NKJV Word Study Bible

THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES CALLED
GENESIS
THE FIRST PART OF GENESIS focuses on the beginning and spread of sin in
the world and culminates in the devastating flood in the days of Noah. The
second part of the book focuses on Gods dealings with one man, Abraham,
through whom God promises to bring salvation and blessing to the world.
Abraham and his descendants learn firsthand that it is always safe to trust the
Lord in times of famine and feasting, blessing and bondage. From Abraham...
to Isaac... to Jacob... to Joseph... Gods promises begin to come to fruition in a great nation possessing a great land.
Genesis is a Greek word meaning origin, source, generation, or
beginning. The original Hebrew title Bereshith means In the Beginning.
The literary structure of Genesis is clear and is built around eleven separate
units, all but the first including the word genealogy or history in a summary
phrase: (1) Introduction to the Genealogies (1:12:3); (2) Heaven and Earth
(2:44:26); (3) Adam (5:16:8); (4) Noah (6:99:29); (5) Sons of Noah (10:1
11:9); (6) Shem (11:1026); (7) Terah (11:2725:11); (8) Ishmael (25:1218);
(9) Isaac (25:1935:29); (10) Esau (36:137:1); (11) Jacob (37:250:26).
WATCH WORDS
create (make something out of nothing)1:1 (also1:27; 6:7)
family (kinsfolk, relatives)12:3 (also10:32)
most high (the greatest, most supreme)14:18 (also14:22)
believe (establish or confirm, express approval)15:6
seed (offspring or descendants)22:18 (also3:15; 13:15; 15:3)
TheHistory ofCreation
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form, and void; and darkness wasa on the
face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was
hovering over the face of the waters.
3Then God said, Let there be light; and
there was light. 4And God saw the light, that
it was good; and God divided the light from
the darkness. 5God called the light Day, and
the darkness He called Night. So the evening
and the morning were the first day.
6T hen God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it
1:2aWords in italic type have been added for clarity. They

are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.
1:1 create
(Heb. bara') (Gen. 1:27; 6:7; Is. 45:18; 65:17)
H1254: God alone has the power to create everything out of nothing, whether its the heavens
9780718076566_int_01_gen_deut_nkjvwordstudy.indd 1
and the earth (Gen. 1:1), people (Gen. 1:27), or

everything in between. Of course, God also has
the power to destroy, as happens during the Flood
(Gen. 6:7). The book of Isaiah is filled with references to the creative power of God (Gen. 40:26;
41:20; 42:5; 43:1, 7; 45:8, 12), emphasizing His
uniqueness and superiority over all earthly gods.
God promises that He will create a new heavens
and a new earth for us to dwell in, a promise that
is initiated with the birth of Jesus and finds its
fulfillment in the prophecy in Revelation.
1:1 heavenssee Gen. 1:9.
1:1 earthsee Gen. 12:1.
1:2 wassee Gen. 27:1.
1:2 without formsee Is. 45:18.
1:2 darknesssee 1 Sam. 2:9.
1:3 saysee Is. 31:4.
1:4 goodsee Ezek. 34:14.
1:4 dividesee Num. 16:9.
1:5 nightsee Ps. 134:1.
1:5 eveningsee Ps. 65:8.
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Genesis 1:7
2
7
divide the waters from the waters. T hus the earth, each according to its kind; and
God made the firmament, and divided the it was so. 25And God made the beast of the
waters which were under the firmament earth according to its kind, cattle according
from the waters which were above the firma- to its kind, and everything that creeps on the
ment; and it was so. 8And God called the earth according to its kind. And God saw
firmament Heaven. So the evening and the that it was good.
26T hen God said, Let Us make man in
morning were the second day.
9Then God said, Let the waters under the Our image, according to Our likeness; let
heavens be gathered together into one place, them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and let the dry land appear; and it was so. over the birds of the air, and over the cattle,
10And God called the dry land Earth, and the over alla the earth and over every creeping
gathering together of the waters He called thing that creeps on the earth. 27So God
Seas. And God saw that it was good.
created man in His own image; in the image
11T hen God said, Let the earth bring of God He created him; male and female He
forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and 1:26aSyriac reads all the wild animals of.
the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its
kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth;
1:8 heaven see Gen. 1:9.
and it was so. 12And the earth brought forth
1:9 heavens
grass, the herb that yields seed according to
its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose
(Heb. shamayim) (Gen. 1:1, 8; Ps. 2:4) H8064: The
seed is in itself according to its kind. And
Hebrew word for heavens may refer to either the
God saw that it was good. 13So the evening
physical heavens, the sky or the atmosphere of
earth (Gen. 2:1, 4, 19), or to the dwelling place of
and the morning were the third day.
14T hen God said, Let there be lights in
God (Ps. 14:2), the spiritual heaven. The expression is probably derived from a word meaning to
the firmament of the heavens to divide the
be high, lofty. To describe God as living in the
day from the night; and let them be for signs
heavens is to describe His exalted position over
and seasons, and for days and years; 15and
all people. The physical heavens testify to Gods
let them be for lights in the firmament of
glorious position and also to His creative genius
the heavens to give light on the earth; and
(Ps. 19:1, 6).
16
it was so. Then God made two great lights:
the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser
1:10 earth see Genv. 12:1.
light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
1:10 sea see 2 Chr. 4:2.
17God set them in the firmament of the heav1:14 sign see Is. 55:13.
1:14 seasons see Num. 9:2.
ens to give light on the earth, 18and to rule
1:16 two see 2 Kin. 2:9.
over the day and over the night, and to divide
1:16 great see Gen. 21:18.
the light from the darkness. And God saw
1:16 rule see Ps. 114:2.
that it was good. 19So the evening and the
1:21 living thing see Ezek. 1:5.
morning were the fourth day.
1:22 fill see Jer. 23:24.
20Then God said, Let the waters abound
with an abundance of living creatures, and
1:26 man
let birds fly above the earth across the face
(Heb. 'adam) (Gen. 2:7; 3:8; 4:1) H0120: Although
of the firmament of the heavens. 21So God
man was created before woman, and although the
created great sea creatures and every living
word sometimes refers distinctly to men, 'adam
thing that moves, with which the waters
is most often used to refer to all humans (Gen.
abounded, according to their kind, and every
5:2). As if to emphasize his status as someone
winged bird according to its kind. And God
created by God, 'adam was made out of 'adamah
(the ground). Nevertheless, 'adam was made in
saw that it was good. 22And God blessed
Gods image, exalted above all other creatures,
them, saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and
and made to have dominion over all creation
fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multi(Gen. 1:28). The word also refers to the first man,
23
ply on the earth. So the evening and the
Adam, father of Cain and Abel (Gen. 3:8; 4:1).
morning were the fifth day.
24T hen God said, Let the earth bring
1:27 create see Gen. 1:1.
forth the living creature according to its
1:27 male see Num. 1:2.
kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of
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created them. 28Then God blessed them, and
God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply;

fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion
over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the
air, and over every living thing that moves
on the earth.
29And God said, See, I have given you
every herb that yields seed which is on the
face of all the earth, and every tree whose
fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
30Also, to every beast of the earth, to every
bird of the air, and to everything that creeps
on the earth, in which there is life, I have
given every green herb for food; and it was
so. 31Then God saw everything that He had
made, and indeed it was very good. So the
evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all
the host of them, were finished. 2And on
the seventh day God ended His work which
He had done, and He rested on the seventh
day from all His work which He had done.
3T hen God blessed the seventh day and
sanctified it, because in it He rested from
all His work which God had created and
made.
4T his is the historya of the heavens and
the earth when they were created, in the day
that the Lor d God made the earth and the
heavens, 5before any plant of the field was in
the earth and before any herb of the field had
grown. For the Lor d God had not caused it
to rain on the earth, and there was no man
to till the ground; 6but a mist went up from
the earth and watered the whole face of the
ground.
7And the Lor d God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life; and man became
a living being.
Life in Gods Garden

8T he Lor d God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man
whom He had formed. 9And out of the
ground the Lor d God made every tree grow
that is pleasant to the sight and good for
food. The tree of life was also in the midst of
the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil.
10Now a river went out of Eden to water
the garden, and from there it parted and
became four riverheads. 11The name of the
first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the
Genesis 2:15
whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
12And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium
and the onyx stone are there. 13The name of
the second river is Gihon; it is the one which
goes around the whole land of Cush. 14The
name of the third river is Hiddekel;a it is the
one which goes toward the east of Assyria.
The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15Then the Lor d God took the man and
put him in the garden of Eden to tend and
2:4aHebrew toledoth, literally generations 2:14aOr Tigris
1:28 fruitfulsee Gen. 28:3.

1:28 multiplysee Ex. 11:9.
1:28 subduesee Neh. 5:5.
1:28 dominionsee Ps. 72:8.
2:1 hostsee Is. 10:16.
2:2 seventhsee Lev. 23:8.
2:2 worksee Ex. 31:3.
2:2 restsee Ex. 16:30.
2:7 form
(Heb. yatsar) (Jer. 1:5; Lam. 4:2; Zech. 12:1)
H3335: The basic meaning of this verb is to
shape or form. It implies a degree of craftsmanship. God formed the earth (Is. 45:18), animals
and man (Gen. 2:7, 8, 19), and, more abstractly,
light (Is. 45:7), summer and winter (Ps. 74:17),
and His divine plans (Is. 46:11; Jer. 18:11).
Humans form idols (Is. 44:912) as well as evil to
harm others (Ps. 94:20). The most frequent object
of this verb is pottery, with the analogy applied to
Gods working with humanity (Jer. 19:110). This
imagery sits well with God forming man from the
ground here in Genesis 2.
2:7 mansee Gen. 1:26.
2:7 dustsee Num. 23:10.
2:7 breathsee Ps. 150:6.
2:8-10 gardensee 2 Kin. 21:18.
2:8 Edensee Gen. 2:15.
2:9 knowledgesee Mal. 2:7.
2:9 evilsee Deut. 4:25.
2:10 riversee 1 Chr. 1:48.
2:15 Eden
(Heb. èden) (Gen. 2:8; Ezek. 36:35; Joel 2:3)
H5731: This word is a proper noun designating
the place where God planted a garden for Adam
and Eve (Gen. 2:8). It is probably based on a
word indicating luxury, delight, pleasure, and
bliss. This base word expresses the feelings of
Sarah at the prospect of finally bearing a child
(Gen. 18:12), as well other pleasures that come
from God (Ps. 36:8). Economically, it denotes
Continued
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Genesis 2:16
4
16
keep it. And the Lor d God commanded eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise,
the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to
you may freely eat; 17but of the tree of the her husband with her, and he ate. 7Then the
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eyes of both of them were opened, and they
eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together and made themselves
surely die.
18And the Lor d God said, It is not good coverings.
8And they heard the sound of the Lor d
that man should be alone; I will make him
a helper comparable to him. 19Out of the God walking in the garden in the cool of the
ground the Lor d God formed every beast day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves
of the field and every bird of the air, and from the presence of the Lor d God among
brought them to Adam to see what he would the trees of the garden.
9Then the Lor d God called to Adam and
call them. And whatever Adam called each
living creature, that was its name. 20So Adam said to him, Where are you?
10 So he said, I heard Your voice in the
gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air,
and to every beast of the field. But for Adam garden, and I was afraid because I was naked;
there was not found a helper comparable to and I hid myself.
11And He said, Who told you that you
him.
21And the Lor d God caused a deep sleep were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of
to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took which I commanded you that you should not
one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its eat?
place. 22Then the rib which the Lor d God
had taken from man He made into a woman,
Continued
and He brought her to the man.
luxurious clothing and other delicacies (2 Sam.
23And Adam said:
This is now bone of my bones

And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.
24Therefore a man shall leave his father and
mother and be joined to his wife, and they

shall become one flesh.
25And they were both naked, the man and
his wife, and were not ashamed.
TheTemptation and Fall ofMan
Now the serpent was more cunning than
any beast of the field which the Lor d
God had made. And he said to the woman,
Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?
2And the woman said to the serpent, We
may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3but of the fruit of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God has said, You shall
not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.
4T hen the serpent said to the woman,
You will not surely die. 5For God knows
that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing
good and evil.
6 So when the woman saw that the tree
was good for food, that it was pleasant to the
1:24). While the expression Garden of Eden is

prevalent, Ezekiel speaks of the trees of Eden
four times (Ezek. 31:918). It truly was a Garden
of Bliss.
2:16 commandsee Num. 5:2.
2:21 sleepsee Ps. 4:8.
2:21 takesee 1 Sam. 8:14.
2:21 onesee Deut. 6:4.
2:22 womansee Judg. 21:11.
2:24 fathersee Ps. 68:5.
2:25 ashamedsee Ezek. 16:63.
3:6 pleasant
(Heb. ta'avah) (Ps. 38:9; 78:29) H8378: This
Hebrew word is a noun designating a desire,
longing, or craving. It appears most frequently in
the poetic books. Proverbs declares the desire of
the righteous is only for good and that the Lord
will grant it (Prov. 10:24; 11:23). In addition to
referring to desire itself, this word can also refer
to the thing desired (Gen. 3:6; Job 33:20; Prov.
13:12, 19). Desire can cross the line into covetousness, especially when one desires a desire
(Num. 11:4; Prov. 21:26). As in English, desire is
associated with the heart (Ps. 10:3, 17; 21:2).
3:7 figsee 2 Kin. 20:7.
3:8 Adamsee Gen. 1:26.
3:10 hearsee 1 Sam. 3:10.
3:11 tellsee Is. 3:9.
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5
12Then the man said, The woman whom
You gave to be with me, she gave me of the

tree, and I ate.
13And the Lor d God said to the woman,
What is this you have done?
The woman said, The serpent deceived
me, and I ate.
14So the Lor d God said to the serpent:
Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.
16To the woman He said:
I will greatly multiply your sorrow and

your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you.
17T hen
to Adam He said, Because you

have heeded the voice of your wife, and have
eaten from the tree of which I commanded
you, saying, You shall not eat of it:
Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat ofit
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring
forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat
bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.
20And
Adam called his wifes name Eve,

because she was the mother of all living.
21Also for Adam and his wife the Lor d
God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
22Then the Lor d God said, Behold, the
man has become like one of Us, to know
good and evil. And now, lest he put out his
hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat,
and live forever23therefore the Lor d God
sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the
Genesis 4:7
ground from which he was taken. 24So He
drove out the man; and He placed cherubim
at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard
the way to the tree of life.
Cain Murders Abel
N
ow Adam knew Eve his wife, and she
conceived and bore Cain, and said, I
have acquired a man from the Lor d. 2Then
she bore again, this time his brother Abel.
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain
was a tiller of the ground. 3And in the process
of time it came to pass that Cain brought
an offering of the fruit of the ground to the
Lor d. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn
of his flock and of their fat. And the Lor d
respected Abel and his offering, 5but He did
not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain
was very angry, and his countenance fell.
6 So the Lor d said to Cain, Why are
you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be
accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies
at the door. And its desire is for you, but you
should rule over it.
3:13 deceivesee Is. 36:14.

3:15 enmitysee Ezek. 35:5.
3:15 seedsee Gen. 22:18.
3:15 head
(Heb. rosh) (Gen. 40:20; Ex. 6:14; 1 Sam. 10:1;
17:51) H7218: The Hebrew word rosh often means
the literal head of a person, as when Samson
described his strength residing in the hair on
his head (Judg. 16:17), or when Samuel anointed
Saul as king of Israel by pouring oil on his head
(1 Sam. 10:1). However, while both Pharaohs
baker and butler would have their heads lifted
upfor one this meant restoration but for the
other it meant being hanged (Gen. 40:20). The
word rosh can also refer to the leader of a group
or tribe, or even to a mountaintop (Gen. 8:5;
Ex. 19:20).
3:19 breadsee 1 Sam. 21:3.
3:22 put outsee Ps. 144:7.
3:24 cherubimsee Ex. 25:18.
3:24 swordsee Josh. 19:47.
4:1 Adamsee Gen. 1:26.
4:1 knowsee Ex. 3:7.
4:4 fatsee Gen. 45:18.
4:4 offeringsee Num. 29:6.
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Genesis 4:8
6
8Now Cain talked with Abel his brothFor I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurtingme.
er;a and it came to pass, when they were in
the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.
brother and killed him.
9T hen the Lor d said to Cain, Where is
A New Son
Abel your brother?
25And Adam knew his wife again, and she
He said, I do not know. Am I my brothbore a son and named him Seth, For God
ers keeper?
10And He said, What have you done? The has appointed another seed for me instead of
26
voice of your brothers blood cries out to Me Abel, whom Cain killed. And as for Seth,
to
him
also
a
son
was
born;
and he named
11
from the ground. So now you are cursed
a Then men began to call on the
him
Enosh.
from the earth, which has opened its mouth
to receive your brothers blood from your name of the Lor d.
hand. 12W hen you till the ground, it shall TheFamily ofAdam
no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive
T his is the book of the genealogy of
and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.
Adam. In the day that God created man,
13And Cain said to the Lor d, My punishHe
made
him in the likeness of God. 2He
ment is greater than I can bear! 14Surely You created them male and female, and b
lessed
have driven me out this day from the face of them and called them Mankind in the day
the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; they were created. 3And Adam lived one
I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in
earth, and it will happen that anyone who his own likeness, after his image, and named
finds me will kill me.
him Seth. 4 After he begot Seth, the days of
15And the Lor d said to him, Therefore,a
Adam were eight hundred years; and he had
whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken
aSamaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate
on him sevenfold. And the Lor d set a mark 4:8
add Let us go out to the field. 4:15aFollowing Masoretic
on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill Text and Targum; Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read
Not so. 4:26aGreek Enos
him.
TheFamily ofCain
16Then Cain went out from the presence
of the Lor d and dwelt in the land of Nod on
the east of Eden. 17And Cain knew his wife,
and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he
built a city, and called the name of the city
after the name of his sonE noch. 18To
Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and
Methushael begot Lamech.
19T hen Lamech took for himself two
wives: the name of one was Adah, and the
name of the second was Zillah. 20And Adah
bore Jabal. He was the father of those who
dwell in tents and have livestock. 21His brothers name was Jubal. He was the father of all
those who play the harp and flute. 22And
as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an
instructor of every craftsman in bronze
and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was
Naamah.
23Then Lamech said to his wives:
Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
4:8 brothersee Ps. 133:1.

4:8 killsee 2 Chr. 22:8.
4:9 keepersee Job 10:12.
4:13 bearsee 1 Sam. 25:28.
4:15 killsee Gen. 19:11.
4:16 landsee Gen. 12:1.
4:17 citysee Deut. 20:10.
4:21 harpsee 1 Sam. 16:16.
4:22 bronzesee 2 Chr. 2:7.
4:23 hurtsee Is. 53:5.
4:25 appoint
(Heb. shith) (Ps. 3:6; 90:8; 110:1) H7896: The
basic meaning of this word is to put, place, or
set. It is a rather exotic, poetic, and formal word.
One may place a variety of objects, such as
place ones hand on someone to confer a blessing (Gen. 48:14), place a child into a womans lap
(Ruth 4:16), or place a penalty upon a person (Ex.
21:22). God also places various things including
boundary limits (Ex. 23:31) and a person into a
position of power (1 Kin. 11:34; Ps. 132:11). The
most frequent object of placing is ones heart
said once of God Himself (Job 7:17; Jer. 31:21). In
the current passage, this word is a pun upon the
sound of the name Seth.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
7
5 So
sons and daughters.

all the days that
Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty
years; and he died.
6 Seth lived one hundred and five years,
and begot Enosh. 7After he begot Enosh, Seth
lived eight hundred and seven years, and had
sons and daughters. 8So all the days of Seth
were nine hundred and twelve years; and he
died.
9Enosh lived ninety years, and begot
Cainan. a 10After he begot Cainan, Enosh
lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and
had sons and daughters. 11So all the days of
Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and
he died.
12Cainan lived seventy years, and begot
Mahalalel. 13After he begot Mahalalel,
Cainan lived eight hundred and forty years,
and had sons and daughters. 14So all the days
of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years;
and he died.
15Mahalalel lived sixty-f ive years, and
begot Jared. 16After he begot Jared, Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years,
and had sons and daughters. 17So all the days
of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-
five years; and he died.
18Jared lived one hundred and sixty-t wo
years, and begot Enoch. 19After he begot
Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and
had sons and daughters. 20 So all the days
of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-t wo
years; and he died.
21Enoch lived sixty-f ive years, and begot
Methuselah. 22After he begot Methuselah,
Enoch walked with God three hundred
years, and had sons and daughters. 23So all
the days of Enoch were three hundred and
sixty-f ive years. 24 And Enoch walked with
God; and he was not, for God took him.
25Methuselah lived one hundred and
eighty-s even years, and begot Lamech.
26After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived
seven hundred and eighty-t wo years, and
had sons and daughters. 27So all the days of
Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-
nine years; and he died.
28Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-
two years, and had a son. 29And he called his
name Noah, saying, This one will comfort
us concerning our work and the toil of our
hands, because of the ground which the
Lor d has cursed. 30After he begot Noah,
Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-f ive
Genesis 6:2
years, and had sons and daughters. 31So all
the days of Lamech were seven hundred and
seventy-seven years; and he died.
32And Noah was five hundred years old,
and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
TheWickedness and Judgment
ofMan
Now it came to pass, when men began
to multiply on the face of the earth, and
daughters were born to them, 2that the sons
of God saw the daughters of men, that they
were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
5:9aHebrew Qenan
5:5 diesee 2 Sam. 19:6.
5:21 Methuselah
(Heb. methushelach) (Gen. 5:22; 1 Chr. 1:3)
H4968: Methuselahs name can perhaps be interpreted as man of the javelin, or man of the
canal, but there are several other suggestions.
If the first suggestion is correct, then his name
might indicate a wish or hope that he would grow
up to be skillful in the use of this weapon. Man
of a canal would probably relate to the location
of his birth. It is also possible that he was given
this name to honor a close family member (Luke
1:5961). Apart from Genesis 5, his name does
not occur elsewhere in the Bible outside of being
listed in two later genealogiesone, a genealogy
of Jesus (1 Chr. 1:3; Luke 3:37).
5:22 Methuselahsee Gen. 5:21.
5:24 walk
(Heb. halak) (Gen. 6:9; Deut. 13:4; Ps. 128:1; Mic.
6:8) H1980: The basic meaning of the Hebrew
verb translated here as walk is to go or to
travel. The word is used often in the Old Testament to signify merely a simple act of motion
(Gen. 13:17; 2 Sam. 11:2). In Genesis 6:9 and other
passages, the word possesses connotations of a
habitual manner of life or a constant relationship
with God. Thus the word describes Noah, Enoch,
and other people of faith as living in a close relationship with their God and in obedience to His
commands. Throughout Scripture, believers are
called to walk with God daily, abiding in Him
completely (Gal. 5:16; 1 John 2:6).
5:32 Shemsee Gen. 10:22.
5:32 Japhethsee 1 Chr. 1:5.
6:1 earthsee Jer. 35:15
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 6:3
8
3And the Lor d said, My Spirit shall not thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every
strivea with man forever, for he is indeed sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you;
flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred they shall be male and female. 20Of the birds
and twenty years. 4T here were giants on after their kind, of animals after their kind,
the earth in those days, and also afterward, and of every creeping thing of the earth after
when the sons of God came in to the daugh- its kind, two of every kind will come to you
ters of men and they bore children to them. to keep them alive. 21And you shall take for
Those were the mighty men who were of old, yourself of all food that is eaten, and you
men of renown.
shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food
5T hen the Lor d a saw that the wicked- for you and for them.
22T hus Noah did; according to all that
ness of man was great in the earth, and that
every intent of the thoughts of his heart was God commanded him, so he did.
only evil continually. 6And the Lor d was
sorry that He had made man on the earth, TheGreat Flood
and He was grieved in His heart. 7So the
T
hen the Lor d said to Noah, Come
Lor d said, I will destroy man whom I have
into the ark, you and all your household,
created from the face of the earth, both man because I have seen that you are righteous
and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, before Me in this generation. 2You shall take
for I am sorry that I have made them. 8But with you seven each of every clean animal,
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lor d.
6:3aSeptuagint, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read abide.
Noah Pleases God

9This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was
a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah
walked with God. 10And Noah begot three
sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11The earth also was corrupt before God,
and the earth was filled with violence. 12So
God looked upon the earth, and indeed it
was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their
way on the earth.
TheArk Prepared
13And God said to Noah, The end of
all flesh has come before Me, for the earth
is filled with violence through them; and
behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood;
make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside
and outside with pitch. 15And this is how you
shall make it: The length of the ark shall be
three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits,
and its height thirty cubits. 16You shall make
a window for the ark, and you shall finish it
to a cubit from above; and set the door of the
ark in its side. You shall make it with lower,
second, and third decks. 17And behold, I
Myself am bringing f loodwaters on the
earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh
in which is the breath of life; everything that
is on the earth shall die. 18But I will establish
My covenant with you; and you shall go into
the arkyou, your sons, your wife, and your
sons wives with you. 19And of every living
6:5aFollowing Masoretic Text and Targum; Vulgate reads

God; Septuagint reads Lord God.
6:3 Spiritsee Joel 2:28.

