:16; Jer. 18:4–6) and is deliberate. Man (Hebrew ’adam) is created from the dust of the earth (Hebrew ’adamah) and not from divine matter as in other contemporary creation accounts. He will return to dust when he dies (Gen. 3:19). The divine life-giving breath of God transforms man from dust to a creature made in the image of God and continually dependent on God (Job 27:3). For more on the CREATION of humanity, see Gen. 1:26–27. living being. This is a correct understanding, rather than “soul.” The Hebrew word for “being” means life or person, not some eternal separate entity. In the Bible, people do not have souls, but are souls/beings/persons. The Bible is consistent in its discussion of life and death. If life came when God formed humans from the elements of the earth and breathed life into them, death is described as the exact opposite (see Eccl. 12:7). Death unravels the association of God’s breath with the elements of the earth, and the person as living being ceases to exist. For more on the nature of DEATH, see Ps. 115:17; 146:4; Dan. 12:2; John 11:11–14; 1 Thess. 4:13–14.

2:8 garden. Hebrew term comes from a root meaning “to be enclosed, fenced off, protected.” The garden marks off a space where created order and harmony is visible. It is also a temple-garden, which was later represented in the tabernacle. Both the tabernacle and the garden serve as a meeting place between God and humanity. Eden. Term originates possibly from a root denoting “pleasure, delight.” The description of the garden (vv. 10–14) suggests majestic trees and abundant water, and links it to geography already known to the readers.

2:9 Among the abundant trees of the garden, two are highly significant. The tree of life reappears several times in Scripture (Prov. 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev. 2:7; 22:1–2, 14, 19) while the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is mentioned only in Gen. 2–3. Knowledge refers to moral or ethical discernment and experience, not intellectual prowess.

2:15 Humanity is put into the garden for a twofold purpose: first, it is to “tend” or work the garden, highlighting the important concept that work is a divine gift and not a punishment which occurred after sin. The term is also associated with worship (Ex. 3:12) and the tabernacle (Ex. 38:21; Num. 3:10). Second, man is to “keep” or guard the garden. Interestingly, both verbs occur in the description of the Levitical duties (Num. 3:7–8; 18:7).

2:17 After the affirmative command of working and guarding (v. 15), follows the prohibitive command, testing human obedience.

2:18–22 The surprising use of “not good” in v. 18 emphasizes that creation was not yet completed and stresses the vital importance of companionship for humans.

2:23–24 The close link between “man” (’ish) and “woman” (’ishah) is expressed by the similarity of the sounds in the Hebrew words. Marriage creates a completely new unit of human existence. be joined. Emphasizes the close unity and goes beyond the sexual union. The term appears in the context of covenants (Deut. 10:20; Josh. 23:8, 12) and marks uncompromising loyalty (Ruth 1:14).

2:25 naked. This verse functions as an important bridge to chap. 3 where humanity will suddenly feel the shame of nakedness (see note on 3:1).

Chapter 3

 3:1–6 These verses speak to the origin of sin on earth; vv. 8–14, 16–19 its results; v. 15 its remedy. But sin itself goes back to a rebellion in heaven. On the origin of SIN in heaven, see Is. 14:12–14; Ezek. 28:15–17; Rev. 12:7–9. For more on the essential nature of SIN, see 1 John 3:4. On the universal results of SIN on human nature, see Gen. 8:21; Ps. 51:5; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21; Rom. 3:23; 5:10; 6:16, 23; Eph. 2:3; James 4:1–2; 1 Pet. 5:8.

3:1 Now. Links the story of the fall to the creation account. The conjunction “and” is used to highlight the important connection. After a perfect creation the unsuspecting reader expects another “good story,” illustrating God’s wonderful plan for humanity. cunning. The term can be either negative or positive and is often used in Wisdom literature (the same Hebrew word is translated “prudent” in Prov. 12:16, 23; 13:16). In the larger context, the use in a comparison suggests a negative connotation. Cunningness moves the human population of the garden from a state of perfect harmony into a sense of self-consciousness, recognizing their own nakedness (Gen. 3:10–11). The craftiness of the serpent is highlighted by the ability to speak and by the wording of the question. The question is not a frontal attack but represents a more subtle approach and sows doubt. In contemporary mythology, serpents were often opposing the creator-god. Job 26:12–14 describes the creature that God defeated at creation and Rev. 12:9 and 20:2 identify the serpent as Satan, the one who challenged God in the context of the great controversy. not eat of every. The serpent has subtly changed the original, positive, divine order (Gen. 2:16) by making it negative and putting the command into a plural. It still sounds similar, but the meaning has been completely altered.

3:2–3 Eve’s first mistake is to enter into a dialogue with the “cunning” serpent. She is no match for her opponent and is immediately moved into a defensive position. Eve’s wavering is highlighted by the final words of v. 3 (“lest you die”) which do not reflect the plain divine order in 2:17 (“you shall surely die”). Adam and Eve did not die immediately, but because they could not access the tree of life (3:22–24), their bodies began to weaken and ultimately they died (5:5).

3:4–5 The serpent’s bold challenge of the divine order is tempered with the insinuation of an ulterior divine motive. Eve is still listening. The promise of knowledge (“eyes will be opened”) is alluring. In Scripture, God opens eyes (Gen. 21:19; 2 Kin. 6:17, 20) to see the real balance of power in the cosmic conflict.

3:6–8 The first phrase of v. 6 mimics chap. 1 where God “saw” that creation was “good,” suggesting that Eve has usurped the Creator’s role in determining what is “good.” Eve’s attraction affects three areas: taste, vision, and intellect. James 1:14–15 describes the sequence of temptation which ultimately leads to death. desirable. Same Hebrew term as used in the Ten Commandments, describing covetousness (Ex. 20:17). After Eve has eaten, she gives the fruit to Adam. While Eve was deceived (1 Tim. 2:14), Adam chose consciously to eat, in order to share the consequences of Eve’s fall. they knew. As a result of their eyes being “opened,” both Adam and Eve “know,” echoing the name of the tree. But they only know shame; and recognizing their nakedness, they make covers for themselves.

3:12–13 Sin has forever changed the relationship between God and humanity but also between man and woman. Eve points to the serpent as the cause of her deception. Indirectly both Adam and Eve insinuate that God is responsible for sin (“woman whom You gave”).

3:14–21 Pronouncement of divine judgment following the line of action: first toward the serpent (vv. 14–15), then toward Eve (v. 16), and finally toward Adam (vv. 17–19).

3:15 The verse is known as the first gospel promise and has been interpreted as the first messianic prophecy. Enmity between the serpent and the descendants of Eve will ultimately lead to a fight until death, where the woman’s descendant will crush the head of the serpent, but will experience the bruising of His heel. The Seed of the woman is singular. The term appears repeatedly in the contexts of genealogies, leaving the reader wondering when “the seed” will finally appear.

3:21 God covers Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness. The language used to describe the garments is reminiscent of the clothing of the priests in the tabernacle. Interestingly, before the priests can begin their service they also need to experience the state of being naked and receiving new garments (Ex. 29:4–5). The sacrificial slaughter of animals is implied when God clothes His wayward children and thus covers their shame.

3:22–24 Expulsion from the garden. God “sent” the first couple away (similar to Abraham’s sending away of Ishmael; 21:14) and “drove [them] out,” using a strong term which is used to describe Cain’s permanent exile (4:14) and the sending away of Hagar (21:10). It is also used as a technical reference to divorce (Lev. 21:7, 14).

Chapter 4

4:1–2 The indirect word “knew” highlights the intimate creative relationship involved in human sexuality. The creative joy expressed in this verse contrasts to the stark reality of death that sin (chap. 3) introduced into the human realm.

4:3–5 No indication of important elements of the offering are given, such as the altar, specific time, or the objects used. God accepts Abel’s offering but does not accept Cain’s offering. The text does not provide a clear rationale for this. The attitude of the giver seems important: while Cain brings only “of the fruit of the ground” (v. 3), Abel offers the firstborn of his flock, including also the fatty portion (v. 4). Heb. 11:4 underlines the importance of motivation in giving to God: Abel gave through faith. Later biblical authors further develop this theme of God looking at the motive of a giver (1 Sam. 16:7; Hos. 6:6; Matt. 5:24).

4:6–7 God interacts directly with Cain, using questions that teach. sin lies at the door. Uses a Hebrew term referring to a mythological demon guarding doors. Thus, sin is crouching like a demon, ready to pounce on those “opening” that door.

4:8 Death enters human society. What had been implicit in God’s curse has become explicit in human action.

4:9–16 A second dialogue between God and Cain. The text echoes God’s dialogue with Adam and Eve (3:9–19) and leads to divine judgment. V. 10 contains the first explicit biblical reference to the importance of blood in biblical theology (Lev. 17:11). The “crying” blood is accusing the murderer, and the divine Judge hears the cry (Ps. 34:18). The divine curse disconnects Cain (who is also a man, or Hebrew ‘adam) from the ground (Hebrew ‘adamah). However, God’s mercy is still at work and He protects him from human punishment (compare Ex. 12:13). The nature of the “mark” is not clear.

4:17–22 The first genealogy of Genesis. Genealogies had different purposes in the Bible: (1) they showed the common origin of humanity; (2) they served to verify land ownership (Lev. 25:23–24), which is linked to God’s general ownership of the land; (3) they showed the important continuity of the priestly and royal lines; (4) they functioned as bridges between different biblical periods (e.g., Gen. 10 and 11:10–31 link the time of the flood with the time of Abraham; Matt. 1 connects the OT with the NT; etc.). This particular genealogy of Cain includes not only names, but contains also significant human inventions (Gen. 4:17b, 20b–22) and concludes with Lamech’s boasting song (vv. 23–24). Cities are founded, animal husbandry initiated; metal working and the playing of musical instruments are all part of this human lineage. The section also includes the first reference to polygamy (v. 19).

4:23–24 Lamech’s boastful song stands in juxtaposition to Cain’s request for divine protection (vv. 13–14) and highlights the downward trend of human society. Lamech wants to be his own law. The motif of vengeance plays an important role.

4:25–26 Despite the downward trend of humanity, all is not lost. There is a faithful lineage. Eve gives birth to another son, Seth, who in turn has Enosh. to call on the name of the LORD. Repeatedly used in Genesis and often linked to the construction of an altar, emphasizing worship (12:8; 13:4; 21:33; 26:25).

Chapter 5

5:1–2 Concerning the term genealogy (toledoth), see Introduction, “Purpose and Literary Structure.” Apart from all other toledoth sections, this one includes a reference to the book and thus to a written source. Several motifs remind the reader of the account of the creation of humanity (1:26–28): humanity was made in the image of God, as male and female, and was blessed and named by God. The reference to the image of God is significant, especially in view of the lineage of Cain (4:17–22) whose descendants do not seem to reflect God’s image. Seth’s lineage is the line of those who worshiped God.

5:3–5 Each entry in the genealogical log follows a similar outline: reference to the person and the years that he lived until his first son was born, followed by the naming of the son, the number of years that he lived after the birth of the firstborn, and his age at the time of death. Adam fathered Seth in his own likeness and after his image, thus echoing his own creation by God. The divine image was passed from parents to children.

A total of ten generations, spanning 1,656 years, links creation to the flood. After the deluge, another set of ten generations marks the period between Noah and Abraham. Similarly, there are also ten generations from Perez to David (Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chr. 2:5, 9–15). This schematic framework suggests that the expression “begot” may not always refer to direct offspring, but the begotten could be understood as the descendant.

5:32 Seth’s genealogy concludes with a segmented list of the three sons of Noah instead of the usual linear pattern, preparing the way for the important history of Noah’s family.

