GOD PLANTED A GARDEN

Genesis 2:4–25 (Go to ESV Bible)
Key Verse: 2:8, “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.”

1. How does the author introduce this account, and what impression does it give (4–6)? How did the LORD God create man, and what does this mean to us (7)?

2. What else did the LORD God do (8)? What trees did he create in the garden (9)? How is the river described (10–14)? Why did God put the man in the garden (15)? What does this garden tell us about God and about what makes man happy?

3. What was God’s command (16–17)? Think about his purpose in this; how should the man respond, and why?

4. What did God say next (18)? What does it mean to be a “fit helper”? How is the search for such a creature described, and what might God’s purpose have been in this (19–20)? Describe the creation of the woman (21–22). How did the man receive her (23)?

5. How does the author conclude (24–25)? What can we learn from this about marriage and about God?

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WHEN GOD’S LOVE IS DOUBTED

Genesis 3:1-24 (Go to ESV Bible)

Key Verse: 3:15, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

1. How is the serpent described (1a), who does he represent (Rev12:7–9), and what is his nature (Jn8:44)? Notice what he says to the woman first, and how he twists God’s word (1b; 2:16–17). Notice what he says next (4); what seems to be his goal in this? Notice what he says last (5); what is he trying to get the woman to think?

2. How does the woman answer, and what are the problems in her answer (2–3)? What motivates her to disobey God, and what can we learn here about the nature of sin (6)? How can we overcome temptation? (See Mt4:1–11)

3. What happens to Adam and Eve, and what does this mean (7)? When they hear God coming, what do they do, and why (8)? What does God do, and what does this mean (9)? How does Adam respond initially (10)? How else does he and Eve respond to God (12–13)? What does this conversation show about the tragedy of sin?

4. How does God curse the serpent (14)? What else does God promise, and what hope can we find here (15)? How does God punish the woman, and what does this mean (16)? How does God punish Adam, and what does this mean (17–19)? What does the man do, and why (20)? What does God do, and why (21)?

5. In the end, what does God do, and why (22–24)? What is his ultimate hope? (Rev22:2,14,19) What can we learn in this chapter about God? About sin and Sat

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CAIN REJECTS GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

Genesis 4:1–26 (Go to ESV Bible)

Key Verse: 4:7

1. What facts are given about Cain and Abel (1–2)? How are their offerings and God’s response described (3–5a)? What can we learn from this? (Heb11:4)

2. How does Cain react, and why (5b)? What does God say to him (6–7)? What important spiritual lessons can we learn here?

3. After hearing God’s word, what does Cain do and why (8)? What does God say to him, how does he answer, and what does this tell us about sin (9)? What does God say next, and what does this tell us about him (10)?

4. How does God punish Cain (11–12)? What does “fugitive” and “wanderer” mean? How does Cain respond, and what does this show about him (13–14)? How does God protect Cain, and why (15)? What does Cain do, and what does “Nod” mean (16)?

5. What does Cain do next (17)? What does Lamech do (19a)? Who were Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain (20–22)? What does Lamech say to his wives, and what does this tell us (23–24)? Describe the birth of Seth; what meanings can we find here (25–26)?

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ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD

Genesis 5:1–6:8 (Go to ESV Bible)
Key Verse: 5:24

1.  How does the author begin this new section (5:1–2)? Why does he highlight man being made in the likeness of God? How is the birth of Seth described, and why (5:3)? What pattern in this genealogy does the author use (4–20)? What is the significance of the repeated phrase, “and then he died”?

2.  How is the life of Enoch highlighted, and what is unusual about his end of life (21–24)? What does it mean that “he walked with God,” and how is he an example for us (Heb11:5)? What stands out about his son Methusaleh (25–27)?

3.  What was said when Noah was born, and how does it help us understand those times (28–29)? What else is said about the family of Lamech and Noah (30–31)?

4.  What is described next, and what does this mean (6:1–2)? How did the LORD respond, and what is the important lesson for us in his words here (3)?

5.  What resulted from these unions, and what do the words “mighty men” and “men of renown” suggest (4)? How did the LORD see this, and what did he decide (5–7)? In contrast, what is said about Noah (8)? What seems to be the author’s point here?

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NOAH DID ALL THAT THE LORD COMMANDED HIM

Genesis 6:9–9:29 (Go to ESV Bible)
Key Verse: 7:5, “And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.“

1.  How is Noah described, and what does this mean (6:9–10)? In contrast, how did God see “the earth” (11–12)? What did God share with Noah (13)? What did he tell him to do (14–16)? What were the key parts of this “covenant” (17–21)? How did Noah respond, and in what ways would this be hard for him to do (22)?