6:3 strivesee Deut. 32:36.
6:5 intentsee Gen. 8:21.
6:7 createsee Gen. 1:1.
6:8 gracesee Zech. 12:10.
6:9 justsee Lam. 1:18.
6:9 perfectsee Judg. 9:16.
6:9 walksee Gen. 5:24.
6:10 beget
(Heb. yalad) (Gen. 16:1; Num. 1:18; Is. 51:18)
H3205: This word indicates production
normally of offspring. It is used of both male and
female human beings (Gen. 17:17) and even of
animals, including birds (Jer. 17:11; Ezek. 31:6).
One not only produces immediate successors,
but more distant generations as well (Deut. 4:25).
Thus, genealogies sometimes skip over insignificant individuals. In certain forms, this word can
indicate do the duties of a midwife (Ex. 1:16).
The wicked produce iniquity (Is. 59:4), and the
rain causes the earth to produce grain (Is. 55:10).
As for God, He produced drops of dew (Job
38:28), the mountains (Ps. 90:2), Israel (Deut.
32:18; Is. 66:8, 9), and His own royal Son (Ps. 2:7).
6:11 violencesee Hab. 1:9.
6:15 cubitsee Ezek. 41:8.
6:16 doorsee Ps. 24:7.
6:17 floodwaterssee Is. 43:2.
6:18 covenantsee 2 Sam. 3:12.
6:21 gathersee Gen. 35:29.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
a male and his female; two each of animals

that are unclean, a male and his female;
3also seven each of birds of the air, male and
female, to keep the species alive on the face
of all the earth. 4For after seven more days
I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days
and forty nights, and I will destroy from the
face of the earth all living things that I have
made. 5And Noah did according to all that
the Lor d commanded him. 6Noah was six
hundred years old when the floodwaters
were on the earth.
7So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and
his sons wives, went into the ark because of
the waters of the flood. 8Of clean animals,
of animals that are unclean, of birds, and
of everything that creeps on the earth, 9two
by two they went into the ark to Noah, male
and female, as God had commanded Noah.
10And it came to pass after seven days that
the waters of the flood were on the earth.
11In the six hundredth year of Noahs life,
in the second month, the seventeenth day of
the month, on that day all the fountains of the
great deep were broken up, and the windows
of heaven were opened. 12And the rain was
on the earth forty days and forty nights.
13On the very same day Noah and Noahs
sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noahs
wife and the three wives of his sons with
them, entered the ark 14they and every
beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind,
every creeping thing that creeps on the earth
after its kind, and every bird after its kind,
every bird of every sort. 15And they went
into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh
in which is the breath of life. 16So those that
entered, male and female of all flesh, went in
as God had commanded him; and the Lor d
shut himin.
17Now the flood was on the earth forty
days. The waters increased and lifted up the
ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18The
waters prevailed and greatly increased on
the earth, and the ark moved about on the
surface of the waters. 19And the waters
prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all
the high hills under the whole heaven were
covered. 20The waters prevailed fifteen cubits
upward, and the mountains were covered.
21And all f lesh died that moved on the
earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every
creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and
every man. 22All in whose nostrils was the
Genesis 8:5
breath of the spirita of life, all that was on the
dry land, died. 23So He destroyed all living

things which were on the face of the ground:
both man and cattle, creeping thing and
bird of the air. They were destroyed from the
earth. Only Noah and those who were with
him in the ark remained alive. 24 And the
waters prevailed on the earth one hundred
and fifty days.
Noahs Deliverance
Then God remembered Noah, and every
living thing, and all the animals that
were with him in the ark. And God made a
wind to pass over the earth, and the waters
subsided. 2T he fountains of the deep and
the windows of heaven were also stopped,
and the rain from heaven was restrained.
3And the waters receded continually from
the earth. At the end of the hundred and
fifty days the waters decreased. 4Then the
ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains
of Ararat. 5And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth
7:22aSeptuagint and Vulgate omit of the spirit.
7:4 destroysee Gen. 7:23.

7:11 daysee Mal. 4:5.
7:12 rainsee Lev. 26:4.
7:13 entersee Num. 34:8.
7:14 birdsee Is. 31:5.
7:19 prevailsee Ex. 17:11.
7:20 mountainsee Deut. 9:9.
7:23 destroy
(Heb. machah) (Gen. 7:4; Prov. 6:33) H4229: This
verb denotes both wiping off and wiping out. It
is used literally of wiping tears from ones face
(Is. 25:8), wiping off a plate (2 Kin. 21:13), and
wiping off words from a scroll (through a washing or scraping process) (Num. 5:23). This latter
imagery is used by Moses to ask God to wipe
his name from Gods book if God does not forgive the Israelites (Ex. 32:32, 33). It may also be
behind the thought of blotting out transgression
(Is. 43:25). While the meaning to wipe out may
refer to merely human actions (Judg. 21:17), far
more often divine judgment is involved (Deut.
9:14; 25:19; 2 Kin. 21:13).
8:1 living thingsee Ezek. 1:5.
8:3 recedesee Ezek. 14:6.
8:4 restsee Ex. 33:14.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 8:6
10
month, on the first day of the month, the tops 22 While the earth remains,
of the mountains were seen.
Seedtime and harvest,
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty
Cold and heat,
days, that Noah opened the window of the
Winter and summer,
ark which he had made. 7Then he sent out
And day and night
a raven, which kept going to and fro until
Shall not cease.
the waters had dried up from the earth. 8He
So God blessed Noah and his sons, and
also sent out from himself a dove, to see if
said to them: Be fruitful and multiply,
the waters had receded from the face of the
and fill the earth.a 2And the fear of you and
9
ground. But the dove found no resting place
the dread of you shall be on every beast of
for the sole of her foot, and she returned into
the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that
the ark to him, for the waters were on the face
move on the earth, and on all the fish of the
of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and
sea. They are given into your hand. 3Every
took her, and drew her into the ark to himself.
10And he waited yet another seven days, and moving thing that lives shall be food for you.
I have given you all things, even as the green
again he sent the dove out from the ark.
4
11Then the dove came to him in the evening, herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life,
that is, its blood. 5Surely for your lifeblood
and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in
I will demand a reckoning; from the hand
her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters
of every beast I will require it, and from the
12
had receded from the earth. So he waited
hand of man. From the hand of every mans
yet another seven days and sent out the dove,
brother I will require the life of man.
which did not return again to him anymore.
13And it came to pass in the six hundred 6 Whoever sheds mans blood,
By man his blood shall be shed;
and first year, in the first month, the first
For in the image of God
day of the month, that the waters were dried
He made man.
up from the earth; and Noah removed the
covering of the ark and looked, and indeed 7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply;
Bring forth abundantly in the earth
the surface of the ground was dry. 14And in
And multiply in it.
the second month, on the twenty-seventh
day of the month, the earth was dried.
a
9:1 Compare Genesis 1:28
15Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16Go
out of the ark, you and your wife, and your
8:7 raven see Ps. 147:9.
sons and your sons wives with you. 17Bring
8:9 resting place see 1 Chr. 6:31.
out with you every living thing of all flesh
8:11 dove see Ps. 68:13.
8:13 covering see Num. 4:10.
that is with you: birds and cattle and every
8:21 aroma see Ex. 29:25.
creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so
that they may abound on the earth, and be
8:21 imagination
fruitful and multiply on the earth. 18 So
Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and
(Heb. yetser) (Gen. 6:5; Deut. 31:21; 1 Chr. 29:18;
Ps. 103:14) H3336: The Hebrew word yetser is
his sons wives with him. 19Every animal,
translated as imagination, inclination, or
every creeping thing, every bird, and whatintent (Gen. 6:5; Deut. 31:21; 1 Chr. 28:9; 29:18)
ever creeps on the earth, according to their
or as frame, formed, or mold (Ps. 103:14;
families, went out of the ark.
Gods Covenant with Creation

20Then Noah built an altar to the Lor d,
and took of every clean animal and of every
clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on
the altar. 21And the Lor d smelled a soothing
aroma. Then the Lor d said in His heart, I
will never again curse the ground for mans
sake, although the imagination of mans
heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again
destroy every living thing as I have done.
Is. 29:16; Hab. 2:18). It carries the connotation

of purpose or creative intent. As a result of the
Fall, the inclination of mans heart is sinful from
birth. Because all people are born with a sinful
nature, and are thus deserving of the wrath of
God, we need Gods mercy and forbearance.
8:22 harvestsee Prov. 20:4.
8:22 heatsee Neh. 7:3.
8:22 nightsee Ps. 134:1.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
11
8Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons
with him, saying: 9And as for Me, behold,
I establish My covenant with you and with

your descendantsa after you, 10and with every
living creature that is with you: the birds,
the cattle, and every beast of the earth with
you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast
of the earth. 11Thus I establish My covenant
with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off
by the waters of the flood; never again shall
there be a flood to destroy the earth.
12And God said: This is the sign of the
covenant which I make between Me and you,
and every living creature that is with you, for
perpetual generations: 13I set My rainbow
in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of
the covenant between Me and the earth. 14It
shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth,
that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
15and I will remember My covenant which is
between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again
become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16T he
rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look
on it to remember the everlasting covenant
between God and every living creature of all
flesh that is on the earth. 17And God said to
Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which
I have established between Me and all flesh
that is on the earth.
Noah and His Sons
18Now the sons of Noah who went out of
the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And
Ham was the father of Canaan. 19These three
were the sons of Noah, and from these the
whole earth was populated.
20And Noah began to be a farmer, and he
planted a vineyard. 21Then he drank of the
wine and was drunk, and became uncovered
in his tent. 22And Ham, the father of Canaan,
saw the nakedness of his father, and told
his two brothers outside. 23But Shem and
Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their
shoulders, and went backward and covered
the nakedness of their father. Their faces
were turned away, and they did not see their
fathers nakedness.
24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and
knew what his younger son had done to him.
25Then he said:
Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brethren.
Genesis 10:1
26And he said:
Blessed be the Lor d,

The God of Shem,
And may Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.
28And Noah lived after the flood three
hundred and fifty years. 29So all the days of
Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and
he died.
Nations Descended from Noah
N
ow this is the genealogy of the sons
of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
And sons were born to them after the flood.
10
9:9aLiterally seed
9:18 Canaansee Gen. 9:25.

9:20 vineyardsee Deut. 22:9.
9:21 winesee Ps. 75:8.
9:22, 23 nakednesssee Lev. 18:13.
9:25 Canaan
(Heb. kenaàn) (Gen. 9:18; 12:5; 17:8; Josh. 5:12)
H3667: Canaan literally means lowland, and
the word refers to both (1) the people who were
descended from Canaan, the fourth son of Ham
and the grandson of Noah, and (2) the land west
of the Jordan where the descendants of Canaan
settled. Canaan was implicated in the dishonor
of Noah (Gen. 9:2027), and as a result was
cursed and his land eventually conquered by the
Hebrews. The land of Canaan became known for
its idolatry, so the curse of generations of servitude became punishment for both the original
sin of Canaan and the subsequent sins of his
descendants.
9:27 enlarge
(Heb. pathah) (Prov. 20:19; Hos. 2:14) H6601:
The blessing that Japheth be enlarged is a play
on words, since the two words sound similar and
share the same root. The blessing literally means
God enlarge the enlarger or cause the meaning of his name to be realized in the extension of
his power. Elsewhere the word pathah is translated as entice (Judg. 16:5; Prov. 1:10); deceive
(Deut. 11:16); or persuade (1 Kin. 22:21; Jer.
20:7). Japheth did indeed become the father of
many nations (Gen. 10:25).
9:27 Japhethsee 1 Chr. 1:5.
10:1 genealogysee 1 Chr. 5:7.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 10:2
12
2 T he sons of Japheth were Gomer, Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and 30And their dwelling place was from Mesha
Tiras. 3The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of
Riphath, a and Togarmah. 4T he sons of the east. 31T hese were the sons of Shem,
Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and according to their families, according to
Dodanim.a 5From these the coastland peoples their languages, in their lands, according to
of the Gentiles were separated into their their nations.
32T hese were the families of the sons of
lands, everyone according to his language,
according to their families, into their nations. Noah, according to their generations, in
6T he sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, their nations; and from these the nations
Put, a and Canaan. 7T he sons of Cush were divided on the earth after the flood.
were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and
Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were TheTower ofBabel
Now the whole earth had one language
Sheba and Dedan.
8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a
and one speech. 2And it came to pass,
9
mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty as they journeyed from the east, that they
hunter before the Lor d; therefore it is said, found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they
Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the 10:3aSpelled Diphath in 1Chronicles 1:6 10:4aSpelled
Lor d. 10And the beginning of his kingdom Rodanim in Samaritan Pentateuch and 1Chronicles 1:7
Meshech in Septuagint and
was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the 10:6aOr Phut 10:23aCalled
1Chronicles 1:17 10:24aFollowing Masoretic Text,
11
land of Shinar. From that land he went Vulgate, and Targum; Septuagint reads Arphaxad begot
to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Cainan, and Cainan begot Salah (compare Luke 3:35, 36).
Calah, 12and Resen between Nineveh and 10:28aSpelled Ebal in 1Chronicles 1:22
Calah (that is the principal city).
13 Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim,
10:5 coastland see Ezek. 26:18.
Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, and
10:22 Shem
Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines
and Caphtorim).
(Heb. shem) (Gen. 5:32; 7:13; 9:23) H8035: The
15Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and
name Shem means name or renown. He was
most likely the eldest son of Noah, since he is
Heth; 16the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the
mentioned first among his brothers. In that case,
Girgashite; 17the Hivite, the Arkite, and the
the translation of Genesis 10:21 could possibly be
Sinite; 18the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and
the elder brother of Japheth. Shem was present
the Hamathite. Afterward the families of
on the ark, and later he, together with his brother
19
the Canaanites were dispersed. And the
Japheth, covered his fathers nakedness (Gen.
border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as
9:2027). As a result, the two of them were prophyou go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as
esied to rule over Canaan (Gen. 9:26). Shem lived
you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,
for 600 years and had twenty-six children, only
and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20These were
five of whom were sons.
the sons of Ham, according to their families,
according to their languages, in their lands
10:30 dwelling place
and in their nations.
(Heb. moshab) (Gen. 27:39; Lev. 23:3; Num. 24:21;
21And children were born also to Shem,
Ps. 1:1) H4186: The word for dwelling place refers
the father of all the children of Eber, the
to a place that is inhabited, such as a home (Ex.
brother of Japheth the elder. 22T he sons of
12:20) or a plot of land (Gen. 10:30; 27:39; 1 Chr.
Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud,
6:54). The word can also refer to the place where
and Aram. 23T he sons of Aram were Uz,
one sits (Job 29:7; Ps. 1:1). The world of the Old
Testament was an agrarian society, so having
Hul, Gether, and Mash.a 24 Arphaxad begot
ones own land and habitation meant security.
Salah, a and Salah begot Eber. 25To Eber
Therefore, the blessing of God was often assowere born two sons: the name of one was
ciated with land and the promise of a dwelling
Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided;
place was a sign of Gods protection, provision,
26
and his brothers name was Joktan. Joktan
and prosperity (Ezek. 34:13).
begot Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth,
Jerah, 27Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, a
10:32 family see Gen. 12:3.
Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and
11
6/17/16 1:06 PM
13
dwelt there. 3Then they said to one another,
Come, let us make bricks and bake them

thoroughly. They had brick for stone, and
they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they
said, Come, let us build ourselves a city,
and a tower whose top is in the heavens;
let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be
scattered abroad over the face of the whole
earth.
5But the Lor d came down to see the
city and the tower which the sons of men
had built. 6And the Lor d said, Indeed
the people are one and they all have one
language, and this is what they begin to do;
now nothing that they propose to do will be
withheld from them. 7Come, let Us go down
and there confuse their language, that they
may not understand one anothers speech.
8 So the Lor d scattered them abroad from
there over the face of all the earth, and they
ceased building the city. 9Therefore its name
is called Babel, because there the Lor d
confused the language of all the earth; and
from there the Lor d scattered them abroad
over the face of all the earth.
Shems Descendants
10This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was
one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad
two years after the flood. 11After he begot
Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years,
and begot sons and daughters.
12 Arphaxad lived thirty-f ive years,
and begot Salah. 13After he begot Salah,
Arphaxad lived four hundred and three
years, and begot sons and daughters.
14 Salah lived thirty years, and begot
Eber. 15After he begot Eber, Salah lived four
hundred and three years, and begot sons and
daughters.
16Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot
Peleg. 17After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four
hundred and thirty years, and begot sons
and daughters.
18Peleg lived thirty years, and begot
Reu. 19After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two
hundred and nine years, and begot sons and
daughters.
20Reu lived thirty-t wo years, and begot
Serug. 21After he begot Serug, Reu lived two
hundred and seven years, and begot sons and
daughters.
22 Serug lived thirty years, and begot
Nahor. 23After he begot Nahor, Serug lived
Genesis 11:32
two hundred years, and begot sons and
daughters.
24 Nahor lived twenty-n ine years, and
begot Terah. 25After he begot Terah, Nahor
lived one hundred and nineteen years, and
begot sons and daughters.
26Now Terah lived seventy years, and
begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Terahs Descendants
27T his is the genealogy of Terah: Terah
begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran
begot Lot. 28And Haran died before his
father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the
Chaldeans. 29Then Abram and Nahor took
wives: the name of Abrams wife was Sarai,
and the name of Nahors wife, Milcah, the
daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and
the father of Iscah. 30But Sarai was barren;
she had no child.
31And Terah took his son Abram and
his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his
daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abrams wife,
and they went out with them from Ur of the
Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and
they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32So
the days of Terah were two hundred and five
years, and Terah died in Haran.
11:4 scattersee 2 Kin. 25:5.
11:6 proposesee Ps. 37:12.
11:8 scattersee 2 Kin. 25:5.
11:28 Chaldeansee Jer. 41:18.
11:30 barren
(Heb. àqar) (Gen. 25:21; Ex. 23:26; Judg. 13:3; Ps.
113:9) H6135: Because people ascribed the ability
to have children to divine providence, barrenness
(or the inability to conceive) was seen as a sign
of Gods displeasure (Ex. 23:25, 26; Deut. 7:14). It
was a reversal of the natural order of fruitfulness
prescribed at creation (Gen. 1:28). In the ancient
world, a son would carry on the family name and
take possession of the family land and livelihood.
Thus, when Sarai was barren, it was a serious
situation that had implications for her financial
and social standing as well as her emotional well-
being. When she conceived Isaac, her joy knew
no bounds (Gen. 21:7).
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 12:1
Promises to Abram
N
ow the Lor d had said to Abram:
12
Get out of your country,

From your family
And from your fathers house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth
shall be blessed.
4 So Abram departed as the Lor d had

spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And
Abram was seventy-f ive years old when he
departed from Haran. 5T hen Abram took
Sarai his wife and Lot his brothers son, and
all their possessions that they had gathered,
and the people whom they had acquired in
Haran, and they departed to go to the land of
Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.
6Abram passed through the land to the place
of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of
Moreh.a And the Canaanites were then in
the land.
7Then the Lor d appeared to Abram and
said, To your descendants I will give this
land. And there he built an altar to the
Lor d, who had appeared to him. 8And he
moved from there to the mountain east of
Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel
on the west and Ai on the east; there he built
an altar to the Lor d and called on the name
of the Lor d. 9So Abram journeyed, going on
still toward the South.a
Abram in Egypt
10Now there was a famine in the land, and
Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there,
for the famine was severe in the land. 11And
it came to pass, when he was close to entering
Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, Indeed
I know that you are a woman of beautiful
countenance. 12T herefore it will happen,
when the Egyptians see you, that they will
say, This is his wife; and they will kill me,
but they will let you live. 13Please say you are
my sister, that it may be well with me for your
sake, and that Ia may live because of you.
14So it was, when Abram came into Egypt,
14
that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she

was very beautiful. 15The princes of Pharaoh
also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaohs
house. 16He treated Abram well for her sake.
He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and
female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17But the Lor d plagued Pharaoh and his
house with great plagues because of Sarai,
Abrams wife. 18And Pharaoh called Abram
and said, What is this you have done to me?
12:6aHebrew Alon Moreh 12:9aHebrew Negev
12:13aLiterally my soul
12:1 land
(Heb. 'erets) (Gen. 1:1, 10; 4:16; Deut. 34:2; Ps.
98:3) H0776: The common Old Testament word
land possesses several nuances of meaning,
including: earth in contrast to the heavens (1:1);
land in contrast to the sea (Gen. 1:10); ground as a
plot of real estate or a geographical location (Gen.
4:16); the land of a sovereign nation (Gen. 13:10,
12); or even the people who live upon the earth
(Ps. 98:3; 100:1). In essence, all land belongs to
God as its Creator (Ps. 24:1). Thus when God
promised the Israelites the land of Canaan, it
was His to give. Because the land of Canaan was
an important element in Gods covenant with the
Israelites (Gen. 12:1), it became one of their identifying characteristicsthe people of the land
(Gen. 13:15; 15:7).
12:2 greatsee Gen. 48:19.
12:3 family
(Heb. mishpachah) (Gen. 10:32; Num. 1:2; 1 Chr.
16:28) H4940: The Hebrew word here encompasses more than just the traditional family unit
of parents and children. So, when Noahs descendants are listed we read about the families of
the sons of Noah (Gen. 10:32), just as when the
census is taken of the Hebrews by their families
before they entered the Promised Land (Num.
1:2, 18). Similarly, when discussing laws of inheritance for a man who died with no children or
brothers or uncles, the next relative closest to
him in his family would receive the land (Num.
27:11), as Boaz would later do with Ruth (Ruth
4). This word can also refer broadly to the entire
people of Israel, as in Amos 3:1, 2.
12:5 possessionssee Ezra 10:8.
12:6 passsee Josh. 3:4.
12:16 sheepsee Mic. 2:12.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
15
Why did you not tell me that she was your

wife? 19Why did you say, She is my sister? I
might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your
way. 20 So Pharaoh commanded his men
concerning him; and they sent him away,
with his wife and all that he had.
Abram Inherits Canaan
T
hen Abram went up from Egypt, he
and his wife and all that he had, and
Lot with him, to the South. a 2Abram was
very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
3And he went on his journey from the South
as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent
had been at the beginning, between Bethel
and Ai, 4to the place of the altar which he had
made there at first. And there Abram called
on the name of the Lor d.
5Lot also, who went with Abram, had
flocks and herds and tents. 6Now the land
was not able to support them, that they might
dwell together, for their possessions were
so great that they could not dwell together.
7And there was strife between the herdsmen
of Abrams livestock and the herdsmen of
Lots livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land.
8So Abram said to Lot, Please let there be
no strife between you and me, and between
my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are
brethren. 9Is not the whole land before you?
Please separate from me. If you take the left,
then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the
right, then I will go to the left.
10And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the
plain of Jordan, that it was well watered
everywhere (before the Lor d destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the
Lor d, like the land of Egypt as you go toward
Zoar. 11Then Lot chose for himself all the
plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And
they separated from each other. 12Abram
dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt
in the cities of the plain and pitched his
tent even as far as Sodom. 13But the men of
Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful
against the Lor d.
14 And the Lor d said to Abram, after Lot
had separated from him: Lift your eyes now
and look from the place where you are
northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15for all the land which you see I give
to you and your descendantsa forever. 16And
13
Genesis 14:7
I will make your descendants as the dust of
the earth; so that if a man could number the
dust of the earth, then your descendants also
could be numbered. 17Arise, walk in the land
through its length and its width, for I give it
to you.
18Then Abram moved his tent, and went
and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre,a
which are in Hebron, and built an altar there
to the Lor d.
Lots Captivity and Rescue
A nd it came to pass in the days of
Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch
king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam,
and Tidal king of nations,a 2that they made
war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of
Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela
(that is, Zoar). 3All these joined together in
the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).
4Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer,
and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer
and the kings that were with him came
and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth
Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in
Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6and the Horites in their
mountain of Seir, as far as El Paran, which
is by the wilderness. 7Then they turned back
and came to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh),
14
13:1aHebrew Negev 1 3:15aLiterally seed, and so

throughout the book 13:18aHebrew Alon Mamre
14:1aHebrew goyim
13:1 go upsee Ex. 19:20.