Chapter 6

6:1–4 After the two genealogies, representing two different human responses to God’s claim to rulership, the story describes the reasons for the imminent destruction of humanity. Sons of God refers most likely to the righteous and God-fearing descendants of Seth, while daughters of men may point to the corrupt descendants of Cain. Elsewhere in Scripture, the righteous are described as “sons of God” (Deut. 14:1; Is. 43:6; Mal. 2:10). giants. The translation of the NKJV follows the Greek Septuagint translation and may have been influenced by the story of Num. 13:33. The Hebrew name for “giants” could either refer to the “extraordinary ones” (thus marking some type of heroes) or the “ones who have fallen” (or “have fallen upon”).

6:5–8 the LORD saw. When God sees He acts (29:31; Deut. 32:19; Is. 59:15)—either as Judge or as Savior. the LORD was sorry … was grieved. Divine grief can lead to judgment (1 Sam. 15:11) or salvation (Ex. 32:14; Amos 7:3, 6). While God is not fickle (Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29) His “change of action” responds to humanity’s change of heart. destroy. Another translation would be “wipe out” as one wipes a slate clean (2 Kin. 21:13; Ex. 17:14). The complete destruction of humanity is in view here, including every living creature. Since God is the Creator, He has the right to be the Judge. However, there is one ray of light. Noah has found grace in God’s eyes (compare Ex. 33:12–13, 15–16; 34:9; Jer. 31:2).

6:9–10 In a brief genealogical insert about his family, Noah is described as just and perfect (from a Hebrew expression often used to describe animals suitable for sacrifice; Lev. 1:3, 10), and, similar to Enoch (Gen. 5:24), he continually walks with God. The following chapters display a symmetric (chiastic) structure, pointing the reader to the most important elements at its center.

  A.      Noah’s righteous character in a violent context (6:9–12)

    B.      God instructs Noah to build an ark (6:13–22) and the remnant enters the ark (7:1–10)

      C.      The beginning of the deluge (7:11–16)

         D.      The waters rise (7:17–24)

         CENTER God remembers Noah (8:1a)

         D′.      The waters recede (8:1b–5)

      C′.      The waters dry up (8:6–14)

    B′.      God instructs Noah to leave the ark (8:15–19)

  A′.      Noah sacrifices (8:20–22)

6:11–12 God sees corruption. The term is used to indicate something which is no longer fit for its intended use (Is. 1:14; Jer. 6:28; 13:7). The cause of this corruption is “violence” which is often associated with social injustice (Is. 59:6; Jer. 22:3; Ezek. 28:16; 45:9) or the incapacity to distinguish between the sacred and the profane (Ezek. 22:26; Zeph. 3:4). The reference to “all flesh” (Gen. 6:13) and the catastrophic scope of the flood suggests a universal deluge and not a local flood.

6:13–22 Detailed divine instruction about the construction of the ark. The term “ark” is not the regular Hebrew word for boat and appears only twice outside the flood story, describing the box that sheltered baby Moses in the Nile River (Ex. 2:3, 5). The ark is rectangular, with three floors and roofing covering the entire structure. It was about 450 feet (137 m) long, 75 feet (23 m) wide, and 45 feet (14 m) high, with a door located at the side. God instructs Noah as to the type of wood and the treatment of the ark with pitch. He also advises about the plan of survival for Noah’s family and representatives of all the animals in the face of the coming flood.

 6:18 My covenant. This is the first time that this important term is used in Scripture. God’s covenant with humanity is unilateral, i.e., He is taking the initiative. There are conditions and requirements, but it is God’s grace that is foundational to the covenant, with humanity responding by faith and obedience. For more on COVENANT, see 9:8–17; 12:1–3; 15:18–20; 17:1–7; Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3–8.

Note: Flood stories. Flood stories are well known in different cultures around the world. Of particular interest are the Mesopotamian flood stories which show the closest similarities to the biblical flood narrative. Both the Gilgamesh epic and the Atrahasis epic are known from second millennium sources and show similarities and differences to the biblical text. Two important characteristics distinguish the biblical text from the comparative texts: (1) God is portrayed as the sovereign who moves the waters while in the Babylonian versions the gods cower in fear before the rising waters; (2) in the biblical story, the flood is due to the wickedness of humanity, while in the Mesopotamian versions the deity decides without good reason to destroy humanity because their noise disturbs the gods. The author of Genesis probably knew these other flood stories and writes in a way that clearly contrasts God with the other gods who are unprincipled, lack integrity, and use humanity for their own benefits. As opposed to these gods, the biblical God is concerned for humanity and is a saving God.

Chapter 7

7:1–9 Noah and his family enter the ark in obedience to God’s command without any reference to rain or water. Note the distinction between the clean animals (larger number) and unclean animals (smaller number) entering the ark (vv. 2–3) which somehow go into the ark without being herded in by Noah (v. 9). The story is constructed with an intricate time pattern that again points to God remembering Noah (8:1).

  7 days of waiting for the rain (7:4)

    7 days of waiting for the flood (7:10)

      40 days of flood (7:17)

         150 days of waters rising (7:24)

           CENTER: God remembers Noah (8:1)

         150 days of waters decreasing (8:3)

      40 days of waiting for dry land (8:6)

    7 days of waiting to send the first bird (8:10)

  7 days of waiting to send the second bird (8:12)

7:10–24 The flood covers everything outside the ark. The description of the complete destruction of the earth’s living beings reverses God’s universal creation of chap. 1. The Creator God de-creates His creation.

7:20 fifteen cubits. About 22 feet (7 m).

7:23 remained. This is a significant Hebrew term, as it refers to a rest or remnant. Remnant theology plays a significant role in the flood story. Even in judgment, God protects His remnant.

Chapter 8

8:1 Then God remembered. God’s remembrance is central to the flood story. When God “remembers” He also acts on behalf of His people (19:29; 30:22; Ex. 2:24; 6:5), individually and collectively. Note God’s concern for both humanity and animals.

The end of the flood requires patience and mirrors the increase of the waters. Similar to chap. 1, the spirit/wind (the same word in Hebrew) of God is an agent in the process of re-creating an environment that humans can occupy.

8:15–17 After the commotion of the storm and the silence of the drying-up period, God speaks again to Noah. The divine order is clear and echoes the order of Gen. 1:28: “Be fruitful and multiply.”

 8:20 altar. This is the first explicit mention of an altar, even though 3:21 and 4:3–5 may implicitly refer to it. The burnt offering is taken from the clean animals, an indication that the clean and unclean categories were known before the flood. Only clean ones were used as sacrificial animals. For more on the identity of clean and unclean animals as related to diet and HEALTH, see Lev. 11:1–47; Deut. 14:3–21.

8:21–22 smelled a soothing aroma. The phrase implies the acceptance of the sacrifice and the offerer. The “soothing aroma” is generally associated with instructions concerning sacrifices. The phrase is part of a divine monologue that the reader is privy to. While the flood has destroyed the “violence” that was condemned in 6:11, it has not changed human nature (as will soon be evident in the following chapters of Genesis). However, God’s grace comes to the fore.

Chapter 9

 9:1–7 Divine instructions for the human remnant. There are echoes of chaps. 1 and 2, but with more detailed instructions concerning diet and use of blood (foreshadowing Lev. 17:10–14). Gen. 9:1 recalls 1:28, but the instruction to subdue and rule is absent; rather God puts the fear and dread of man on animal life (9:2). The provision of food for man is re-issued after the flood, but meat eating is introduced with stipulations (vv. 3–4). For God’s original diet for humans intended for their HEALTH, see Gen. 1:29, 30.

9:6 The text points forward to the “eye for eye” formula (Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21), suggesting that the punishment should fit with the seriousness of the crime. “Sheds blood” is an idiomatic expression that often indicates murder (Gen. 37:22; 1 Kin. 2:31; Ezek. 22:4). The sanctity of life is based on creation: because humanity is created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27), every death violates this image and requires punishment. No clear indications are given as to who is to deliver this punishment.

 9:8–17 God’s covenant (6:18) with humanity is further developed here. God addresses Noah and his family, as well as their future descendants, and includes other living creatures. The main focus of this covenant is safety and security. As with all other covenants of Scripture, the covenant is based on God’s grace and His initiative and not on humanity’s performance or behavior. While covenants include conditions and requirements, God always takes the first step. Later covenants use a similar vocabulary (e.g., 17:7, 19; Ex. 6:4), thus highlighting their interconnectedness. For more on COVENANT, see 6:18; 12:1–3; 15:18–20; 17:1–7; Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3–8. For more on everlasting COVENANT, see Gen. 17:7.

9:12 sign. God’s sign of the covenant is the “rainbow in the cloud” (v. 13) which uses the same Hebrew word as a warrior’s bow. The rainbow set in the cloud is a reminder of divine appearances (or “theophanies”) as described in Ezek. 1:28. Rev. 4:3 and 10:1 also include a rainbow in the description of the divine throne room. This sign is “everlasting” (Gen. 9:16). Human “signs” of covenant participation involve circumcision (17:11) and the Sabbath (Ex. 31:16–17).

9:18–19 These verses conclude the flood story and change the focus from Noah to Noah’s sons.

9:20–29 Noah plants vineyards in the post-flood world. This is the first reference to the cultivation of grapes in the OT and it may be that Noah’s experimenting with the fruits of his vineyard may have led to his intoxication. Nudity is generally regarded as shameful in the Bible. Captives in war were humiliated by being stripped naked (Is. 20:4; 47:1–3). This concern for shame lies at the root of the curse against Ham, even though the text does not condone Noah’s behavior. Scripture is fairly clear on the ill effects of alcohol: priests were forbidden to drink alcohol (Lev. 10:9) when they officiated. There are numerous statements warning against the consumption of wine (Is. 5:22; Prov. 21:17; 23:20–31). To “uncover oneself” is incompatible with living in the presence of the Lord (Ex. 20:26; Deut. 23:13–15). Ham’s reaction to his father’s shame is inappropriate (as the distinct reaction of Shem and Japheth in Gen. 9:23 shows).

9:25 The curse language is similar to 3:14 but this time it is uttered by a human being. Why the curse against Ham’s son Canaan and not Ham himself? The answer to this question is not easy and most likely is associated with the next chapter (detailing the table of nations) and the larger picture: the curse and blessings are not directed to the individuals, but to the nations and peoples that descend from them. Canaan was mentioned here because of the critical interaction between the covenant people and the Canaanites in later patriarchal stories. However, Noah’s curse did not stop Canaanites from becoming part of Israel (e.g., Rahab and the Gibeonites). There is no biblical basis for the false teaching that this curse refers to people of African descent who are to serve descendants of Japheth and Shem.

Chapter 10

10:1 For the importance of genealogies see note on 4:17–22. The table of nations paints a geographic picture of the nations prior to the call of Abraham, dividing the world into three major groups, based upon their lineage from Noah’s sons. The list covers parts of Asia, Europe, and Africa, even though the main focus is Canaan, the future land of Israel.

10:6–20 The sons of Ham are the peoples of northeastern Africa and Palestine. “Cush” (Ethiopia), “Mizraim” (Egypt), “Put” (possibly Libya or Somalia), and “Canaan” (Palestine) are direct sons of Ham.

10:8–12 Nimrod, the son of Cush, is linked to Mesopotamia, and the emphasis on his hunting “before the LORD” marks his superior skill but not necessarily divine approval, even though the phrase is often used to indicate service before the Lord (Ex. 16:9; 27:21). The story of Esau (Gen. 25:27) uses similar motifs and thus links Esau to Nimrod.

10:14 Casluhim. It is possible that the Casluhites moved to Crete from Egypt and later formed part of the wave of the Sea Peoples that included the Philistines and that sought to invade Egypt in the early Iron Age (ca. 1200 B.C.). Some of the Philistines settled on the coast of Palestine and are referred to in the time of the judges.

10:15–19 A list of some of Canaan’s city states and tribal groups. “Heth” in v. 15 does not necessarily refer to the famous empire of the Hittites in Anatolia (Turkey).