2.  What else did God tell Noah (7:1–4)? How did Noah respond (5)? Find where else this phrase is repeated; why is careful obedience to God so important? What else happened (6–10)? What specifics about the flood are given (11–12)? How did God’s plan become reality (13–16)? What happened while the earth was flooded (17–24)?

3.  What was it that made the flood recede (8:1)? How is it described (2–5)? After the end of another forty days, what did Noah learn from the raven and the dove (6–12)? On the first day of his 601st year, what did Noah see and do (13)? When did God tell him to leave the ark (14–16)? What else did God say, and what did Noah do (17–19)?

4.  What did Noah do first, and why (20)? How did God respond, and what does it reveal about God and human beings (21–22)? What did God repeat to Noah’s family (9:1,7)? What new order did he establish, and why (2–3)? What did he say about blood, and why is this important (4–6)? What covenant did he make, and why (8–17)?

5.  How does the author contrast the sons of Noah, and what happened to them as a result of this incident (18–27)? How is the end of Noah’s life described (28–29)? What can we learn in this lesson about God? What can we learn from Noah’s faith?

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THE TOWER OF BABEL

Genesis 10:1–11:26 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)
Key Verse: 11:9, “Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.”

1.  In 10:1–5, whose descendants are described first? Who do these “coastland peoples” seem to be? Whose descendants are described next (6–7)? What stands out about Nimrod (8–12)? How is he related to Babel (10; see 11:2)? What is said about Egypt (13–14)? About the clans and territories of the Canaanites (15–20)?

2.  Whose descendants are described last, and why (21–24; 9:26–27)? How is Eber highlighted (21,25), and who were his two sons? Who were Joktan’s sons (26–29)?

3.  In this genealogy, note the repeated summary statements (5,20,31). Note also how the author repeats the words “spread” or “dispersed” (9:19; 10:5,18,32; 11:8,9). How is this related to God’s purpose (9:1,7)?

4.  As chapter 11 opens, what situation is described (1)? Where did people go (2)? What building method did they develop (3)? What did they plan to do, why, and what was wrong with this (4)?

5.  What did the LORD do and say (5–6)? What was his plan, and what does this teach us about him (7)? What happened (8)? How does the author describe the meaning of the name “Babel,” and why (9)?

6.  Note how the author again lists the descendants of Shem (11:10–26), and how it differs from Shem’s earlier genealogy (10:21–31). How is it similar to Adam’s genealogy in chapter 5, and how is it different? What can we learn from these chapters about God?

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YOU WILL BE A BLESSING

Genesis 11:27–12:5a (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 12:2,  ^“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

1.  What details of Terah’s family are given (11:27–30; cf. Jos24:2; Ac7:2–4), and how might these things have affected Abram? How is the family’s move described (11:31–32), and what does their settling in Haran suggest?

2.  What did the LORD tell Abram (12:1), and in what ways would this be hard for him to actually do? Why do you think God was asking him to do this?

3.  What were God’s promises to Abram (12:2–3), and what did they mean to him? What do these promises  tell us about God? How do they point to Christ and to all believers (Gal3:8–9,14,29)? How can we hold onto these promises personally?

4.  How does the author describe Abram’s response, and who went with him (12:4–5a)? How would you characterize his faith (see also Heb11:8)?

5.  Review what we learn in this passage about God and the kind of faith he wants us to have. Why do we all need to learn to walk in Abram’s footsteps of faith (Ro4:12)?

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HE CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

Genesis 12:5b–13:4 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verses: 13:3–4, ^“3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴ to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord.”

1. In Canaan, where did Abram go first (see a map), how is the place described, and why might this have been troubling to him (12:5b–6)? What happened to Abram there, and what is the significance of this promise (7a)? How did Abram respond, and what did this altar mean (7b)?

2.  How is the next place Abram went described (see a map), what did he do there, and how is this an expression of his faith (8; cf. 4:26)? Where did he go afterward (see a map), what kind of place was this, and why might he have gone there (9)?

3.  How would the severe famine have affected Abram (10; see verse 5)? Why was it reasonable for him to go to Egypt? What was wrong with this?

4.  When he was about to enter Egypt, what did Abram tell his wife, and what does this show about him (11–13)? As a result, what unexpected thing happened, and how might Abram have felt about all this (14–16)?

5.  How did the LORD intervene (17)? What truth did Pharaoh discover, and what did he say and do (18–20)? How might these things have affected Abram?

