Lesson for March 1, 2026

Abraham 1–2 & Genesis 12–23 & Abraham 1–2

Content To Cover:

February 16–22: “To Be a Greater Follower of Righteousness” (Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2)February 23–March 1: “Is Any Thing Too Hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18–23)

Lesson Plan

Abraham 1

Abraham’s Background and Desire for Priesthood (Abraham 1:1–4)
Idolatry and Human Sacrifice in Chaldea (1:5–15)
Abraham Receives a Divine Commission (1:15–19)
God Reveals Egyptian Influence in Chaldea (1:20–28)
Abraham’s Journey Begins (1:29–31)

Q: What did Abraham desire? How were his desires evident in his actions? How did God support his desires?Q: What are your desires? How are they evident in your actions? How does God support you?Q: What message do these verses have for people whose family members do not desire righteousness?

Abraham 2

God Calls Abraham and Establishes the Covenant (2:1–11)
Abraham Departs with Lot and Sarai (2:12–14)
The Famine and Journey to Egypt (2:15–18)
Abraham Receives the “Great Knowledge” (2:9–11, 2:17)
Arrival in Egypt; Abraham as Teacher (2:19–25)

Q: What exactly did God promise Abraham and Sarah?Q: Why do we need to know that God made a covenant with Abraham?

Abraham 2:6–11

6 But I, Abraham, and Lot, my brother’s son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord appeared unto me, and said unto me: Arise, and take Lot with thee; for I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice.7 For I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in heaven; the earth is my footstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my chariot; I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly.8 My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.9 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.

Genesis 12

God’s Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1–9)
Abram and Sarai in Egypt (Genesis 12:10–20)

Commandments & Blessings

God told Abraham to “be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2).What do you think that means? How will you be a blessing?

Genesis 12:1-3:

1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 13

Abram and Lot return from Egypt (13:1–4)
Abram and Lot’s Herdsmen Quarrel (13:5–7)
Abram Offers Lot First Choice of Land (13:8–13)
God Reaffirms His Promise to Abram (13:14–18)

Genesis 13:6–8

6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

generosity —> multipliedanalogy (dead sea only takes, while sea of gallilee takes and gives.

Genesis 13:15–16

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Analogy: christ as our coach can make anything of us like a national champion track team.

Genesis 14

The ‘Power play’ War: Four Kings vs. Five Kings (14:1–12)
Abram’s Rescue Mission (14:13–16)
Melchizedek and the Blessing (14:17–20)
Abram Rejects the King of Sodom’s Offer (14:21–24)

Genesis 14:18–19

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

JST, Genesis 14:25–40

25 And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.34 And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world;35 And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together; and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire.36 And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.37 And he lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the storehouse of God;38 Him whom God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor.39 Wherefore, Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.40 And it came to pass, that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an everlasting possession; according to the covenant which he had made, and according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him.

Genesis 15

God’s promise of an Heir (15:1–6)
God’s promise of Land (15:7–11)
Prophecy of Israel’s Future Suffering (15:12–16)
The Covenant Ceremony (15:17–21)

One of Abraham and Sarah’s greatest desires—to have a child—went unfulfilled for many years.

See Genesis 15:1–6

1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

What do we learn from Hebrews 11:8–13 about how Abraham and Sarah faced this trial?

Hebrew 11:8–13

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

How does the Savior help you “embrace” His promises, even if they are “afar off”?

Fun Stuff: Jebusites & Salem

Who were the Jebusites?

The people known as the Jebusites are mentioned throughout the Old Testament. The Jebusites are a people group descended from Canaan.