10:20 The formula involving families, languages, clans, and peoples appears also in v. 5 and in vv. 31–32.

10:21–31 Includes the list of Shem’s descendants. Shem was not the youngest son of Noah (v. 21) but his location at the end of the table of nations links it to the covenant people that are just about to enter the stage.

10:25 The name Peleg comes from the root “divide.” The kind of division occurring in his lifetime is not clear. It may foreshadow the division of language described in 11:1–9. It may also refer to a significant event in the separation of continents or earthquakes changing the shape of the earth. “Earth” may refer to either the world (as in 1:1) or land (11:2).

10:32 The last reference to Noah’s genealogy functions as a closing statement and links to the story segments beginning in 11:1.

Chapter 11

11:1–32 The tower of Babel narrative is governed by two opposing movements: humanity’s intent to reach heaven (v. 4) and God’s coming down to confuse the language of the people (v. 5).

11:1–2 Language is an important unifier. Chap. 11 describes the existence of a universal language. from the east. The same Hebrew expression in 2:8 is translated “eastward,” which is how it should be understood here. Moving east often marks a negative move (e.g., Lot separates from Abraham [13:10–12]; Keturah’s sons go eastward [25:6]). 11:2 is reminiscent of Cain’s journey east and the founding of cities by his descendants (4:14–17).

11:3–4 The desire to reach heaven (and be safe from another flood) suggests that the builders did not trust God’s promise in 9:8–17. However, their main purpose was to make a name for themselves. The builders’ attitude is in conflict with God’s desire to make a name for Abraham (12:2). Independence from God and self-sufficiency were some of the main motivations. Many see similarities between this tower and the ziggurats (large temple-towers) common in the surrounding cultures.

11:5 LORD came down. Key text of the story. The coming down of God is always connected with significant events: the giving of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 19:11, 18, 20; 34:5), the establishment of an innovative administrative system (Num. 11:25), etc.

11:6–7 Divine monologue using a royal plural. God makes explicit what is already implicit in the previous verses. confuse (Hebrew balal). Marks a wordplay in Hebrew with the term babel, or Babylon. Considering that the Babylonians understood the name of their city to mean “gate of the gods” (babili), the significance of this wordplay needs to be appreciated.

11:8–9 God confuses the language, and as a result the city (and tower) cannot be completed.

11:10–32 The genealogy of the descendants of Shem marks an important change in Genesis: from a story with a universal perspective the text now shifts down to a story of one man and his family. The genealogy is the means to achieve this shift.

11:27–32 Introduces the family of Abram. Vv. 29–30 interrupt the slow moving current of names and years with the description of the wives of the two sons of Terah. Sarah and her inability to conceive is central to everything that follows. No reason is given for Terah’s departure from Ur, but Acts 7:2–5 may suggest that God’s call was first given to Abram in Ur.

Chapter 12

 12:1–3 the LORD had said. After God’s speaking in creation (2:18) and the fall (3:13–14, 22) and His subsequent interaction with Cain (4:6, 9) and humanity as a whole, the Lord speaks again. 12:4 describes Abram’s faithful response: “he departed.” The sequence of country-family-father’s house marks the different spheres of society. Abram is to leave all behind to go to a country that God would show him. Specific covenant promises accompany the call: become a great nation, receive God’s blessing and a great name (see 11:4). Blessings and curses are closely linked to Abram’s relationship with God. Abram’s role is a means by which God blesses “all the families of the earth” (12:3). While God initially chooses one man and his family, His final end purpose is to reach all humanity with His grace and blessing. For more on COVENANT, see 6:18; 9:8–17; 15:18–20; 17:1–7; Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3–8.

12:4–6 Abram began a long journey in obedience to God’s command. Obedience is emphasized repeatedly in Genesis (6:22; 7:5; 17:23; 24:51).

12:7 appeared. First reference to a divine theophany in Genesis (see 17:1; 18:1; 26:2, 24; Deut. 31:15). God does not only talk but also appears in a vision. In response, Abram builds an altar (Gen. 12:8). your descendants. Literally, “your seed” (singular). This picks up the reference to the “seed” in 3:15.

12:10–20 A famine forces Abram and his household to seek economic asylum in Egypt. Socioeconomic factors affected the patriarchs repeatedly (26:1; 41:54; 43:1; Ruth 1:1).

12:13 my sister. Abram’s half lie is tacitly accepted by Sarai. Both Abram and Sarai had the same father (20:12). Note the three similar wife-sister episodes (12:10–13:1; 20:1–18 [both involving Abram and Sarai]; and 26:1–13 [involving Isaac and Rebekah]). In all cases the patriarch is blessed because of his wife. The reader is reminded that even though Abraham is the father of faith (Heb. 11:8–11, 17–19), he is still a human being with character flaws and fears and is rescued by God and the wives/mothers of faith. As it turns out his fears were well founded.

    MAP of Abram Travels to Canaan

        

12:17–20 While Abram does not seem to consider the honor and integrity of Sarai, God does. In response to a number of plagues, Pharaoh returns Sarai to Abram and sends them back to Canaan. Note the important links of this story to the later Exodus narrative: Both Abram and Israel are initially welcomed to Egypt; they suffer there and God intervenes by sending plagues (same term as Ex. 11:1); they return carrying the riches of Egypt back to Canaan.

Chapter 13

13:5–7 The land does not support the families of both Abram and Lot. “Strife” or quarreling indicates a dispute that is not solved violently, often associated with lawsuits (Ex. 23:2–3, 6; Deut. 17:8). The water dispute between Isaac and King Abimelech was a quarrel (Gen. 26:20–22), as was Israel’s grumbling over water in the desert (Ex. 17:2, 7). Perizzites. Their mention separate from the Canaanites may indicate that they are considered a different ethnic group.

13:8–9 we are brethren. Kinship ties are very significant in the OT as they are in most other non-Western cultures. Even though Abram, as the older member of the family, deserved more respect and priority of choice, he gives that opportunity to Lot.

13:10–13 Lot chooses the fertile Jordan valley and moves eastwards (see note on 11:1–2). Lot’s choice of an urban environment already alerts the careful reader of Genesis about the possible problems, as cities up to this point have always been portrayed in a negative light (4:17–22; 11:1–9).

13:14–17 Abram receives another divine promise of land. The results of Lot’s and Abram’s choices will be seen in the following chapters.

13:18 The altar building activities of Abram show the importance of worship and are a constant reminder of his loyalty to and trust in the God who called him out of Ur (see 8:20; 12:7–8).

Chapter 14

14:1–16 Abram’s victory is another illustration of the divine blessings he enjoys and freely shares. The names of the four kings threatening the Jordan valley city-states suggest an ethnically mixed union including Elamite, Amorite, Hurrian, and Hittite groups. The five city-states of the Jordan valley (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar) cannot withstand the attack of the eastern coalition. that is, Zoar. Explanatory note (vv. 2, 8), suggesting that the biblical author may have used an older account that required updating so that his readers could understand it.

14:10 asphalt pits. The army of the Jordan valley union disintegrates and desperately seeks to hide in asphalt pits and the hills.

14:13 A fugitive reaches Abram and shares the disgrace of Lot and his household. Hebrew. The term appears some thirty times in the OT and is generally used when interacting with foreigners (40:15; Ex. 1:15; 2:11, 13; Jon. 1:9). The biblical author again has included an explanatory note at the end of Gen. 14:13.

14:14 three hundred and eighteen trained servants. The size of Abram’s household is significant. During the later El Amarna period (ca. 1400 B.C.) an army of 318 men represented a veritable force.

14:18 After a forced night march and a successful battle, Abram’s forces are able to free Lot, his family, and all the goods belonging to Sodom. On their return Abram is met by Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem, which has been identified with Jerusalem (Ps. 76:2). bread and wine. Royal food (1 Sam. 16:20) often associated with sacrifice (Num. 15:2–10; 1 Sam. 1:24). It is thus possible that Melchizedek’s gesture hints at an important covenant meal.

 14:19–20 Melchizedek’s blessing is written in poetic form. Nothing is known of his family or background. His sudden appearance and disappearance as priest-king is picked up in the NT and understood as a type of Jesus, the true Priest-King (Heb. 7:1–15). tithe. Abram recognizes God’s blessings and returns a tenth to God’s representative, whom he clearly recognizes as such. The principle of faithful tithing is not an innovation of later biblical law (Lev. 27:30–33; Deut. 14:22–29) but a principle rooted in the nature of God. As the owner of the universe and the giver of blessings, He truly merits receiving the expression of faith and gratitude of His people. For more on tithing as an expression of STEWARDSHIP, see Mal. 3:8–10; Matt. 23:23.

Chapter 15

15:1–3 The divine promise is introduced by the first “do not be afraid” statement found in Scripture (26:24; 46:3; Num. 21:34; Deut. 1:21). While the address is respectful, Abram’s dialogue with God suggests a close relationship. He is even ready to question God. heir. With reference to Eliezer, this reflects an ancient custom where a childless couple adopted a son as an heir. Abram has already been promised a son three times (12:2, 7; 13:16) but is still childless.

15:4–5 God’s second statement is clear: “This one shall not be your heir.” Again the promise is renewed by an object lesson (starry sky) and a clear proclamation: “So shall your descendants be.”

15:6 Classic definition of faith. Even though Abram could not yet see the fulfillment of the promise, he “believed.” Faith is demonstrated in moments of crisis (Is. 7:9; Jon. 3:5; Ps. 78:22, 32). accounted … righteousness. Terminology suggests a transaction that goes beyond a mere “relational” meaning. God declared Abram righteous not because of righteous deeds or great sacrifices, but on the basis of his faith.

15:7–21 A formal covenant agreement is ratified by ritual action. Note the initial statement of divine existence (“I am”) and purpose reminiscent of the opening line of the Decalogue (Ex. 20:2; Deut. 5:6). Responding to Abram’s question in Gen. 15:8, God founds a significant ritual. “Bring” (v. 9) often introduces ritual texts in Leviticus (Lev. 5:12; 14:23; 19:21). A typical sacrifice did not require cutting the sacrificial animal into two halves, so this marks a covenant ritual.

15:12 horror and great darkness. Twice “horror” (or “terror” in other translations) overcomes Abram (vv. 12, 16). This terror is caused by God. God promised Israel to send “terror” before them when they were to enter Canaan (Deut. 4:34; Josh. 2:9). God speaks to Abram in his deep sleep.

15:13–16 four hundred years … fourth generation. Prophetic description of the time of bondage in Egypt. Apparently, a generation equals 100 years. These numbers may be understood as round numbers (see note on Ex. 12:40 referring to 430 years). The Amorites represent all the inhabitants of Canaan.

 15:17–18 The covenant ritual is climaxed by smoke and fire, which are often symbolic of the presence of God (Ex. 13:21; 19:18; 20:18). Jer. 34:18 provides a parallel text to the covenant ritual. Every possible sacrificial animal type is included in this significant covenant ritual. Gen. 15:18 functions as a summary statement. For more on COVENANT, see 6:18; 9:8–17; 12:1–3; 17:1–7; Ex. 19:5–8; 24:3–8.

Chapter 16

16:1–16 The man of faith is struggling with the practical implications of faith. The story also shows the tension in underlying family relations that prolonged periods of waiting may generate. Note also the silence of God in this chapter—except for the extended dialogue with the outcast Hagar (vv. 7–14).

16:1–4 God has just commended Abram’s faith (15:6) but Abram now appears as a simple part in Sarai’s plot. However, in order to really appreciate Sarai’s desperate plan, the shame attached to being barren needs to be fully understood (1 Sam. 1:5–6). Barrenness did not only mean a lack of children (and thus a future), but it also pointed to possible divine displeasure. On the other hand, Sarai’s suggested practice of surrogate motherhood was common throughout the ancient Orient from the third to the first millennium B.C. The phrase “heeded the voice” (Gen. 16:2) appears elsewhere only in 3:17, where it describes Adam’s decision to eat the forbidden fruit. This kind of obedience is self-destructive. Other verbal links (e.g., “took” [3:6/16:3]) and elements connect this story to the story of the fall of man in chap. 3.