6.  Where did Abram go, and how is he described (13:1–2)? Where did he go next, what did he do there, and what did this mean (4–5)? What can we learn in this lesson about God and about the life of faith?

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LIFT UP YOUR EYES

Genesis 13:5–18 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verses: 13:14–15, “¹⁴The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, ¹⁵ for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.”

1.  How are Abram’s and Lot’s situations described (2,5)? What problem arose (6), and how did it affect their herdsmen (7a)? Who else is mentioned “dwelling” there (7b), and how did this further complicate matters?

2.  What was Abram’s initial response (8)? What did he offer, and what does this show about his faith (9)? How did Lot respond, and what does this show about him (10)? What choice did he make (11), and where did the two men go (12)? What shows Lot’s lack of discernment in this (13)? What spiritual lessons are here?

3.  Read verses 14–15. What did God tell Abram to do? What else did God promise him (16)? What were God’s final instructions (17)? What can we learn here about God and his way of helping us?

4.  Look at Abram’s response (18) and locate Hebron on a map. Who was Mamre? What did Abram’s altar mean? What can we learn from this passage about living by faith?

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BLESSED BE GOD MOST HIGH

Genesis 14:1–24 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verses: 14:19–20, “¹⁹ And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; ²⁰ and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand! And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”

1.  How are two opposing groups of local kings described (1–2; find these places on a map)? Where did they join forces (3)? What had triggered this conflict (4)?

2.  What did Chedolaomer and his allies do to suppress this rebellion (5–7; see a map)? How is the battle at the Valley of Siddim described (8–9)? How did the geography of this valley affect the battle (10)? What was the outcome (11–12)?

3.  Where was Abram and how did he hear about this (13)? What did he do, and what does this show about him (14–16; see a map)? What can we learn from him?

4.  After Abram’s victory in battle, who came to see him, and why (17)? Who else came to see him, and how is he a contrast to the king of Sodom (18)? How did Melchizedek bless Abram (19–20a)? Why is “God Most High” repeated three times, why is he called “Possessor,” and what should Abram, and we, learn here?

5.  How did Abram respond to Melchizedek, and why (20b)? What did the king of Sodom propose (21)? How did Abram respond to him, and why (22–24)? What can we learn here from his faith?

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ABRAM BELIEVED THE LORD

Genesis 15:1–21 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 15:6, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

1.  After the war, what happened to Abram (1)? Why might he have been afraid? Why did he need reassurance about a reward? What can we learn here about God?

2.  How did Abram respond to God’s word (2–3)? Why do you think he began talking about this now? What can we learn from this?

3.  What new promise did God give Abram (4)? Why would this be hard for him to believe? What did God ask him to do (5), and how would this help him? How can we believe God’s promises and see his vision?

4.  How did Abram respond (6)? What does it mean that God “counted it to him as righteousness”? How does this relate to faith in Christ (Ro4:3–6; Gal3:6–7; Jas2:23)?

5.  What additional promise did God make (7), how did Abram respond (8), and why? What did God ask him to do (9), and how did he respond (10–11)? What happened to him (12)?

6.  What did God tell Abram (13)? What else did he promise (14,16)? What did he say about Abram himself (15)? What happened, and what did this mean (17)? What was God’s covenant (18–21)? What do these things reveal about God?

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FATHER OF MANY NATIONS

Genesis 16–17 (Go to ESV version)

Key Verse: 17:5, “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”

1.  What promise had God given Abram (15:4)? What did Sarai suggest to him now, and what does this show about her (16:1–2)? How did Abram respond, and why (3–4a)? How did Hagar change, what did Sarai do, and why (4b–5)? How did Abram handle this, and with what outcome (6)? What lessons can we learn here?

2.  How and why did God’s angel help Hagar (7–9)? What did he promise her, and what did her son’s name mean (10–12)? How did she respond, and what can we learn here about God (13–14)? How did things turn out, and how might these things have affected Abram (15–16)?

3.  When did the Lord appear to Abram again (17:1a)? What did God tell him (1b–2), and why did he refer to himself as “God Almighty”? What does it mean to “walk before me and be blameless”? How did Abram respond, and why (3a)?

4.  What was God’s greater plan for Abram (4)? What is the significance of changing his name to “Abraham” (5)? What else did God tell him about his plan, and what is most important here (6–8)?

5.  How could Abraham keep this covenant, and how would it change his household (9–14)?^[1] Why did God change his wife’s name (15–16)? How did Abraham respond, what did he ask, and why (17–18)? What did God tell him about his offspring (19–21)? What did Abraham do, and what does this tell us (22–27)?