13:5 tentsee 2 Sam. 20:1.
13:13 sinful
(Heb. chatta') (1 Sam. 15:18; Ps. 1:5; Prov. 23:17)
H2400: A sinner is one who transgresses the law
of God and is thus deserving of divine condemnation. This form of the word is used 18 times in
Scripture, but the root word from which it comes,
chata' (sin), is used 238 times in the Old Testament. The people of Sodom had reached such a
state that they were guilty of the most heinous
and notorious crimes. Lot chose to live in the
midst of and share his life with these exceedingly
wicked people.
13:15 descendantsee Gen. 22:18.
13:16 dustsee Num. 23:10.
13:18 Hebronsee 1 Chr. 3:1.
14:3 valleysee Hos. 1:5.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 14:8
16
21Now the king of Sodom said to Abram,
and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Give me the persons, and take the goods for
Hazezon Tamar.
yourself.
8 And the king of Sodom, the king of
22But Abram said to the king of Sodom, I
Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king have raised my hand to the Lor d, God Most
of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,
Zoar) went out and joined together in battle 23that I will take nothing, from a thread
in the Valley of Siddim 9against Chedorla- to a sandal strap, and that I will not take
omer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, a anything that is yours, lest you should say, I
Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king have made Abram rich24except only what
of Ellasarfour kings against five. 10Now the young men have eaten, and the portion
the Valley of Siddim was full of asphalt of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol,
pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomor- and Mamre; let them take their portion.
rah fled; some fell there, and the remainder
fled to the mountains. 11Then they took all Gods Covenant with Abram
A fter these things the word of the
the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and
Lor d came to Abram in a vision,
all their provisions, and went their way.
12T hey also took Lot, Abrams brothers son saying, Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your
who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and shield, your exceedingly great reward.
2But Abram said, Lord God , what will
departed.
13T hen one who had escaped came and You give me, seeing I go childless, and the
told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?
the terebinth trees of Mamrea the Amorite, 3Then Abram said, Look, You have given
brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and me no offspring; indeed one born in my
they were allies with Abram. 14Now when house is my heir!
4 And behold, the word of the Lor d came
Abram heard that his brother was taken
to
him,
saying, This one shall not be your
captive, he armed his three hundred and
eighteen trained servants who were born in heir, but one who will come from your own
his own house, and went in pursuit as far as 14:9aHebrew goyim 14:13aHebrew Alon Mamre
Dan. 15He divided his forces against them by
night, and he and his servants attacked them
14:13 Hebrew see Jer. 34:9.
14:15 Damascus see 1 Kin. 20:34.
and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is
north of Damascus. 16So he brought back all
14:18 most high
the goods, and also brought back his brother
Lot and his goods, as well as the women and
(Heb. èlyon) (Gen. 14:22; Ps. 47:2; 78:35) H5945:
the people.
Although the word can simply mean upper, as
17And the king of Sodom went out to
in the upper pool (2 Kin. 18:17) or upper gate
(Ezek. 9:2), the vast majority of references to
meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is,
èlyon describe God in His position as the greatthe Kings Valley), after his return from the
est, most supreme deity, superseding all others.
defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who
He is the Lord Most High... a great King over
were with him.
15
Abram and Melchizedek

18 T hen Melchizedek king of Salem
brought out bread and wine; he was the priest
of God Most High. 19And he blessed him and
said:
Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High,
Who has delivered your enemies into
your hand.
And he gave him a tithe of all.
all the earth (Ps. 47:2). He stands far and above

all others. Indeed, the sin of the king of Babylon (sometimes considered to be a reference to
Satan) was attempting to be like the Most High
(Is. 14:14).
14:20 deliversee Josh. 10:19.
14:20 enemysee Num. 10:9.
14:20 tithesee 2 Chr. 31:5.
14:22 most highsee Gen. 14:18.
15:1 aftersee 1 Sam. 13:7.
15:1 shieldsee Ps. 18:30.
15:1 rewardsee Gen. 30:28.
15:3 offspringsee Gen. 22:18.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
17
5Then
body shall be your heir.

He brought
him outside and said, Look now toward
heaven, and count the stars if you are able to
number them. And He said to him, So shall
your descendants be.
6And he believed in the Lor d, and He
accounted it to him for righteousness.
7T hen He said to him, I am the Lor d,
who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans,
to give you this land to inherit it.
8And he said, Lord God, how shall I
know that I will inherit it?
9So He said to him, Bring Me a three-
year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a
young pigeon. 10Then he brought all these to
Him and cut them in two, down the middle,
and placed each piece opposite the other; but
he did not cut the birds in two. 11And when
the vultures came down on the carcasses,
Abram drove them away.
12Now when the sun was going down, a
deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold,
horror and great darkness fell upon him.
13Then He said to Abram: Know certainly
that your descendants will be strangers in a
land that is not theirs, and will serve them,
and they will afflict them four hundred
years. 14And also the nation whom they serve
I will judge; afterward they shall come out
with great possessions. 15Now as for you, you
shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be
buried at a good old age. 16But in the fourth
generation they shall return here, for the
iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.
17And it came to pass, when the sun went
down and it was dark, that behold, there
appeared a smoking oven and a burning
torch that passed between those pieces. 18On
the same day the Lor d made a covenant with
Abram, saying:
To your descendants I have given this
land, from the river of Egypt to the great
river, the River Euphrates19the Kenites,
the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the
Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21the
Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites,
and the Jebusites.
Hagar and Ishmael
Now Sarai, Abrams wife, had borne
him no children. And she had an
Egyptian maidservant whose name was
Hagar. 2So Sarai said to Abram, See now, the
16
Genesis 16:5
Lor d has restrained me from bearing chil
dren. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall
obtain children by her. And Abram heeded
the voice of Sarai. 3Then Sarai, Abrams wife,
took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave
her to her husband Abram to be his wife,
after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land
of Canaan. 4So he went in to Hagar, and she
conceived. And when she saw that she had
conceived, her mistress became despised in
her eyes.
5Then Sarai said to Abram, My wrong be
15:5 numbersee Ps. 118:17.
15:6 believe
(Heb. 'aman) (Ex. 4:31; 2 Chr. 20:20; Ps. 116:10)
H0539: The Hebrew word translated believe is
from a root meaning establish or confirm.
The English word amen, which is used to express
approval, comes from the same root (Neh. 5:13;
Ps. 41:13). Belief is one of the most important
ideas in all the Bible, because a person must
believe God in order to be saved from sin. For this
very reason, the New Testament makes much of
the fact that Abraham believed God (Heb. 11:8
12). Whenever the Scriptures, whether the Old
Testament or New Testament, state that a person
believed in the Lord, it signals that the person
has made a decision to treat Gods word as certain and has made a commitment to do what God
wants (Gen. 15:6; John 1:12).
15:6 account
(Heb. chashab) (Lev. 25:27; Is. 33:8) H2803: This
complex verb has two distinct ranges of meaning.
The first is associated with calculations of some
sort: count (Lev. 25:27; Prov. 17:28), esteem
(Is. 53:3), impute (2 Sam. 19:19), reckon
(Lev. 27:18, 23). The second includes the element
of planning. Thus the word has the meaning of
think (1 Sam. 1:13), devise (Esth. 8:3), artistic design (Ex. 26:1; 35:35), or regard (Is. 33:8).
As used in Genesis 15:6, the word has commercial
connotations. Abrams faith was accounted to
him for righteousnessthat is, computed or tallied as a credit or deposit in Abrams favor. Paul
also appeals to this credit and debit language of
the accounting ledger in his explanation of justification by faith (Rom. 4:3).
15:11 come downsee 1 Sam. 23:11.
15:13 afflictsee Judg. 16:6.
15:18 covenantsee 2 Sam. 3:12.
16:1 bearsee Gen. 6:10.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 16:6
18
upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; many nations. 5No longer shall your name be
and when she saw that she had conceived, I called Abram, but your name shall be Abrabecame despised in her eyes. The Lor d judge ham; for I have made you a father of many
nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitbetween you and me.
6 So Abram said to Sarai, Indeed your ful; and I will make nations of you, and kings
maid is in your hand; do to her as you please. shall come from you. 7And I will establish
And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she My covenant between Me and you and your
descendants after you in their generations,
fled from her presence.
7Now the Angel of the Lor d found her for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you
by a spring of water in the wilderness, by and your descendants after you. 8Also I give
the spring on the way to Shur. 8And He said, to you and your descendants after you the
Hagar, Sarais maid, where have you come land in which you are a stranger, all the land
of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and
from, and where are you going?
She said, I am fleeing from the presence I will be their God.
9And God said to Abraham: As for you,
of my mistress Sarai.
9T he Angel of the Lor d said to her, you shall keep My covena nt, you and your
Return to your mistress, and submit your- descendants after you throughout their
self under her hand. 10Then the Angel of generations. 10T his is My covena nt which
the Lor d said to her, I will multiply your 16:14aLiterally Well of the One Who Lives and Sees Me
descendants exceedingly, so that they shall
not be counted for multitude. 11And the
16:6 flee see 1 Sam. 20:1.
Angel of the Lor d said to her:
16:13 see
Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.

You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lor d has heard your
affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every mans hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all
his brethren.
13T hen
she called the name of the Lor d

who spoke to her, You-Are-t he-God-W ho-
Sees; for she said, Have I also here seen
Him who sees me? 14Therefore the well was
called Beer Lahai Roi;a observe, it is between
Kadesh and Bered.
15So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram
named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
16Abram was eighty-six years old when
Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
TheSign oftheCovenant
W hen Abram was ninety-nine years
old, the Lor d appeared to Abram
and said to him, I am Almighty God; walk
before Me and be blameless. 2And I will
make My covena nt between Me and you,
and will multiply you exceedingly. 3Then
Abram fell on his face, and God talked with
him, saying: 4As for Me, behold, My cov
enant is with you, and you shall be a father of
17
(Heb. ro'i) (1 Sam. 16:12; Job 7:8; 33:21) H7210:

This word is derived from another Hebrew word
meaning sight and is used only five times in the
Old Testament. In Job 7:8, as here, it is rendered
in the present tense. Job 33:21 sets it in the past
participle (seen). In the other two instances,
the word is translated good-looking (1 Sam.
16:12) and spectacle (Nah. 3:6), both variations
on the concept of physical sight. Here, Hagar uses
the word both as part of a name for God (You-
Are-the-God-W ho-Sees) and describing her
vision of the angel of the Lord (Have I also here
seen Him who sees me?).
17:1 Almightysee Gen. 49:25.
17:5 Abraham
(Heb. 'abraham) (Gen. 18:19; 22:15; Ex. 3:6)
H0085: Abraham was the father of the nation of
Israel. Called by God out of Haran (Gen. 12:4),
Abraham, whose name means father of a great
multitude, believed Gods promise that he would
become a great nation (Gen. 12:2, 3) despite
his wifes barrenness (Gen. 11:30). Abraham is
the first of the three biblical patriarchs (Ex. 3:6;
Matt. 22:32; Acts 3:13) and is included in both
Matthews (Matt. 1:2) and Lukes (Luke 3:34)
genealogies of Jesus. Abraham is listed in the
hall of faith in Hebrews (Heb. 11:810).
17:8 possessionsee Josh. 22:9.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
19
you shall keep, between Me and you and

your descendants after you: Every male child
among you shall be circumcised; 11and you
shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant
between Me and you. 12He who is eight days
old among you shall be circumcised, every
male child in your generations, he who is
born in your house or bought with money
from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13He who is born in your house and
he who is bought with your money must be
circumcised, and My covena nt shall be in
your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14And
the uncircumcised male child, who is not
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that
person shall be cut off from his people; he has
broken My covenant.
15T hen God said to Abraham, As for
Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name
Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16And
I will bless her and also give you a son by
her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a
mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be
from her.
17T hen Abraham fell on his face and
laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child
be born to a man who is one hundred years
old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old,
bear a child? 18And Abraham said to God,
Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!
19T hen God said: No, Sarah your wife
shall bear you a son, and you shall call his
name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with
him for an everlasting covenant, and with his
descendants after him. 20And as for Ishmael,
I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him,
and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve
princes, and I will make him a great nation.
21But My covenant I will establish with Isaac,
whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time
next year. 22Then He finished talking with
him, and God went up from Abraham.
23So Abraham took Ishmael his son, all
who were born in his house and all who were
bought with his money, every male among
the men of Abrahams house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very
same day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-n ine years old when he
was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old
when he was circumcised in the flesh of his
Genesis 18:7
foreskin. 26That very same day Abraham was

circumcised, and his son Ishmael; 27and all
the men of his house, born in the house or

bought with money from a foreigner, were
circumcised with him.
TheSon ofPromise
Then the Lor d appeared to him by
the terebinth trees of Mamre, a as he
was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the
day. 2So he lifted his eyes and looked, and
behold, three men were standing by him;
and when he saw them, he ran from the tent
door to meet them, and bowed himself to
the ground, 3and said, My Lord, if I have
now found favor in Your sight, do not pass
on by Your servant. 4Please let a little water
be brought, and wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree. 5And I will bring
a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your
hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch
as you have come to your servant.
They said, Do as you have said.
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to
Sarah and said, Quickly, make ready three
measures of fine meal; knead it and make
cakes. 7And Abraham ran to the herd, took
a tender and good calf, gave it to a young
18
18:1aHebrew Alon Mamre
17:10 malesee Num. 1:2.

17:10 circumcisesee Deut. 30:6.
17:14 uncircumcisedsee Ex. 6:12.
17:15 Sarahsee Is. 51:2.
17:17 laughsee Gen. 18:13.
17:19 Isaac
(Heb. yitschaq) (Gen. 21:3; 22:2; 26:25) H3327:
Isaac was the son miraculously born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. The name means
laughter; Isaac was so named because Sarah
laughed when she received the prophecy of his
birth (Gen. 18:1015; 21:57). Isaacs mistakes
included his deception of Abimelech (Gen. 26:1
11), favoring his son Esau over Jacob, which led
to Jacobs deception of Isaac and enmity between
his sons (Gen. 27:141). Nevertheless, Isaac is
listed among the faithful in the hall of faith
(Heb. 11:20), and Jesus included Isaac in His list
of those who would sit down in the kingdom of
heaven (Matt. 8:11).
17:20 princesee Ezek. 46:8.
17:23 housesee 2 Sam. 7:11.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 18:8
20
8
man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he spare it for the fifty righteous that were in
took butter and milk and the calf which he it? 25Far be it from You to do such a thing as
had prepared, and set it before them; and he this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so
stood by them under the tree as they ate.
that the righteous should be as the wicked;
9Then they said to him, Where is Sarah far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all
your wife?
the earth do right?
26 So the Lor d said, If I find in Sodom
So he said, Here, in the tent.
10And He said, I will certainly return to fifty righteous within the city, then I will
you according to the time of life, and behold, spare all the place for their sakes.
27T hen Abraham answered and said,
Sarah your wife shall have a son.
(Sarah was listening in the tent door Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes
which was behind him.) 11Now Abraham have taken it upon myself to speak to the
and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; Lord: 28Suppose there were five less than the
and Sarah had passed the age of childbear- fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the
ing. a 12T herefore Sarah laughed within city for lack of five?
herself, saying, After I have grown old, shall
So He said, If I find there forty-f ive, I will
I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
not destroy it.
13And the Lor d said to Abraham, Why
29And he spoke to Him yet again and said,
did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I surely bear a Suppose there should be forty found there?
child, since I am old? 14Is anything too hard
So He said, I will not do it for the sake
for the Lor d? At the appointed time I will of forty.
30Then he said, Let not the Lord be angry,
return to you, according to the time of life,
and Sarah shall have a son.
and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be
15But Sarah denied it, saying, I did not found there?
laugh, for she was afraid.
So He said, I will not do it if I find thirty
And He said, No, but you did laugh!
there.
31And he said, Indeed now, I have taken
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose
16T hen the men rose from there and twenty should be found there?
looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went 18:11aLiterally the manner of women had ceased to be with
with them to send them on the way. 17And Sarah
the Lor d said, Shall I hide from Abraham
18:12 lord see Mic. 4:13.
what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall
surely become a great and mighty nation,
18:13 laugh
and all the nations of the earth shall be
19
(Heb. tsachaq) (Gen. 17:17; 21:6; Ex.32:6; Judg.
blessed in him? For I have known him, in
16:25) H6711: The verb meaning to laugh can
order that he may command his children
also mean to jest or play, as in Genesis 19:14,
and his household after him, that they keep
where Lots sons-in-law think him joking, or
the way of the Lor d, to do righteousness and
26:8,
where Jacob is seen showing endearment
justice, that the Lor d may bring to Abraham
to his wife. The term can have negative implica20
what He has spoken to him. And the Lor d
tions as well, as in Genesis 21:9 (scoffing) and
said, Because the outcry against Sodom and
39:14 (mock). Sarahs disbelieving laughter in
Gomorrah is great, and because their sin
Genesis 18:12 earned her a gentle rebuke from
21
is very grave, I will go down now and see
God (Gen. 18:13, 14) but also became the name
whether they have done altogether according
of her sonIsaac means laughter. Sarah put a
to the outcry against it that has come to Me;
positive spin on the name in Genesis 21:6, declaring, God has made me laugh, and all who hear
and if not, I will know.
22Then the men turned away from there
will laugh with me.
and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still
18:14 Sarah see Is. 51:2.
stood before the Lor d. 23And Abraham
18:18 mighty see Ps. 135:10.
came near and said, Would You also destroy
18:19 Abraham see Gen. 17:5.
24
the righteous with the wicked? Suppose
18:23 wicked see Prov. 10:16.
there were fifty righteous within the city;
18:27 answer see 1 Sam. 12:3.
would You also destroy the place and not
6/17/16 1:06 PM
21
So He said, I will not destroy it for the

sake of twenty.
32Then he said, Let not the Lord be angry,
and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten
should be found there?
And He said, I will not destroy it for the
sake of ten. 33So the Lor d went His way as
soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Sodoms Depravity
Now the two angels came to Sodom
in the evening, and Lot was sitting
in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them,
he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself
with his face toward the ground. 2And he
said, Here now, my lords, please turn in to
your servants house and spend the night,
and wash your feet; then you may rise early
and go on your way.
And they said, No, but we will spend the
night in the open square.
3But he insisted strongly; so they turned
in to him and entered his house. Then he
made them a feast, and baked unleavened
bread, and they ate.
4 Now before they lay down, the men of
the city, the men of Sodom, both old and
young, all the people from every quarter,
surrounded the house. 5And they called to
Lot and said to him, Where are the men
who came to you tonight? Bring them out to
us that we may know them carnally.
6 So Lot went out to them through the
doorway, shut the door behind him, 7and
said, Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8See now, I have two daughters who
have not known a man; please, let me bring
them out to you, and you may do to them
as you wish; only do nothing to these men,
since this is the reason they have come under
the shadow of my roof.
9And they said, Stand back! Then they
said, This one came in to stay here, and he
keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal
worse with you than with them. So they
pressed hard against the man Lot, and came
near to break down the door. 10But the men
reached out their hands and pulled Lot into
the house with them, and shut the door.
11And they struck the men who were at the
doorway of the house with blindness, both
small and great, so that they became weary
trying to find the door.
19
Genesis 19:19
Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
12T hen the men said to Lot, Have you
anyone else here? Son-i n-law, your sons,
your daughters, and whomever you have in
the citytake them out of this place! 13For
we will destroy this place, because the outcry
against them has grown great before the face
of the Lor d, and the Lor d has sent us to
destroy it.
14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-
in-law, who had married his daughters, and
said, Get up, get out of this place; for the
Lor d will destroy this city! But to his sons-
in-law he seemed to be joking.
15W hen the morning dawned, the angels
urged Lot to hurry, saying, Arise, take your
wife and your two daughters who are here,
lest you be consumed in the punishment of
the city. 16And while he lingered, the men
took hold of his hand, his wifes hand, and
the hands of his two daughters, the Lor d
being merciful to him, and they brought him
out and set him outside the city. 17So it came
to pass, when they had brought them outside,
that hea said, Escape for your life! Do not
look behind you nor stay anywhere in the
plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be
destroyed.
18Then Lot said to them, Please, no, my
lords! 19Indeed now, your servant has found
favor in your sight, and you have increased
your mercy which you have shown me by
saving my life; but I cannot escape to the
19:17aSeptuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate read they.
19:6 doorsee Is. 57:8.
19:11 strike
(Heb. nakah) (Gen. 4:15; Num. 20:11; 1 Sam.
17:49; Hos. 14:5) H5221: The Hebrew verb most
often translated to strike can also mean to slay,
kill, beat, or wound. It is translated smitten in
the prophet Isaiahs famous description of the
suffering Messiah: Surely He has borne our
griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed
Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted (Is.
53:4). Its usage in Lamentations 3:30 (Let him
give his cheek to the one who strikes him) foreshadows Jesus words in Matthew 5:39 (whoever
slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to
him also).
19:14 marrysee 1 Sam. 8:14.
19:17 escapesee Jer. 48:8.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 19:20
22
mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I drink wine that night also. And the younger
die. 20See now, this city is near enough to flee arose and lay with him, and he did not know
to, and it is a little one; please let me escape when she lay down or when she arose.
36T hus both the daughters of Lot were
there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall
with child by their father. 37T he firstborn
live.
21And he said to him, See, I have favored bore a son and called his name Moab; he is
you concerning this thing also, in that I will the father of the Moabites to this day. 38And
not overthrow this city for which you have the younger, she also bore a son and called
spoken. 22Hurry, escape there. For I cannot his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the
people of Ammon to this day.
do anything until you arrive there.
Therefore the name of the city was called
Abraham and Abimelech
Zoar.
23The sun had risen upon the earth when
A nd Abraham journeyed from
there to the South, and dwelt
Lot entered Zoar. 24Then the Lor d rained
between
Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in
brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomor2Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife,
25
Gerar.
rah, from the Lor d out of the heavens. So
He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all She is my sister. And Abimelech king of
the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3But God came to Abimelech in a dream
on the ground.
26But his wife looked back behind him, by night, and said to him, Indeed you are a
dead man because of the woman whom you
and she became a pillar of salt.
27And Abraham went early in the morn- have taken, for she is a mans wife.
4 But Abimelech had not come near her;
ing to the place where he had stood before
and
he said, Lord, will You slay a righteous
28
the Lor d. Then he looked toward Sodom
nation
also? 5Did he not say to me, She is my
and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of
the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke sister? And she, even she herself said, He is
of the land which went up like the smoke of my brother. In the integrity of my heart and
of my hands I have done this.
a furnace. 29And it came to pass, when God innocence
6And God said to him in a dream, Yes, I
destroyed the cities of the plain, that God
remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of know that you did this in the integrity of your
the midst of the overthrow, when He over- heart. For I also withheld you from sinning
against Me; therefore I did not let you touch
threw the cities in which Lot had dwelt.
her. 7Now therefore, restore the mans wife;
for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you
TheDescendants ofLot
30Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt and you shall live. But if you do not restore
in the mountains, and his two daughters her, know that you shall surely die, you and
were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in all who are yours.
Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt
19:20 near enough see Ezek. 42:13.
in a cave. 31Now the firstborn said to the
19:29 destroy see 1 Chr. 20:1.
younger, Our father is old, and there is no
19:38 Ammon see Num. 21:24.
man on the earth to come in to us as is the
20:3 Abimelech see Gen. 26:1.
custom of all the earth. 32Come, let us make
20:5 innocence
our father drink wine, and we will lie with
him, that we may preserve the lineage of our
(Heb. niqqayon) (Ps. 26:6; 73:13; Hos. 8:5; Amos
father. 33So they made their father drink
4:6) H5356: This relatively uncommon Hebrew
wine that night. And the firstborn went in
word is used four times in the Old Testament to
convey a sense of spiritual cleanness or purity
and lay with her father, and he did not know
and once to indicate physical spotlessness
when she lay down or when she arose.
(cleanness of teethAmos 4:6). It indicates
34 It happened on the next day that the
freedom from guilt or punishment and is associfirstborn said to the younger, Indeed I lay
ated with a symbolic washing of hands in Psalms
with my father last night; let us make him
26:6 and 73:13.
drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie
with him, that we may preserve the lineage
20:7 pray see 2 Chr. 7:14.
of our father. 35Then they made their father
20
6/17/16 1:06 PM
23
Genesis 21:18
Abimelech rose early in the morn- Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?
ing, called all his servants, and told all these For I have borne him a son in his old age.
things in their hearing; and the men were
very much afraid. 9And Abimelech called Hagar and Ishmael Depart
8So the child grew and was weaned. And
Abraham and said to him, What have you
done to us? How have I offended you, that Abraham made a great feast on the same day
you have brought on me and on my king- that Isaac was weaned.
9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the
dom a great sin? You have done deeds to me
that ought not to be done. 10Then Abime- Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham,
lech said to Abraham, What did you have in scoffing. 10Therefore she said to Abraham,
view, that you have done this thing?
Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for
11And Abraham said, Because I thought, the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir
surely the fear of God is not in this place; with my son, namely with Isaac. 11And the
and they will kill me on account of my wife. matter was very displeasing in Abrahams
12But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the sight because of his son.
12But God said to Abraham, Do not let
daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. it be displeasing in your sight because of the
13And it came to pass, when God caused me lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatto wander from my fathers house, that I said ever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice;
to her, This is your kindness that you should for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13Yet
do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say I will also make a nation of the son of the
rother.
of me, He is my b
bondwoman, because he is your seed.
14Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and
14 So Abraham rose early in the mornmale and female servants, and gave them to ing, and took bread and a skin of water; and
Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the
to him. 15And Abimelech said, See, my boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she
land is before you; dwell where it pleases departed and wandered in the Wilderness
you. 16T hen to Sarah he said, Behold, I of Beersheba. 15And the water in the skin
have given your brother a thousand pieces was used up, and she placed the boy under
of silver; indeed this vindicates youa before one of the shrubs. 16Then she went and sat
all who are with you and before everybody. down across from him at a distance of about
Thus she was rebuked.
a bowshot; for she said to herself, Let me not
17So Abraham prayed to God; and God
see the death of the boy. So she sat opposite
healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female him, and lifted her voice and wept.
servants. Then they bore children; 18for the
17And God heard the voice of the lad.
Lor d had closed up all the wombs of the Then the angel of God called to Hagar out
house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abra- of heaven, and said to her, What ails you,
hams wife.
Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice
of the lad where he is. 18Arise, lift up the lad
Isaac Is Born
a
A
nd the Lor d visited Sarah as He 20:16 Literally it is a covering of the eyes for you
had said, and the Lor d did for Sarah
20:11 fear see Prov. 19:23.
as He had spoken. 2For Sarah conceived and
21:3 Isaac see Gen. 17:19.
bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set
21:6 laugh see Gen. 18:13.
3
time of which God had spoken to him. And
21:8 wean see Ps. 131:2.
Abraham called the name of his son who was
21:8 feast see Prov. 15:15.
born to himwhom Sarah bore to him
Isaac. 4Then Abraham circumcised his son
21:18 great
Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had
(Heb. gadol) (Gen. 1:16; Ex. 3:3; Ps. 96:4; Is. 9:2)
commanded him. 5Now Abraham was one
H1419: This common adjective often refers to
hundred years old when his son Isaac was
magnitude or size (as in 2 Chr. 7:8a very
born to him. 6And Sarah said, God has made
great assembly or Neh. 3:27great projecting
me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with
Continued
me. 7She also said, Who would have said to
8 So
21
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 21:19
24
and hold him with your hand, for I will make only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to
the land of Moriah, and offer him there as
him a great nation.
19Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a burnt offering on one of the mountains of
a well of water. And she went and filled the which I shall tell you.
3So Abraham rose early in the morning
skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.
20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and saddled his donkey, and took two of his
and dwelt in the wilderness, and became young men with him, and Isaac his son; and
an archer. 21He dwelt in the Wilderness of he split the wood for the burnt offering, and
Paran; and his mother took a wife for him arose and went to the place of which God
had told him. 4Then on the third day Abrafrom the land of Egypt.
ham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
5And Abraham said to his young men, Stay
A Covenant with Abimelech
22And it came to pass at that time that here with the donkey; the lad a and I will go
Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of yonder and worship, and we will come back
his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, God is to you.
6So Abraham took the wood of the burnt
with you in all that you do. 23Now therefore,
swear to me by God that you will not deal offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he
falsely with me, with my offspring, or with took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the
my posterity; but that according to the kind- two of them went together. 7But Isaac spoke
ness that I have done to you, you will do to to Abraham his father and said, My father!
And he said, Here I am, my son.
me and to the land in which you have dwelt.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
Then he said, Look, the fire and the wood,
25T hen Abraham rebuked Abime lech but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
because of a well of water which Abimelechs 21:31aLiterally Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven
servants had seized. 26And Abimelech said, 22:5aOr young man
I do not know who has done this thing; you
did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until
Continued
today. 27So Abraham took sheep and oxen
tower) but can also indicate loudness (Josh. 6:5;
and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of
1 Sam. 4:5), scope (as in 1 Sam 4:10a very great
slaughter), or age (Gen. 27:1older son). The
them made a covenant. 28And Abraham set
word can alternately be translated high (e.g.,
seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 T hen Abimelech asked Abraham,
high priest), mighty (Deut. 9:29), or proud
(Ps. 12:3). A very typical usage, especially in the
What is the meaning of these seven ewe
psalms, describes the greatness of God (Ps. 95:3;
lambs which you have set by themselves?
96:4; 145:3).
30And he said, You will take these seven
ewe lambs from my hand, that they may
21:25 seize see Job 20:19.
be my witness that I have dug this well.
31Therefore he called that place Beersheba, a
22:2 only son
because the two of them swore an oath there.
(Heb. yachid) (Gen. 22:16; Judg. 11:34; Ps. 22:20)
32T hus they made a covena nt at BeerH3173: The Hebrew word emphasizes the uniquesheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the
ness of an individual. Isaac was not just Abracommander of his army, and they returned
hams son, he was his only son. Abraham had no
to the land of the Philistines. 33Then Abra
others. Jephthahs daughter, likewise, was his
ham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba,
only child. Besides her he had neither son nor
and there called on the name of the Lor d,
daughter (Judg. 11:34). The word yachid can also
be translated as precious when referring to life
the Everlasting God. 34And Abraham stayed
itself, so valuable to each of us (Ps. 22:20; 35:17),
in the land of the Philistines many days.
Abrahams Faith Confirmed