16:5–6 The pregnancy of Hagar changes relations in Abram’s household. Sarai’s complaint results in Abram’s confirmation of Sarai’s position in the household. While Abram admonishes his wife to do what is good with Hagar, Sarai “dealt harshly” with her (see 31:50).

16:8–14 Dialogue between the “Angel of the LORD” and Hagar. The final name—given in v. 13 (“You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees”)—suggests that the Angel of the Lord is God Himself. This is the first case where the name of a child is announced prior to the birth (see 17:19; 18:10; 21:3; Judg. 13:3–7; Is. 7:14; Hos. 1:4, 6, 9; Luke 1:13, 31–33), thus guaranteeing the survival of the child and hinting at its particular place in the larger divine plan. Ishmael means “God hears.” God has surely seen Hagar, a woman and foreigner who is not a direct member of Abram’s family, and has seen and communicated her future.

16:15–16 Abram names the son and thus legitimizes him. He is now 86 years old and has been in Canaan for more than eleven years.

Chapter 17

17:1–2 The second covenant-making story is again introduced by a theophany (appearance of God), thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael (16:16). God appears to Abram and repeats the promises of descendants and land (12:1–3; 13:14–17; 15:4–5, 18–21). be blameless. The same Hebrew term is used to describe the quality of sacrificial animals (“without blemish,” Lev. 1:3, 10) and marks one’s wholehearted commitment to God, not moral perfection (Job 1:1, 8).

17:3–8 Recognizing God’s greatness, Abram (whose name means “exalted father”) prostrates himself before the God who changes his name to Abraham, “the father of many.” Again, this is an act before the fact.

 17:7 God’s covenant of grace is repeatedly called an “everlasting covenant” (see also vv. 13, 19). For other examples of everlasting COVENANT, see 9:16; 2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Chr. 16:17; Is. 55:3; 61:8; Jer. 32:40; Ezek. 37:26; Heb. 13:20.

17:10 Circumcision of every male is the sign of the covenant. Later biblical texts link circumcision to obedience and emphasize the circumcision of the heart (Lev. 26:41; Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4). Circumcision is also not only limited to members of the families but also to servants (who are considered part of the household, different from the western notion of an “employee”). Failure to circumcise resulted in exclusion from the community (Gen. 17:14).

17:15–18 Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah, even though this is only an alternate form of the older “Sarai.” Both names mean “princess,” but by giving her a new name, God confirms the end of her barrenness. laughed. Abraham’s reaction is one of disbelief and is later shared by Sarah (18:12). How can an old man of nearly 100 years and an old woman of 90 years conceive and bear a child?

17:19–20 God’s response to Abraham’s request is twofold: yes, Ishmael will be blessed (v. 20), but it is Sarah’s son, whose name will be Isaac, who will be the heir of the promise (v. 19).

Chapter 18

18:2–5 Hospitality is an important value in OT culture, as it is in many Eastern cultures. People running to meet people appear elsewhere in the Bible (29:13; 33:4; Luke 15:20), but Abraham bowed down to the ground. The Hebrew term used here is also used to indicate worship when God is the object (Gen. 24:26; Ex. 20:5).

18:6 three measures. About 20 quarts (19 l).

18:12–13 Sarah’s laughing parallels Abraham’s laughter in 17:17, even though the wording adds that it was done quietly. However, the Lord (and it is Him according to v. 13) presses Abraham by asking why Sarah is laughing.

18:14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? Compare Jer. 32:17, 27. This rhetorical question demands a resounding “no,” especially considering the creation account and the flood story.

18:15 The verse suggests that the actual conversation going on happened between Sarah and the Lord. God overcame cultural barriers so that He could communicate with the matriarch. Sarah’s fear seems to be linked to the growing realization that this stranger is more than a stranger.

18:16–32 Records Abraham’s intercession for Sodom, following a familiar bartering style. Beginning with fifty, the size of about half of a small city (one hundred according to Amos 5:3), Abraham finally reaches ten, which is still a number marking a community. At least ten men were needed in a town to form a legal court (Ruth 4:2).

18:20 outcry. Stands in direct contrast to Abraham’s righteousness (v. 19). In Hebrew the words sound very similar (Is. 5:7).

18:22 Textual notes of the early scholars passing on the biblical text suggest that the original reading of this verse could say “while the LORD was still standing before Abraham” instead of Abraham standing before the Lord. This change was due to theological reasons, since “standing before” somebody meant “serving” somebody and often marked social order (41:46; Lev. 9:5; Jer. 15:19). The theological implications are that God is willing to serve humanity—even unto death (Matt. 20:28).

18:25 Abraham’s plea is based on God’s righteousness.

Chapter 19

19:1–38 The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is another example of divine judgment due to increasing wickedness (chaps. 6–9). This time, however, it is limited to a particular region. The location of Sodom is uncertain, even though Bab edh-Dhra (on the southeastern side of the Dead Sea) appears to be the most likely candidate. The remains of an Early Bronze Age city, with a huge ash layer and an accompanying large cemetery also displaying evidence of destruction by fire make this a good possibility.

19:1 Lot is sitting in the gate, the customary legal and business center of ancient cities (Deut. 21:18–20; Ruth 4:1–11; Esth. 2:19–23). He is slowly but surely assimilating into Sodomite society (Gen. 14:12; 19:14), but is concerned about the safety of the two foreigners (vv. 2–3).

19:4–9 The male population of Sodom is justifying the coming judgment by their sexually immoral action. Lot courageously stands in the gap and places the protection of his guests over the well-being of his daughters—a tough choice.

19:12–16 Not even ten righteous people can be found. Salvation is based entirely on divine grace (Titus 3:5) and not on human performance.

19:18–20 Lot objects (and discusses) in the midst of an impending inferno.

19:24 rained brimstone and fire. By its focused emphasis on the Lord’s action (“LORD rained” and “from the LORD”), the text portrays Him using deliberate and extraordinary measures to bring about the cataclysmic destruction of the region, which before had been as lush as Egypt (13:10). Later prophets take this as the ultimate symbol of destruction (Jer. 49:18; Zeph. 2:9).

19:26 The symbolism of salt is significant: a site strewn with salt indicated perpetual barrenness and desolation (Deut. 29:23; Judg. 9:45; Ps. 107:34; Jer. 17:6).

19:29 Remembering leads to action on behalf of another person (8:1; 30:22; Ex. 2:24; 6:5).

19:30–38 Fleeing to the east separates Lot even further from the family of Abraham and the divine promises. The result involves incest and the origin of two peoples that were consistently opposed to Israel, i.e., Moabites and Ammonites. On the negative results of alcohol consumption see note on 9:20–29. Even though Lot’s nuclear family was saved from Sodom, the values and principles of Sodom survived with them.

Chapter 20

20:1–18 The man of faith fails the faith-test a second time. A further test (chap. 22) will be required.

20:1 This time Abraham chooses to settle in Gerar, a town located halfway between Beersheba and Gaza and marking the southern border of Canaan. Genesis 21:32 links Abimelech to the Philistines. The Philistines, known from the time of the judges, had settled along the Canaanite coast.

20:3 dream. Divine mode of communication, even to those outside the covenant community (28:12; 40:5; Num. 22:9, 20). dead. Adultery was considered a great sin among many Semitic people, as seen in Ugarit and in Egyptian marriage contracts.

20:4–5 Abimelech’s defense is reasonable and also underlines that no sexual intercourse had taken place, a fact that is acknowledged by God in vv. 6–7.

20:7 prophet. Emphasizes the intercessory role of a prophet. Abraham is the first person in the Bible called “prophet.” Prophets receive divine revelation and mediate God’s word (Ex. 4:15; 7:1). Intercession also includes those who oppose us (Num. 12:13; Job 42:8; Matt. 5:44).

20:8 were … afraid. Often in Scripture unbelievers “fear” God (Jon. 1:10), even though in this case Abraham was worried that they did not fear God (Gen. 20:11).

20:9–13 The dialogue between Abraham and Abimelech is similar to Pharaoh’s interaction with the patriarch (12:18–19). What have you done. Echoes 3:13. However, Abimelech, having received divine revelation, shows greater leadership (“us” versus “me”).

20:11 fear of God. Different from the “fear of the Lord.” The latter marks respect for the special revelation of Scripture (Ps. 19:9; 34:11); the earlier refers to more general revelation and is often linked to human conscience (2 Chr. 20:29; Ps. 36:1). Abraham has completely misread the situation and thus has caused great grief to Abimelech. He is, however, in “good” company as Jonah’s example shows (Jon. 3:5–4:11).

20:14–16 Abimelech gives Abraham special gifts and also pays an “honor fee” of 1,000 pieces of silver (or shekels)—a fabulous sum, considering that Babylonian laborers earned half a shekel per month.

20:17–18 Abraham’s intercessory prayer opens the wombs of the female members of Abimelech’s household. Note the irony: if God can answer Abraham’s prayer for barren pagan women, how much more for Abraham’s wife?

Chapter 21

21:1 visited. Marks direct divine intervention. The same expression is used in 1 Sam. 2:21 when God gives children to barren Hannah. When God “visits” His people, He acts either as Savior (Ex. 4:31) or as Judge (Ex. 20:5; 34:7).

21:3–4 Both in naming as well as in circumcision, Abraham keeps the covenant (17:9–12, 19). Divine faithfulness is answered by human faithfulness.

21:6–7 The laughter of incredulity (17:17) has become a laughter of joy. children. Points to the future descendants coming from Isaac.

21:8–21 Human solutions often clash with divinely ordained solutions.

21:8 weaned. Important rite of passage, marking the transition from infancy to childhood. Weaning usually occurred after three years (1 Sam. 1:22–25).

21:9 scoffing. The Hebrew root is the same as in Isaac’s name, but refers here to a laugh wishing harm or evil (19:14; Ex. 32:6; Judg. 16:25) or abuse.

21:11 Abraham is distressed by Sarah’s request to give no inheritance to Ishmael.

21:12–13 God endorses Sarah’s request, but includes a special blessing for Ishmael. Note that Ishmael is not named throughout the entire chapter.

21:14–16 Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael. A water-skin would hold about 3 gallons (or 11 l). boy. Text indicates here an inexperienced person and does not necessarily suggest age (see also Prov. 7:7). Ishmael is about 16 years old.

21:17–19 God hears the voice of the boy and speaks to his mother, promising an unexpected blessing. He opens Hagar’s eyes (22:13; 2 Kin. 6:17). Note the link between Gen. 21 and 22. Abraham’s natural and supernatural seed both experience God’s testing, and both stories share powerful parallels: (1) journey into the unknown at the command of the Lord; (2) provision for the journey; (3) child brought to the point of death; (4) intervention of God’s messenger; (5) parents suddenly see the solution of the situation; (6) promise of divine blessing.

21:22–34 Water rights were crucial (chap. 26). Concerning the identity of the Philistines in Genesis, see notes on 10:14 and 20:1. Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech concerning the well (compare 26:15–18). After planting a tree at the well (most likely as a sign), Abraham worships the Lord who has opened the way for a new alliance (12:8; 13:4; 26:25).

Chapter 22

22:1 tested. The focus of the chapter is Abraham, not Isaac as the “sacrifice.” The notion of the Hebrew term is not to invite one to do evil but to test whether another person is worthy and to develop positive qualities in that person (Ex. 20:20; 1 Kin. 10:1; Dan. 1:12). However, the test has a double meaning, for it not only reveals something about Abraham but also about God’s character. Here I am. Same response as in Is. 6:8. Abraham is ready to do God’s will.