Jebusites From Bibehub .com (link):

“The term ‘Jebusites’ appears in Scripture as one of the peoples of the land of Canaan. “Genesis 10:15-16 places them in the line of Canaan, stating, ‘And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites…’ The name is connected to ‘Jebus,’ an earlier name for Jerusalem (cf. Judges 19:10).“From a historical-linguistic perspective, ‘Jebusites’ likely stems from a root referring to the city of Jebus. These inhabitants dwelt in a highland settlement that would later become central to Israelite life and worship in Jerusalem.”[ABO: It seems that Jesus was a name for a settlement at or near Jerusalem]

What/Where is Salem? - Genesis 14:18

Salem is the land where Melchizedek lived at the time of AbrahamGenesis 14:18 “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.” [ABO: I think bread and wine here appear to be symbols of God’s plenty, which of course carry much more weight when we foresee the use of bread and wine to remember the sacrifice of God’s son]

Salem From Biblehub.com (link):

“Psalm 76:2 mentions Salem: ‘His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion.’ This verse poetically links Salem with Zion, suggesting a close association with Jerusalem, which is often considered the same location or closely related.”[ABO: So it seems that Salem is also a name for a settlement at or near Jerusalem]

Synthesis (maybe an original thought?)

Point A: “Jebus” is an early name for some or all of Jerusalem.+ Point B: “Salem” is an early name for some or all of Jerusalem.= “Jebus-Salem” would make sense as an early name for the two settlements growing into a single settlement?And (I think) the names “Jebus-Salem” and “Jerusalem” sound alike! Maybe an etiology?

Genesis 16

Sarai’s Proposal for an Heir (16:1–3)
Conflict Between Sarai and Hagar (16:4–6)
The Angel of the Lord Meets Hagar (16:7–12)
Hagar Names God (16:13–14)
Ishmael’s Birth (16:15–16)

Hagar’s First Flight from Abraham

Quite a vague description of the circumstances:

Genesis 16:3-7:

3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.4 ¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.7 ¶ And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

Lots to unpack here:

Q: Why did Hagar not live in Egypt? A: To me it sounds like she was a gifted as a servant/slave from their time in Egypt.

Pattern: Look -> See -> Judge -> Take and/or Give

A recurring motif of Genesis, the Old Testament, and beyond is the idea first given in the story of Eve, but there are many more examples than I can share. Here are a few from our assigned readings:

Eve

She looks at the tree of knowledge of good and evil.She sees the fruit of the treeShe judges it (to be good)She takes of the fruitShe gives of the fruit to Adam

Lot

He looks at the land before them.He sees the land of Canaan (Sodom & Gomorrah)He judges that land to be goodHe takes of the best landHe doesn’t seem to give

Egyptian Princes

They look at the newly-arrived entourageThey see the masters of the estate (Abraham and Sarah)They judge her to be goodThey take herSo they can give her to the king

Hagar

She looks at the inequalities between herself and SarahShe sees Sarah (without child, analogous to a tree being without fruit)She judges Sarah to be inferior (verse 4: “her mistress was despised in her eyes”)She was taken as a slave from EgyptShe was given as a surrogate to Abraham… and interestingly she is described as being dismissed from their party as being ‘in thy [Sarah’s] hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee’, which sounds a lot like how eve held the fruit in her hand.

Hagar’s Blessing

Genesis 16:8-15

8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her,

(NLT Gen 16: “11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.”)

12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

(NLT Gen 16: “13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are the God who sees me.’ [Hebrew: El-roi] She also said, ‘Have I truly seen the One who sees me?’ ”)

14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

(NLT: Gen 16 “14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.”)

The naming of ‘Ishmael’

Note that “Ishmael” means “God hears.”

Genesis 16:15

¶ And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

Q: What does it mean that Abraham agreed to name the child Ishmael, according to the command of the angel to Hagar?Q: Does it show that Abraham was convinced of the divinity of Hagar’s revelation?Q: How has God shown you that He has heard you?

Fun Stuff: Comparing the names ‘Ishmael’ and ‘Samuel’

Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Ishmael.html, https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Samuel.html

The name Ishmael

Meaning: God HearsEtymology: From (1) the verb (shama'), to hear, and (2) the word ('el), God.

The name Samuel

Meaning: Name Of God or Heard Of GodEtymology: From (1) the noun (shem), name or renown, and (2) the word ('el), God.From (1) the verb (shama'), to hear, and (2) the word ('el), God.

[ABO: It’s interesting to see the similar (if not identical) origins of the names ‘Samuel’ (Herald of United Kingdom) and ‘Ishmael’ (Hagar’s blessed son).