Now it came to pass after these
things that God tested Abraham,
and said to him, Abraham!
And he said, Here I am.
2Then He said, Take now your son, your
22
or even desolate, emphasizing the fact that people can feel utterly alone at times (Ps. 25:16).
22:2 Isaacsee Gen. 17:19.
22:3 rise earlysee Josh. 8:10.
22:3 donkeysee 1 Kin. 2:40.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
25
Genesis 23:6
Abraham said, My son, God will Sarahs Death and Burial
provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt
S arah lived one hundred and
offering. So the two of them went together.
twenty-seven years; these were the
9T hen they came to the place of which
years of the life of Sarah. 2So Sarah died in
God had told him. And Abraham built an Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of
altar there and placed the wood in order; Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for
and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on Sarah and to weep for her.
3Then Abraham stood up from before his
the altar, upon the wood. 10And Abraham
stretched out his hand and took the knife to dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
4I am a foreigner and a visitor among you.
slay his son.
11But the Angel of the Lor d called to him
Give me property for a burial place among
from heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham! you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5And the sons of Heth answered AbraSo he said, Here I am.
12 And He said, Do not lay your hand
ham, saying to him, 6Hear us, my lord: You
on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I 22:14aHebrew YHWH Yireh 22:23aSpelled Rebecca in
know that you fear God, since you have not Romans 9:10
withheld your son, your only son, from Me.
13T hen Abraham lifted his eyes and
22:9 build see Jer. 1:10.
looked, and there behind him was a ram
22:12 fear see Ps. 118:4.
caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abra22:13 horn see Ezek. 29:21.
ham went and took the ram, and offered it
22:15 Abraham see Gen. 17:5.
up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
22:16 only son see Gen. 22:2.
14And Abraham called the name of the place,
22:18 seed
The-Lor d-Will-Provide;a as it is said to this
day, In the Mount of the Lor d it shall be
(Heb. zera`) (Gen. 3:15; 13:15; 15:3; Ps. 89:4)
provided.
H2233: The Hebrew word translated seed can
15T hen the Angel of the Lor d called to
literally mean a seed sown in the ground (Gen.
1:11, 12) or figuratively ones offspring or descenAbraham a second time out of heaven, 16and
dants (Gen. 13:15). The word can refer to a large
said: By Myself I have sworn, says the Lor d,
group of people, such as the descendants of Abrabecause you have done this thing, and have
not withheld your son, your only son ham or the nation of Israel, or to an individual.
In some parts of Genesis, it refers specifically to
17blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I
the coming Messiah, as in Gods promise that the
will multiply your descendants as the stars
womans Seed would defeat the serpent (Gen.
of the heaven and as the sand which is on the
3:15; see Num. 24:7; Is. 6:13; Gal. 3:16). As such,
seashore; and your descendants shall possess
the term takes on great importance in the Bible:
the gate of their enemies. 18In your seed all
It is through Abrahams seed, both collectively in
the nations of the earth shall be blessed,
Israel and singularly in Christ, that God would
reach out to save all people (Gen. 15:3).
because you have obeyed My voice. 19So
Abraham returned to his young men, and
they rose and went together to Beersheba;
23:4 visitor
and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
(Heb. toshab) (Ex. 12:45; Lev. 25:47) H8453: The
8And
23
TheFamily ofNahor
20Now it came to pass after these things
that it was told Abraham, saying, Indeed
Milcah also has borne children to your
brother Nahor: 21Huz his firstborn, Buz
his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and
Bethuel. 23And Bethuel begot Rebekah. a
These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abrahams brother. 24His concubine, whose name
was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham,
Thahash, and Maachah.
toshab was similar to the ger (H1616) in many

ways. Both were foreigners, outsiders residing
temporarily in the land. They had limited rights
determined entirely by the nation in which they
had chosen to stay. Sojourners (visitors) were
never truly included in Gods chosen people.
They could be sold as slaves (Lev. 25:45) but also
buy others as slaves (Lev. 25:47). They were not
allowed to celebrate Passover unless they submitted to circumcision (Ex. 12:4548), but they
could flee to a city of refuge if needed (Num.
35:15). Spiritually, we are all sojourners here,
awaiting our true home with God (Ps. 39:12).
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 23:7
26
are a mighty prince among us; bury your blessed Abraham in all things. 2So Abraham
dead in the choicest of our burial places. said to the oldest servant of his house, who
None of us will withhold from you his burial ruled over all that he had, Please, put your
place, that you may bury your dead.
hand under my thigh, 3and I will make you
7T hen Abraham stood up and bowed swear by the Lor d, the God of heaven and
himself to the people of the land, the sons of the God of the earth, that you will not take
Heth. 8And he spoke with them, saying, If it is a wife for my son from the daughters of the
your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4but you
hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of shall go to my country and to my family, and
Zohar for me, 9that he may give me the cave of take a wife for my son Isaac.
5And the servant said to him, Perhaps
Machpelah which he has, which is at the end
of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, the woman will not be willing to follow me
as property for a burial place among you.
to this land. Must I take your son back to the
10Now Ephron dwelt among the sons land from which you came?
6But Abraham said to him, Beware that
of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered
Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, you do not take my son back there. 7T he
all who entered at the gate of his city, saying, Lor d God of heaven, who took me from
11No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field my fathers house and from the land of my
and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the family, and who spoke to me and swore to
presence of the sons of my people. I give it to me, saying, To your descendantsa I give this
you. Bury your dead!
land, He will send His angel before you, and
12T hen Abraham bowed himself down you shall take a wife for my son from there.
before the people of the land; 13and he spoke 8And if the woman is not willing to follow
to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the you, then you will be released from this
land, saying, If you will give it, please hear oath; only do not take my son back there.
me. I will give you money for the field; take it 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh
from me and I will bury my dead there.
of Abraham his master, and swore to him
14And Ephron answered Abraham, saying
concerning this matter.
10Then the servant took ten of his masters
to him, 15My lord, listen to me; the land is
worth four hundred shekels of silver. What camels and departed, for all his masters
is that between you and me? So bury your goods were in his hand. And he arose and
dead. 16And Abraham listened to Ephron; went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
and Abraham weighed out the silver for 11And he made his camels kneel down
Ephron which he had named in the hearing outside the city by a well of water at evening
of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of time, the time when women go out to draw
silver, currency of the merchants.
water. 12Then he said, O Lor d God of my
17So the field of Ephron which was in
master Abraham, please give me success this
Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the day, and show kindness to my master Abrafield and the cave which was in it, and all the ham. 13Behold, here I stand by the well of
trees that were in the field, which were within water, and the daughters of the men of the
all the surrounding borders, were deeded city are coming out to draw water. 14Now
18to Abraham as a possession in the presence
let it be that the young woman to whom I
of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at say, Please let down your pitcher that I may
the gate of his city.
drink, and she says, Drink, and I will also
19And after this, Abraham buried Sarah
24:7aLiterally seed
his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah,
before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land
23:7 bow see Deut. 26:10.
of Canaan. 20So the field and the cave that is
23:9 cave see 1 Sam. 24:3.
23:9 burial place see Neh. 2:5.
in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of
23:16 weigh see Jer. 32:9.
Heth as property for a burial place.
A Bride for Isaac

N ow Abraham was old, well
advanced in age; and the Lor d had
24
23:19 Sarahsee Is. 51:2.

24:7 swearsee Deut. 1:8.
24:11 timesee Is. 33:6.
24:14 drinksee Num. 21:22.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
27
Genesis 24:40
give your camels a drinklet her be the one the man spoke to me, that he went to the
You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. man. And there he stood by the camels at the
And by this I will know that You have shown well. 31And he said, Come in, Oblessed of
kindness to my m
aster.
the Lor d! Why do you stand outside? For I
15And it happened, before he had finished have prepared the house, and a place for the
speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was camels.
32Then the man came to the house. And
born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of
Nahor, Abrahams brother, came out with he unloaded the camels, and provided straw
her pitcher on her shoulder. 16Now the and feed for the camels, and water to wash
young woman was very beautiful to behold, his feet and the feet of the men who were with
a virgin; no man had known her. And she him. 33Food was set before him to eat, but he
went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and said, I will not eat until I have told about my
came up. 17And the servant ran to meet her errand.
and said, Please let me drink a little water
And he said, Speak on.
34 So he said, I am Abrahams servant.
from your pitcher.
18So she said, Drink, my lord. Then she 35
The Lor d has blessed my master greatly,
quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and he has become great; and He has given
and gave him a drink. 19And when she had him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male
finished giving him a drink, she said, I will and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
draw water for your camels also, until they 36And Sarah my masters wife bore a son to
have finished drinking. 20Then she quickly my master when she was old; and to him he
emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back has given all that he has. 37Now my master
to the well to draw water, and drew for all his made me swear, saying, You shall not take
camels. 21And the man, wondering at her, a wife for my son from the daughters of the
remained silent so as to know whether the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; 38but you
Lor d had made his journey prosperous or shall go to my fathers house and to my family,
not.
and take a wife for my son. 39And I said to my
22So it was, when the camels had finished
master, Perhaps the woman will not follow
drinking, that the man took a golden nose me. 40But he said to me, The Lor d, before
ring weighing half a shekel, and two brace- whom I walk, will send His angel with you
lets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of and prosper your way; and you shall take a
gold, 23and said, Whose daughter are you? wife for my son from my family and from my
Tell me, please, is there room in your fathers
house for us to lodge?
24:16 virgin see Ps. 45:14.
24 So she said to him, I am the daughter
of Bethuel, Milcahs son, whom she bore to
24:21 make prosperous
Nahor. 25Moreover she said to him, We
(Heb. tsalach) (Gen. 39:23; Deut. 28:29; Ps. 1:3)
have both straw and feed enough, and room
H6743: When used to describe the outcome of
to lodge.
a certain course of events, tsalach often simply
26Then the man bowed down his head and
refers to a plan or activity succeeding or not
27
worshiped the Lor d. And he said, Blessed
(Num. 14:41; Deut. 28:29), but it can also refer
be the Lor d God of my master Abraham,
to the accumulation of wealth and riches (as
who has not forsaken His mercy and His
happened for Joseph, Gen. 39:2, 23), or even to
truth toward my master. As for me, being on
mighty power from the Spirit of the Lord comthe way, the Lor d led me to the house of my
ing upon someone (Judg. 14:6; 1 Sam. 16:13).
masters brethren. 28So the young woman
Prosperity is promised to those who obey the
Law of God (1 Chr. 22:13; Ps. 1:3) but kept from
ran and told her mothers household these
the one who covers his sins (Prov. 28:13). The
things.
Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53:10 promises the
29Now Rebekah had a brother whose
pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the
30
man by the well. So it came to pass, when
24:25 lodge see Judg. 19:7.
he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on
24:31 prepare see Is. 40:3.
his sisters wrists, and when he heard the
24:35 herd see Ps. 66:15.
words of his sister Rebekah, saying, Thus
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 24:41
28
41
fathers house. You will be clear from this Let the young woman stay with us a few
oath when you arrive among my family; for if days, at least ten; after that she may go.
56And he said to them, Do not hinder
they will not give her to you, then you will be
me, since the Lor d has prospered my way;
released from my oath.
42And this day I came to the well and send me away so that I may go to my master.
57So they said, We will call the young
said, O Lor d God of my master Abraham, if
You will now prosper the way in which I go, woman and ask her personally. 58Then they
43behold, I stand by the well of water; and it called Rebekah and said to her, Will you go
shall come to pass that when the virgin comes with this man?
And she said, I will go.
out to draw water, and I say to her, Please
59So they sent away Rebekah their sister
give me a little water from your pitcher to
drink, 44and she says to me, Drink, and I and her nurse, and Abrahams servant and
will draw for your camels also,let her be his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and
the woman whom the Lor d has appointed said to her:
for my masters son.
Our sister, may you become
45But before I had finished speaking in
The mother of thousands of ten
my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out
thousands;
with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she
And may your descendants possess
went down to the well and drew water. And
The gates of those who hate them.
I said to her, Please let me drink. 46And she
61T hen Rebekah and her maids arose,
made haste and let her pitcher down from
her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give and they rode on the camels and followed
your camels a drink also. So I drank, and she the man. So the servant took Rebekah and
gave the camels a drink also. 47Then I asked departed.
62Now Isaac came from the way of Beer
her, and said, Whose daughter are you? And
Lahai
Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63And
she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahors
son, whom Milcah bore to him. So I put Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the
the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked,
on her wrists. 48And I bowed my head and and there, the camels were coming. 64Then
worshiped the Lor d, and blessed the Lor d Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw
God of my master Abraham, who had led me Isaac she dismounted from her camel; 65for
in the way of truth to take the daughter of she had said to the servant, Who is this man
my masters brother for his son. 49Now if you walking in the field to meet us?
will deal kindly and truly with my master,
24:43 virgin see Is. 7:14.
tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to
the right hand or to the left.
50T hen Laban and Bethuel answered
24:45 Rebekah
and said, The thing comes from the Lor d;
(Heb. ribqah) (Gen. 24:60; 25:21) H7259: Abrawe cannot speak to you either bad or good.
ham sent his servant to find a wife for his son,
51Here is Rebekah before you; take her and
and he found the granddaughter of Abrahams
go, and let her be your masters sons wife, as
brother Nahor. Rebekah was chosen by God to
be Isaacs wife. For Rebekah and Isaac, it was
the Lor d has spoken.
52And it came to pass, when Abrahams
love at first sight (Gen. 24:64), and although
initially barren (Gen. 25:21), she later gave birth
servant heard their words, that he worshiped
to twins; Jacob and Esau (Gen. 25:24). Rebekah
the Lor d, bowing himself to the earth.
53T hen the servant brought out jewelry of
loved Jacob, the younger son, more than Esau,
whom Jacob favored (Gen. 25:28). Rebekah
silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and
encouraged Jacob to steal the blessing from his
gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious
older brother (Gen. 27:9, 10), and then helped
things to her brother and to her mother.
him escape Esaus wrath by sending Jacob to live
54 And he and the men who were with him
with her brother Laban (Gen. 27:43).
ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they
arose in the morning, and he said, Send me
24:46 make haste see Nah. 2:5.
away to my master.
24:60 Rebekah see Gen. 24:45.
55But her brother and her mother said,
6/17/16 1:06 PM
29
Genesis 25:25
The servant said, It is my master. So she twelve princes according to their nations.
17These were the years of the life of Ishmael:
took a veil and covered herself.
66And the servant told Isaac all the things one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he
that he had done. 67Then Isaac brought her breathed his last and died, and was gathered
into his mother Sarahs tent; and he took to his people. 18(They dwelt from Havilah as
Rebekah and she became his wife, and he far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go
loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of
mothers death.
all his brethren.
19T his is the genealogy of Isaac, AbraAbraham and Keturah
hams son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20Isaac
Abraham again took a wife, and was forty years old when he took Rebekah
her name was Keturah. 2And she as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian
bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the
Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan begot Sheba Syrian. 21Now Isaac pleaded with the Lor d
and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were for his wife, because she was barren; and
Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4And the Lor d granted his plea, and Rebekah his
the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, wife conceived. 22But the children strugHanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were gled together within her; and she said, If all
the children of Keturah.
is well, why am I like this? So she went to
5And Abraham gave all that he had to inquire of the Lor d.
23And the Lor d said to her:
Isaac. 6But Abraham gave gifts to the sons
of the concubines which Abraham had; and
Two nations are in your womb,
while he was still living he sent them eastTwo peoples shall be separated from your
ward, away from Isaac his son, to the country
body;
of the east.
One people shall be stronger than the
other,
Abrahams Death and Burial
And
the older shall serve the younger.
7T his is the sum of the years of Abra24
So when her days were fulfilled for her
hams life which he lived: one hundred and
seventy-f ive years. 8Then Abraham breathed to give birth, indeed there were twins in her
his last and died in a good old age, an old womb. 25And the first came out red. He was
man and full of years, and was gathered to 25:15aMasoretic Text reads Hadad.
his people. 9And his sons Isaac and Ishmael
buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which
25:8 full
is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the
(Heb. sabea`) (1 Chr. 29:28; Job 10:15; Prov. 19:23)
son of Zohar the Hittite, 10the field which
H7649: Like Abraham, Isaac and David are also
Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth.
described as dying full of days (Gen. 35:29;
There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his
1Chr. 29:28), implying a long, satisfying life,
11
wife. And it came to pass, after the death
lived to completion. In contrast, given the misof Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac.
ery of his suffering, Job considered himself full
And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.
of disgrace (Job 10:15) and full of trouble (Job
25
TheFamilies ofIshmael and Isaac

12Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael,
Abrahams son, whom Hagar the Egyptian,
Sarahs maidservant, bore to Abraham.
13And these were the names of the sons
of Ishmael, by their names, according to
their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael,
Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadar, a Tema,
Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These were
the sons of Ishmael and these were their
names, by their towns and their settlements,
14:1), yet in the end, by Gods grace, he also died

full of days (Job 42:17). Ultimately, a full life
comes from the fear of the Lord, for he who has
it will abide in satisfaction (Prov. 19:23).
25:11 deathsee Ps. 13:3.
25:16 settlementsee Ezek. 25:4.
25:16 nationssee Ps. 117:1.
25:21 barrensee Gen. 11:30.
25:21 Rebekahsee Gen. 24:45.
25:23 youngersee 1 Sam. 9:21.
25:25 firstsee Is. 46:9.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 25:26
30
like a hairy garment all over; so they called came to pass, when he had been there a long
his name Esau. a 26Afterward his brother time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines
came out, and his hand took hold of E
saus looked through a window, and saw, and there
heel; so his name was called Jacob.a Isaac was was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah
his wife. 9Then Abimelech called Isaac and
sixty years old when she bore them.
27So the boys grew. And Esau was a skill- said, Quite obviously she is your wife; so
ful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was how could you say, She is my sister?
Isaac said to him, Because I said, Lest I
a mild man, dwelling in tents. 28And Isaac
loved Esau because he ate of his game, but die on account of her.
10And Abimelech said, What is this you
Rebekah loved Jacob.
have done to us? One of the people might
Esau Sells His Birthright
soon have lain with your wife, and you
29Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau would have brought guilt on us. 11So Abimcame in from the field, and he was weary. elech charged all his people, saying, He who
30And Esau said to Jacob, Please feed me touches this man or his wife shall surely be
with that same red stew, for I am weary. put to death.
12T hen Isaac sowed in that land, and
Therefore his name was called Edom.a
31But Jacob said, Sell me your birthright reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and
the Lor d blessed him. 13The man began to
as of this day.
32And Esau said, Look, I am about to die; prosper, and continued prospering until he
became very prosperous; 14for he had possesso what is this birthright to me?
33Then Jacob said, Swear to me as of this sions of flocks and possessions of herds and
a great number of servants. So the Philisday.
So he swore to him, and sold his birth- tines envied him. 15Now the Philistines had
right to Jacob. 34And Jacob gave Esau bread stopped up all the wells which his fathers
and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, servants had dug in the days of Abraham his
arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised father, and they had filled them with earth.
his birthright.
25:25aLiterally Hairy 25:26aLiterally Supplanter
Isaac and Abimelech
T here was a famine in the land,
besides the first f amine that was
in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to
Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar.
2T hen the Lor d appeared to him and
said: Do not go down to Egypt; live in the
land of which I shall tell you. 3Dwell in this
land, and I will be with you and bless you; for
to you and your descendants I give all these
lands, and I will perform the oath which I
swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will
make your descendants multiply as the stars
of heaven; I will give to your descendants all
these lands; and in your seed all the nations
of the earth shall be blessed; 5because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge,
My commandments, My statutes, and My
laws.
6So Isaac dwelt in Gerar. 7And the men of
the place asked about his wife. And he said,
She is my sister; for he was afraid to say,
She is my wife, because he thought, lest
the men of the place kill me for Rebekah,
because she is beautiful to behold. 8Now it
26
25:30aLiterally Red
25:25 Esausee Gen. 36:1.

25:26 take holdsee 2 Sam. 6:6.
25:26 Jacobsee Amos 7:2.
25:30 redsee Zech. 1:8.
25:30 wearysee 2 Sam. 16:14.
26:1 Abimelech
(Heb. 'abimelek) (Gen. 20:3; 26:16; Judg. 9:52)
H0040: A combination of two words, abi (father)
and melek (king), Abimelech was the name of a
number of kings in the Old Testament. In Genesis 20, an Abimelech was deceived into thinking
Sarah was Abrahams sister instead of his wife,
and because of that, comes under the curse of
God. The same ruse is employed here by Isaac
and Rebekah (Gen. 26:611). Gideons son was
also named Abimelech, and he was made a king
(Judg. 9:6), although he was an evil man who
killed his seventy brothers before being killed
when a woman dropped a millstone on his head
(Judg. 9:53).
26:1 Philistinesee 2 Sam. 5:17.
26:5 chargesee Ezek. 48:11.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
31
16And
Abimelech said to Isaac, Go away

from us, for you are much mightier than we.
17T hen Isaac departed from there and
pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and
dwelt there. 18And Isaac dug again the wells
of water which they had dug in the days of
Abraham his father, for the Philistines had
stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his
father had called them.
19Also Isaacs servants dug in the valley,
and found a well of running water there.
20But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with
Isaacs herdsmen, saying, The water is ours.
So he called the name of the well Esek, a
because they quarreled with him. 21T hen
they dug another well, and they quarreled
over that one also. So he called its name
Sitnah.a 22And he moved from there and dug
another well, and they did not quarrel over it.
So he called its name Rehoboth,a because he
said, For now the Lor d has made room for
us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
23T hen he went up from there to Beersheba. 24 And the Lor d appeared to him
the same night and said, I am the God of
your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am
with you. I will bless you and multiply your
descendants for My servant Abrahams sake.
25So he built an altar there and called on the
name of the Lor d, and he pitched his tent
there; and there Isaacs servants dug a well.
26T hen Abimelech came to him from
Gerar with Ahuzzath, one of his friends, and
Phichol the commander of his army. 27And
Isaac said to them, Why have you come to
me, since you hate me and have sent me away
from you?
28But they said, We have certainly seen
that the Lor d is with you. So we said, Let
there now be an oath between us, between
you and us; and let us make a covenant with
you, 29that you will do us no harm, since
we have not touched you, and since we have
done nothing to you but good and have sent
you away in peace. You are now the blessed
of the Lor d.
30 So he made them a feast, and they
ate and drank. 31T hen they arose early in
the morning and swore an oath with one
another; and Isaac sent them away, and they
departed from him in peace.
32It came to pass the same day that Isaacs
servants came and told him about the well
Genesis 27:7
which they had dug, and said to him, We
have found water. 33So he called it Shebah.a
Therefore the name of the city is Beershebab
to this day.
34W hen Esau was forty years old, he took
as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the
Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon
the Hittite. 35And they were a grief of mind
to Isaac and Rebekah.
Isaac Blesses Jacob
N
ow it came to pass, when Isaac was
old and his eyes were so dim that he
could not see, that he called Esau his older
son and said to him, My son.
And he answered him, Here I am.
2Then he said, Behold now, I am old. I do
not know the day of my death. 3Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver
and your bow, and go out to the field and
hunt game for me. 4 And make me savory
food, such as I love, and bring it to me that
I may eat, that my soul may bless you before
I die.
5Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac
spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to
the field to hunt game and to bring it. 6So
Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying,
Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau
your brother, saying, 7Bring me game and
make savory food for me, that I may eat it
and bless you in the presence of the Lor d
27
26:20aLiterally Quarrel 26:21aLiterally Enmity

26:22aLiterally Spaciousness 26:33aLiterally Oath or
Seven bLiterally Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven
26:16 Abimelechsee Gen. 26:1.