22:2 The divine command is softened by a rare particle of entreaty (“please”) that is not reflected in the translation of the NKJV. land of Moriah. Most likely the area of Jerusalem (2 Chr. 3:1). The distance from Beersheba to Jerusalem is ca. 50 miles (80 km), which corresponds to three days’ travel (Gen. 22:4). offer him. Extremely difficult text. Human sacrifice is clearly forbidden in OT law (Lev. 18:21; Deut. 12:31; 18:10). The reference to God’s “testing” (Gen. 22:1) prepares the reader to reserve judgment.

22:3–6 Description of the preparations and the journey itself. third day. Often a decisive moment in biblical stories (31:22; 34:25; Ex. 19:11; Judg. 20:30; Esth. 5:1; Matt. 16:21; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:22; etc.). we will come back. An expression of faith, similar to Abraham’s answer in Gen. 22:8.

22:7–8 A crucial dialogue between Abraham and Isaac. Abraham responds to Isaac’s question about the lamb with a statement of faith. Twice the text has “the two of them went together” (vv. 6, 8), suggesting at a minimum obedience or possibly united resolve.

22:9 After the altar is built, Isaac is “bound” and placed upon the altar. Due to the focus on Abraham’s faith, the biblical author has provided very little information regarding Isaac’s reaction. Since he is strong enough to carry the wood, he would have certainly been able to resist his aging father. The binding of a sacrificial victim does not appear elsewhere in the OT and has given the name (Aqedah) to the story in Jewish literature.

22:10 Slow-motion description of Abraham’s most heart-wrenching moment.

22:11–14 Angel of the LORD. See note on 16:8–14. The twofold address to Abraham expresses urgency. Abraham has passed the test, but his commitment, obedience, and suffering is only a shadow of the immense sacrifice of Christ who is the true Lamb that saves the world (Mark 10:45; John 1:29, 36; 2 Cor. 5:17–21; 1 Pet. 1:18–19). Abraham sees the ram in the thicket (compare Gen. 21:19) and offers it “instead of his son,” a clear reference to substitutionary atonement.

22:15–19 Affirmation of the divine promises to Abraham (12:2–3; 13:16; 15:5; 17:5–6) is linked to the patriarch’s obedience, the key theme of this chapter.

22:20–24 The brief genealogical note prepares the way for chap. 24 and the important issue of finding a suitable wife for the promised (and redeemed) son.

Chapter 23

23:1–2 The beginning of the end of an era. Sarah dies at the age of 127 years in Hebron, ca. 20 miles (32 km) south of Jerusalem. Hebron will play an important role in the early reign of David (2 Sam. 2:1–4).

23:3–16 The bulk of the chapter describes the important negotiations for a burial site. Keywords are “give” (vv. 4, 9, 11, 13) and “hear” (vv. 6, 8, 11, 13, 15) which are the words normally used at that time in sale negotiations instead of “buy” and “sell.”

23:3 sons of Heth. Identity is unclear. While the Hittite Empire existed from the 17th century B.C. onwards, Proto-Hittites lived in Palestine in Abraham’s time.

23:4 foreigner. As a foreigner, Abraham has no inherent right to a burial ground, but he asks for one. Land ownership is sacred in many Eastern cultures and is linked to ancestors and family fortune. The NT picks up on this theme and applies it to Christians living in this world (Heb. 11:9–13).

23:5–16 The negotiations are held at the gate (vv. 10, 18), the customary legal and business center of ancient cities (Deut. 21:18–20; Ruth 4:1–11; Esth. 2:19–23). four hundred shekels. About 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of silver. It is not clear if this was a good price, but Abraham was wealthy enough to afford it.

23:17–20 Summary statement of the legal transaction and its public nature. To own the burial site for beloved family members was significant in that culture and marked Abraham’s faith in God’s promise. He invests in a future that he cannot see. This cave later became the burial site for the patriarchs Abraham (25:9), Isaac (35:27–29; 49:31), and Jacob (49:29–30; 50:13) as well as for their wives, except Rachel.

Chapter 24

24:1–9 Abraham’s concern for the future line of Isaac is based on God’s initial call. Since match-making was done by the parents in OT times, Abraham makes his chief servant swear an oath as his representative. These are the last recorded words of Abraham. hand under my thigh. The intimate nature of the symbolic gesture underlines the seriousness of the oath.

24:12–14 As a member of Abraham’s household, the servant had learned to pray and requested a special sign from the Lord. The sign was meant to show desirable character traits in the future wife of Isaac. Hospitality is a key value in Eastern societies. kindness. A key concept in the two prayers of the servant (vv. 12, 14, 27), emphasizing the divine commitment in the covenant with Abraham.

24:16 Three important traits of Rebekah: she was very beautiful, she was of marriageable age, and she was not married. went down … came up. The envisioned well, or spring, required walking down and up an embankment with a heavy pitcher of water. Providing ten thirsty camels with water meant drawing as much as 250–400 gallons (950–1500 l).

24:22 half a shekel. About 1/5 ounce (5.5 g). ten shekels. About 4 ounces (113 g).

24:23–28 God had not only sent a kind, hospitable, and beautiful woman, but also a member of Abraham’s larger family. Bethuel is Isaac’s cousin.

24:29–32 Laban’s enthusiastic reception of the stranger is motivated by greed (v. 30), foreshadowing the later dealings with Jacob (29:1–30).

24:33–51 The marriage negotiations begin with a meal and a retelling of the amazing divine leading. Meals are important social events in that culture.

24:50 Laban’s prominence in the story and position in this verse suggest that Bethuel was somewhat incapacitated and that the clan leadership had already passed to his son.

24:52 The third prayer of the servant is a prayer of thanksgiving, followed by the giving of the bride-price. The bride-price was payment for the loss of the bride’s services and her potential offspring (Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:16).

24:55 a few days. The amount of time is ambiguous; it could mean a few days or a few years. Jacob will remain with Laban for twenty years to escape Esau’s wrath (27:44; 31:38).

24:58 The first active involvement of the bride-to-be in the marriage arrangements, demonstrating the important role of the family. Rebekah is ready to go.

24:60 Family blessing, sharing in the divine promises of descendants and power (22:17).

24:67 Isaac accepts Rebekah as his bride and loves her. Scripture underlines the special relationship, even in an arranged marriage. Note the absence of Abraham but the importance of Sarah. When Rebekah enters the tent of the deceased matriarch, she also takes her place as the matriarch of the clan. It is now Isaac’s and Rebekah’s turn to see the divine promises fulfilled. According to 25:20 Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. Abraham would have been by that time 140 years old and would still live as part of the clan for another 35 years. However, the leadership has passed on and he is no longer the main actor of the story.

Chapter 25

25:1–11 Abraham’s last appearance in the story. He had taken another wife, who seems to be described as a concubine (v. 6). Their sons were important enough to include in a brief genealogy, but at the same time they are too insignificant for the divine blessings and are sent away by their father in order to protect Isaac.

25:8–10 The description of Abraham’s death uses traditional language, emphasizing the fullness of his years. His body is buried in the family tomb where Sarah is already interred (23:19). The expression “was gathered to his people” does not denote soul movement, but rather the inevitable destiny of post-fall humanity: all will die. It appears mainly in the Pentateuch (25:17; 35:29; 49:33; Deut. 32:50).

25:11 Brief reference to Isaac’s divine election. His story will be continued in v. 19.

25:12–18 Ishmael’s genealogy is included, marking the fulfillment of the promises to Hagar (16:10) and Abraham (17:20). His twelve sons reflect the later tribal units of Israel (35:22b–26).

25:19–34 Like Sarah, Rebekah was barren and only conceived due to divine intervention and her husband’s prayers after twenty years of marriage (v. 26).

25:22 struggled. Strong term meaning “crushing each other” (Deut. 28:33; Judg. 9:53). The theme of conflict progresses from the womb, via delivery (Gen. 25:26), different professions (v. 27), and opposing preferences of the parents (v. 28).

25:23 The divine answer foreshadows the conflict between the two sons of Isaac and highlights the preeminence of divine election over the established traditions of the right of the firstborn.

25:29–34 Jacob takes advantage of the situation and wins the birthright in exchange for a stew, seeking to force God’s hand. Esau’s quick eating of the food (marked by four verbs in rapid succession), given in exchange for the birthright, shows Esau’s foolishness (Heb. 12:16).

Chapter 26

26:1–35 This is the first story focusing exclusively on Isaac. It echoes the stories about Abraham: famine, the wife-as-sister motif, and the altar construction element. It is also a story about somebody following in the footsteps of a larger-than-life father, making his first tentative steps of faith.

26:1–6 Isaac obeys God’s direct command not to go to Egypt, given during the divine appearance.

 26:5 Given the emphasis and specificity of this statement, it appears there was some understanding of the details of God’s Ten Commandments law long before Sinai. For more on LAW, see Ex. 20:1–17.

26:7 Isaac repeats the same mistake his father twice made (12:10–20; 20:1–18). Fear makes him tell a lie.

26:8 Isaac’s fears were unfounded. The king sees Isaac caressing Rebekah.

26:10–11 “Guilt” and “touch” are two terms closely related to the sanctuary. By touching a holy part of the sanctuary without permission, one commits a wrong against God and becomes guilty. In spite of their shortcomings, Isaac and Rebekah are God’s “holy” possession.

26:12 First reference to a patriarch farming. Isaac enjoys tremendous divine blessings, resulting in jealousy and the need to move on.

26:18–22 Three times Isaac’s servants reopen wells that Abraham had dug (and which were stopped by the Philistines), and by naming them, Isaac not only lays claim to their water but also memorializes deteriorating relations between his clan and the inhabitants of the land. Quarrel turns to enmity, which finally leads to the experience of open space, which in the OT is often associated with prosperity or salvation (Is. 54:2–3).

26:23–25 In response to another divine appearance and affirmation of promises, Isaac builds for the first time an altar and worships the Lord (8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9–10; 35:7).

26:26–31 Abimelech and his advisers are not received cordially—initially Isaac does not offer them any food (see 18:1–8)—but Isaac is wise enough to ultimately agree to another covenant agreement, which is celebrated by a communal meal.

26:34–35 Esau’s choice of wives is not driven by the desire to continue the chosen line but is made out of apparent disregard of his birthright (25:29–34) or perhaps even rebellion. See note on 36:2–3 for further discussion.

Chapter 27

27:1–46 One of the key words of this suspense-filled story is “bless” which appears over 20 times. This blessing story is, however, a part of a larger scheme of control, deceit, and misguided parental love. It is also a reflection of the reduced communication between Isaac and Rebekah, who both seem to follow their own agendas. Isaac’s near blindness is matched by Rebekah’s great ambition.

27:11–12 Jacob does not question the scheme but rather points to the practical problems.

27:18–27a The dialogue between father and son is a dramatic scene of half-truths and plain lies. The kiss prior to receiving the blessing (vv. 26–27) was a regular part of the farewell ceremony (48:10; 50:1) and is here another chance for Isaac to discover the scheme. The reader is reminded of another famous kiss of treachery (Luke 22:47–48).

27:27b–29 The blessing is pronounced in poetic lines and contains imagery referencing the preferences of both sons (open fields and farmland).

27:33 trembled exceedingly. The verb generally expresses intense fear (42:28; Ex. 19:16) but is used here in a grammatical structure that expresses further intensification. Isaac is panicking.

27:34–38 Esau’s tears are due to his frustration and his great anger. Esau’s complaint in v. 36 is marked by using similar-sounding words: bekorah “birthright” and berakah “blessing”—and both have been stolen by Jacob (see 25:26).

27:39–40 Isaac’s blessing for Esau is not very encouraging.

Chapter 28

28:1–5 With Rebekah working again in the background, Isaac sends Jacob off to the homeland of Abraham’s clan in northern Mesopotamia in order to find a suitable wife. Padan Aram. May be an alternative name for Haran (12:4–5). Isaac’s exhortation not to marry a Canaanite echoes Abraham’s command in 24:3–4. Also the blessing of departure is reminiscent of Abraham’s blessings (12:2–3, 7; 13:15, 17; 22:17).

