Genesis
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Having overcome Laban, Jacob prepares for his next obstacle on his way back home — his scorned brother, Esau. On the journey, the angels of the Lord meet him, and for some reason, Jacob sees it fit to rename that place Mahanaim, meaning “two camps” — one for himself and one for God and His […]
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After twenty long years of deceit, servitude, and strained relationships, Jacob finally reached his breaking point. The once mutually beneficial relationship between him and his uncle Laban had soured beyond repair. What began as a place of refuge after Jacob’s flight from Esau had turned into another prison of manipulation. Yet, God’s voice broke through […]
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After a long journey of nearly 500 miles from Canaan, Jacob finally arrived at a well in the land of the eastern peoples—wearied and empty-handed, bearing nothing with him except the promise of God. Nearly a century earlier, at perhaps this very spot, Abraham’s servant Eliezer had met Rebekah. As Jacob spoke with shepherds waiting […]
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With the tension in the family boiling over, Jacob is sent away under the guise of finding a wife, but in reality, he will be on the run for his life. Esau is waiting for the day of his father Isaac’s death, harbouring a fixed resolve to kill Jacob. Rebekah, gripped by the fear of […]
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Isaac was growing old, and his failing eyesight could scarcely distinguish the faces before him, though he recognised Esau more clearly than anyone else. Esau, the rugged hunter, the favoured son, the one who supplied his father with the meals he loved. Yet, while Esau’s wives were a continual source of grief to Rebekah, Isaac […]
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The story of Isaac mirrors that of his father Abraham—of mistakes repeated but also of faith that endures. When a famine, similar to the one during Abraham’s time, ravaged the land, Isaac, like his father before him, moved toward Gerar in search of refuge. Yet here, God gave a direct command: The Lord appeared to […]
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Abraham took another woman, Keturah, as his wife—likely during Sarah’s later years—and fathered six more sons through her. Whether she was regarded as a wife or a concubine, this later union brought him additional offspring. However, unlike Isaac, these sons were not included in the inheritance. They were given gifts and sent away toward the […]
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At first glance, Rebekah’s departure from her homeland to marry Isaac may appear to be a simple arranged marriage. But this union is far more than a romantic or cultural arrangement—it is a powerful testimony to God’s providence, faith in action, and the unfolding of His covenant promises. Rebekah does not merely become Isaac’s wife; […]
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At first, the recording of Sarah’s death and burial may seem an arbitrary decision by the author, yet it stands out for a remarkable reason. Sarah is the only woman in the Bible whose age at death is recorded. Unlike other prominent matriarchs such as Eve, Rebekah, or Bathsheba, Sarah’s passing is marked with exceptional […]
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Some time after Abraham had sent Hagar and Ishmael away, the LORD once again spoke to him. This time, the conversation between them was not about a promise or a blessing, but a sacrifice —one that would shake the very foundation of Abraham’s faith. God asked for the one thing Abraham held most dear: his […]
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While in Gerar, God used Abraham to restore fertility to all the women in Abimelek’s household, yet Sarah remained barren. But not long after, the LORD was gracious to Sarah as He had promised. She conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had foretold. Abraham named […]
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For many readers like myself, this chapter feels like a case of déjà vu. It seems as though we’ve read this story before—until we flip back a few pages and realize, “Oh, that was with a different king.” The storyline is nearly identical, only with a new setting, a different king, altered circumstances, and a […]
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With the men of Sodom blinded and fumbling outside Lot’s door, the angels urged Lot to stop wasting any more time and let them carry out what they had come for. They told him to get his things ready and gather his family — if there was anyone else Lot wanted to save, now was […]
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After meeting Abraham, the two angels who accompanied the LORD arrived at the gates of the city of Sodom. It was evening time, and Lot, Abraham’s nephew, was sitting in the gateway of the city when, much like his uncle, he saw the heavenly beings enter his town. Upon seeing them, Lot urged them to […]
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After finishing their meal and renewing their promise to Abraham and Sarah, the three men stood up to leave. Abraham accompanied them as they looked down toward Sodom. At this moment, the LORD revealed His plans to Abraham—to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God chose to inform Abraham of His plans to destroy […]
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Once, while Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day, he saw three strangers coming his way—or at least he thought they were strangers. However, as they came closer, he seemed to recognise them, or at least one of them. He warmly invited them to stay for a […]
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When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and identified Himself as God Almighty, El Shaddai. At the sight of the LORD, Abram fell facedown in reverence, and the LORD instructed him to live in faithful obedience and be blameless in his conduct. God’s expectation for Abraham to be blameless did not […]