26:20 quarrelsee Gen. 31:36.
26:25 Isaacsee Gen. 17:19.
26:25 digsee Jer. 18:20.
27:1 come to pass

(Heb. hayah) (Gen. 1:2; Ex. 8:22; Ezek 39:8; Zech.
8:10) H1961: The word hayah appears 76 times
in the Old Testament and is translated as was
(Gen. 1:2, 3); came to pass (Gen. 27:1); came;
and has been. It is the substantive verb to be
or exist. Here the word specifically relates to the
passage of time; at this point, Isaac was about 137
years old, and whereas in the previous chapter he
was still an active member of the household, here
he is old and infirm.
27:3 bowsee Ps. 44:6.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 27:8
32
8
before my death. Now therefore, my son, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and
obey my voice according to what I command he drank. 26T hen his father Isaac said to
you. 9Go now to the flock and bring me from him, Come near now and kiss me, my son.
there two choice kids of the goats, and I will 27And he came near and kissed him; and he
make savory food from them for your father, smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed
such as he loves. 10Then you shall take it to him and said:
your father, that he may eat it, and that he
Surely, the smell of my son
may bless you before his death.
Is like the smell of a field
11And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother,
Which the Lor d has blessed.
Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and 28

Therefore may God give you
I am a smooth-skinned man. 12Perhaps my
Of the dew of heaven,
father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a
Of the fatness of the earth,
deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on
And plenty of grain and wine.
myself and not a blessing.
29 Let peoples serve you,
13But his mother said to him, Let your
And nations bow down to you.
curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice,
Be master over your brethren,
and go, get them for me. 14And he went and
And let your mothers sons bow down to
got them and brought them to his mother,
you.
and his mother made savory food, such as his
Cursed
be everyone who curses you,
15
father loved. Then Rebekah took the choice
And
blessed
be those who bless you!
clothes of her elder son Esau, which were
with her in the house, and put them on Jacob Esaus Lost Hope
her younger son. 16And she put the skins of
30Now it happened, as soon as Isaac
the kids of the goats on his hands and on the
smooth part of his neck. 17Then she gave the had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had
savory food and the bread, which she had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac
his father, that Esau his brother came in from
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
31
18 So he went to his father and said, My his hunting. He also had made savory food,
and brought it to his father, and said to his
father.
And he said, Here I am. Who are you, my father, Let my father arise and eat of his
sons game, that your soul may bless me.
son?
32And his father Isaac said to him, Who
19Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your
are
you?
firstborn; I have done just as you told me;
So
he said, I am your son, your firstborn,
please arise, sit and eat of my game, that your
Esau.
soul may bless me.
33T hen Isaac trembled exceedingly, and
20But Isaac said to his son, How is it that
said,
Who? Where is the one who hunted
you have found it so quickly, my son?
game
and brought it to me? I ate all of it
And he said, Because the Lor d your God
before
you came, and I have blessed him
brought it to me.
21Isaac said to Jacob, Please come near, and indeed he shall be blessed.
34W hen Esau heard the words of his
that I may feel you, my son, whether you
are really my son Esau or not. 22So Jacob father, he cried with an exceedingly great
went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and bitter cry, and said to his father, Bless
me also, Omy father!
and said, The voice is Jacobs voice, but the me
35But he said, Your brother came with
23
hands are the hands of Esau. And he did
not recognize him, because his hands were deceit and has taken away your blessing.
36And Esau said, Is he not rightly named
hairy like his brother Esaus hands; so he
Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two
blessed him.
24T hen he said, Are you really my son
27:9 kid see Judg. 13:15.
Esau?
27:12 curse see Jer. 44:8.
He said, I am.
27:19 sit see Lam. 5:19.
25He said, Bring it near to me, and I will
27:26 kiss see Song 8:1.
eat of my sons game, so that my soul may
27:28 wine see Neh. 13:12.
bless you. So he brought it near to him,
6/17/16 1:06 PM
33
Genesis 28:11
2
times. He took away my birthright, and now daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan
look, he has taken away my blessing! And Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mothers
he said, Have you not reserved a blessing father; and take yourself a wife from there
of the daughters of Laban your mothers
for me?
37Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, brother.
Indeed I have made him your master, and all 3 May God Almighty bless you,
his brethren I have given to him as servants;
And make you fruitful and multiply you,
with grain and wine I have sustained him.
That you may be an assembly of peoples;
What shall I do now for you, my son?
4 And give you the blessing of Abraham,
38And Esau said to his father, Have you
To you and your descendants with you,
only one blessing, my father? Bless meme
That you may inherit the land
also, Omy father! And Esau lifted up his
In which you are a stranger,
voice and wept.
Which God gave to Abraham.
39Then Isaac his father answered and said
5So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to
to him:
Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the
Behold, your dwelling shall be of the
Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of
fatness of the earth,
Jacob and Esau.
And of the dew of heaven from above.
40 By your sword you shall live,
Esau Marries Mahalath
And you shall serve your brother;
6Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and
And it shall come to pass, when you
sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself
become restless,
a wife from there, and that as he blessed him
That you shall break his yoke from your
he gave him a charge, saying, You shall not
neck.
take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,
7and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his
Jacob Escapes from Esau
mother and had gone to Padan Aram. 8Also
41So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessEsau saw that the daughters of Canaan did
ing with which his father blessed him, and not please his father Isaac. 9So Esau went to
Esau said in his heart, The days of mourn- Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of
ing for my father are at hand; then I will kill Ishmael, Abrahams son, the sister of Nebamy brother Jacob.
joth, to be his wife in addition to the wives
42 And the words of Esau her older son
he had.
were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called
Jacob her younger son, and said to him, Jacobs Vow at Bethel
10Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and
Surely your brother Esau comforts himself
concerning you by intending to kill you. went toward Haran. 11So he came to a certain
43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice:
arise, flee to my brother Laban in Haran.
27:37 Esau see Gen. 36:1.
44 And stay with him a few days, until your
27:39 dwelling see Gen. 10:30.
brothers fury turns away, 45until your
28:3 Almighty see Gen. 49:25.
brothers anger turns away from you, and
28:3 fruitful
he forgets what you have done to him; then
I will send and bring you from there. Why
(Heb. parah) (Gen. 1:28; Ex. 1:7; Ps. 128:3; Jer.
should I be bereaved also of you both in one
23:3) H6509: The word parah, to be fruitful or
bear fruit, specifically refers to reproduction
day?
46And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary
and continuance of the familial line. Fruitfulness was both a mandate (Gen. 1:22, 28) and a
of my life because of the daughters of Heth;
blessing from God (Ezek. 36:11). Thus, this parif Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth,
ticular blessing from Isaac to Jacob would have
like these who are the daughters of the land,
been a common one passed from fathers to sons.
what good will my life be to me?
God Himself conferred this blessing on many of
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed
the patriarchsmost notably Adam (Gen. 1:22),
him, and charged him, and said
Noah (Gen. 9:1), and Abraham (Gen. 17:6).
to him: You shall not take a wife from the
28
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 28:12
34
4 And Jacob said to them, My brethren,
place and stayed there all night, because the
sun had set. And he took one of the stones where are you from?
of that place and put it at his head, and he
And they said, We are from Haran.
5T hen he said to them, Do you know
lay down in that place to sleep. 12Then he
dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on Laban the son of Nahor?
the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and
And they said, We know him.
6So he said to them, Is he well?
there the angels of God were ascending and
descending onit.
And they said, He is well. And look, his
13And behold, the Lor d stood above it daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.
7Then he said, Look, it is still high day; it is
and said: I am the Lor d God of Abraham
your father and the God of Isaac; the land not time for the cattle to be gathered together.
on which you lie I will give to you and your Water the sheep, and go and feed them.
8But they said, We cannot until all the
descendants. 14Also your descendants shall
be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread flocks are gathered together, and they have
abroad to the west and the east, to the north rolled the stone from the wells mouth; then
and the south; and in you and in your seed we water the sheep.
9Now while he was still speaking with
all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
15Behold, I am with you and will keep you
them, Rachel came with her fathers sheep,
wherever you go, and will bring you back to for she was a shepherdess. 10And it came to
this land; for I will not leave you until I have pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of
done what I have spoken to you.
Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep
16T hen Jacob awoke from his sleep and
of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob
said, Surely the Lor d is in this place, and went near and rolled the stone from the
I did not know it. 17And he was afraid and wells mouth, and watered the flock of Laban
said, How awesome is this place! This is his mothers brother. 11T hen Jacob kissed
none other than the house of God, and this Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her
is the gate of heaven!
18T hen Jacob rose early in the morning,
fathers relative and that he was Rebekahs
and took the stone that he had put at his son. So she ran and told her father.
13Then it came to pass, when Laban heard
head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on
top of it. 19And he called the name of that
a
place Bethel;a but the name of that city had 28:19 Literally House of God
been Luz previously. 20Then Jacob made a
28:14 north see Jer. 46:6.
vow, saying, If God will be with me, and
28:17 gate see Josh. 2:5.
keep me in this way that I am going, and
28:18 pillar see Deut. 16:22.
give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
28:18 oil see Ps. 92:10.
21so that I come back to my fathers house in
29:8 roll see Prov. 16:3.
peace, then the Lor d shall be my God. 22And
this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be
29:10 Rachel
Gods house, and of all that You give me I
(Heb. rachel) (Gen. 30:22; Jer. 31:15) H7354:
will surely give a tenth to You.
Rachel was the daughter of Laban, the beloved
Jacob Meets Rachel

So Jacob went on his journey and
came to the land of the people of
the East. 2And he looked, and saw a well in
the field; and behold, there were three flocks
of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they
watered the flocks. A large stone was on the
wells mouth. 3Now all the flocks would be
gathered there; and they would roll the stone
from the wells mouth, water the sheep, and
put the stone back in its place on the wells
mouth.
29
wife of Jacob. From this first meeting between

her and Jacob, the text emphasizes that Rachel
was a kinsman and thus a fit marriage partner
for him. Rachel means ewe. Rachel is known
as the wife who is loved more than Jacobs other
wife, her sister Leah (Gen. 29:30), but Rachel is
heartbreakingly barren (Gen. 30:1). Eventually,
Joseph (Gen. 30:24)
she produces two sons
and Benjamin (Gen. 35:18), who become Jacobs
favorite children (Gen. 37:3; 42:38). Rachel died
giving birth to Benjamin and was buried near
Bethlehemthe context for the Jeremiah reference which is also referred to in Matthew 2:18.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
35
Genesis 30:12
32
the report about Jacob his sisters son, that was barren. So Leah conceived and bore
he ran to meet him, and embraced him and a son, and she called his name Reuben;a for
kissed him, and brought him to his house. So she said, The Lor d has surely looked on
he told Laban all these things. 14And Laban my affliction. Now therefore, my husband
said to him, Surely you are my bone and my will love me. 33Then she conceived again
flesh. And he stayed with him for a month. and bore a son, and said, Because the Lor d
has heard that I am unloved, He has thereJacob Marries Leah and Rachel
fore given me this son also. And she called
15Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you his name Simeon. a 34 She conceived again
are my relative, should you therefore serve and bore a son, and said, Now this time my
me for nothing? Tell me, what should your husband will become attached to me, because
wages be? 16Now Laban had two daugh- I have borne him three sons. Therefore his
ters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name was called Levi.a 35And she conceived
name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leahs again and bore a son, and said, Now I will
eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful praise the Lor d. Therefore she called his
of form and appearance.
name Judah.a Then she stopped bearing.
18Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I
Now when Rachel saw that she bore
will serve you seven years for Rachel your
Jacob no children, Rachel envied
younger daughter.
her sister, and said to Jacob, Give me chil19And Laban said, It is better that I
dren, or else I die!
2And Jacobs anger was aroused against
give her to you than that I should give her
to another man. Stay with me. 20So Jacob Rachel, and he said, Am I in the place of
served seven years for Rachel, and they God, who has withheld from you the fruit of
seemed only a few days to him because of the the womb?
3So she said, Here is my maid Bilhah;
love he had for her.
21Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my
go in to her, and she will bear a child on
wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go my knees, that I also may have children by
in to her. 22And Laban gathered together all her. 4Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as
the men of the place and made a feast. 23Now wife, and Jacob went in to her. 5And Bilhah
it came to pass in the evening, that he took conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6T hen
Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; Rachel said, God has judged my case; and
and he went in to her. 24And Laban gave his He has also heard my voice and given me a
maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. son. Therefore she called his name Dan.a
25So it came to pass in the morning, that 7
And Rachels maid Bilhah conceived again
behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, and bore Jacob a second son. 8Then Rachel
What is this you have done to me? Was it said, With great wrestlings I have wrestled
not for Rachel that I served you? Why then with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.
have you deceived me?
So she called his name Naphtali.a
26And Laban said, It must not be done so
9W hen Leah saw that she had stopped
in our country, to give the younger before the bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave
firstborn. 27Fulfill her week, and we will give her to Jacob as wife. 10And Leahs maid
you this one also for the service which you Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11Then Leah said,
will serve with me still another seven years. A troop comes!a So she called his name
28T hen Jacob did so and fulfilled her
Gad.b 12And Leahs maid Zilpah bore Jacob
week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as
29:32aLiterally See, a Son 29:33aLiterally Heard
wife also. 29And Laban gave his maid Bilhah 29:34
aLiterally Attached 29:35aLiterally Praise
to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30T hen 30:6aLiterally Judge 30:8aLiterally My Wrestling
Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also 30:11aFollowing Qere, Syriac, and Targum; Kethib,
loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served Septuagint, and Vulgate read in fortune. bLiterally Troop
or Fortune
with Laban still another seven years.
30
TheChildren ofJacob
31W hen the Lor d saw that Leah was
unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel
29:32 afflictionsee Job 30:16.

29:35 Judahsee 1 Chr. 9:3.
30:3 maidsee 1 Sam. 1:11.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 30:13
36
13
a second son. Then Leah said, I am happy, came was little, and it has increased to a great
for the daughters will call me blessed. So she amount; the Lor d has blessed you since my
called his name Asher.a
coming. And now, when shall I also provide
14Now Reuben went in the days of wheat for my own house?
31So he said, What shall I give you?
harvest and found mandrakes in the field,
and brought them to his mother Leah. Then
And Jacob said, You shall not give me
Rachel said to Leah, Please give me some of anything. If you will do this thing for me, I
your sons mandrakes.
will again feed and keep your flocks: 32Let
15But she said to her, Is it a small matter me pass through all your flock today, removthat you have taken away my husband? ing from there all the speckled and spotted
Would you take away my sons mandrakes sheep, and all the brown ones among the
also?
lambs, and the spotted and speckled among
And Rachel said, Therefore he will lie the goats; and these shall be my wages. 33So
with you tonight for your sons mandrakes. my righteousness will answer for me in time
16W hen Jacob came out of the field in the to come, when the subject of my wages comes
evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, before you: every one that is not speckled and
You must come in to me, for I have surely spotted among the goats, and brown among
hired you with my sons mandrakes. And he the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is
lay with her that night.
with me.
17And God listened to Leah, and she
34 And Laban said, Oh, that it were
18
conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah according to your word! 35So he removed
said, God has given me my wages, because that day the male goats that were speckled
I have given my maid to my husband. So and spotted, all the female goats that were
she called his name Issachar.a 19Then Leah speckled and spotted, every one that had
conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. some white in it, and all the brown ones
20And Leah said, God has endowed me with among the lambs, and gave them into the
a good endowment; now my husband will hand of his sons. 36Then he put three days
dwell with me, because I have borne him journey between himself and Jacob, and
six sons. So she called his name Zebulun.a Jacob fed the rest of Labans flocks.
21Afterward she bore a daughter, and called
37Now Jacob took for himself rods of green
her name Dinah.
poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees,
22T hen God remembered Rachel, and peeled white strips in them, and exposed the
God listened to her and opened her womb. white which was in the rods. 38And the rods
23And she conceived and bore a son, and which he had peeled, he set before the flocks
said, God has taken away my reproach. in the gutters, in the watering troughs where
24 So she called his name Joseph, a and said,
30:13aLiterally Happy 30:18aLiterally Wages
30:20aLiterally Dwelling 30:24aLiterally He Will Add
The Lor d shall add to me another son.
Jacobs Agreement with Laban
25And it came to pass, when Rachel had
borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, Send
me away, that I may go to my own place and
to my country. 26Give me my wives and my
children for whom I have served you, and let
me go; for you know my service which I have
done for you.
27And Laban said to him, Please stay, if
I have found favor in your eyes, for I have
learned by experience that the Lor d has
blessed me for your sake. 28Then he said,
Name me your wages, and I will give it.
29So Jacob said to him, You know how I
have served you and how your livestock has
been with me. 30For what you had before I
30:13 blessedsee Prov. 31:28.