28:6–9 Esau’s decision to marry into Abraham’s lineage through Ishmael demonstrates his lack of understanding of the promised line. He marries into the wrong branch of the line.

28:10–22 God reassures Jacob by means of a dream. This is the first time that there is any direct interaction between Jacob and God. Most of the verses describing the dream include divine direct speech, affirming the promises to the other patriarchs (13:14–16). The dream motif appears repeatedly in the story of Joseph. ladder. Difficult term which appears only once in Scripture; possibly a ramp or stairway, connecting heaven and earth.

28:17 house of God. Hebrew “Bethel,” which later became an idolatrous sanctuary during the time of the divided kingdom.

28:18 Stones served different purposes: as memorials for an event, boundary markers, markers for a tomb, or a witness of a transaction (31:45–54; 35:14, 20). Jacob’s stone served as a memorial and is consecrated (Ex. 30:25–29). Later laws would prohibit the erection of pillars due to their role in the religion of Israel’s neighbors (Ex. 23:24; 34:13; Lev. 26:1; Deut. 16:22).

28:20 vow. Another response to the dream. Vows were conditional whereas oaths were not. Jacob’s vow reappears at crucial points in his story (31:13; 35:1–3, 7).

28:22 tenth. The second reference (14:20) in Genesis to tithing prior to the giving of the specific law (Lev. 27:30–33; Deut. 14:22–29).

Chapter 29

29:1–35 This chapter includes a typical betrothal/engagement scene. A person travels to a distant place, stops at a well, meets the girl of his dreams, and helps water the animals. The stories of Abraham’s servant (24:10–61) and Moses (Ex. 2:15–21) contain similar elements. However, in this particular case, no happy end is in sight: the deceiver will be deceived.

29:13 Laban’s hurried arrival is similar to 24:29. Perhaps he hoped to find another rich representative from the family of Abraham, ready to pay a significant bridal price. However, he only finds a young runaway. It is not clear whether Jacob told his uncle the full story of his departure from his father’s house.

29:15–30 Fourteen years of service as part of the bride-price are summarized in a brief section. The key words of “serve” and “wages” appear repeatedly in the following three chapters (29:15, 18, 20, 25, 27, 30; 30:16, 18, 26, 28–29, 32–33; 31:6–8, 41).

29:18–20 Jacob’s love for Rachel made the seven years pass quickly. A laborer’s wage during the Old Babylonian period was only one shekel a month, and Jacob’s offer was the equivalent of 84 shekels (12 shekels x 7 years). Even with a forced marriage hundreds of years later, the bride-price for a woman violated was set at fifty shekels (Deut. 22:29). Thus Jacob’s offer was generous.

29:25–26 The sense of disappointment of seeing Leah after the honeymoon night is real. Laban had deceived another deceiver (27:35). The reference to the “firstborn” daughter is a clear link to Jacob’s own deception (27:19ff.).

29:28 The marriage to Rachel comes as an anticlimax, particularly considering that no wedding feast is mentioned. Jacob’s preference for Rachel (v. 30) is the seed of much family strife. In the descriptions of the family strife in the following chapters, the author of Genesis demonstrates the inevitable results of polygamy.

29:31–35 Leah desperately tries to please her husband and gives birth to four sons. God’s concern for Leah is touching but also part of the fulfillment of the divine promise, namely numerous descendants.

Chapter 30

30:1–43 This chapter contains a unit beginning in 29:31 and ending in 30:24. It reports the birth of Jacob’s twelve children and provides a rationale for some of the tensions and pressure that Jacob’s family (and especially his children) experience. As in all the OT, the gift of children is clearly linked to divine action. The naming of each child is done by the respective wife, who is not always the biological mother, but who receives the children of the maidservant as her own.

30:1–8 Rachel’s infertility leads her to provide her maidservant Bilhah as a substitute. The resulting children are considered to be her own. The names often reflect the feelings and aspirations of the name-giver.

30:9–13 Due to her own (temporary) infertility, Leah gave her maidservant Zilpah to be her substitute, who in turn gave birth to two more sons, Gad (“luck, fortune”) and Asher (“happy”).

30:14–16 Jacob’s husbandly duties are negotiated over by his two wives, transforming the patriarch into a passive actor. Rachel desires the mandrakes that Reuben, Leah’s firstborn, discovered in the field, since they were considered to promote sexual powers (Song 7:13). Leah only gives the fruit in exchange for a night with Jacob which Rachel reluctantly gives.

30:16 hired. One of the key terms of Jacob’s story, mostly describing on a commercial level the interaction between people. Even sexuality can be “hired out,” a theme which reappears in the story of Judah and Tamar (38:15–19).

30:17–21 Leah conceives and gives birth to two more sons and the only daughter of Jacob mentioned by name (see chap. 34).

30:22–24 Rachel’s pregnancy comes as a surprise to the reader. God remembers (19:29; Ex. 2:24; 6:5), and things happen. It is after the birth of Joseph that Jacob begins to plan for his return to Canaan.

30:27 Laban’s denial of Jacob’s request is based on divination (“experience”), a form of knowing and understanding the will of the gods. It is strictly forbidden to Israel (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10, 14).

30:43 Jacob’s increasing riches are the results of his observation skills, the managing of basic breeding methods, and above all God’s blessings.

Chapter 31

31:1–3 Jacob “heard,” “saw,” and then the Lord spoke. All senses raise the alarm of a changed situation. Laban’s sons, appearing for the first time in the story, complain about the outsider.

31:4–15 This is the first time that Leah and Rachel agree on a plan of action. The return to Canaan is not only a necessity (due to the changed conditions), but also a response to God’s command, which (as always) is followed by a divine promise (see 12:1–2).

31:10–13 Note the fuller description of the divine vision when compared to the brief version in v. 3.

31:17–21 Jacob moves quickly and leaves Laban’s household. camels. Already mentioned in 12:16 and 24:10. Bone evidence as well as an Old Babylonian text from Ugarit suggest that the camel was domesticated in the second millennium B.C., even though the more common pack animals were donkeys. The fact that Abraham and Jacob use camels may actually indicate their prosperity and status.

31:19 household idols. Small, portable idols, often associated with ancestors or patron gods. These household idols were very important, and their disappearance spelled trouble. Since they were part of the inheritance, it could be that Rachel considered them to be her rightful belonging—especially considering the fact that they had not received anything (vv. 14–15).

31:25–42 The dialogue between Laban and Jacob is full of accusations and assertions. Laban goes so far as to search the camp for his household gods, but he cannot find them due to Rachel’s clever action. Acknowledging later purity laws about menstruation (Lev. 15:19–23), a later Jewish audience would see the humor: Rachel, claiming menstruation, was in actuality ridiculing these gods.

31:42 Fear of Isaac. Functions as a surprising divine title (v. 53).

31:43–55 In spite of Laban’s patronizing attitude, Jacob and his father-in-law enter into a covenant that functions to define the issues between them. A stone is set up as a pillar (28:11, 18; 35:14, 20), and a heap of stones is gathered. Its name is included in both Aramaic (most likely Laban’s language) and Hebrew, and it is to function as a witness.

Chapter 32

32:1–32 This is a key chapter in Jacob’s biography. In wrestling with the angel of God, Jacob finally comes to the end. Full of anxiety at the prospect of meeting Esau, he receives special divine encouragement.

32:1–2 Possible reference to a divine vision, aimed at encouraging Jacob (Josh. 5:13–15). Mahanaim. Means “two camps” and later became a Levitical city in Gad (Josh. 13:26) as well as the temporary capital of Ishbosheth’s kingdom (2 Sam. 2:8–9). Note the close links to Gen. 28:11–12, marking Jacob’s departure from Canaan.

32:3–8 Jacob does everything humanly possible to prepare the way; the report that his messengers bring back, however, is unclear and increases Jacob’s anxiety. The division of his camp into two is motivated by his desire to survive and perhaps also a response to the divine revelation in Mahanaim.

32:9–12 Jacob’s prayer claims divine promises (v. 12) and expresses his fears.

32:13–21 Jacob’s gift is huge and seeks to (1) suggest to Esau that Jacob has not come to claim his birthright and (2) pacify the estranged brother. The term for “present” (v. 13) is often used in sacrificial contexts, mostly relating to grain offerings (Lev. 2).

32:24–29 Similar to the situation during his departure from Canaan, Jacob finds himself alone again (28:11–22). Man. The reader is left to wonder about the identity of the attacker. Hos. 12:4 identifies him as “the Angel” while Jacob himself recognizes him as “God” (v. 30). Even after being hurt, Jacob tenaciously continues to fight the unknown attacker and requests to be blessed. wrestled. Verb only occurs here and sounds similar to the Hebrew of Jabbok. It has been linked to a similar Hebrew verb meaning “embrace” (29:13; 33:4). However, this is no friendly embrace.

32:28 Jacob’s new name (see 35:10) marks a significant change: the deceiver has become the overcomer and can now provide the right name for the covenant nation. Name-giving is indicative of the power of the opponent.

32:30 Jacob saw God’s face in the absolute darkness of night. Only God’s “back” (Ex. 33:23), “feet” (Ex. 24:10), or “form” (Num. 12:8) may be seen. “Peniel” (face of God) reflects Jacob’s experience.

Chapter 33

33:1–2 The travel arrangements reflect the clear divisions and hierarchy of Jacob’s family (first concubines and children, followed by Leah and her children, and ultimately by Rachel and Joseph). four hundred men. A significant fighting force (1 Sam. 22:2).

33:3 Bowing down seven times indicates total submission.

33:4 Jacob’s fears are unfounded; God did not only work on him (32:22–32) but also on Esau and had blessed him (33:9). Luke 15:20 describes a similar scene in comparable language. In Hebrew the terms marking the embrace of the brothers sound similar to Jacob’s wrestling with God (32:24–25).

33:11 blessing. Other translations have “present.” Recalls the stolen blessing of their father (27:27–29).

33:12–16 Jacob does not seem to trust Esau completely but rather depends on God’s protection.

33:17–20 altar. The altar construction is an important link to Noah, Abraham, and Isaac (8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9–10; 26:25; 35:7). This is the first altar that Jacob built.

33:19 one hundred pieces of money. Unknown weight and value.

Chapter 34

34:1–31 The rape of Dinah and the subsequent massacre of the male population of Shechem by Jacob’s sons highlight deep conflicts involving the tensions between a native and non-native people, religious differences, and the important value of family honor.

34:2–4 Shechem, the son of Hamor (33:19), raped Dinah and decided to marry her, requiring negotiations between the two families. The chapter contains a number of important speeches designed to convince the opposite party.

34:7 disgraceful thing. See Deut. 22:21; Josh. 7:15; Judg. 20:6, 10; 2 Sam. 13:12.

34:9 The invitation to intermarry was attractive, since it would provide protection and prosperity, but it would also mean absorption into Canaanite culture (and religion).

34:12 The bridal price is set by the family of the bride (24:53) as compensation.

34:13 deceitfully. Echoes a key word of the stories of Jacob, including the theft of the blessing from Esau (27:35) and Laban’s dealing with Jacob (29:25).

34:14–17 The covenant sign is part of the deceitful plans of Jacob’s sons.

34:23 The motives of the Shechemites are not above reproach either.

34:25–29 Led by Simeon and Levi, the male population is slaughtered and the town is ransacked and looted, including flocks, women, and children. In Jacob’s blessing, the descendants of both men would be scattered (49:7) due to this act.

Chapter 35

35:1 God speaks again. Altar construction is an important element of true worship (8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9–10; 26:25).

