Genesis

Jen´uh-sis

The first book of the Bible; it is the narrative account of both the world’s and Israel’s inception. The book divides into two major sections, the primeval or world history in Genesis 1–11 and the family history of Israel’s ancestors in chapters 12–50.

Outline of Contents

Genesis

I. Primeval history: creation and human history (Gen 1:1-11:32)

A. Creation and its goodness (Gen 1:1-2:25)

11 Creation of the world (Gen 1:1-2:4)

12. Creation of man and woman (Gen 2:4-25 cf. Gen 1:26-27)

B. Creation gone awry (Gen 3:1-4:16)

11. Disobedience in the Garden (Gen 3:1-24)

12. Strife among brothers (Gen 4:1-16)

C. Life before the Flood (Gen 4:17-6:4)

D. The Flood story (Gen 6:5-9:29)

11. Human corruption and divine resolve (Gen 6:5-22)

12. The coming of the Flood (Gen 7:1-24)

13. The resolution of the Flood (Gen 8:1-22)

14. The covenant of the rainbow (Gen 9:1-17)

15. The family of Noah (Gen 9:18-29)

E. The generations of the sons of Noah (Gen 10:1-32)

F. The Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9)

G. The generations of Shem (Gen 11:10-32)

II. The family history of Israel’s ancestors (Gen 12:1-50:26)

A. Stories of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 12:1-25:18)

11. The initial call and promise (Gen 12:1-9)

12. At residence in Egypt (Gen 12:10-20)

13. Division of the land with Lot (Gen 13:1-18)

14. Victory over the kings (Gen 14:1-24)

15. The covenant of land and progeny (Gen 15:1-21)

16. Sarah and Hagar (Gen 16:1-16)

17. The covenant of circumcision (Gen 17:1-27)

18. The promise of a son (Gen 18:1-15)

19. Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:16-19:38)

10. At residence in Gerar (Gen 20:1-18)

11. Isaac’s birth and Hagar’s dismissal (Gen 21:1-21)

12. The covenant at Beer-sheba (Gen 21:22-34)

13 The testing of Abraham (Gen 22:1-24)

14. The death of Sarah (Gen 23:1-20)

15. The marriage of Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 24:1-67)

16. Abraham’s genealogy and death (Gen 25:1-18)

B. Stories of Isaac and Jacob (Gen 25:19-36:43)

11. The birth of Jacob and Esau (Gen 25:19-34)

12. At residence in Gerar (Gen 26:1-30)

13. The blessings of Jacob and Esau (Gen 27:1-40)

14. Jacob’s journeys and residence in Haran (Gen 27:41-31:55)

15. Jacob and Esau reconciled (Gen 32:1-33:20)

16. Jacob’s children at Shechem (Gen 34:1-31)

17. Various Jacob traditions (Gen 35:1-29)

18. The descendants of Esau (Gen 36:1-43)

C. The story of Jacob’s sons: Joseph and his brothers (Gen 37:1-50:26)

11. Joseph’s dream and trouble (Gen 37:1-36)

12. Judah and Tamar (Gen 38:1-30)

13. Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt (Gen 39:1-41:57)

14. Joseph and his brothers (Gen 42:1-44:34)

15. Joseph’s self-disclosure (Gen 45:1-28)

16. Jacob’s settlement in Egypt (Gen 46:1-47:26)

17. The blessing and last days of Jacob (Gen 47:27-50:14)

18. Joseph forgives his brothers (Gen 50:15-21)

19. Joseph’s last days (Gen 50:22-26)