30:22 Rachelsee Gen. 29:10.
30:23 reproachsee Ps. 15:3.
30:24 Josephsee Gen. 37:2.
30:28 wages
(Heb. sakar) (Gen. 15:1; Ex. 22:15; Eccl. 4:9; Jer.
31:16) H7939: The word sakar is translated as
hire (Zech. 8:10), reward (Gen. 15:1; Num.
18:31), or wages (Deut. 24:15; Zech. 11:12). It
implies an agreement of terms in a relationship.
Before he parted ways with Laban, Jacob was
given the opportunity to receive just payment
for his years of service. The text makes it clear
that God is the one who rewarded Jacob, despite
Labans attempt to swindle him.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
37
Genesis 31:28
the flocks came to drink, so that they should gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is
conceive when they came to drink. 39So the doing to you. 13I am the God of Bethel, where
flocks conceived before the rods, and the you anointed the pillar and where you made
flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land,
spotted. 40Then Jacob separated the lambs, and return to the land of your family.
14T hen Rachel and Leah answered and
and made the flocks face toward the streaked
and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but said to him, Is there still any portion or
he put his own flocks by themselves and did inheritance for us in our fathers house? 15Are
not put them with Labans flock.
we not considered strangers by him? For he
41And it came to pass, whenever the stron- has sold us, and also completely consumed
ger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed our money. 16For all these riches which God
the rods before the eyes of the livestock has taken from our father are really ours and
in the gutters, that they might conceive our childrens; now then, whatever God has
among the rods. 42But when the flocks were said to you, do it.
17Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his
feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler
were Labans and the stronger Jacobs. 43Thus wives on camels. 18And he carried away all
the man became exceedingly prosper- his livestock and all his possessions which he
ous, and had large flocks, female and male had gained, his acquired livestock which he
servants, and camels and donkeys.
had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father
Isaac in the land of Canaan. 19Now Laban
Jacob Flees from Laban
had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel
N
ow Jacob heard the words of Labans had stolen the household idols that were her
sons, saying, Jacob has taken away fathers. 20And Jacob stole away, unknown to
all that was our fathers, and from what was Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him
our fathers he has acquired all this wealth. that he intended to flee. 21So he fled with all
2And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban,
that he had. He arose and crossed the river,
and indeed it was not favorable toward him and headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
as before. 3T hen the Lor d said to Jacob,
Return to the land of your fathers and to Laban Pursues Jacob
your family, and I will be with you.
22And Laban was told on the third day
4So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah
that Jacob had fled. 23Then he took his brethto the field, to his flock, 5and said to them, I ren with him and pursued him for seven
see your fathers countenance, that it is not days journey, and he overtook him in the
favorable toward me as before; but the God mountains of Gilead. 24But God had come to
of my father has been with me. 6And you Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and
know that with all my might I have served said to him, Be careful that you speak to
your father. 7Yet your father has deceived me Jacob neither good nor bad.
and changed my wages ten times, but God
25So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob
did not allow him to hurt me. 8If he said thus: had pitched his tent in the mountains, and
The speckled shall be your wages, then all Laban with his brethren pitched in the
the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: mountains of Gilead.
The streaked shall be your wages, then all
26 And Laban said to Jacob: What
the flocks bore streaked. 9So God has taken have you done, that you have stolen away
away the livestock of your father and given unknown to me, and carried away my
them tome.
10And it happened, at the time when the daughters like captives taken with the sword?
27W hy did you flee away secretly, and steal
flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and
away from me, and not tell me; for I might
saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which
have sent you away with joy and songs, with
leaped upon the flocks were streaked, specktimbrel and harp? 28And you did not allow
11
led, and gray-spotted. Then the Angel of
God spoke to me in a dream, saying, Jacob.
31:15 stranger see Ruth 2:10.
And I said, Here I am. 12And He said, Lift
31:18 gain see Gen. 46:6.
your eyes now and see, all the rams which
31:19 steal see Deut. 24:7.
leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and
31
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 31:29
38
me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last
you have done foolishly in so doing. 29It is in night.
my power to do you harm, but the God of
your father spoke to me last night, saying, Be Labans Covenant with Jacob
43And Laban answered and said to Jacob,
careful that you speak to Jacob neither good
30
nor bad. And now you have surely gone These daughters are my daughters, and these
because you greatly long for your fathers children are my children, and this flock is
house, but why did you steal my gods?
my flock; all that you see is mine. But what
31Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, can I do this day to these my daughters or to
Because I was afraid, for I said, Perhaps you their children whom they have borne? 44Now
would take your daughters from me by force. therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you
32With whomever you find your gods, do not and I, and let it be a witness between you and
let him live. In the presence of our brethren, me.
45So Jacob took a stone and set it up as
identify what I have of yours and take it with
you. For Jacob did not know that Rachel had a pillar. 46Then Jacob said to his brethren,
stolen them.
Gather stones. And they took stones and
33And Laban went into Jacobs tent, into made a heap, and they ate there on the heap.
Leahs tent, and into the two maids tents, 47Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha,a but Jacob
but he did not find them. Then he went out called it Galeed.b 48And Laban said, This
of Leahs tent and entered Rachels tent. heap is a witness between you and me this
34 Now Rachel had taken the household day. Therefore its name was called Galeed,
idols, put them in the camels saddle, and sat 49also Mizpah, a because he said, May the
on them. And Laban searched all about the Lor d watch between you and me when we
tent but did not find them. 35And she said to are absent one from another. 50If you afflict
her father, Let it not displease my lord that my daughters, or if you take other wives
I cannot rise before you, for the manner of besides my daughters, although no man is
women is with me. And he searched but did with ussee, God is witness between you
not find the household idols.
and me!
36T hen Jacob was angry and rebuked
51Then Laban said to Jacob, Here is this
Laban, and Jacob answered and said to heap and here is this pillar, which I have
Laban: What is my trespass? What is my placed between you and me. 52This heap is a
sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will
37Although you have searched all my things, not pass beyond this heap to you, and you
what part of your household things have you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar
found? Set it here before my brethren and to me, for harm. 53The God of Abraham, the
your brethren, that they may judge between God of Nahor, and the God of their father
us both! 38These twenty years I have been judge between us. And Jacob swore by the
with you; your ewes and your female goats Fear of his father Isaac. 54Then Jacob offered
have not miscarried their young, and I have 31:47aLiterally, in Aramaic, Heap of Witness bLiterally, in
not eaten the rams of your flock. 39T hat Hebrew, Heap of Witness 31:49aLiterally Watch
which was torn by beasts I did not bring to
you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from
31:36 rebuke
my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by
(Heb. rib) (Gen. 26:20; Ex. 17:2; 1 Sam. 2:10;
night. 40There I was! In the day the drought
Job 40:2; Ps. 119:154) H7378: Also translated as
consumed me, and the frost by night, and my
plead, strive, or chide. It can refer to quarsleep departed from my eyes. 41Thus I have
reling or complaining (Num. 20:3; Is. 45:9) or to
been in your house twenty years; I served
the pleading of a legal case (Prov. 25:9). Jacob was
you fourteen years for your two daughters,
angry about Labans injustice toward him and
hotly rebuked him. Thus, here the word takes on
and six years for your flock, and you have
both nuances of the term.
changed my wages ten times. 42Unless the
God of my father, the God of Abraham and
31:44 witness see Mic. 1:2.
the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely
now you would have sent me away empty-
handed. God has seen my affliction and
6/17/16 1:06 PM
39
Genesis 32:25
a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten
brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and foals. 16Then he delivered them to the hand
stayed all night on the mountain. 55And early of his servants, every drove by itself, and said
in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his to his servants, Pass over before me, and put
sons and daughters and blessed them. Then some distance between successive droves.
17And he commanded the first one, saying,
Laban departed and returned to his place.
When Esau my brother meets you and asks
Esau Comes to Meet Jacob
you, saying, To whom do you belong, and
So Jacob went on his way, and the where are you going? Whose are these in
angels of God met him. 2W hen front of you? 18then you shall say, They are
Jacob saw them, he said, This is Gods your servant Jacobs. It is a present sent to my
camp. And he called the name of that place lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.
19So he commanded the second, the third,
Mahanaim.a
3Then Jacob sent messengers before him and all who followed the droves, saying, In
to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the this manner you shall speak to Esau when
country of Edom. 4 And he commanded you find him; 20and also say, Behold, your
them, saying, Speak thus to my lord Esau, servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I
Thus your servant Jacob says: I have dwelt will appease him with the present that goes
with Laban and stayed there until now. 5I before me, and afterward I will see his face;
have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and perhaps he will accept me. 21So the presfemale servants; and I have sent to tell my ent went on over before him, but he himself
lord, that I may find favor in your sight.
lodged that night in the camp.
6Then the messengers returned to Jacob,
saying, We came to your brother Esau, Wrestling with God
22And he arose that night and took his
and he also is coming to meet you, and four
7
hundred men are with him. So Jacob was two wives, his two female servants, and his
greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of
the people that were with him, and the flocks Jabbok. 23He took them, sent them over the
and herds and camels, into two compa- brook, and sent over what he had. 24Then
nies. 8And he said, If Esau comes to the Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled
one company and attacks it, then the other with him until the breaking of day. 25Now
company which is left will escape.
when He saw that He did not prevail against
9T hen Jacob said, O God of my father him, He touched the socket of his hip; and
Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the the socket of Jacobs hip was out of joint as
Lor d who said to me, Return to your coun- 32:2aLiterally Double Camp
try and to your family, and I will deal well
with you: 10I am not worthy of the least of
32:8 escape see Is. 37:32.
32:15 bull see 1 Chr. 15:26.
all the mercies and of all the truth which
You have shown Your servant; for I crossed
32:24 wrestle
over this Jordan with my staff, and now I
11
have become two companies. Deliver me,
(Heb. 'abaq) (Gen. 32:25) H0079: This particI pray, from the hand of my brother, from
ular word for wrestle or grapple is used only in
this passage. It comes from a root word meanthe hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come
ing dust. The word 'abaq means to pound,
and attack me and the mother with the chilto make small or more literally to dustify.
dren. 12For You said, I will surely treat you
Related words for dust are used in connection
well, and make your descendants as the sand
with judgment (Deut. 28:24; Nah. 1:3; Is. 5:24).
of the sea, which cannot be numbered for
When Jacob wrestled with God, they wrestled
multitude.
in the dust literally, but it was also the point at
13 So he lodged there that same night,
which Gods promise to bless the nations through
and took what came to his hand as a presIsrael was transferred from one man, Abraham,
ent for Esau his brother: 14two hundred
onto a nation that would become as numerous as
female goats and twenty male goats, two
the dust of the earth (Gen. 13:16).
hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15thirty
milk camels with their colts, forty cows and
32
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 32:26
40
26
He wrestled with him. And He said, Let now found favor in your sight, then receive
Me go, for the day breaks.
my present from my hand, inasmuch as I
But he said, I will not let You go unless have seen your face as though I had seen the
You bless me!
face of God, and you were pleased with me.
27So He said to him, What is your name? 11
Please, take my blessing that is brought to
He said, Jacob.
you,
because God has dealt graciously with
28And He said, Your name shall no
me,
and
because I have enough. So he urged
longer be called Jacob, but Israel;a for you
him, and he tookit.
have struggled with God and with men, and
12T hen Esau said, Let us take our jourhave prevailed.
29Then Jacob asked, saying, Tell me Your ney; let us go, and I will go before you.
13But Jacob said to him, My lord knows
name, I pray.
And He said, Why is it that you ask about that the children are weak, and the flocks
and herds which are nursing are with me.
My name? And He blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place And if the men should drive them hard one
Peniel:a For I have seen God face to face, day, all the flock will die. 14Please let my lord
and my life is preserved. 31Just as he crossed go on ahead before his servant. I will lead
over Penuela the sun rose on him, and he on slowly at a pace which the livestock that
limped on his hip. 32Therefore to this day the 32:28aLiterally Prince with God 32:30aLiterally Face of
children of Israel do not eat the muscle that God 32:31aSame as Peniel, verse30
shrank, which is on the hip socket, because
He touched the socket of Jacobs hip in the
32:25 wrestle see Gen. 32:24.
muscle that shrank.
32:28 Israel
Jacob and Esau Meet
(Heb. yisra'el) (Ex. 3:15; 12:51; Is. 14:1; Amos 9:14)
Now Jacob lifted his eyes and
H3478: The name Israel literally means God
looked, and there, Esau was coming,
prevails or ruling with God and is closely
and with him were four hundred men. So he
related to the word prince. Jacob is given this
divided the children among Leah, Rachel,
new name after he wrestles with Christ at Peniel
in order to gain a blessing (Gen. 32:24, 25). So
and the two maidservants. 2And he put the
Jacob the supplanter became Israel the prince
maidservants and their children in front,
of God who shall prevail over men. The name
Leah and her children behind, and Rachel
change signifies spiritual growth in Jacob; after
and Joseph last. 3Then he crossed over before
his persistent struggle and the bestowing of
them and bowed himself to the ground seven
Gods blessing, Jacob has become a fit leader for
times, until he came near to his brother.
Gods chosen people. The name Israel was passed
4But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced
down to the entire nation of Gods chosen people
him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and
to signify Gods rule over them.
they wept. 5And he lifted his eyes and saw
the women and children, and said, Who are
32:28 prevail see Num. 13:30.
these with you?
32:30 face see Gen. 33:10.
32:32 muscle see Ezek. 37:6.
So he said, The children whom God
6
33:4 Esau see Gen. 36:1.
T
hen
has graciously given your servant.
the maidservants came near, they and their
33:10 face
children, and bowed down. 7And Leah also
(Heb. panim) (Gen. 32:30; Ex. 33:20; 34:35;
came near with her children, and they bowed
1 Kin. 19:13; Ps. 24:6) H6440: Jacob here relates
down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came
his fear of seeing Esaus faceand subsequent joy
near, and they bowed down.
at being graciously receivedto seeing the face of
8Then Esau said, What do you mean by
God when he wrestled with Him at Peniel (Gen.
all this company which I met?
32:30). The word used for face of God here is
And he said, These are to find favor in
the same word used to name the place where
the sight of my lord.
Jacob wrestled with God. Jacob experiences the
9But Esau said, I have enough, my
love of God through the gracious reception Esau
brother; keep what you have for yourself.
gives him.
10And Jacob said, No, please, if I have
33
6/17/16 1:06 PM
41
go before me, and the children, are able to

endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.
15And Esau said, Now let me leave with
you some of the people who are with me.
But he said, What need is there? Let me
find favor in the sight of my lord. 16So Esau
returned that day on his way to Seir. 17And
Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a
house, and made booths for his livestock.
Therefore the name of the place is called
Succoth.a
Jacob Comes to Canaan
18T hen Jacob came safely to the city of
Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan,
when he came from Padan Aram; and he
pitched his tent before the city. 19And he
bought the parcel of land, where he had
pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor,
Shechems father, for one hundred pieces of
money. 20Then he erected an altar there and
called it El Elohe Israel.a
TheDinah Incident
Now Dinah the daughter of Leah,
whom she had borne to Jacob, went
out to see the daughters of the land. 2And
when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite,
prince of the country, saw her, he took her
and lay with her, and violated her. 3His soul
was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman
and spoke kindly to the young woman. 4So
Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying,
Get me this young woman as a wife.
5And Jacob heard that he had defiled
Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with
his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his
peace until they came. 6T hen Hamor the
father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak
with him. 7And the sons of Jacob came in
from the field when they heard it; and the
men were grieved and very angry, because he
had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying
with Jacobs daughter, a thing which ought
not to be done. 8But Hamor spoke with them,
saying, The soul of my son Shechem longs
for your daughter. Please give her to him as
a wife. 9And make marriages with us; give
your daughters to us, and take our daughters
to yourselves. 10So you shall dwell with us,
and the land shall be before you. Dwell and
trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.
34
Genesis 34:22
11Then Shechem said to her father and her
brothers, Let me find favor in your eyes, and

whatever you say to me I will give. 12Ask me
ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give
according to what you say to me; but give me
the young woman as a wife.
13But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem
and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully,
because he had defiled Dinah their sister.
14 And they said to them, We cannot do this
thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to
us. 15But on this condition we will consent
to you: If you will become as we are, if every
male of you is circumcised, 16then we will
give our daughters to you, and we will take
your daughters to us; and we will dwell with
you, and we will become one people. 17But
if you will not heed us and be circumcised,
then we will take our daughter and be gone.
18And their words pleased Hamor and
Shechem, Hamors son. 19So the young man
did not delay to do the thing, because he
delighted in Jacobs daughter. He was more
honorable than all the household of his
father.
20And Hamor and Shechem his son came
to the gate of their city, and spoke with the
men of their city, saying: 21These men are
at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell
in the land and trade in it. For indeed the
land is large enough for them. Let us take
their daughters to us as wives, and let us give
them our daughters. 22Only on this condi
tion will the men consent to dwell with us,
33:17aLiterally Booths 33:20aLiterally God, the God of
Israel
34:5 hold his peacesee 2 Sam. 13:20.
34:7 disgraceful
(Heb. nebalah) (Deut. 22:21; Judg. 19:23; 1 Sam.
25:25; Is. 32:6) H5039: The verse almost defines
the word nebalah itself when it calls Shechems
rape of Dinah a disgraceful thing . . . a thing
which ought not to be done. The word is usually translated as disgraceful, vile, or lewd.
More traditionally, the term was translated as
folly, since Scripture declares transgression
of Gods law to be utter foolishness and against
all reason (Ps. 14:1). By contrast, the fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10).
34:13 deceitfullysee Ps. 55:23.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 34:23
42
5And they journeyed, and the terror of
to be one people: if every male among us is
circumcised as they are circumcised. 23Will God was upon the cities that were all around
not their livestock, their property, and every them, and they did not pursue the sons of
animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent Jacob. 6So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel),
to them, and they will dwell with us. 24And which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the
all who went out of the gate of his city heeded people who were with him. 7And he built an
Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was altar there and called the place El Bethel, a
circumcised, all who went out of the gate of because there God appeared to him when he
his city.
fled from the face of his brother.
25Now it came to pass on the third day,
8Now Deborah, Rebekahs nurse, died,
when they were in pain, that two of the sons and she was buried below Bethel under the
of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinahs brothers, terebinth tree. So the name of it was called
each took his sword and came boldly upon Allon Bachuth.a
9Then God appeared to Jacob again, when
the city and killed all the males. 26And they
killed Hamor and Shechem his son with he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him.
the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from 10And God said to him, Your name is Jacob;
Shechems house, and went out. 27The sons your name shall not be called Jacob anymore,
of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered but Israel shall be your name. So He called
the city, because their sister had been defiled. his name Israel. 11Also God said to him: I
28They took their sheep, their oxen, and their am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multidonkeys, what was in the city and what was ply; a nation and a company of nations shall
in the field, 29and all their wealth. All their proceed from you, and kings shall come from
little ones and their wives they took captive; your body. 12The land which I gave Abraham
and they plundered even all that was in the and Isaac I give to you; and to your descenhouses.
dants after you I give this land. 13Then God
30T hen Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, went up from him in the place where He
You have troubled me by making me talked with him. 14So Jacob set up a pillar in
obnoxious among the inhabitants of the the place where He talked with him, a pillar
land, among the Canaanites and the Periz of stone; and he poured a drink offering on
zites; and since I am few in number, they will it, and he poured oil on it. 15And Jacob called
gather themselves together against me and the name of the place where God spoke with
kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household him, Bethel.
and I.
31But they said, Should he treat our sister Death ofRachel
16Then they journeyed from Bethel. And
like a harlot?
when there was but a little distance to go to
Jacobs Return to Bethel
Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and
Then God said to Jacob, Arise, go she had hard labor. 17Now it came to pass,
up to Bethel and dwell there; and when she was in hard labor, that the midwife
make an altar there to God, who appeared to said to her, Do not fear; you will have this
you when you fled from the face of Esau your son also. 18And so it was, as her soul was
brother.
departing (for she died), that she called his
2And Jacob said to his household and to name Ben-Oni;a but his father called him
all who were with him, Put away the foreign Benjamin.b 19So Rachel died and was buried
gods that are among you, purify yourselves, 35:7aLiterally God of the House of God 35:8aLiterally
and change your garments. 3Then let us arise Terebinth of Weeping 35:18aLiterally Son of My Sorrow
and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar bLiterally Son of the Right Hand
there to God, who answered me in the day of
35:4 ear see Ezek. 44:5.
my distress and has been with me in the way
35:11 Almighty see Gen. 49:25.
which I have gone. 4So they gave Jacob all
35:14 pillar see 2 Sam. 18:18.
the foreign gods which were in their hands,
35:14 stone see 1 Kin. 5:17.
and the earrings which were in their ears;
35:16 hard see 1 Sam. 5:7.
and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree
35:18 Benjamin see 1 Chr. 8:1.
which was by Shechem.
35
6/17/16 1:06 PM
43
Genesis 36:14
on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. 10These
20And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is were the names of Esaus sons: Eliphaz the
son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the
the pillar of Rachels grave to this day.
21T hen Israel journeyed and pitched son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11And
his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22And it the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar,
happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, Zepho,a Gatam, and Kenaz.
12Now Timna was the concubine of Elithat Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his
fathers concubine; and Israel heard aboutit. phaz, Esaus son, and she bore Amalek to
Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esaus
Jacobs Twelve Sons
wife.
13T hese were the sons of Reuel: Nahath,
Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 23the
sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacobs firstborn, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were
and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zeb- the sons of Basemath, Esaus wife.
14T hese were the sons of Aholibamah,
ulun; 24the sons of Rachel were Joseph and
25
Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachels Esaus wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughmaidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26and ter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush,
the sons of Zilpah, Leahs maidservant, were Jaalam, and Korah.
Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob 35:27aLiterally Town of Arba 36:11aSpelled Zephi in
who were born to him in Padan Aram.
1Chronicles 1:36
Death ofIsaac
27T hen Jacob came to his father Isaac at
Mamre, or Kirjath Arbaa (that is, Hebron),
where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. 28Now
the days of Isaac were one hundred and
eighty years. 29So Isaac breathed his last and
died, and was gathered to his people, being
old and full of days. And his sons Esau and
Jacob buried him.
TheFamily ofEsau
Now this is the genealogy of Esau,
who is Edom. 2Esau took his wives
from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the
daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the
daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon
the Hivite; 3and Basemath, Ishmaels daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel.
5And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and
Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were
born to him in the land of Canaan.
6T hen Esau took his wives, his sons, his
daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all
his goods which he had gained in the land
of Canaan, and went to a country away
from the presence of his brother Jacob. 7For
their possessions were too great for them to
dwell together, and the land where they were
strangers could not support them because of
their livestock. 8So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir.
Esau is Edom.
9And this is the genealogy of Esau the
36
35:20 pillarsee 2 Sam. 18:18.
35:29 gather
(Heb. 'asaph) (Gen. 6:21; 25:8; Ps. 50:5; Jer. 4:5)
H0622: The word 'asaph means to gather for any
purpose; to collect; to remove. It was often used
as a description of deathbeing gathered to ones
ancestors (Gen. 25:8, for example). It is also used
to describe gathering the people for any purpose,
such as safety (Josh. 2:18), worship (2 Chr. 29:15),
or battle (Is. 13:4). Using the phrase gathered to
his people in reference to death is an affirmation
that there is life after death and that Christians
will be reunited with one another.
36:1 Esau
(Heb. èsav) (Gen. 25:25; 27:37; 33:4) H6215: The
name Esau means hairy, a description which
Esau lived up to (Gen. 25:25; 27:11). Esau was one
of Rebekahs twin sons, the slightly older brother
of Jacob. Esau may be best known for selling his
rights as firstborn for a pot of stew (Gen. 25:29
34). That same impetuous foolishness was exhibited when he married two Canaanite women
against his parents advice (Gen. 26:34, 35). The
author of the book of Hebrews sums up Esaus life
with these words: Lest there be any fornicator
or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel
of food sold his birthright (Heb. 12:16). Yet in
Esaus reunion with Jacob (Gen. 33:117), we see
growth in Esaus character. He was able to extend
grace and love to the brother who had tricked and
cheated him, and so the two brothers were reconciled. Both had learned that family love is more
important than revenge or wealth.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 36:15
44
Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his
TheChiefs ofEdom
15T hese were the chiefs of the sons of city was Dinhabah. 33And when Bela died,
Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in
of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, his place. 34When Jobab died, Husham of the
Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16Chief Korah, a land of the Temanites reigned in his place.
Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were 35And when Husham died, Hadad the son of
the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. Bedad, who attacked Midian in the field of
Moab, reigned in his place. And the name
They were the sons of Adah.
17These were the sons of Reuel, Esaus son: of his city was Avith. 36W hen Hadad died,
Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place.
and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of 37And when Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth-
Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the by-t he-R iver reigned in his place. 38W hen
Saul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor
sons of Basemath, Esaus wife.
18And these were the sons of Aholibamah, reigned in his place. 39And when Baal-Hanan
Esaus wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and the son of Achbor died, Hadara reigned in
Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who his place; and the name of his city was Pau.b
descended from Aholibamah, E
saus wife, His wifes name was Mehetabel, the daughter
the daughter of Anah. 19These were the sons of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their
TheChiefs ofEsau
chiefs.
40And these were the names of the chiefs
TheSons ofSeir
of Esau, according to their families and their
20T hese were the sons of Seir the Horite places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief
who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Alvah,a Chief Jetheth, 41Chief Aholibamah,
Zibeon, Anah, 21Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, 42 Chief Kenaz,
These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, 43Chief Magdiel,
and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of
of Seir, in the land of Edom.
22And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Edom, according to their dwelling places in
the land of their possession. Esau was the
Hemam.a Lotans sister was Timna.
23These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, a father of the Edomites.
Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,b and Onam.
24T hese were the sons of Zibeon: both Joseph Dreams ofGreatness
Now Jacob dwelt in the land where
Ajah and Anah. This was the Anah who
his father was a stranger, in the land
found the watera in the wilderness as he
pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon. of Canaan. 2This is the history of Jacob.
25These were the children of Anah: Dishon
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was
and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
36:16aSamaritan Pentateuch omits Chief Korah.
26 T hese were the sons of Dis hon: a 36:22aSpelled Homam in 1Chronicles 1:39
a
1:40 bSpelled Shephi
Hemdan, b Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 36:23 Spelled Alian in 1Chronicles
a
27T hese were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, in 1Chronicles 1:40 36:24 Following Masoretic Text
and Vulgate (hot springs); Septuagint reads Jamin; Targum
Zaavan, and Akan.a 28These were the sons of reads mighty men; Talmud interprets as mules.
36:26aHebrew Dishan bSpelled Hamran in 1Chronicles
Dishan: Uz and Aran.
1:41 36:27aSpelled Jaakan in 1Chronicles 1:42
29T hese were the chiefs of the Horites:
36:39aSpelled Hadad in Samaritan Pentateuch, Syriac, and
Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, 1Chronicles 1:50 bSpelled Pai in 1Chronicles 1:50
a
Chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, 36:40 Spelled Aliah in 1Chronicles 1:51
and Chief Disha n. These were the chiefs of
37:2 Joseph
the Horites, according to their chiefs in the
(Heb. yoseph) (Gen. 30:24; 37:28; 39:2; 42:6)
land of Seir.
37
TheKings ofEdom
31Now these were the kings who reigned
in the land of Edom before any king reigned
over the children of Israel: 32Bela the son of
H3130: Joseph was the oldest son of Jacob and

Rachel, born after many painful years of barrenness. Because of this, he was Jacobs favored
son (Gen. 37:3). This of course made his brothers
Continued
6/17/16 1:06 PM
45
Genesis 37:21
feeding the flock with his brothers. And Please tell me where they are feeding their
the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the flocks.
17And the man said, They have departed
sons of Zilpah, his fathers wives; and Joseph
from here, for I heard them say, Let us go to
brought a bad report of them to his father.
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all Dothan. So Joseph went after his brothers
his children, because he was the son of his and found them in Dothan.
18Now when they saw him afar off, even
old age. Also he made him a tunic of many
4
before
he came near them, they conspired
colors. But when his brothers saw that their
father loved him more than all his brothers, against him to kill him. 19Then they said to
they hated him and could not speak peace- one another, Look, this dreamer is coming!
20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and
ably to him.
5Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to cast him into some pit; and we shall say,
his brothers; and they hated him even more. Some wild beast has devoured him. We
6So he said to them, Please hear this dream shall see what will become of his dreams!
21But Reuben heard it, and he delivered
which I have dreamed: 7T here we were,
binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, him out of their hands, and said, Let us not
my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and
Continued
indeed your sheaves stood all around and
jealous,
and in anger they sold him into slavery
bowed down to my sheaf.
in Egypt. There Joseph suffered much but even8And his brothers said to him, Shall you
tually earned a position of power from which
indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed
he was able to save his brothers and father from
have dominion over us? So they hated him
starvation during a famine. He summed up his
even more for his dreams and for his words.
own life thus: You meant evil against me; but
9T hen he dreamed still another dream
God meant it for good, in order to bring it about
and told it to his brothers, and said, Look,
as it is this day, to save many people alive (Gen.
50:20). Joseph offers a shining example of how we
I have dreamed another dream. And this
can interpret hardship through the lens of Gods
time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars
providence, seeing His hand orchestrating all the
bowed down to me.
events of our lives for His glory and our good.
10So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said
37:2 lad see Judg. 8:20.
to him, What is this dream that you have
37:5 dream see Gen. 40:5.
dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your
37:5 more see 2 Chr. 9:6.
brothers indeed come to bow down to the
37:6 dream see Deut. 13:5.
37:8 reign see 2 Sam. 8:15.
earth before you? 11And his brothers envied
him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
37:8 have dominion
Joseph Sold by His Brothers
(Heb. mashal) (Gen. 45:8; Judg. 8:23; 2 Sam. 23:3;
12T hen his brothers went to feed their
Ps. 103:19) H4910: The Hebrew word mashal
means to have dominion, reign, or ruling
fathers flock in Shechem. 13And Israel said
power. The word was used to describe the domito Joseph, Are not your brothers feeding the
nation that entered human relationships through
flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to
the Fall: Your desire shall be for your husband,
them.
and he shall rule over you (Gen. 3:16). Mashal is
So he said to him, Here I am.
later
used to describe mans rule over his fellow
14Then he said to him, Please go and see
man (Judg. 8:22; 2 Chr. 7:18; Dan. 11:3) and Gods
if it is well with your brothers and well with
ultimate rule over all people (Ps. 22:28). Human
the flocks, and bring back word to me. So he
beings do not like to be ruled overparticularly
by someone who is, like Joseph in this verse,
sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he
a teenage younger brotheryet it is God who
went to Shechem.
places people in authority (Rom. 13:1), and Jesus
15Now a certain man found him, and
told us to submit to those in authority over us
there he was, wandering in the field. And
(Matt. 22:20, 21).
the man asked him, saying, What are you
seeking?
37:9 star see Job 25:5.
16So he said, I am seeking my brothers.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 37:22
46
22
kill him. And Reuben said to them, Shed and visited a certain Adullamite whose name
no blood, but cast him into this pit which is was Hirah. 2And Judah saw there a daughin the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on ter of a certain Canaanite whose name was
himthat he might deliver him out of their Shua, and he married her and went in to her.
3So she conceived and bore a son, and he
hands, and bring him back to his father.
23So it came to pass, when Joseph had called his name Er. 4She conceived again and
come to his brothers, that they stripped bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors 5And she conceived yet again and bore a son,
that was on him. 24Then they took him and and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib
cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; when she bore him.
6T hen Judah took a wife for Er his firstthere was no water init.
25And they sat down to eat a meal. Then born, and her name was Tamar. 7But Er,
they lifted their eyes and looked, and there Judahs firstborn, was wicked in the sight of
was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from the Lor d, and the Lor d killed him. 8And
Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, Judah said to Onan, Go in to your brothers
balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to
down to Egypt. 26So Judah said to his brothyour brother. 9But Onan knew that the heir
ers, What profit is there if we kill our brother would not be his; and it came to pass, when
and conceal his blood? 27Come and let us sell he went in to his brothers wife, that he emithim to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be ted on the ground, lest he should give an heir
upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. to his brother. 10And the thing which he did
And his brothers listened. 28Then Midian- displeased the Lor d; therefore He killed him
ite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled also.
11Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-
Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and
sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels in-law, Remain a widow in your fathers
of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
house till my son Shelah is grown. For he
29T hen Reuben returned to the pit, and
said, Lest he also die like his brothers. And
indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore Tamar went and dwelt in her fathers house.
12Now in the process of time the daughter
his clothes. 30And he returned to his brothers
and said, The lad is no more; and I, where of Shua, Judahs wife, died; and Judah was
shall I go?
comforted, and went up to his sheepshear31So they took Josephs tunic, killed a
ers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the
kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the Adullamite. 13And it was told Tamar, saying,
blood. 32Then they sent the tunic of many Look, your father-i n-law is going up to
colors, and they brought it to their father Timnah to shear his sheep. 14So she took off
and said, We have found this. Do you know her widows garments, covered herself with a
whether it is your sons tunic or not?
veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open
33And he recognized it and said, It is my
place which was on the way to Timnah; for
sons tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was
Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces. not given to him as a wife. 15When Judah saw
34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth
her, he thought she was a harlot, because she
on his waist, and mourned for his son many had covered her face. 16Then he turned to her
days. 35And all his sons and all his daughters by the way, and said, Please let me come in
arose to comfort him; but he refused to be to you; for he did not know that she was his
comforted, and he said, For I shall go down daughter-in-law.
into the grave to my son in mourning. Thus
So she said, What will you give me, that
his father wept for him.
you may come in to me?
36Now the Midianites a had sold him in
a
Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and 37:36 Masoretic Text reads Medanites.
captain of the guard.
Judah and Tamar
It came to pass at that time that
Judah departed from his brothers,
38