35:2–7 Ritual purification is part of the response of Jacob’s household (see Ex. 29:4–9; Lev. 8:6–13) to the divine call. Moving to Bethel is retracing Jacob’s steps during his flight and his vow to the Lord (Gen. 28:20). terror. Marks God’s special protection in an increasingly hostile environment (see Ex. 15:14–15). Luz. Ancient name of Bethel, suggesting some type of updating of the biblical text (Gen. 28:19).

35:8 Deborah. Presumably the same person—a lifelong servant—referenced in 24:59, but identified by name only here.

35:14 The response of a libation (drink) offering is unique in Genesis, even though Jacob had already erected several pillars (28:18–22; 31:45–52).

35:18 soul. The meaning of the Hebrew word is “life” (9:4–5; Job 2:4, 6). The text simply says that Rachel died. On the nature of death, see note on Gen. 2:7.

35:14, 20), and a heap of stones is gathered. Its name is included in both Aramaic (most likely Laban’s language) and Hebrew, and it is to function as a witness.

35:22 Reuben’s arrogant act of sleeping with the concubine of his father parallels Absalom’s later act (2 Sam. 16:22). Most likely, he wanted to assert his leadership in the clan and his right as the firstborn and may have also disliked Jacob’s lack of love for his mother Leah.

35:27–29 The notice of the death of Isaac brings to an end the stories of Isaac and Jacob. On the basis of the internal chronology, Isaac lived approximately twelve years after Joseph was sold into slavery. Isaac dies after a full life (25:7–11) and with Jacob’s family around.

Chapter 36

36:1–43 The chapter contains a concise account of Esau’s descendants and is inserted here to show the fulfillment of the promise of “many nations” given to Sarah and Abraham (17:5–6, 16), even though this is not the line of the promise. The lists contain seventy personal names and marks an overall political movement from extended family (36:1–8) to tribal organization (vv. 15–19) and ultimately to a monarchy (vv. 31–39), reminiscent of Israel’s own historical development. Deut. 23:7 reminds future generations that the Edomites are brothers and should not be abhorred, even though in later periods Edom and Israel were bitter enemies (Obadiah; Ps. 137:7–9).

36:2–3 Only one name (Basemath) of the three wives of Esau coincides with earlier lists (26:34; 28:9). Perhaps the wives had more than one name.

36:6–8 Edom is linked to the hill country of Seir (Deut. 2:4–6, 12, 22; Josh. 24:4). Esau’s move recalls other splits in patriarchal history (Gen. 12:5; 13:5–6; 31:18). By moving out of Canaan he also removes himself from the land of the promise.

36:12 Amalek. Son of a concubine. Later a bitter enemy of Israel (Ex. 17:8–16), the nation was not included in the Edomite line (Deut. 25:17–19).

36:43 The last line forms a link with v. 1 by again identifying Esau as the father of all Edomites.

Chapter 37

37:1–36 The remainder of Genesis is dedicated to the story of Joseph and God’s leading (45:5–8).

37:1 dwelt. While Abraham and Isaac only sojourned in Canaan (12:10; 20:1; 26:3), Jacob settled down.

37:2 bad report. Joseph is the youngest and by custom has the least rights in the family. He acts as a tattletale. The term is used elsewhere to indicate untrue reports (Num. 13:32; 14:36–37), even though knowing the previous history of Jacob’s sons, these reports may have been true.

37:3 Jacob loves Joseph more than his other sons, thus planting a seed of envy and hatred. As an expression of his love, Jacob gives Joseph a special robe. The Hebrew is not easily understood: Greek and Latin versions translated the phrase as a “cloak of many colors.” Clothing plays a major role in Joseph’s story (vv. 3, 23; 39:12; 41:14).

37:5–11 First introduction to the dreamer. He is not only favored by his father but also by God. Note the clear implications of the dream for the family hierarchy, understood by Joseph’s brothers. Jacob keeps the matter in mind (Luke 2:19, 51).

37:12–22 The idyllic pastoral scene is marred by a vicious plot to get rid of Joseph. As the firstborn, Reuben seeks to save the brother. However, after his incest with Bilhah (35:22) he has lost authority.

37:23–28 Joseph is stripped of his robe and is thrown in a dry pit, most likely an empty cistern.

37:25 Ishmaelites. In this section the author uses two terms for the merchants. Ishmaelites and Midianites were most likely related tribes or different clans of the same tribe (Judg. 8:24). Dothan lies close to one of the main trade routes crossing Canaan towards Egypt.

37:28 twenty shekels. About 8 ounces (0.2 kg). The Babylonian Codex Hamurabi also attests this price for a slave (see also Lev. 27:5).

37:36 The favorite of his father becomes a slave in far-off Egypt. Potiphar. A high official at Pharaoh’s court. The name means “he whom Ra has given.” This form of the name is confirmed in nonbiblical sources of Moses’ time, but it is probably derived from a different form used in Joseph’s age.

Chapter 38

38:1–30 At first reading, this chapter seems out of place. However, there are many important links to the surrounding Joseph story. Similar vocabulary, the importance of status symbols (clothing, seal, staff), and the increasing importance (and transformation) of Judah connect this chapter to the surrounding chapters.

38:1–5 Judah moves away from the main compound of Jacob, marries a Canaanite, and becomes the friend of a Canaanite leader. All these elements suggest that Judah is losing the vision of Abraham’s lineage being God’s special people.

38:6–10 The introduction of Tamar, the Canaanite wife of Er, is significant. Even though being a Canaanite places her outside of God’s special promises to Abraham’s family, she becomes the true heroine of the story. wicked. This is the first text that explicitly states that God puts an individual to death (v. 7). The nature of the wickedness is not explained.

38:8 Levirate marriage is known from Hittite and Middle Assyrian laws, the main difference being that in biblical law the brother-in-law is responsible for providing an heir (Deut. 25:5–10). Onan has sexual intercourse with Tamar but rejects his responsibility concerning her and his deceased brother.

38:11 Judah sends Tamar to her father’s home in order to live as a widow (Lev. 22:13; Ruth 1:8). He does not seem to be committed to Tamar as a member of his household.

38:12–13 Note the difference between Judah and Tamar: Tamar is still wearing her widow’s clothing while Judah is on his way to festive activities.

38:14–23 Judah agrees on a price with the veiled fake prostitute, leaving with her his seal and staff as a pledge. However, the “woman” (v. 20; the customary term for a “wife” instead of the term for “prostitute” is used) cannot be found.

38:23 Judah is concerned about the shame of not having redeemed his pledge, but ignores the rights of Tamar.

38:24–25 Adultery required the death of the offenders (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22).

38:26 Tamar’s righteousness is contrasted to Judah’s semi-righteousness. The story focuses more on motives rather than on acts, and Tamar’s motives were in line with the basic notion of the Levirate law, which was meant to preserve families. As a result, Tamar is part of the Messianic lineage (Ruth 4:12, 18–22; Matt. 1:3–6).

Chapter 39

39:1 Picks up the storyline from 37:36. Joseph has now arrived in Egypt.

39:2–6 While Joseph’s circumstances change, God never changes: He is always with His children (Josh. 1:5; Is. 41:10; Jer. 1:8, 19; Matt. 28:20) and enables them in their greatest challenges.

39:2 successful. One of the key words of this chapter (vv. 2–3, 23), always linked with God’s special blessing. Joseph’s rapid rise over the household of Potiphar is based on the master’s recognition that this slave is different.

39:4 served. Hebrew term here denotes personal service, as Joshua served Moses (Ex. 24:13) or Elisha served Elijah (1 Kin. 19:21).

39:7–10 The biblical text suggests a prolonged period of seduction and Joseph’s steadfast commitment to faithfulness and moral integrity. Joseph’s lengthy response to his master’s wife’s invitation recognizes that sin not only destroys human relations but—even more so—is an affront to God (Ps. 51:4).

39:11–19 Another refusal leaves Joseph’s clothing (note again the importance of clothing in the Joseph narrative) in the hand of his master’s wife who quickly creates a believable story aimed at punishing the one who refused her.

39:12 caught. The Hebrew verb implies violence (Deut. 9:17; 22:28; 1 Kin. 11:30).

39:17 Hebrew servant. Clear racial slur. Potiphar is also implicated in this, since he brought that slave into the household.

39:20 Even though Potiphar appears to be furious, the punishment is surprising, since biblical law demanded that convicted rapists were generally executed (Deut. 22:23–27). Potiphar, it seems, did not believe his wife, but in order to save face, he put Joseph in prison. The focus changes to the prison (which clearly reflects an Egyptian setting, for Egypt had prisons long before other countries in the region), the next point of Joseph’s up and down experience.

Chapter 40

40:1–4 Two of the highest court officials are thrown into prison and are served by Joseph. after these things. No clear time indication. We only know that the period of Joseph’s slavery and imprisonment lasted about thirteen years (37:2; 41:46). chief butler. Or, “cupbearer,” an important court position with political influence (Neh. 1:11–2:8).

40:8 Dreams are an important means of revelation and highly valued. Joseph’s rhetorical question is in itself an argument against Egyptian religion where dream interpretation was a highly prized science and art. A lowly foreign slave challenges current Egyptian thinking: it is God who not only gives dreams, but also provides the interpretation (41:16, 25, 28; Dan. 2:22, 28, 47).

40:14–15 remember me. Confident of the fulfillment of the dream, Joseph requests help from the butler. Unfortunately, two years passed (41:1) until the butler remembered.

40:19 will lift off your head. Same Hebrew expression as in v. 13 but completely distinct meaning. The prediction of the baker’s death and the birds subsequently eating his body was the worst case scenario for an Egyptian who believed in the continued existence of the soul in an afterlife.

40:20–22 Describes the fulfillment of the dreams. On the importance of the “third day,” see note on 22:3–6.

40:23 God’s presence is often hidden in Joseph’s story, and His strong arm is mainly visible in dreams that become reality.

Chapter 41

41:8 Similar to Nebuchadnezzar centuries later, Pharaoh cannot find any qualified dream interpreter (Dan. 2:10). Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, he was able to tell his specialists the dream.

41:9–13 The butler is reminded of his promise and introduces Joseph as an interpreter of dreams whose interpretations came true.

41:14 Washing, shaving, and clothing rites generally mark the transition from one state into another (e.g., the sons of Aaron during the priestly ordination ritual; Lev. 8:6–13).

41:16 Joseph’s answer is bold, considering the fact that the Pharaohs were considered gods.

41:17–32 While long periods of famine are generally rare in Egypt, due to the regularity of the annual overflow of the Nile, seven-year famines are well-documented in Egyptian and other sources (2 Sam. 24:13).

41:33–36 Joseph ventures to counsel Pharaoh, though he was not asked to do so. Now. Often marks the transition from fact to the moral of a story.

41:45 Zaphnath-Paaneah. A reconstruction of the Egyptian name could be “my provision is god, the living one.” A name change indicated authority and also a new identity (Dan. 1:7).

41:46–52 Years of plenty are reflected in Joseph’s personal life: he marries the daughter of an influential official and has two sons. Note that in contrast to the previous matriarchs, Joseph names the boys himself.

41:53–57 A regional famine arrives as predicted, but due to Joseph’s wise counsel and his administration, Egypt has plenty of food and international power.

Chapter 42

42:1–5 Jacob—though old and bereaved—is still the head of his household. Since Joseph is the center of the story, the brothers are described in relationship to him (v. 3). News of Egypt’s grain supply had traveled wide, and Joseph’s brothers were not the only ones in search of food.

42:6 bowed down. Partial fulfillment of his dreams (37:7–10).

42:7–8 Joseph “recognized” his brothers immediately (as Jacob “recognized” the bloodied clothing of his son; 37:32–33). He pretends not to know them and speaks harshly (42:30). Joseph knows—as does the reader—while the unknowing brothers’ moral fiber is being tested. Twenty-one years have passed since they sold him into slavery. Joseph is now an adult, dressed in a strange style, speaking through an interpreter, and governing in a position of power that is completely unexpected.