Genesis 17

God Appears & Names Abram Abraham (17:1–8)
The Covenant Sign: Circumcision (17:9–14)
Sarai Named Sarah, Promised Son (17:15–27)

Genesis 17:1–8

1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

and…

Genesis 17:15–22

15 ¶ And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.*17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?”

*compare Genesis 17:17 to JST Gen 17:23: “23 Then Abraham fell on his face and rejoiced, and said in his heart, There shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old, and Sarah that is ninety years old shall bear.”

18 And Abraham said unto God, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!”19 And God said, “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Genesis 18

Three Visitors at Mamre (18:1–8)
Promise of Isaac Reaffirmed (18:9–15)
The Lord Reveals His Plan for Sodom (18:16–22)
Abraham Intercedes (18:23–33)

Q: How did the Lord help Abraham and Sarah to have greater faith in His promises?

Genesis 18:9–12

9 ¶ And they said unto him, “Where is Sarah thy wife?” And he said, “Behold, in the tent.”10 And he said, “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also”?

And…

Genesis 18:14

14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Genesis 19

The Angels Arrive in Sodom (19:1–3)
The Men of Sodom Surround the House (19:4–11)
Warning to Flee (19:12–14)
Lot Escapes Reluctantly (19:15–22)
Destruction of the Cities (19:23–29)
Lot and His Daughters (19:30–38)

Q: What lessons do you learn about fleeing wickedness as you read about Lot and his family?

Genesis 19:12–17

12 ¶ And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.15 ¶ And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.17 ¶ And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

And…

JST, Genesis 19:9–15

9 And they said unto him, Stand back. And they were angry with him.10 And they said among themselves, This one man came in to sojourn among us, and he will needs now make himself to be a judge; now we will deal worse with him than with them.11 Wherefore they said unto the man, We will have the men, and thy daughters also; and we will do with them as seemeth us good.12 Now this was after the wickedness of Sodom.13 And Lot said, Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, plead with my brethren that I may not bring them out unto you; and ye shall not do unto them as seemeth good in your eyes;14 For God will not justify his servant in this thing; wherefore, let me plead with my brethren, this once only, that unto these men ye do nothing, that they may have peace in my house; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.15 And they were angry with Lot and came near to break the door, but the angels of God, which were holy men, put forth their hand and pulled Lot into the house unto them, and shut the door.

And…

Luke 9:62

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Q: What did Lot’s wife do wrong?

Jeffrey R. Holland:“Apparently, what was wrong with Lot’s wife was that she wasn’t just looking back; in her heart she wanted to go back. It would appear that even before she was past the city limits, she was already missing what Sodom and Gomorrah had offered her. …“… Dwelling on past lives, including past mistakes, is just not right! It is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. …“To all [people] of every generation, I call out, ‘Remember Lot’s wife’ [Luke 17:32]. Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the ‘high priest of good things to come’ (Hebrews 9:11)”

Luke 17:29-36 - Christ’s Warning

29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.32 Remember Lot’s wife.33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Hebrews 9:11 - Paul’s Warning

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Genesis 20

Abraham Moves to Gerar (20:1–2)
God Warns Abimelech in a Dream (20:3–7)
Abimelech Confronts Abraham (20:8–13)
Restoration and Blessing (20:14–18)

Genesis 21

Birth of Isaac (21:1–7)
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away (21:8–21)
Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech (21:22–34)

Genesis 22

God’s Test/Journey to Moriah (22:1–8)
God Intervenes (22:9–14)
Covenant Reaffirmed with Oath (22:15–18)
Return to Beersheba (22:19)
Nahor’s Family Line (22:20–24)

Parallel of Abraham & Isaac to Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ

Genesis 22:1–19

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.3 ¶ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

NLT Gen 22: 14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”NIV Gen 22: 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

15 ¶ And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

Compare to John 3:16:

16 ¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And compare to John 1:29:

29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Genesis 23

Sarah’s Death (23:1–2)
Abraham Seeks a Burial Site (23:3–9)
Negotiation with Ephron [Not Zach] (23:10–16)
Burial of Sarah (23:17–20)

Glossary

Exegesis & Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics - What we understand from reading the scriptures in our contextExegesis - Trying to understand what the author of scripture was referring toExample: The Hebrew word for ‘Covenant’ comes from a word that means ‘cutting’An Exegesis:A Hermeneutic:A sign of a covenant being brokered might include the splitting of a animal into parts.As part of my covenant to follow Christ, I will cut sin out of my life.