37:33 recognizesee Gen. 42:8.
37:34 sackclothsee Is. 50:3.
38:1 timesee Is. 33:6.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
47
Genesis 39:9
he said, I will send a young goat Joseph a Slave in Egypt
from the flock.
Now Joseph had been taken down to
So she said, Will you give me a pledge till
Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of
you send it?
Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian,
18Then he said, What pledge shall I give
bought him from the Ishmaelites who had
you?
taken him down there. 2The Lor d was with
So she said, Your signet and cord, and Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he
your staff that is in your hand. Then he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
gave them to her, and went in to her, and she 3And his master saw that the Lor d was with
conceived by him. 19So she arose and went him and that the Lor d made all he did to
away, and laid aside her veil and put on the prosper in his hand. 4So Joseph found favor
garments of her widowhood.
in his sight, and served him. Then he made
20And Judah sent the young goat by the
him overseer of his house, and all that he had
hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive he put under his authority. 5So it was, from
his pledge from the womans hand, but he did the time that he had made him overseer of
not find her. 21Then he asked the men of that his house and all that he had, that the Lor d
place, saying, Where is the harlot who was blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs
openly by the roadside?
sake; and the blessing of the Lor d was on
And they said, There was no harlot in all that he had in the house and in the field.
6Thus he left all that he had in Josephs hand,
this place.
22 So he returned to Judah and said, I
and he did not know what he had except for
cannot find her. Also, the men of the place the bread which he ate.
said there was no harlot in this place.
Now Joseph was handsome in form and
23T hen Judah said, Let her take them
appearance.
7And it came to pass after these things
for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this
young goat and you have not found her.
that his masters wife cast longing eyes on
24And it came to pass, about three months
Joseph, and she said, Lie with me.
8But he refused and said to his masters
after, that Judah was told, saying, Tamar
your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; wife, Look, my master does not know what
furthermore she is with child by harlotry.
is with me in the house, and he has commitSo Judah said, Bring her out and let her ted all that he has to my hand. 9There is no
be burned!
one greater in this house than I, nor has he
25W hen she was brought out, she sent
kept back anything from me but you, because
to her father-in-law, saying, By the man to you are his wife. How then can I do this great
whom these belong, I am with child. And wickedness, and sin against God?
she said, Please determine whose these
38:29aLiterally Breach or Breakthrough
arethe signet and cord, and staff.
26So Judah acknowledged them and said,
38:18 signet see Hag. 2:23.
She has been more righteous than I, because
38:19 put on see Is. 52:1.
I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he
never knew her again.
38:26 be righteous
27Now it came to pass, at the time for
(Heb.
tsadaq) (Ex. 23:7; Job 4:17; Ps. 19:9; Dan.
giving birth, that behold, twins were in her
12:3) H6663: The phrase, She has been more
28
womb. And so it was, when she was giving
righteous, comes from a single Hebrew word
birth, that the one put out his hand; and the
that implies moral straightness or rightness. The
midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on
same word can be translated blameless (Ps.
his hand, saying, This one came out first.
51:4), vindicated (Job 13:18), or justice (Ps.
29Then it happened, as he drew back his hand,
82:3). The sense is generally causativethat is,
being made righteous, or justified (Is. 43:9).
that his brother came out unexpectedly; and
she said, How did you break through? This
38:29 break through see 1 Chr. 14:11.
breach be upon you! Therefore his name was
30
39:2 Joseph see Gen. 37:2.
a
called Perez. Afterward his brother came
39:6 appearance see Ezek. 40:3.
out who had the scarlet thread on his hand.
And his name was called Zerah.
17And
39
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 39:10
48
10So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by them, and he served them; so they were in
day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her custody for a while.
5Then the butler and the baker of the king
or to be with her.
11But it happened about this time, when of Egypt, who were confined in the prison,
Joseph went into the house to do his work, had a dream, both of them, each mans
and none of the men of the house was inside, dream in one night and each mans dream
12that she caught him by his garment, saying, with its own interpretation. 6And Joseph
Lie with me. But he left his garment in came in to them in the morning and looked
her hand, and fled and ran outside. 13And at them, and saw that they were sad. 7So he
so it was, when she saw that he had left his asked Pharaohs officers who were with him
garment in her hand and fled outside, 14that in the custody of his lords house, saying,
she called to the men of her house and spoke Why do you look so sad today?
8And they said to him, We each have had
to them, saying, See, he has brought in to
us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.
So Joseph said to them, Do not interto lie with me, and I cried out with a loud
voice. 15And it happened, when he heard pretations belong to God? Tell them to me,
that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he please.
9T hen the chief butler told his dream
left his garment with me, and fled and went
to Joseph, and said to him, Behold, in my
outside.
16So she kept his garment with her until dream a vine was before me, 10 and in the
his master came home. 17T hen she spoke vine were three branches; it was as though it
to him with words like these, saying, The 39:23aLiterally his hand
Hebrew servant whom you brought to us
came in to me to mock me; 18so it happened,
39:12 catch
as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left
(Heb. taphas) (2 Kin. 7:12; Ezek. 21:24) H8610:
his garment with me and fled outside.
The word translated caught here is more often
19So it was, when his master heard the
translated take or took, as in taking hold
words which his wife spoke to him, saying,
of a person or thing. This commonly applies to
capturing prisoners in battle (2 Kin. 10:14) or
Your servant did to me after this manner,
overtaking cities (Is. 36:1). The term can also
that his anger was aroused. 20Then Josephs
mean to handle (Ezek. 27:29) or hold (Ezek.
master took him and put him into the prison,
30:21); in Genesis 4:21, it is translated play (as
a place where the kings prisoners were
the harp and flute). Proverbs 30:9 uses the word
confined. And he was there in the prison.
in the abstract (translated profane) to suggest
21But the Lor d was with Joseph and showed
improperly possessing the name of God.
him mercy, and He gave him favor in the
sight of the keeper of the prison. 22And the
39:12 flee see Num. 35:6.
keeper of the prison committed to Josephs
39:23 make prosperous see Gen. 24:21.
hand all the prisoners who were in the prison;
whatever they did there, it was his doing.
40:5 dream
23The keeper of the prison did not look into
(Heb. chalom) (Gen. 37:5; 41:7; Joel 2:28) H2472:
anything that was under Josephs authority,a
The word simply means to dream. The ancients
because the Lor d was with him; and whatunderstood a dream or a vision as watching
ever he did, the Lor d made it prosper.
during sleep, suggesting a special state of con
ThePrisoners Dreams
It came to pass after these things
that the butler and the baker of the
king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of
Egypt. 2And Pharaoh was angry with his two
officers, the chief butler and the chief baker.
3So he put them in custody in the house of
the captain of the guard, in the prison, the
place where Joseph was confined. 4And the
captain of the guard charged Joseph with
40
sciousness. Often dreams were recognized as

revelations from the gods, or from the Lord God
Himself in the case of the Hebrews. Many times
these dreams and visions were encoded in symbolic language that needed interpretation. Those
who could interpret dreams possessed power in
the ancient world (Gen. 41:3740; Dan. 2:4648).
Joseph both received and interpreted such messages but was able to interpret the figures and
symbols of dream-events only as God enabled
him (Gen. 40:8; 41:16).
6/17/16 1:06 PM
49
Genesis 41:13
budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clus- and dreamed a second time; and suddenly
ters brought forth ripe grapes. 11Then Pha- seven heads of grain came up on one stalk,
raohs cup was in my hand; and I took the plump and good. 6Then behold, seven thin
grapes and pressed them into Pharaohs cup, heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang
and placed the cup in Pharaohs hand.
up after them. 7And the seven thin heads
12 And Joseph said to him, This is the devoured the seven plump and full heads. So
interpretation of it: The three branches are Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.
three days. 13Now within three days Pha- 8Now it came to pass in the morning that his
raoh will lift up your head and restore you spirit was troubled, and he sent and called
to your place, and you will put Pharaohs cup for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise
in his hand according to the former manner, men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but
when you were his butler. 14But remember there was no one who could interpret them
me when it is well with you, and please show for Pharaoh.
9T hen the chief butler spoke to Phakindness to me; make mention of me to Pha15
raoh, and get me out of this house. For raoh, saying: I remember my faults this
indeed I was stolen away from the land of the day. 10W hen Pharaoh was angry with his
Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here servants, and put me in custody in the house
that they should put me into the dungeon.
of the captain of the guard, both me and the
16W hen the chief baker saw that the inter- chief baker, 11we each had a dream in one
pretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also night, he and I. Each of us dreamed accordwas in my dream, and there were three white ing to the interpretation of his own dream.
baskets on my head. 17In the uppermost 12Now there was a young Hebrew man with
basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pha- us there, a servant of the captain of the
raoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket guard. And we told him, and he interpreted
on my head.
our dreams for us; to each man he inter18 So Joseph answered and said, This is preted according to his own dream. 13And
the interpretation of it: The three baskets are it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us,
three days. 19Within three days Pharaoh will so it happened. He restored me to my office,
lift off your head from you and hang you on and he hanged him.
a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from
40:10 bud see Is. 66:14.
you.
20Now it came to pass on the third day,
40:19 hang see Deut. 21:22.
40:20 head see Gen. 3:15.
which was Pharaohs birthday, that he made
a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the
41:1 Pharaoh
head of the chief butler and of the chief baker
21
(Heb.
Paròh) (Ex. 1:11) H6547: The name Phaamong his servants. Then he restored the
raoh comes from the Egyptian word pr-ò, which
chief butler to his butlership again, and he
means the great house. Originally the word
placed the cup in Pharaohs hand. 22But
Pharaoh was not a designation for the king of
he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had
Egypt, but a reference to his palace. The ancient
23
interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did
Egyptians believed that Pharaoh was the living
not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
representation of the god Horus in Egyptian reli
Pharaohs Dreams
Then it came to pass, at the end of
two full years, that Pharaoh had a
dream; and behold, he stood by the river.
2 Suddenly there came up out of the river
seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they
fed in the meadow. 3T hen behold, seven
other cows came up after them out of the
river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other
cows on the bank of the river. 4And the ugly
and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking
and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. 5He slept
41
gion, identified with the cult of the sun god and

symbolized by the falcon. The plagues against
the Egyptians prior to the Israelite exodus from
Egypt were cosmic in nature, a kind of spiritual
warfare between the living God and the false
gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12; 15:11). The tenth plague,
resulting in the death of the firstborn among the
Egyptians (including Pharaohs), was divine
judgment upon Pharaohs claim to deity (Ex.
12:29, 30; 18:11, 12).
41:6 eastsee Ezek. 47:2.
41:7 dreamsee Gen. 40:5.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 41:14
50
14T hen Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, discerning and wise man, and set him over
and they brought him quickly out of the the land of Egypt. 34Let Pharaoh do this,
dungeon; and he shaved, changed his cloth- and let him appoint officers over the land, to
ing, and came to Pharaoh. 15And Pharaoh collect one-f ifth of the produce of the land of
said to Joseph, I have had a dream, and there Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35And let
is no one who can interpret it. But I have them gather all the food of those good years
heard it said of you that you can understand that are coming, and store up grain under
a dream, to interpret it.
the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep
16 So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, food in the cities. 36Then that food shall be
It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an as a reserve for the land for the seven years of
answer of peace.
famine which shall be in the land of Egypt,
17Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: Behold,
that the land may not perish during the
in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. famine.
18 Suddenly seven cows came up out of the
river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the Josephs Rise to Power
37So the advice was good in the eyes of
meadow. 19Then behold, seven other cows
came up after them, poor and very ugly and Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.
gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in 38And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we
all the land of Egypt. 20And the gaunt and find such a one as this, a man in whom is the
ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. Spirit of God?
21W hen they had eaten them up, no one
39T hen Pharaoh said to Joseph, Inaswould have known that they had eaten them, much as God has shown you all this, there is
for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. no one as discerning and wise as you. 40You
So I awoke. 22Also I saw in my dream, and shall be over my house, and all my people
suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, shall be ruled according to your word; only
full and good. 23Then behold, seven heads, in regard to the throne will I be greater than
withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, you. 41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I
sprang up after them. 24And the thin heads have set you over all the land of Egypt.
devoured the seven good heads. So I told this
42T hen Pharaoh took his signet ring off
to the magicians, but there was no one who his hand and put it on Josephs hand; and he
could explain it to me.
clothed him in garments of fine linen and
25T hen Joseph said to Pharaoh, The
put a gold chain around his neck. 43And he
dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown had him ride in the second chariot which
Pharaoh what He is about to do: 26The seven he had; and they cried out before him, Bow
good cows are seven years, and the seven the knee! So he set him over all the land of
good heads are seven years; the dreams are Egypt. 44Pharaoh also said to Joseph, I am
one. 27And the seven thin and ugly cows Pharaoh, and without your consent no man
which came up after them are seven years, may lift his hand or foot in all the land of
and the seven empty heads blighted by the Egypt. 45And Pharaoh called Josephs name
east wind are seven years of famine. 28This Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a
is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh.
wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah
God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to
priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the
do. 29Indeed seven years of great plenty will
land of Egypt.
30
come throughout all the land of Egypt; but
46Joseph was thirty years old when he
after them seven years of famine will arise,
stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And
and all the plenty will be forgotten in the
Joseph went out from the presence of Phaland of Egypt; and the famine will deplete
raoh, and went throughout all the land of
the land. 31So the plenty will not be known in
Egypt. 47Now in the seven plentiful years
the land because of the famine following, for
it will be very severe. 32And the dream was
41:14 bring quickly see Song 1:4.
repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing
41:26, 27 cow see 1 Sam. 6:7.
is established by God, and God will shortly
41:27 empty see 2 Chr. 13:7.
bring it to pass.
41:27 famine see Ezek. 5:16.
33Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a
6/17/16 1:06 PM
51
48 So
the ground brought forth abundantly.

he gathered up all the food of the seven years
which were in the land of Egypt, and laid
up the food in the cities; he laid up in every
city the food of the fields which surrounded
them. 49Joseph gathered very much grain, as
the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.
50And to Joseph were born two sons
before the years of famine came, whom
Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest
of On, bore to him. 51Joseph called the name
of the firstborn Manasseh:a For God has
made me forget all my toil and all my fathers
house. 52And the name of the second he
called Ephraim:a For God has caused me to
be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53T hen the seven years of plenty which
were in the land of Egypt ended, 54 and
the seven years of famine began to come,
as Joseph had said. The famine was in all
lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was
bread. 55So when all the land of Egypt was
famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for
bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you,
do. 56The famine was over all the face of
the earth, and Joseph opened all the store
housesa and sold to the Egyptians. And the
famine became severe in the land of Egypt.
57So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to
buy grain, because the famine was severe in
all lands.
Josephs Brothers Go to Egypt
W hen Jacob saw that there was
grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his
sons, Why do you look at one another?
2And he said, Indeed I have heard that there
is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and
buy for us there, that we may live and not
die.
3So Josephs ten brothers went down to
buy grain in Egypt. 4But Jacob did not send
Josephs brother Benjamin with his brothers,
for he said, Lest some calamity befall him.
5And the sons of Israel went to buy grain
among those who journeyed, for the famine
was in the land of Canaan.
6Now Joseph was governor over the land;
and it was he who sold to all the people of
the land. And Josephs brothers came and
bowed down before him with their faces
to the earth. 7Joseph saw his brothers and
42
Genesis 42:19
recognized them, but he acted as a stranger
to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he
said to them, Where do you come from?
And they said, From the land of Canaan
to buy food.
8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but
they did not recognize him. 9Then Joseph
remembered the dreams which he had
dreamed about them, and said to them, You
are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!
10And they said to him, No, my lord, but
your servants have come to buy food. 11We
are all one mans sons; we are honest men;
your servants are not spies.
12But he said to them, No, but you have
come to see the nakedness of the land.
13And they said, Your servants are twelve
brothers, the sons of one man in the land of
Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our
father today, and one is no more.
14But Joseph said to them, It is as I spoke
to you, saying, You are spies! 15In this
manner you shall be tested: By the life of
Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless
your youngest brother comes here. 16Send
one of you, and let him bring your brother;
and you shall be kept in prison, that your
words may be tested to see whether there is
any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies! 17So he put them
all together in prison three days.
18T hen Joseph said to them the third
day, Do this and live, for I fear God: 19If
you are honest men, let one of your brothers
41:51aLiterally Making Forgetful 41:52aLiterally
Fruitfulness 41:56aLiterally all that was in them
41:52 Ephraimsee Hos. 12:8.

42:8 recognize
(Heb. nakar) (Gen. 37:33; Ruth 3:14; 1 Kin. 18:7)
H5234: The Hebrew word carries two seemingly contradictory meanings. The most common is to recognize or to know (1 Sam.
26:17); related translations include acknowledge (Deut. 21:17), perceive (Neh. 6:12), and
remember (Ps. 103:16). But the same word can
also be translated disguises (Prov. 26:24) or
make alien (Jer. 19:4).
42:9 remembersee Ps.25:6.
42:15 testsee Mal. 3:10.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 42:20
52
be confined to your prison house; but you, brother to you, and you may trade in the
go and carry grain for the famine of your land.
35Then it happened as they emptied their
houses. 20And bring your youngest brother
to me; so your words will be verified, and you sacks, that surprisingly each mans bundle of
shall not die.
money was in his sack; and when they and
And they did so. 21Then they said to one their father saw the bundles of money, they
another, We are truly guilty concerning were afraid. 36And Jacob their father said to
our brother, for we saw the anguish of his them, You have bereaved me: Joseph is no
soul when he pleaded with us, and we would more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take
not hear; therefore this distress has come Benjamin. All these things are against me.
37Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying,
upon us.
22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back
Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring
against the boy; and you would not listen? him back to you.
38But he said, My son shall not go down
Therefore behold, his blood is now required
23
of us. But they did not know that Joseph with you, for his brother is dead, and he is
understood them, for he spoke to them left alone. If any calamity should befall him
through an interpreter. 24 And he turned along the way in which you go, then you
himself away from them and wept. Then would bring down my gray hair with sorrow
he returned to them again, and talked with to the grave.
them. And he took Simeon from them and
bound him before their eyes.
Josephs Brothers Return with
Benjamin
TheBrothers Return to Canaan
Now the famine was severe in the
25T hen Joseph gave a command to fill
land. 2And it came to pass, when
their sacks with grain, to restore every mans they had eaten up the grain which they had
money to his sack, and to give them provi- brought from Egypt, that their father said to
sions for the journey. Thus he did for them. them, Go back, buy us a little food.
26 So they loaded their donkeys with the
3But Judah spoke to him, saying, The
grain and departed from there. 27But as one man solemnly warned us, saying, You shall
of them opened his sack to give his donkey not see my face unless your brother is with
feed at the encampment, he saw his money; you. 4If you send our brother with us, we
and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. will go down and buy you food. 5But if you
28So he said to his brothers, My money has
will not send him, we will not go down; for
been restored, and there it is, in my sack! the man said to us, You shall not see my face
Then their hearts failed them and they were unless your brother is with you.
6And Israel said, Why did you deal
afraid, saying to one another, What is this
that God has done to us?
so wrongfully with me as to tell the man
29Then they went to Jacob their father in
whether you had still another brother?
7But they said, The man asked us pointthe land of Canaan and told him all that had
happened to them, saying: 30The man who edly about ourselves and our family, saying,
is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and Is your father still alive? Have you another
took us for spies of the country. 31But we said brother? And we told him according to these
to him, We are honest men; we are not spies. words. Could we possibly have known that
32We are twelve brothers, sons of our father;
he would say, Bring your brother down?
one is no more, and the youngest is with our
8Then Judah said to Israel his father, Send
father this day in the land of Canaan. 33Then the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that
the man, the lord of the country, said to us, we may live and not die, both we and you and
By this I will know that you are honest men:
Leave one of your brothers here with me, take
43:9 be surety
food for the famine of your households, and
(Heb.
àrab) (Gen. 44:32; Ps. 119:122; Prov.
be gone. 34And bring your youngest brother
11:15) H6148: Surety here means a promise or
to me; so I shall know that you are not spies,
Continued
but that you are honest men. I will grant your
43
6/17/16 1:06 PM
53
also our little ones. 9I myself will be surety for
him; from my hand you shall require him. If