42:9 spies. The accusation is reasonable considering the often tense relations between Canaan/Syria and Egypt. Hungry armies make dangerous and desperate enemies. On the defense, the brothers disclose the information that Joseph is anxious to hear: both father and brother are still alive (v. 13).

42:17 prison. The three days (see note on 22:3–6) in prison serve as a taste of what it feels like to be imprisoned in a foreign country (40:3–7).

42:18–20 A revised plan: only one brother has to stay as a hostage.

42:21–25 The brothers’ conversation is revealing. Time does nothing to guilt, except to increase it. The reader knows of Joseph’s reaction and is reassured. The brothers do not know.

42:26–28 Another test: the brothers find all their money in the grain sacks.

42:29–38 The brothers report all to Jacob, who mourns the loss of another son (v. 36). Jacob’s strong reaction is also an accusation of his remaining sons. bereaved. (Literally, “childless”). While not entirely true, Jacob has hit some of the truth.

Chapter 43

43:14 Jacob’s prayer echoes a previous prayer (32:10–11). God is the “Almighty” (17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 48:3; 49:25) and capable of not only giving children to the barren, but also of protecting His children.

43:15–23 On their arrival in Egypt, Joseph recognizes Benjamin and prepares a feast. Because of the overfriendly welcome, the brothers are suspicious (v. 18) and consequently decide to report the finding of their money. Thus they pass the previous test (42:26–28) and report to Joseph’s steward the incident with the returned money.

43:24–25 Joseph gives them a normal Eastern welcome, including washing their feet, providing food for their animals, and exchanging gifts (18:4; 19:2; 24:32; Luke 7:44).

43:26–31 Important dialogue between Joseph and his unsuspecting brothers. Moved by the good news about his father’s well-being and the sight of Benjamin, Joseph slips out and weeps. heart yearned. Same expression is used to describe a mother’s feelings for her dying child (1 Kin. 3:26).

43:32–34 The seating order of the brothers should give them a clue as to Joseph’s identity. Even though Benjamin receives five times more than the brothers’ portions, no envy is reported, thus completing another test. The Egyptian aversion to eating with foreigners (v. 32) is well-known from classical sources (e.g., Herodotus, Strabo). Another abomination to Egyptians involved shepherding (46:34). Canaanites were considered barbarians and uncivilized.

Chapter 44

44:1–2 The idyllic meal concludes with another test: Joseph’s silver cup is hidden in Benjamin’s grain sack.

44:4–5 divination. The charge of taking the governor’s cup that is used in divination rites would undoubtedly increase the guilt of the offender. Divination with liquids (water, oil, wine) was common and, like any other form of divination, is forbidden in biblical law (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10).

44:6–13 After overtaking Joseph’s brothers, the steward accuses them of theft and a search is done. The rash vow of the brothers (v. 9) highlights their conviction of innocence and reminds the reader of a similar rash vow (also spoken in ignorance of the real facts) by Jacob (31:32).

44:14 Again the brothers bow down before Joseph (37:7–10; 42:6). This final scene concludes only in 45:15 and is the climax of the story.

44:15 Joseph’s reference to divination is another means of heightening the tension.

44:18–34 A masterful speech of Judah, recalling the history of the governor’s interaction with the sons of Jacob in Egypt up to this point. It also marks the transformation of someone interested only in himself and personal gain (37:26–27; 38:1–30) into someone ready to step in the breach (44:33–34). In this speech Joseph learns about the grief and mourning of his father. Interestingly, this is the longest single speech in Genesis, and it focuses on the concept of substitution (John 15:13).

Chapter 45

45:1–2 Joseph sends all Egyptian attendants out of the room. However, his loud weeping is heard by Pharaoh (who, as any good monarch, has his ears and eyes everywhere).

45:3–8 After Joseph’s startling declaration, his brothers are “dismayed”—most likely due to their fear of possible retribution or just their unbelief. People can be dismayed in contexts of war (Ex. 15:15; Judg. 20:41). Joseph’s first question is concerning his father, perhaps due to concern after Judah’s passionate description of Jacob’s pain and sense of loss.

45:4 come near. An imperative often used to introduce important events or proclamations (Josh. 3:9; 1 Sam. 14:38; 1 Kin. 18:30). While the brothers come close there is as yet no intimacy. They obey and cannot comprehend the turn of events.

45:5 God sent me. Theological heart of Joseph’s story (vv. 7–8; see also 50:19–21; Acts 7:9–10). Joseph’s God is the God of surprises and astounding turns and—above all—a sovereign God. He is in control. This important statement is linked in Gen. 45:7 to the idea of the remnant, the surviving descendant (2 Sam. 14:7).

45:9–13 The location of Goshen is not entirely clear, but it fits the general region of the eastern Nile Delta.

45:14–15 Kissing and embracing are part of the expression of love and concern in Eastern cultures and mark the emotional highpoint of this suspense story.

45:16–20 Pharaoh gives his blessing to Joseph’s suggestion and repeats the invitation to Joseph’s family to settle in Egypt.

45:21–25 Joseph’s brothers return to Canaan immediately, taking with them provisions, carts, and other evidence of the truth of their incredible story.

Chapter 46

46:1–4 The move to Egypt is initiated by a sacrificial service in Beersheba (see 26:23–24; 28:13). After a long period of divine silence (at least according to the biblical text), God speaks again to Jacob (46:2), assuring him of His presence (even outside of the promised land) and His commitment to make His promises to Abraham a reality.

46:8–27 The list of the names of Jacob’s offspring up to the third generation identifies all who went to Egypt. The children and grandchildren by Leah come first (vv. 8–15), followed by those of Zilpah (vv. 16–18), Rachel (vv. 19–22), and Bilhah (vv. 23–25).

46:26–27 In Acts 7:14, Stephen mentions seventy-five in his recounting of Israel’s history, most likely basing this (as a Greek believer) on the Greek Septuagint, which includes five more names in this section. The number of seventy expresses fullness in the OT. Gideon has seventy sons (Judg. 8:30), as does Ahab (2 Kin. 10:1). In Gen. 10 the total of the descendants of the sons of Noah is seventy and represents complete world population. Num. 11:16, 24 and Ex. 24:1, 9 mention 70 elders as representatives of all the people.

46:30–34 Joseph prepares his family for an audience with the leader of the superpower of that day. Egyptian texts do not suggest a particular dislike of shepherds. Perhaps Joseph meant that Egyptians dislike foreign shepherds roaming about and making use of the scarce usable land. Since most Egyptians were farmers, there may have been a strong dislike for semi-nomadic shepherds who did not sufficiently control their flocks.

Chapter 47

47:1–10 Joseph presents five selected brothers (who are not named) as well as his father to Pharaoh. After a positive audience, Pharaoh appoints some of them to be shepherds of the crown, thus giving them legal protection (v. 6). The tone of Jacob’s audience with Pharaoh is distinct from the earlier one, marking a more intimate atmosphere. As in most cultures, age was highly regarded in the Bible. blessed. Represents the customary way of greeting and saying good-bye (27:33; 28:1).

47:11 possession. Land holding, giving his family legal title of a piece of ground. God promises Abraham “everlasting possession” of Canaan (17:8).

47:13–26 Describes the huge dimension of the famine and the ability of Joseph as an administrator of the crown. Three stages of dependency show the increasing severity of the famine: (1) Egyptians buy grain with money (vv. 13–14); (2) Egyptians exchange their herds for grain (vv. 15–17); and (3) Egyptians exchange their land rights for grain (vv. 18–26).

47:22 The Egyptian priestly class was a powerful substrata of society, owned a large amount of land, and did not pay taxes to the crown.

47:24 fifth. Joseph took a 20% tax during the years of abundance (41:34) and now charges 20% interest, which is low compared to a 33.3% average interest rate in the region.

47:27 The description of Israel’s growth uses creation language. See note on Ex. 1:7.

47:28–31 Jacob’s death is the subject of several sections and marks an important end in the patriarchal stories (48:21–22; 49:29–32). Joseph swears a solemn oath to bury his father in Canaan (24:2; 25:29–33).

Chapter 48

48:3 God Almighty. See note on 43:14. Jacob recounts the divine promises for his family (48:3–4). The God Almighty who spoke them will also make them become a reality.

48:5 Jacob adopts Joseph’s two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. Note the order is different from the birth order (41:51–52; also 48:1). Reuben and Simeon are mentioned specifically, since both have a stained past which will make them lose their place in the tribal descendants of Jacob (see the explanation in 1 Chr. 5:1). Joseph, while not being the firstborn, receives a double blessing through the inclusion of his two sons. The adoption ritual involved placing the children upon one’s knees, thus symbolizing giving birth (Ruth 4:16–17).

48:8 “Who are these?” Not the question of a senile (and blind) old man but perhaps an important part of the legal adoption procedure, similar to some questions asked during Western culture marriage ceremonies.

48:13–20 Even though Joseph places the teenagers in their birth order (the firstborn under the right hand of Jacob), his father crosses his arms and puts his right hand on Ephraim. Joseph receives his father’s blessing as the firstborn of Rachel (who supersedes the firstborn of Leah). The motif of giving the firstborn blessing to the second born appears often in Genesis. Jacob may have lost most of his sight but he still had prophetic insight. Ephraim did become the more significant northern tribe and was often used to refer to the northern kingdom as a whole (Is. 7:2, 5; Hos. 9:13).

48:21–22 Second reference to Jacob’s death (47:28–31; 49:29–32).

Chapter 49

49:1–28 Jacob’s last testament (including blessings and also some curses) to his sons is an important legal document. In line with its solemn nature it is written in poetry. Most of the prophecies of praise or blame are built on word plays with the names of the sons or comparisons to animals and are not easily reproduced in a translation.

49:8–12 Note the extent and content of Judah’s blessing. While not the firstborn (of any woman), his character transformation and leadership has prepared him for higher tasks. The messianic title of the Lion of Judah is based on this text. The term “Shiloh” in v. 10 is particularly difficult. It is repeated almost verbatim in Ezek. 21:27 where it is linked to a Davidic king. It points to a future king of Israel, coming from the tribe of Judah. Typologically, it points beyond David to Christ who is the ideal messianic King.

49:29–33 This is the final scene of Jacob’s death. Prior to his passing, Jacob reminds his sons that his burial place is not in Egypt but in the land of the promise, where his ancestors are resting (25:8). Burial is the key term in this section and the following chapter. Note that Jacob will be buried together with his first wife Leah—not with Rachel. drew his feet up. Right to the end, Jacob is in control.

Chapter 50

50:1–3 The text focuses on the pain of Joseph and keeps silent about the brothers. embalm. Jacob is treated the same way as Egyptian nobility, marking the high regard for Joseph’s family. Egyptian religion required embalming the corpse in order to assist the afterlife journey. Forty days … seventy days. The forty days of embalming are followed by a thirty-day period of mourning (Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8).

50:4–14 After receiving Pharaoh’s permission to bury Jacob in Canaan, Joseph, his brothers, and “all” of Pharaoh’s officials traveled to Canaan for the burial of Jacob. Joseph’s explanation for the need of a burial in Canaan (v. 5 “grave which I dug for myself”) is stated in a way it could be understood by any Egyptian.

50:9 chariots and horsemen. The later story of the exodus uses similar language (Ex. 14:9, 17–18, 23, 26, 28).

50:10 seven days. Time of transition in Israelite ritual (Ex. 12:15; 29:30, 35, 37; Lev. 13:4, 5; 14:8), often connected to mourning rites (1 Sam. 31:13; Job 2:13).

50:15–21 spoke kindly. Literally, “he spoke to their hearts” (see 34:3). True forgiveness among human beings is driven by divine forgiveness (Eph. 4:32).

50:22–26 Note the decreasing longevity of the patriarchs from Abraham (175 years; 25:7) to Joseph (110 years). He receives embalmment and honorable burial as had Jacob.