^[1] For the role of circumcision in the lives of Christians today, see: Ro2:28–29; Gal5:2–3,6; 6:15; Php3:3; Col2:11–12.

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KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD

Genesis 18–19 (Go to ESV version)

Key Verse: 18:19, “For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

1.  Describe how Abraham serves his three guests (18:1–8); what stands out most here?

2.  What is the LORD’s message to Sarah, and how does she respond (9–12)? What does the LORD say (13–14), and why is this so important to believe?

3.  As they leave, what does the LORD say (16–18), and what does this show about their relationship? Read verse 19. How could God bring about what he promised Abraham? What else does the LORD tell him (20–21)? What should Abraham learn from this?

4.  Describe how Abraham prays for Sodom (22–33); why did he pray like this, and what does this tell us about prayer?

5.  How is Lot a contrast to Abraham (19:1–3)? What happened (4–5), what did Lot try to do (6–8), and how did the men respond (9)? How was Lot rescued (10–11)? What did the angels tell Lot, what did he do, and what resulted (12–14)?

6.  As morning dawned, how did the angels help Lot (15–22)? What happened to Sodom and Lot’s wife (23–26)? How does the author conclude (27–29)? What lesson from Lot and his daughters should we learn (30–38)?

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THROUGH ISAAC SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE NAMED

Genesis 20:1–21:34 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)
Key Verse: 21:12, “But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.^“

1.  Describe Abraham’s journey (20:1). What happened, and why was this such a problem (2)? What did God do (3)? How did Abimelech respond, and what does this show about him (4–5)? What did God tell him, and what can we learn here (6–7)?

2.  What did Abimelech do (8)? What did he say to Abraham (9–10)? How did Abraham explain (11–13)? What can we learn here about faith? What did Abimelech do next (14–16)? How did the matter conclude, and how was God working in this (17–18)?

3.  How does the author describe the birth of Isaac, and what does it tell us about God (21:1–2)? What did Abraham do, and why is this important (3–5)? What can we learn from Sarah’s response (6–7)? What happened later (8)? How did Sarah react (9–10)?

4.  How did this affect Abraham (11)? Read verses 12–13. Why would this direction for his family be hard for Abraham to accept, and why was it necessary? How did he respond (14), and what was the significance of his doing this? How did God take care of Hagar and Ishmael (15–21), and what can we learn here?

5.  At that time, what did Abimelech come and say, and why (22–23)? What did Abraham say in response, and how had he changed (24–26)? How is their covenant described (27–32)? What did Abraham do afterward, and what does this suggest about his faith (33–34)?

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GOD TESTS ABRAHAM

Genesis 22:1–19 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 22:12, He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

1.  To begin, how does the author introduce this event (1), and what can we learn from Abraham’s initial response to God? What did God ask Abraham to do (2)? What shows that he knew how hard this would be? Why was God asking him to do this?

2.  How did Abraham respond (3), and what does it show about him? What happened next (4–6), and why did Abraham do this? What did Isaac ask (7), and how would it make this harder? How did Abraham respond (8), and what can we learn from this?

3.  How is Abraham’s obedience described (9–10)? What happened (11)? What does the repeated phrase “Here I am” (see verse 1) tell us about Abraham? Read verse 12. What was the point of God’s test, and what can we learn from this?

4.  What happened next (13), how did Abraham interpret this (14), and why is this lesson important?

5.  What else did the LORD tell Abraham (15–18)? How is this similar to and different from God’s earlier promises to him? What spiritual lessons can we learn here?

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THE LORD ESTABLISHES ISAAC’S HOME

Genesis 22:20–25:18 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verses: 24:50–51, “⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. ⁵¹ Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”

1.  What did Abraham hear about his brother Nahor’s family (22:20–24)? How are the death and burial of Sarah described (23:1–20), and what is the main point here?

2.  Describe Abraham’s life now (24:1). How does he commission his servant (2–4), and why does he insist that Isaac’s wife be from his own kindred? What problem does the servant foresee, how does Abraham respond, and what can we learn from this (5–9)?

3.  How does the servant prepare (10)? What does he do when he arrives (11–14)? What happens (15–16)? What does the servant do next (17), and how does Rebekah respond (18–20)? How else is the servant described (21)? What does he do and ask (22–23), how does he respond to Rebekah (24–27), and what can we learn from him?

4.  How does Rebekah’s brother Laban receive the servant (29–32)? Summarize what the servant tells the family (33–49); what is his main point? Read verses 50–51. What does the response of these men show about them? Why do we need this same conviction?