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After a decade of waiting for God’s promise to be fulfilled, Abram and Sarai grew impatient and took matters into their own hands. Sarai suggested that Abram conceive a child with her servant, Hagar, and he willingly agreed. In doing so, he followed Sarai’s counsel rather than trusting in God’s timing and the covenant established […]
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Abram had just emerged victorious in battle, yet his heart was not at ease. He had refused the plunder offered by the king of Sodom, choosing instead to honour the LORD, as affirmed by the priest-king Melchizedek. Even in his triumph, a quiet emptiness lingered, perhaps triggered by Lot’s decision to return to Sodom, leaving […]
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Around the time Abram and Lot had parted ways, a cold war was brewing among the kings of the region. For twelve years, the local kings of the Jordan Valley—Bera (king of Sodom), Birsha (king of Gomorrah), Shinab (king of Admah), Shemeber (king of Zeboyim), and the king of Bela (Zoar)—were subject to Kedorlaomer, king […]
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During his entire time in Egypt, Abram did not call on the name of the Lord. In fact, it was Pharaoh who had to expel him, as Abram—who had initially gone to Egypt to survive the famine—had become comfortable there enjoying the benefits of his deceit. However, as soon as he left Egypt and returned […]
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In the ancient world, where farming heavily relied on rainfall, a prolonged drought had a much more drastic impact on food supplies. In the Bible, famines are often the reason people migrated in search of the most basic necessity—food. Abram follows this pattern during one such famine, taking a detour to Egypt, and it seems […]
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From a scattered world to the blessing of all nations through one family, the author of the book of Genesis focuses on a single family hereon. God calls Abram to leave his father’s household and hometown, sending him to scatter even further. At the ripe old age of seventy-five, Abram accepts God’s call and leaves […]
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The survivors of the flood and their descendants all spoke the same language and shared a common speech. They travelled together as one large family, staying close to one another as they journeyed eastward. In the Bible, moving eastward often symbolizes a departure from God’s presence. When Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden […]
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After spending almost a year in the ark, Noah and his family were instructed by God to leave once the land had dried. They brought with them the animals, birds, and creatures, and were commanded to multiply and fill the earth. Upon exiting, Noah built an altar and offered burnt sacrifices of clean animals and […]
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Many Mesopotamian and Assyrian narratives include flood stories that bear similarities to the story of Noah. The Babylonian version, for instance, describes a flood triggered by one of their gods, who was so annoyed by the noise coming from the earth that he decided to destroy the entire planet. This depiction feels less like a […]
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The LORD had warned Cain about the sin he was about to commit, but Cain, like his parents, gave in to temptation and allowed sin to rule over him by killing his brother. Afterwards, Cain denied responsibility, claiming he was not his brother’s keeper, and lied to the LORD. The LORD rebuked him, saying his […]
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In the Garden, we saw the disobedience of two of God’s creations—mankind and the serpent—leading to their exits from the sanctuary. The author then introduces two new characters, brothers—a farmer and a rancher, who try to live in communion with God. They start out right, just like Adam and Eve, until one of them allows […]
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Tempted by the promise of wisdom and autonomy, mankind disobeyed God by eating from the Tree of Knowledge, prioritizing their desires over obedience. This act shattered their innocence, introducing shame, guilt, and a fractured relationship with God, symbolized by their attempt to cover their nakedness. In response, the LORD confronted the serpent, woman, and man, […]
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At the end of both creation accounts, we saw mankind in its purest state. The man and woman, created in the image of God, lived in a world of perfect harmony. They had nothing to hide—both from God and from each other. They were naked and felt no shame. But all of that was about […]
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While the first creation account in Genesis (Genesis 1) notes that entire mankind was created together on the sixth day, this second account appears to show a time gap between the creation of man and woman. Why was there a need to create woman, why did God designate her as a ‘helper,’ and what does […]
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The second chapter of the Book of Genesis presents a different perspective on the creation story. While the initial account lays out the creation of the world in a structured, day-by-day sequence, culminating in the creation of mankind on the sixth day, this provides a more intimate look at the relationship between God and mankind. […]
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This opening verse of Genesis provides the foundation for understanding the beginning of creation. The phrase “God created the heavens and the earth” reveals that not only was the earth formed, but the heavens, too, came into existence through God’s command. Before this, only God existed—He transcended even the heavens and the angels, having no […]
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The first book of the Hebrew Bible, translated as In the Beginning, fittingly opens with the phrase “In the beginning,” and is named Genesis. The events chronicled in Genesis were originally passed down orally, shared as stories recounting the forefathers’ interactions with Yahweh. These narratives were preserved among the Israelites, serving as a reminder of […]
The Jordan Valley 