Asdf

Context & Background

Allusion

What does the name ‘George’ mean?What does the name ‘Curious George’ mean?What does the name ‘George of the Jungle’ mean?What does the name ‘George Washington’ mean?

What are they? Babel? Ur? Chaldea? Babylon? Shinar?

What is Babel?

An early settlement and its tower near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The course of these rivers largely defines the ‘’Fertile Crescent” (See images).

Fun Stuff: ‘Etemenanki’

Archeologically, ‘Ziggurat’ means a type of tall building. It could reasonably be translated as ‘Tower’, and ‘Babel’ is an early name for ‘Babylon’An archeological dig about 90 km south of Baghdad is called ‘Etemenanki’ (Link: Wikipedia), which is translated as ‘Temple of the Foundation of Heaven and Earth’. NeoBabylonian inscriptions, including one attributed to Nebuchadnezzar II, explicitly call it ‘Zikkurat Babibli’. This translates as ‘Ziggurat [or Tower] of Babylon’

What is Ur?What is Ur?

Chaldeas is a people group in the land that became Babylon.

Who are Chaldeans?

Chaldeans are a people group that seem to predate the locations later called Babel, and later Babylon.In later use, the word “Chaldean” is functionally the same as “Babylonian”

What is Babylon?

What is Baylon?

What is Shinar?

What is Potiphar’s Hill?

Potiphar = Potiphera = ‘PadiPara’, which would mean ‘He whom Ra has given’This naming convention was used throughout the New Kingdom period of Egypt, but begin in the Middle Egyeptian periods. This would have to be a different Potiphar that the Egyptian Potiphar who was Captain of the Guard, and who took Joseph as a slave was not yet born.

What Egyptian Influence in Babylon

Religious and Mythic Concepts Flowed Freely

Canaan Mesopotamia

Storm gods: Baal ~ Hadad echo Ishkur/AdadHigh gods: El shares religious functions with EnlilMotifs (divine council, cosmic combat & sacred mountains) circulate widely

Egypt Canaan

Canaanite gods appear in Egyptian texts: Baal, Asherah/Athirat, Anat, Resheph, QadeshEgyptians adopted some Canaanite military and fertility deities during the New Kingdom, but their presence in stelae suggests earlier contact too.

Egypt Mesopotamia

Less direct but present through intermediaries:- Shared cosmological ideas (primeval waters, divine kingship)- Shared technical-magical practices (amulets, incantation formulas)

Correspondence between Egypt and Babylon

From Wikipedia: ‘Amarna Letters’ (Link): Correspondence (in the form of hundreds of clay tablets) was common throughout the levant, as attested by the Amarna Letters, correspondence from Pharaoh to contemporary kingdoms, and stored in Egypt:001–014 Babylonia015–016 Assyria017–030 Mitanni031–032 Arzawa033–040 Alashiya041–044 Hatti045–380+ Syria/Lebanon/Canaan

Extra Fun Stuff

As I was reviewing the Amarna Letters, I found a cool intertextuality (same words used in both, suggesting a connectedness) between Genesis 1:3 and two of the letters:
Genesis 1:3: “3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
Amarna Letters 266, 296: “I looked this way, and I looked that way, and there was no light. Then I looked towards the king, my lord, and there was light.” (EA 266 (by Gezer leader Tagi, a Ginti mayor); EA 296 (by Gaza King Lahtiri/Yahtiru.)Of note, these letters were from inhabitants of “Syria, Lebanon, & Canaan”Result: A shared mythic vocabulary existed across the Levant. The Middle Bronze Age Near East was a single cultural ecosystem. Ideas and practices (legal, religious, economic, linguistic) flowed freely along trade arteries that connected Egypt, Canaan, and Babylon. The world of the patriarchal narratives aligns well with this interconnected environment.