5.  What does the servant do (52–54)? How does he respond to the family’s request (55–56)? What happens when they ask Rebekah about this, and what can we learn here (57–58)? How does her family bless her (59–61)? How does the author describe Isaac and Rebekah’s meeting and what God was doing (62–67)?

6.  How else is Abraham’s family described, and how else did he prepare for Isaac’s future (25:1–6)? What does the author say about Abraham’s death and burial (7–11)? How does the genealogy of Ishmael bring Abraham’s story to a close (12–18)?

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GOD CHOOSES JACOB

Genesis 25:19–34 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 25:23, And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”

1.  What is the problem in Isaac’s family, what does he do about it, and what happens (25:19–21; compare with verse 26b)? How is he different from his father Abraham? What does Rebekah experience, and what does she do about it (22)? What can we learn from this couple?

2.  How does God answer Rebekah, and what do his words mean to her (23)? What can we learn here about God and his choosing (Ro9:10–13)?

3.  How does God’s word begin to come true (24–26a)? What does Jacob’s name mean, and what is the significance of this? How are he and his twin brother contrasted (27–28)?

4.  How is Esau described one day (29–30)? What does Jacob say to him (31), and what does this reveal about him? How does Esau respond (32), and what does Jacob do (33)? What is the outcome (34), and how is Esau’s story a warning to us (Heb12:16–17)?

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SOJOURN IN THIS LAND

Genesis 26:1–35 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 26:3, ^“Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.”

1.  How is the setting described, what does Isaac do, and why (1)? Read verses 2–3. What direction does God give him, what does he promise him, and why? How can we apply this to our lives? Read verses 4–5. What else does God promise him, and what does this tell us about God? What is the significance of Isaac’s response (6)?

2.  What does Isaac do, and why (7)? What eventually happens (8)? What does Abimelech do (9–11)? What can we learn here about Isaac and about God?

3.  What happens to Isaac, and why (12–13)? What effect does it have (14–16)? Where does Isaac go, and what does he do there (17–18)? How do the local herdsmen respond, and what does Isaac do in each case (19–22)? What can we learn from these things about God and about the life of faith?

4.  Where does Isaac go next (23)? Review what had happened there earlier (21:25–33). What happens this time (24), and what more does this tell us about God? How does Isaac respond (25), and what does this indicate?

5.  How is Abimelech’s and Isaac’s next meeting described (26–27)? What do these men say to Isaac (28–29)? What is the outcome (30–31)? What else happens there (32–33), and what is its significance? How does the chapter conclude, and what can we learn here (34–35)?

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MAY HE GIVE THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM TO YOU 

Genesis 27:1–28:9 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 28:4, “May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!”

1.  What is the setting, what does Isaac tell Esau to do, and why (27:1–4; cf. 25:28a)? Why would Isaac blessing Esau be a mistake (25:31–34; 26:34–35)?

2.  What does Rebekah do and why (27:5–10; cf. 25:23)? Why does Jacob hesitate (27:11–12), how does Rebekah help him (13–17), and what can we learn from her?

3.  Describe Isaac and Jacob’s meeting (18–20). What does Isaac ask, and how must Jacob have felt (21–22)? What are Isaac’s reservations (23–25), and what finally convinces him to bless Jacob (26–27)? What is wrong with Jacob doing this?

4.  Describe Isaac’s blessing (28–29). What happens next (30–31)? How does Isaac respond (32–33)? What does Esau do (34), and what does Isaac tell him (35)? What does Esau say (36)? How does Isaac answer, and what does Esau do again (37–38)? What else does Isaac tell him (39–40), and what do we learn here (Heb12:14–17)?

5.  How does Esau respond (41)? What does Rebekah do (42–45)? How does she get Isaac to accept this plan (46)? What does Isaac do (28:1–2)? How does he bless Jacob again, and what is the significance of this (3–4)? What can we learn here about God? What does Esau realize, what does he do, and what lesson is here (6–9)?

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GOD MEETS JACOB AT BETHEL

Genesis 28:10–22 (Go to ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verses: 28:21–22, “²¹ so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, ²² and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

1.  Why is Jacob on this journey (27:36,41–45; 28:1–2)? How is Jacob described at this point (10–11)? How might he have felt?

2.  What did Jacob dream, and what did it mean (12)? How does God introduce himself, and why (13a)? What promises does he give him (13b–15)?

