The Pentateuch, which includes the first five books of the Old Testament, beginning with Genesis and running through Deuteronomy, has always been held in special veneration. These five books are called THE LAW, as opposed to the later books, which are either historic or poetic or prophetic, while the Pentateuch, though partly historic, is mainly occupied with proclaiming the Law of God, and establishing the rules by which the Hebrews aimed, and still aim today, to regulate their lives.
Tradition assigns the authorship of these books to Moses, the chief prophet, leader, and law-giver of his race. Hence the books are often called the five books of Moses. Indeed, the later Hebrews seem to have believed that the early writings of Moses were identical with the five books as we possess them today, and this Hebraic view was widely adopted in the early Christian Church.
Genesis, the name of which means "the beginnings", is the first of these five books of the Law, or "five fifths" as the Hebrews call them. Genesis receives its name both from its opening words and from its contents; for it explains the beginning of earth and of man.
Opening with the Creation, Genesis devotes five chapters to the first peopling of the earth. Then in five more chapters it tells of the destruction of mankind by the deluge, and of the second peopling of the earth by the descendants of Noah. In the eleventh chapter, Abraham appears as the central figure of the narrative. In him the faith and knowledge of the true God was preserved or rather it was strengthened and revealed anew, and he was sent with his family into Palestine, the Holy Land. The story of Abraham and of his covenant with God occupies fifteen chapters, toward the close of which his son and successor, Isaac, becomes the central figure. Then in the twenty-sixth chapter Jacob, the son of Isaac, is born, to succeed in his turn to the position of the special friend and servant of God.
The twelve sons of Jacob were the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, so that the story of each of them is told at some length. Joseph was the most prominent among them, and from the time of his birth he becomes gradually the central personage of the narrative, and so continues till the end of the book. It was under his leadership that the Hebrews left the Holy Land and settled in Egypt, where four hundred years of bondage were to punish them for their sins, before Moses appeared.
Genesis thus stands as the introduction, not only to the account of Moses and his promulgation of God's law, but to all the historical books which follow, and which tell of the return of Abraham's descendants into Palestine, and their fortunes during their second dwelling there. It introduces also the poetical books and prophecies, which refer frequently to the story of the creation, or of the patriarchs and their covenant with God. Also in a sense Genesis introduces the New Testament; for the Old Testament tells of the fall of man, and the New proclaims his redemption.
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In the beginning was the Word. God spoke Heaven and Earth into being, and what a beautiful Word that must have been. The Hebrew word Beresheet, which means "in the beginning", opens the Book of Genesis.
This decorated initial word is from the first volume of a planned multi-volume edition of the Hebrew Bible. The volume was published by the Society of Jewish Bibliophiles, the Soncino Gesellschaft, in Germany in 1933. Hitler's rise to power prevented the Society from completing what would have been the first bibliophilic edition of the Hebrew Scriptures.
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Genesis Chapter 1 The Creation of Heaven and Earth. Of the sun, moon and stars. Of Man in the image of God. Appointment of food.
Genesis Chapter 2 The first Sabbath. The manner of the creation. The naming of the creatures. The making of woman and institution of marriage.
Genesis Chapter 3 The serpent deceives Eve. The fall of man. Punishment of mankind. Adam and Eve caste out of paradise. Temptation of man. Judgment of man.
Genesis Chapter 4 The birth, trade and religion of Cain and Able. Cain kills Able. The curse of Cain.
Genesis Chapter 5 Genealogy, age and death of the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah. The godliness and translation of Enoch.
Genesis Chapter 6 The wickedness of the world provokes God wrath. The ark dimensions and specifications. God commands Noah to bring two of every living thing into the ark.
Genesis Chapter 7 Noah, with his family, and the living creatures enter the ark. Beginning of the flood.
Genesis Chapter 8 The earth is flooded. Arks rests on mountains of Ararat. Noah leaves ark. Noah builds altar and offers sacrifice.
Genesis Chapter 9 God blesses Noah. Blood and murder forbidden. God's covenant signified by rainbow. Noah replenishes the world. Noah's nakedness. Genesis Chapter 10 Generations of Noah. Family of Japheth, Ham, Canaan and Shem.
Genesis Chapter 11 One world language. Building of the Tower of Babel. Confusion of tongues. Confound language.
Genesis Chapter 12 Initiation of the Covenant. God calls Abram and blesses him with a promise of Christ. Abram journeys through Canaan.
Genesis Chapter 13 Abram and Lot return out of Egypt. God's promise to Abram. Abram builds altar.
Genesis Chapter 14 The battle of the kings. Lot taken prisoner. Abram rescues Lot, refuses reward. Genesis Chapter 15 God promises Abram a son. Abram justified by faith. Canaan promised and confirmed by vision.
Genesis Chapter 16 Sara gives Hagar to Abram. Ishmael is born. Genesis Chapter 17 God renews covenant. God changes Abram's name to Abraham – the Father of all nations. Circumcision is instituted. Sara promised a son.
Genesis Chapter 18 Sarah's faith is tested. Abraham entertains three angels. Destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham.
Genesis Chapter 19 Angels take Lot and his wife and daughters out of Sodom. Sodomites are blinded. Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed. Lot's wife pillar of salt. The sin of Lot.
Genesis Chapter 20 Abraham sojourns at Gerar. Abraham says wife is sister. Genesis Chapter 21 Birth of Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael sent into the wilderness. God promises he will make Ishmael a great nation.
Genesis Chapter 22 Offering of Isaac. God spares Isaac. Abraham sacrifices ram. Genesis Chapter 23 Age and death of Sarah.
Genesis Chapter 24 Isaac marries Rebecca.
Genesis Chapter 25 Abraham age and death. Family of Isaac. Birth of Esau and Jacob. Esau sells his birthright.
Genesis Chapter 26 The failure of Isaac. The failure of Esau. Genesis Chapter 27 Jacob obtains Esau's blessing from Isaac.
Genesis Chapter 28 Jacob's Dream. Jacob's ladder. Jacob's vow.
Genesis Chapter 29 Jacob's Labors Genesis Chapter 30 Rachel bears Jacob a son. Genesis Chapter 31 Jacob's flight.
Genesis Chapter 32 Jacob wrestles Angel, God for a blessing. Jacob renamed Israel.
Genesis Chapter 33 Jacob makes peace with Esau. Genesis Chapter 34 The defilement of Dinah. Genesis Chapter 35 Jacob's family puts away idols. The death of Rachel and Isaac.
Genesis Chapter 36 History of Esau. Genesis Chapter 37 Joseph hated by brothers. Joseph's brothers conspire to kill him. Joseph sold into slavery. Coat of many colors.
Genesis Chapter 38 Joseph's family sins. Genesis Chapter 39 Josephs resists master's wife. Joseph thrown into prison.
Genesis Chapter 40 Josephs interprets prisoner dream.
Genesis Chapter 41 Joseph's test with Pharaoh's dreams. Plentiful Egypt.
Genesis Chapter 42 Joseph's brothers visit Egypt. Joseph imprisons brothers, sends brothers home.
Genesis Chapter 43 Joseph's brother's second journey to Egypt. Josephs entertains brothers.
Genesis Chapter 44 Genesis Chapter 45 Joseph makes himself known to his brothers. Joseph sends for his father.
Genesis Chapter 46 Jacob's family safe in Egypt. Genesis Chapter 47 Jacob blesses the family in Egypt.
Genesis Chapter 48 Joseph visits his sick father. Israel prophecies their return to Canaan. Genesis Chapter 49 Jacob dies in Egypt.
Genesis Chapter 50 Joseph dies in Egypt at 110 years old. |
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