3.  Compare this with God’s first encounter with Abraham (12:1–3) and with Isaac (26:2–5). What is the same and what is different here? What is God’s greater purpose in helping Jacob?

4.  What happens to Jacob, what does he say, and what does this tell us about his understanding of God (16–17)? What does Jacob do (18), and what does it mean? What does he name the place, and why (19)?

5.  Describe the contents of Jacob’s vow (20–22). Why do you think he said such things? Why was it good for a man like him to vow to God? How did God use this in Jacob’s life (31:11–13; 35:1)? What can we learn here about developing personal faith?

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THE LORD BLESSES JACOB’S FAMILY

Genesis 29:1–30:24

Key Verse: 29:31, ^“When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.”

1.  When Jacob arrives, what does he see (29:1–3), what does he ask the shepherds (4–6), and what does his interaction with them tell us (7–8)? How is his meeting with Rachel described (9–12), and what more does this tell us about Jacob?

2.  Describe Jacob and Laban’s meeting (13–14). What does Laban suggest (15), and what further information is given (16–17)? What does Jacob offer, why, and how is this period in his life depicted (18–20)? What does Laban do, how does Jacob respond, and what does it show about their relationship and about Jacob (21–30)?

3.  What does God do (31)? What does Leah’s naming her first four sons show about her (32–35)? How do Rachel and Jacob respond to this (30:1–2)? How do they use Rachel’s servant Bilhah, and what do the names of her sons mean (3–8)?

4.  What does Leah do (9–13), and what do the names of these sons mean? What does the mandrakes incident show about this family, and what is the outcome (14–18)? How is the end of Leah’s childbearing described (19–21)? What does God do for Rachel, and what does her response show about her (22–24)?

5.  In these years of human struggle, what was God doing in and through Jacob and his family (28:14; cf. 17:4–6)? What truths about God can we find here?

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THE LORD BLESSES JACOB’S FAMILY (Part 2)

Genesis 30:25–31:55

Key Verse: 31:42, ^“If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.”

1.  What does Jacob ask Laban and why (30:25–26)? How does Laban respond (27–28)? How does Jacob account for this (29–30)? What does he propose (31–33)? What does Laban do (34–36)? What does Jacob do to counter this (37–43)?

2.  How and why do things become difficult for Jacob there (31:1–2)? What does the LORD tell him (3)? How does Jacob explain things to Rachel and Leah (4–13), and what can we learn here about God? How do the sisters respond (14–16)?

3.  How is Jacob’s departure described (17–21)? What does Laban do, and what does God tell him (22–24)? What does Laban say to Jacob (25–30)? What does Jacob say, and what does he not know (31–32)? How is the search described, and what does this suggest about Rachel and those “gods” (33–35)?

4.  How does Jacob rebuke Laban (36–37)? How does he describe his life of serving him (38–41)? How does he account for his success (42)? How does Laban respond (43–44)? What is the significance of the heap of stones and the names they give that place (45–50)?

5.  What are Laban’s final words to Jacob (51–53a)? What does Jacob do (53b–54)? Describe Laban’s departure (55). How did this mark a turning point in Jacob’s life? What can we learn in this passage about God?

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GOD CHANGED JACOB’S NAME TO ISRAEL

Genesis 32:1–33:20

Key Verse: 32:28, “Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

1.  Review why Jacob had to flee from his home 20 years earlier (27:41–45). Now, as his large family begins their journey back there, what happens, and why (32:1–2)? How does Jacob prepare to meet Esau (3–5)? What news do the messengers bring back (6), how does it affect Jacob (7–8), and what does this show about him?

2.  In his prayer, how does Jacob address God, and why (9)? What does he say about himself (10)? What is the point of his prayer (11)? How does he try to overcome his fear (12)? What can we learn from him about how to pray?

3.  Describe Jacob’s “present” to Esau (13–15). What does he instruct his servants to say and do (16–20a)? What is Jacob’s goal in this (20b)? Note the footnotes in verse 20; what is the significance of the word “face” here?

4.  What does Jacob do next (22–23), and what happens (24)? How else is this wrestling match described (25)? What happens at daybreak, and what does this show about Jacob (26)? How and why is his name changed (27–28)? Why does Jacob ask the man’s name, and with what outcome (29–30)? What impact does this have (31–32)?

5.  Describe how Jacob prepares to meet Esau; what does this show about him (33:1–3)? Describe Esau at their meeting (4); what is the significance of this? How is Jacob’s family introduced to Esau (5–7)? How is the matter of Esau’s “present” settled (8–11), and what can we learn from Jacob’s testimony here (10b)?

6.  How is their parting ways described (12–17); why does Jacob not want to stay with Esau? What does he do next (18–20), what is the significance of his altar and the name he gives it? What is the problem with Jacob trying to settle down here?

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THE GOD OF BETHEL

Genesis 34:1–36:33

Key Verse: 35:7, “and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.

1.  When Jacob settled down, what happened (34:1–4), and what does this show about Shechem? How did Jacob and his sons react to the news (5–7), what is emphasized here, and why? What did Hamor and his son Shechem propose to Jacob’s family (8–12), and why?

2.  What condition did Jacob’s sons give (13–17), and what was their purpose in this? How did Hamor and Shechem persuade their men (18–24), and what was their plan? What did two of Jacob’s sons do (25–29), and why? How did Jacob rebuke them, and how did they respond (30–31)?

3.  What did God again tell Jacob to do (35:1; cf. 31:13)? In preparation, what did Jacob tell his household to do, and why (2)? How did he explain what this meant to him (3)? How did they respond (4), what happened (5), and what can we learn here?

4.  What did Jacob do (6–7), and what is the significance of the name “El-bethel”? How can we have such faith? What happened there (8)? What did God say to Jacob (9–13), how did he respond (14–15), and what did it mean? What happened to Rachel (16–19), and how does the author comment (20–21)? What else happened (22a)?

5.  Note how the sons of Jacob are listed (22b–26) and the death of his father Isaac (27–29). What new section begins here (36:1)? How is Esau’s family described (2–5), where he went, and why (6–8)? Briefly review Esau’s descendants; how does this bring this section of Genesis to a close?

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JOSEPH’S DREAMS

Genesis 37:1–36 (See ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 37:9, “Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

1.  How is Joseph described, and what does this mean (2a)? What does he do (2b), and what does this show about him? What does his father do for him and why (3)? How do his brothers respond (4)?

2.  In this dysfunctional family, what do Joseph’s dreams tell us about him, and about God? Describe his first dream (6–7). Why do you think he tells it to his brothers? How do they react and why (5b,8)?

3.  Compare Joseph’s second dream with his first one (9; 6–7). After their negative reaction the first time, why would he tell his brothers this one as well? Why tell his father also, and how does he react (10–11)?

4.  What task does Israel give Joseph and why (12–14)? How does Joseph eventually find his brothers (15–17), and what does this show about him? When he appears, how do his brothers respond to him (18–20), and what does this show about them? What does Reuben do and say, and why (21–22)? What do they do to Joseph (23–24)?

5.  Describe who appears, what Judah suggests, and how the brothers respond (25–28). How does Reuben react to this (29–30)? What story do the brothers tell their father, and how does he take it (31–35)? How is God working, even in these things?

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THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH

Genesis 38:1–39:23 (See ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 39:21, “But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

1.  How is Judah’s life described (38:1–5)? What happens to his first two sons (6–10)? How does he handle Tamar (11)? When his wife dies, what does Tamar do (13–14)? How does Judah behave (15–16a)? What pledge does Tamar secure, and what happens (16b–19)? What happens to the goat and the pledge (20–23)?

2.  In three months, what news does Judah get, and what does he say (24)? What paternity evidence does Tamar produce, and how does Judah respond (25–26)? What happens during her labor (27–30)? What does her inclusion in the covenant blessing of Abraham tell us (cf. Mt1:1–3a)?

3.  In Egypt, what initially happens to Joseph (39:1)? Imagine what his life as a slave in a foreign land was like. What does the phrase “The LORD was with Joseph” (2a) mean? What does his master see and do (3–4)? How else is God’s blessing described (5–6a)? What lessons can we learn here?

4.  How is Joseph tempted (6b–7)? What does he tell his master’s wife (8–9), and how does he persist (10)? What happens one day (11–12)? What story does she tell the men of her house (13–15) and her husband (16–18)? What happens to Joseph, and how might he have felt at this time?

5.  Read verse 21. What can we learn here about God? What is Joseph appointed to do in prison, and why (22)? What is the outcome (23)? In these two chapters, compare and contrast Judah and Joseph; what is God doing in the lives of these two men?

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GOD REVEALS HIS SOVEREIGN WILL

Genesis 40:1–41:57 (See ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verses: 41:51–52, ^“Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” ⁵² The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

1.  What two men end up with Joseph (1–4)? What happens one night (5)? How does Joseph respond to them (6–8)? How does Joseph interpret the cupbearer’s dream (9–13)? What does he add (14–15), and why? How does he interpret the baker’s dream (16–19)? What stands out here about Joseph? What happens (20–23)?

2.  How much time goes by (41:1a), and what does Pharaoh dream (1b–7)? What does he do in the morning (8)? What does the cupbearer finally remember (9–13)? How does Joseph prepare to meet Pharaoh, and why (14)? How does he account for his ability to interpret dreams (15–16), and what can we learn from him?

3.  What new details about his dreams does Pharaoh give (17–24)? How does Joseph explain their meaning (25–32)? What else does he add (33–36), and why? How does Pharaoh respond (37–39)? What happens to Joseph (40–44), and why (37:5–11)? How else does his life change (45)?

4.  What does Joseph do in this new role (46–49), and why? How does Joseph name his two sons (50–52)? What can we learn from this about Joseph’s life and about God? How can we experience God’s help like he did?

5.  What happened in the land of Egypt (53–54)? How did God use Joseph (55–56)? What broader impact did this have (57)? What can we learn in these chapters about God and his ways of working?

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TO PRESERVE FOR YOU A REMNANT ON EARTH

Genesis 42:1–45:28 (See ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 45:7, “And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.”

1.  Whom does Jacob send to Egypt, and why (42:1–5)? How does Joseph treat his brothers, and why (6–11)? What else does he do (12–17)? How does he change his plan (18–20)? Note their response (21–22). What else does he do, and why (23–25)?

2.  What happens on their way home (26–28)? What do the brothers report to their father Jacob (29–34)? What do they discover (35)? How does Jacob respond (36)? What does Reuben offer (37), and why doesn’t Jacob accept this (38)?

3.  How does chapter 43 open (43:1)? What does Judah say (2–5)? How does his father respond (6)? What do the brothers tell him (7)? What does Judah offer (8–10), and how is this different from Reuben’s (42:37)? How does Jacob send them (43:11–15)?

4.  How does Joseph prepare (16–17)? How do they respond (18–22)? What does the steward say (23a)? How do they prepare for lunch (23b–25)? Describe their meeting (26–29). What does Joseph do (30–31), and why? Describe their meal (32–34).

5.  What does Joseph tell his steward to do first (44:1–2)? Next (3–6)? How do they respond (7–9)? What happens (10–13), and how is Joseph testing them? How do they interact initially (14–17)? In his long speech (18–34), in what ways has Judah changed?

6.  What does Joseph do (45:1–3), and why wait until now? What does he believe about God and his purpose in his life (4–8), and how can we experience this also? Who is the “remnant”? What does he urge his brothers to do (9–11)? How does he conclude, and what does this show us (12–15)? What does Pharaoh do, and why (16–20)?

7.  How does Joseph send them off (21–24)? How does Jacob initially respond to them (25–26)? What persuades him (27–28)? Review how God used Joseph in these chapters; what can we learn from him about how to help others?

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GOD WHO HAS BEEN MY SHEPHERD

Genesis 46:1–50:26 (See ESV Bible Verses)

Key Verse: 48:15, And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,”

1.  Where does Jacob go, what does he do there, and why (46:1)? What does God tell him, and why (2–4)? How is his trip to Egypt described (5–7)? What details about the family does the author give, and why (8–27)?

2.  How does the family get to the land of Goshen (28)? How is Joseph’s meeting his father described (29)? What does Israel say (30), and what instructions does Joseph give his brothers (31–34)?

3.  How does Joseph help his brothers present themselves to Pharaoh (47:1–4) and how does Pharaoh respond (5–6)? How is Jacob presented, what does he say to Pharaoh, and what can we learn from his view of life (7–10)? What is the outcome (11–12)?

4.   How does Joseph manage Egypt’s grain supply throughout the rest of the famine, and what can we learn from his stewardship in these things (13–26)? How is Jacob’s end of life described, and what does he ask of Joseph (27–31)?

5.   What does Jacob share and request (48:1–7)? How does Joseph introduce his two sons to his father, and why does Jacob cross his hands to bless them (8–14)? What does he say to these two boys (15–16), and what can we learn from his testimony about God? How is the placing of Ephraim before Manasseh settled (17–20)?

6.  List how Jacob blessed his sons (49:1–27). What can we learn here? What request does Jacob make before his death (28–33)? What happens afterwards (50:1–3)? How is Jacob buried (4–14) and what is the significance of this?

7.  How do Joseph’s brothers behave after their father passed, and how does Joseph respond (15–18)? What does Joseph say to them (19–21), and what can we learn from him? How is Joseph’s end described, and what hope did he plant in his family (22–26)?

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