I do not bring him back to you and set him
before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10For if we had not lingered, surely by now we
would have returned this second time.
11And their father Israel said to them, If
it must be so, then do this: Take some of the
best fruits of the land in your vessels and
carry down a present for the mana little
balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh,
pistachio nuts and almonds. 12Take double
money in your hand, and take back in your
hand the money that was returned in the
mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13Take your brother also, and arise, go
back to the man. 14And may God Almighty
give you mercy before the man, that he may
release your other brother and Benjamin. If I
am bereaved, I am bereaved!
15So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their
hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and
they stood before Joseph. 16When Joseph saw
Benjamin with them, he said to the steward
of his house, Take these men to my home,
and slaughter an animal and make ready; for
these men will dine with me at noon. 17Then
the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man
brought the men into Josephs house.
18Now the men were afraid because they
were brought into Josephs house; and they
said, It is because of the money, which was
returned in our sacks the first time, that we
are brought in, so that he may make a case
against us and seize us, to take us as slaves
with our donkeys.
19W hen they drew near to the steward
of Josephs house, they talked with him at
the door of the house, 20 and said, O sir,
we indeed came down the first time to buy
food; 21but it happened, when we came to the
encampment, that we opened our sacks, and
there, each mans money was in the mouth of
his sack, our money in full weight; so we have
brought it back in our hand. 22And we have
brought down other money in our hands
to buy food. We do not know who put our
money in our sacks.
23But he said, Peace be with you, do not
be afraid. Your God and the God of your
father has given you treasure in your sacks;
I had your money. Then he brought Simeon
out to them.
Genesis 43:34
the man brought the men into
Josephs house and gave them water, and they
washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys
feed. 25Then they made the present ready for
Josephs coming at noon, for they heard that
they would eat bread there.
26And when Joseph came home, they
brought him the present which was in their
hand into the house, and bowed down before
him to the earth. 27T hen he asked them
about their well-being, and said, Is your
father well, the old man of whom you spoke?
Is he still alive?
28And they answered, Your servant our
father is in good health; he is still alive. And
they bowed their heads down and prostrated
themselves.
29T hen he lifted his eyes and saw his
brother Benjamin, his mothers son, and said,
Is this your younger brother of whom you
spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious
to you, my son. 30Now his heart yearned for
his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought
somewhere to weep. And he went into his
chamber and wept there. 31Then he washed
his face and came out; and he restrained
himself, and said, Serve the bread.
32So they set him a place by himself, and
them by themselves, and the Egyptians
who ate with him by themselves; because
the Egyptians could not eat food with the
Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the
Egyptians. 33And they sat before him,
the firstborn according to his birthright and
the youngest according to his youth; and the
men looked in astonishment at one another.
34Then he took servings to them from before
him, but Benjamins serving was five times
as much as any of theirs. So they drank and
were merry with him.
24 So
Continued
guarantee, as of payment for a debtJudah offering himself as a guarantee of Benjamins safe

return to his father. The Hebrew word is sometimes rendered pledge (2 Kin. 18:23; Is. 36:8).
The same word can also mean to mingle (as a
kind of exchangePs. 106:35), mix (Ezra 9:2), or
share (Prov. 14:10).
43:14 Almightysee Gen. 49:25.
43:14 mercysee Is. 63:7.
43:23 peacesee 1 Chr. 12:18.
43:30 make hastesee Nah. 2:5.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 44:1
54
was found, he shall be my slave. And as for
Josephs Cup
A nd he commanded the steward you, go up in peace to your father.
of his house, saying, Fill the mens
sacks with food, as much as they can carry, Judah Intercedes for Benjamin
18Then Judah came near to him and said:
and put each mans money in the mouth of
his sack. 2Also put my cup, the silver cup, in O my lord, please let your servant speak a
the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and word in my lords hearing, and do not let
his grain money. So he did according to the your anger burn against your servant; for
word that Joseph had spoken. 3As soon as the you are even like Pharaoh. 19My lord asked
morning dawned, the men were sent away, his servants, saying, Have you a father or a
they and their donkeys. 4W hen they had brother? 20And we said to my lord, We have
gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, a father, an old man, and a child of his old
Joseph said to his steward, Get up, follow age, who is young; his brother is dead, and
the men; and when you overtake them, say to he alone is left of his mothers children, and
them, Why have you repaid evil for good? 5Is his father loves him. 21Then you said to your
not this the one from which my lord drinks, servants, Bring him down to me, that I may
and with which he indeed practices divina- set my eyes on him. 22And we said to my
lord, The lad cannot leave his father, for if he
tion? You have done evil in so doing.
6 So he overtook them, and he spoke to should leave his father, his father would die.
them these same words. 7And they said to 23But you said to your servants, Unless your
him, Why does my lord say these words? youngest brother comes down with you, you
Far be it from us that your servants should shall see my face no more.
24So it was, when we went up to your
do such a thing. 8Look, we brought back
servant
my father, that we told him the words
to you from the land of Canaan the money
which we found in the mouth of our sacks. of my lord. 25And our father said, Go back
How then could we steal silver or gold from and buy us a little food. 26But we said, We
your lords house? 9With whomever of your cannot go down; if our youngest brother is
servants it is found, let him die, and we also with us, then we will go down; for we may
not see the mans face unless our youngest
will be my lords slaves.
10And he said, Now also let it be accord- brother is with us. 27Then your servant my
ing to your words; he with whom it is found father said to us, You know that my wife
shall be my slave, and you shall be blame- bore me two sons; 28and the one went out
less. 11Then each man speedily let down his from me, and I said, Surely he is torn to
sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. pieces; and I have not seen him since. 29But
12So he searched. He began with the oldest if you take this one also from me, and calamand left off with the youngest; and the cup ity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray
was found in Benjamins sack. 13Then they hair with sorrow to the grave.
30Now therefore, when I come to your
tore their clothes, and each man loaded his
donkey and returned to the city.
14 So Judah and his brothers came to
44:4 repay see Lev. 24:18.
Josephs house, and he was still there; and
44:15 practice divination
they fell before him on the ground. 15And
Joseph said to them, What deed is this you
(Heb. nachash) (Lev. 19:26; 2 Kin. 17:17; 2 Chr.
have done? Did you not know that such a
33:6) H5172: The practice of divination was
strictly prohibited in Mosaic law (Lev. 19:26;
man as I can certainly practice divination?
16Then Judah said, What shall we say to
Deut. 18:10); in the time of the patriarchs, the
concept was terrifying enough for Joseph to use
my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall
it as a dire threat. The Hebrew word, translated
we clear ourselves? God has found out the
sorcery in 2 Chronicles 33:6, literally means to
iniquity of your servants; here we are, my
hiss or whisper, as a medium might do, perlords slaves, both we and he also with whom
haps in communication with the dead. The word
the cup was found.
has a less sinister meaning as well
Genesis
17But he said, Far be it from me that I
30:27 renders it learned by experience.
should do so; the man in whose hand the cup
44
6/17/16 1:06 PM
55
Genesis 45:22
12
servant my father, and the lad is not with
And behold, your eyes and the eyes of
us, since his life is bound up in the lads life, my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth
31it will happen, when he sees that the lad is that speaks to you. 13So you shall tell my
not with us, that he will die. So your servants father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that
will bring down the gray hair of your servant you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring
our father with sorrow to the grave. 32For my father down here.
14Then he fell on his b
your servant became surety for the lad to my
rother Benjamins
father, saying, If I do not bring him back to neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his
you, then I shall bear the blame before my neck. 15Moreover he kissed all his brothers
father forever. 33Now therefore, please let and wept over them, and after that his brothyour servant remain instead of the lad as a ers talked with him.
slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his
16Now the report of it was heard in Phabrothers. 34For how shall I go up to my father raohs house, saying, Josephs brothers have
if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the come. So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants
evil that would come upon my father?
well. 17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Say to
your brothers, Do this: Load your animals
Joseph Revealed to His Brothers
and depart; go to the land of Canaan. 18Bring
T hen Joseph could not restrain your father and your households and come
himself before all those who stood to me; I will give you the best of the land of
by him, and he cried out, Make everyone
Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.
go out from me! So no one stood with him 19
Now you are commandeddo this: Take
while Joseph made himself known to his
carts
out of the land of Egypt for your little
brothers. 2And he wept aloud, and the Egypones and your wives; bring your father and
tians and the house of Pharaoh heardit.
20
3Then Joseph said to his brothers, I am come. Also do not be concerned about your
Joseph; does my father still live? But his goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is
brothers could not answer him, for they were yours.

21
T
hen
the sons of Israel did so; and
dismayed in his presence. 4And Joseph said
Joseph
gave
them carts, according to the
to his brothers, Please come near to me. So
command
of
Pharaoh, and he gave them
they came near. Then he said: I am Joseph
provisions
for
the journey. 22He gave to all
your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
5But now, do not therefore be grieved or
44:32 be surety see Gen. 43:9.
angry with yourselves because you sold me
45:7 posterity see 2 Chr. 34:9.
here; for God sent me before you to preserve
45:8 ruler see Gen. 37:8.
6
life. For these two years the famine has been
45:14 Benjamin see 1 Chr. 8:1.
in the land, and there are still five years in
which there will be neither plowing nor
45:18 fat
harvesting. 7And God sent me before you
(Heb.
cheleb) (Gen. 4:4; Ex. 29:13; Deut. 32:14;
to preserve a posterity for you in the earth,
Ezek. 39:19) H2459: Though the Hebrew word
and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
means the actual fat of animals (or humans), it
8So now it was not you who sent me here, but
can also be used, as here, to describe the choicGod; and He has made me a father to Phaest part of something (in this case, the land; see
raoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler
also Ps. 147:14 finest). The term is most often
throughout all the land of Egypt.
used in the context of animal sacrifice (Ex. 29:22;
9Hurry and go up to my father, and say
Lev. 3:9, 10) but can also imply excess (Ps. 73:7)
or abundance (Ps. 63:5). A particularly gruesome
to him, Thus says your son Joseph: God has
image is found in the story of Ehud (Judg. 3:12
made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me,
30), who killed the Moabite king Eglon by driving
do not tarry. 10You shall dwell in the land of
a dagger so deep into his belly that the fat closed
Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and
over the blade.
your children, your childrens children, your
flocks and your herds, and all that you have.
45:20 goods see 1 Sam. 14:6.
11There I will provide for you, lest you and
45:20 best see 2 Kin. 8:9.
your household, and all that you have, come to
45:21 command see Num. 27:14.
poverty; for there are still five years of famine.
45
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 45:23
56
of them, to each man, changes of garments; Merari. 12The sons of Judah were Er, Onan,
but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan
of silver and five changes of garments. 23And died in the land of Canaan). The sons of
he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13The sons of
loaded with the good things of Egypt, and Issachar were Tola, Puvah,a Job,b and Shimten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, ron. 14The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon,
and food for his father for the journey. 24So and Jahleel. 15These were the sons of Leah,
he sent his brothers away, and they departed; whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with
and he said to them, See that you do not his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons
become troubled along the way.
and his daughters, were thirty-three.
25T hen they went up out of Egypt, and
16The sons of Gad were Ziphion, a Haggi,
came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their Shuni, Ezbon,b Eri, Arodi,c and Areli. 17The
father. 26And they told him, saying, Joseph sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui,
is still alive, and he is governor over all the Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons
land of Egypt. And Jacobs heart stood still, of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. 18These
because he did not believe them. 27But when were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave
they told him all the words which Joseph to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to
had said to them, and when he saw the carts Jacob: sixteen persons.
which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit
19T he sons of Rachel, Jacobs wife, were
of Jacob their father revived. 28Then Israel Joseph and Benjamin. 20And to Joseph in
said, It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and
I will go and see him before I die.
Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter
of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.
Jacobs Journey to Egypt
21The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher,
So Israel took his journey with all Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim,
that he had, and came to Beersheba, Huppim, a and Ard. 22These were the sons
and offered sacrifices to the God of his father of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen
Isaac. 2T hen God spoke to Israel in the
persons in all.
visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob!
23T he son of Dan was Hushim. a 24T he
And he said, Here I am.
3So He said, I am God, the God of your 46:10aSpelled Nemuel in 1Chronicles 4:24 bCalled Jarib
1Chronicles 4:24 cCalled Zerah in 1Chronicles 4:24
father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I in
46:13aSpelled Puah in 1Chronicles 7:1 bSame as Jashub
will make of you a great nation there. 4I will in Numbers 26:24 and 1Chronicles 7:1 46:16aSpelled
and Numbers
go down with you to Egypt, and I will also Zephon bin Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint,
26:15 Called Ozni in Numbers 26:16 cSpelled Arod in
surely bring you up again; and Joseph will Numbers
a
26:17 46:21 Called Hupham in Numbers 26:39
put his hand on your eyes.
46:23aCalled Shuham in Numbers 26:42
5Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the
sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their
46:2 vision see Dan. 10:7.
little ones, and their wives, in the carts which
Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6So they took
46:6 acquire
their livestock and their goods, which they
(Heb. rakash) (Gen. 12:5; 31:18) H7408: This
had acquired in the land of Canaan, and
extremely rare verb meaning to acquire, accuwent to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants
mulate, or amass is used only five times and in
with him. 7His sons and his sons sons, his
just four versesa ll in Genesis. In every case, the
term refers to an individuals (Abraham, Jacob,
daughters and his sons daughters, and all his
and Esau) having accumulated movable goods
descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
8Now these were the names of the chil(never land) that are then being packed up for a
major relocation that is instigated by God Himdren of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went
self (with Esaus move being a possible exception).
9
to Egypt: Reuben was Jacobs firstborn. The
Each of these relocations is a very significant
sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron,
turning point in the Book of Genesis. This term
10
and Carmi. T he sons of Simeon were
suggests both wealth and affluenceordinarily,
Jemuel, a Jamin, Ohad, Jachin,b Zohar,c and
if not always, coming from Gods blessings upon
Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11The
the person (Gen. 31:1618; 36:6, 7; 46:6).
sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and
46
6/17/16 1:06 PM
57
Genesis 47:13
sons of Naphtali were
Guni, Jezer, no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is
and Shillem. b 25T hese were the sons of severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore,
Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his please let your servants dwell in the land of
daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven Goshen.
5T hen Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying,
persons in all.
26All the persons who went with Jacob Your father and your brothers have come
to Egypt, who came from his body, besides to you. 6T he land of Egypt is before you.
Jacobs sons wives, were sixty-six persons in Have your father and brothers dwell in the
all. 27And the sons of Joseph who were born best of the land; let them dwell in the land
to him in Egypt were two persons. All the of Goshen. And if you know any competent
persons of the house of Jacob who went to men among them, then make them chief
herdsmen over my livestock.
Egypt were seventy.
7 T hen Joseph brought in his father
Jacob Settles in Goshen
Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob
28T hen he sent Judah before him to blessed Pharaoh. 8Pharaoh said to Jacob,
Joseph, to point out before him the way How old are you?
9And Jacob said to Pharaoh, The days of
to Goshen. And they came to the land of
Goshen. 29So Joseph made ready his chariot the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred
and went up to Goshen to meet his father and thirty years; few and evil have been the
Israel; and he presented himself to him, and days of the years of my life, and they have not
fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good attained to the days of the years of the life of
my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
while.
30And Israel said to Joseph, Now let me 10 So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out
die, since I have seen your face, because you from before Pharaoh.
11And Joseph situated his father and his
are still alive.
31Then Joseph said to his brothers and to brothers, and gave them a possession in
his fathers household, I will go up and tell the land of Egypt, in the best of the land,
Pharaoh, and say to him, My brothers and in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had
those of my fathers house, who were in the commanded. 12T hen Joseph provided his
land of Canaan, have come to me. 32And the father, his brothers, and all his fathers housemen are shepherds, for their occupation has hold with bread, according to the number in
been to feed livestock; and they have brought their families.
their flocks, their herds, and all that they
have. 33So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you Joseph Deals with theFamine
13Now there was no bread in all the
and says, What is your occupation? 34that
you shall say, Your servants occupation has land; for the famine was very severe, so that
been with livestock from our youth even till the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan
now, both we and also our fathers, that you 46:24aSpelled Jahziel in 1Chronicles 7:13 bSpelled
may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every Shallum in 1Chronicles 7:13
shepherd is an abomination to the Egyp46:34 abomination see Ezek. 18:12.
tians.
T hen Joseph went and told Pha47:9 pilgrimage
raoh, and said, My father and my
(Heb. magur) (Ex. 6:4; Ps. 119:54) H4033: The
brothers, their flocks and their herds and all
Hebrew word carries the sense of wandering, as
that they possess, have come from the land
in a strange land (Gen. 17:8) or of sojourning in a
of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of
foreign country (Ezek. 20:38). The word can also
2
Goshen. And he took five men from among
be used to describe strangers (Gen. 28:4; 36:7;
his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
37:1)i.e., those who wander or dwell in a place
3Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, What is
that is not their home. An alternate translation is
your occupation?
dwellings (Job 18:19; Ps. 55:15). In describing
And they said to Pharaoh, Your servants
his life as a pilgrimage, Jacob gives the sense
are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.
of a lifetime of wandering and of existing on the
4And they said to Pharaoh, We have come to
earth as a stranger or a guest.
dwell in the land, because your servants have
Jahzeel, a
47
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 47:14
58
14
languished because of the famine. And made it a law over the land of Egypt to this
Joseph gathered up all the money that was day, that Pharaoh should have one-f ifth,
found in the land of Egypt and in the land except for the land of the priests only, which
of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; did not become Pharaohs.
and Joseph brought the money into PhaJosephs Vow to Jacob
raohs house.
15So when the money failed in the land
27So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in
of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the the country of Goshen; and they had possesEgyptians came to Joseph and said, Give us sions there and grew and multiplied exceedbread, for why should we die in your pres- ingly. 28And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt
ence? For the money has failed.
seventeen years. So the length of Jacobs life
16Then Joseph said, Give your livestock,
was one hundred and forty-seven years.
and I will give you bread for your livestock, 29When the time drew near that Israel must
if the money is gone. 17So they brought their die, he called his son Joseph and said to him,
livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them Now if I have found favor in your sight,
bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, please put your hand under my thigh, and
the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not
Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for bury me in Egypt, 30but let me lie with my
all their livestock that year.
fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and
18W hen that year had ended, they came
bury me in their burial place.
to him the next year and said to him, We
And he said, I will do as you have said.
will not hide from my lord that our money
31T hen he said, Swear to me. And he
is gone; my lord also has our herds of live- swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the
stock. There is nothing left in the sight of my head of the bed.
lord but our bodies and our lands. 19W hy
should we die before your eyes, both we and Jacob Blesses Josephs Sons
our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and
Now it came to pass after these
we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh;
things that Joseph was told, Indeed
give us seed, that we may live and not die, your father is sick; and he took with him his
that the land may not be desolate.
two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2And
20T hen Joseph bought all the land of
Jacob was told, Look, your son Joseph is
Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the coming to you; and Israel strengthened
Egyptians sold his field, because the famine himself and sat up on the bed. 3Then Jacob
was severe upon them. So the land became said to Joseph: God Almighty appeared to
Pharaohs. 21And as for the people, he moved me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed
them into the cities, a from one end of the me, 4and said to me, Behold, I will make you
borders of Egypt to the other end. 22Only fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of
the land of the priests he did not buy; for the you a multitude of people, and give this land
priests had rations allotted to them by Pha- to your descendants after you as an everlastraoh, and they ate their rations which Phaing possession. 5And now your two sons,
raoh gave them; therefore they did not sell
Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to
their lands.
23Then Joseph said to the people, Indeed you in the land of Egypt before I came to you
in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon,
I have bought you and your land this day for
they shall be mine. 6Your offspring whom
Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you
you beget after them shall be yours; they
shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to
will be called by the name of their brothers
pass in the harvest that you shall give one-
7
fifth to Pharaoh. Four-f ifths shall be your in their inheritance. But as for me, when I
own, as seed for the field and for your food, 47:21aFollowing Masoretic Text and Targum; Samaritan
Septuagint, and Vulgate read made the people
for those of your households and as food for Pentateuch,
virtual slaves.
your little ones.
25So they said, You have saved our lives;
47:19 live see Hab. 2:4.
let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and
48:1 sick see Is. 38:9.
26
we will be Pharaohs servants. And Joseph
48
6/17/16 1:06 PM
59
Genesis 49:6
came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in and his descendants shall become a multithe land of Canaan on the way, when there tude of nations.
20So he blessed them that day, saying, By
was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and
I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that you Israel will bless, saying, May God make
is, Bethlehem).
you as Ephraim and as Manasseh! And
8Then Israel saw Josephs sons, and said, thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
21Then Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I am
Who are these?
9Joseph said to his father, They are my dying, but God will be with you and bring
sons, whom God has given me in this place. you back to the land of your fathers. 22MoreAnd he said, Please bring them to me, over I have given to you one portion above
and I will bless them. 10Now the eyes of your brothers, which I took from the hand
Israel were dim with age, so that he could not of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.
see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and
he kissed them and embraced them. 11And Jacobs Last Words to His Sons
Israel said to Joseph, I had not thought to see
And Jacob called his sons and said,
your face; but in fact, God has also shown me
Gather together, that I may tell you
your offspring!
what
shall
befall you in the last days:
12 So Joseph brought them from beside
2 Gather together and hear, you sons of
his knees, and he bowed down with his face
Jacob,
to the earth. 13And Joseph took them both,
And listen to Israel your father.
Ephraim with his right hand toward Israels
left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand 3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
toward Israels right hand, and brought them
My might and the beginning of my
near him. 14T hen Israel stretched out his
strength,
right hand and laid it on Ephraims head,
The excellency of dignity and the
who was the younger, and his left hand on
excellency of power.
Manassehs head, guiding his hands know- 4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
ingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15And
Because you went up to your fathers bed;
he blessed Joseph, and said:
Then you defiled it
God, before whom my fathers Abraham
He went up to my couch.
and Isaac walked,
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers;
The God who has fed me all my life long
Instruments of cruelty are in their
to this day,
dwelling place.
16 The Angel who has redeemed me from
6 Let not my soul enter their council;
all evil,
Let not my honor be united to their
Bless the lads;
assembly;
Let my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham
48:14 younger see 1 Sam. 9:21.
and Isaac;
48:17 take hold see Is. 41:10.
And let them grow into a multitude in
the midst of the earth.
48:19 great
49
17Now when Joseph saw that his father

laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim,
it displeased him; so he took hold of his
fathers hand to remove it from Ephraims
head to Manassehs head. 18And Joseph said
to his father, Not so, my father, for this one
is the firstborn; put your right hand on his
head.
19But his father refused and said, I know,
my son, I know. He also shall become a
people, and he also shall be great; but truly
his younger brother shall be greater than he,
(Heb. gadal) (Gen. 12:2; 2 Sam. 7:22; 1 Kin. 1:37;

Ps. 18:50) H1431: Most often translated magnify (Ps. 34:3; 69:30) or exalt (Josh. 3:7; Job
7:17), the Hebrew word literally means to twist
together, as rope or twine, carrying the sense of
increasing strength or greatness. The same word
can also mean to grow, as in physical stature
(1 Sam. 3:19) or in volume or significance (Ezra
9:6our guilt has grown up to the heavens).
49:1 befallsee 2 Sam. 1:6.
49:3 firstbornsee Num. 8:17.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 49:7
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung
anox.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.
8 Judah, you are he whom your brothers
shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your
enemies;
Your fathers children shall bow down
before you.
9 Judah is a lions whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have goneup.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the
people.
11 Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkeys colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.
13 Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the
sea;
He shall become a haven for ships,
And his border shall adjoin Sidon.
14 Issachar is a strong donkey,
Lying down between two burdens;
15 He saw that rest was good,
And that the land was pleasant;

He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden,
And became a band of slaves.
16 Dan shall judge his people
As one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way,
A viper by the path,

That bites the horses heels
So that its rider shall fall backward.
18 I have waited for your salvation, OLor d!
19 Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him,
But he shall triumph at last.
20 Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.
21 Naphtali is a deer let loose;
60
22 Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;

His branches run over the wall.
23 The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
24 But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made
strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of
Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of
Israel),
25 By the God of your father who will help
you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my
ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the
everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him
who was separate from his brothers.
27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,

And at night he shall divide the spoil.
49:6 hamstringsee 1 Chr. 18:4.

49:7 dividesee Ps. 60:6.
49:9 lionsee Mic. 5:8.
49:10 Judahsee 1 Chr. 9:3.
49:15 pleasantsee Song 7:6.
49:18 waitsee Lam. 3:25.
49:24 Shepherdsee Jer. 25:34.
49:25 Almighty
(Heb. shaddai) (Gen. 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; Job
37:23) H7706: This divine name in Hebrew is 'El
Shaddai. 'El means God, and Shaddai is probably related to the Akkadian word for mountain,
or to a Hebrew verb meaning mighty. God is
mountainlike. He is powerful, majestic, awe-
inspiring, and enduring. Just like a mountain,
He provides a shelter from the elements and
from evil (Ps. 91:1, 2). Therefore, 'El Shaddai can
mean Majestic Deity or the God Who Provides
My Refuge.
49:26 hillsee Is. 65:7.
49:27 Benjaminsee 1 Chr. 8:1.
He uses beautiful words.
6/17/16 1:06 PM
61
these are the twelve tribes of Israel,

and this is what their father spoke to them.
And he blessed them; he blessed each one
according to his own blessing.
28All
Jacobs Death and Burial

29T hen he charged them and said to
them: I am to be gathered to my people;
bury me with my fathers in the cave that is
in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30in the
cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which
is before Mamre in the land of Canaan,
which Abraham bought with the field of
Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a
burial place. 31There they buried Abraham
and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac
and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried
Leah. 32T he field and the cave that is there
were purchased from the sons of Heth.
33And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed
and breathed his last, and was gathered to
his people.
T hen Joseph fell on his fathers
face and wept over him, and kissed
him. 2And Joseph commanded his servants
the physicians to embalm his father. So the
physicians embalmed Israel. 3Forty days
were required for him, for such are the days
required for those who are embalmed; and
the Egyptians mourned for him seventy
days.
4 Now when the days of his mourning
were past, Joseph spoke to the household of
Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found favor
in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of
Pharaoh, saying, 5My father made me swear,
saying, Behold, I am dying; in my grave
which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan,
there you shall bury me. Now therefore,
please let me go up and bury my father, and I
will come back.
6And Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your
father, as he made you swear.
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father;
and with him went up all the servants of
Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all
the elders of the land of Egypt, 8as well as
all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his
fathers house. Only their little ones, their
flocks, and their herds they left in the land of
Goshen. 9And there went up with him both
chariots and horsemen, and it was a very
great gathering.
50
Genesis 50:17
they came to the threshing floor
of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and
they mourned there with a great and very
solemn lamentation. He observed seven
days of mourning for his father. 11And when
the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites,
saw the mourning at the threshing floor of
Atad, they said, This is a deep mourning
of the Egyptians. Therefore its name was
called Abel Mizraim, a which is beyond the
Jordan.
12So his sons did for him just as he had
commanded them. 13For his sons carried
him to the land of Canaan, and buried him
in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before
Mamre, which Abraham bought with the
field from Ephron the Hittite as property for
a burial place. 14And after he had buried his
father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his
brothers and all who went up with him to
bury his father.
10T hen
Joseph Reassures His Brothers

15W hen Josephs brothers saw that their
father was dead, they said, Perhaps Joseph
will hate us, and may actually repay us for
all the evil which we did to him. 16So they
sent messengers to Joseph, saying, Before
your father died he commanded, saying,
17Thus you shall say to Joseph: I beg you,
please forgive the trespass of your brothers
and their sin; for they did evil to you. Now,
please, forgive the trespass of the servants
of the God of your father. And Joseph wept
when they spoke to him.
50:11aLiterally Mourning of Egypt
49:28 tribesee Num. 24:17.

50:5 digsee Jer. 18:20.
50:10 lamentation
(Heb. misped) (Ezek. 27:31; Amos 5:16; Zech.
12:10) H4553: This noun denotes lamentation
and wailing. It is one of numerous such words in
the Old Testament. It is usually associated with
expressions of grief over the death of an individual (Gen. 50:10) or of numerous persons (Esth.
4:3). The sacking of a city produces lamentation from its inhabitants (Jer. 6:26; Ezek. 27:31).
At times, lamentation is said to accompany the
repentance of sinners (Is. 22:12; Joel 2:12). This
word is contrasted with words denoting joy, gladness, and dancing (Ps. 30:11).
6/17/16 1:06 PM
Genesis 50:18
62
18T hen his brothers also went and fell Ephraims children to the third generation.
down before his face, and they said, Behold, The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh,
we are your servants.
were also brought up on Josephs knees.
19Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid,
24 And Joseph said to his brethren, I am
for am I in the place of God? 20But as for you, dying; but God will surely visit you, and
you meant evil against me; but God meant bring you out of this land to the land of which
it for good, in order to bring it about as it is He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
this day, to save many people alive. 21Now 25Then Joseph took an oath from the chiltherefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for dren of Israel, saying, God will surely visit
you and your little ones. And he comforted you, and you shall carry up my bones from
them and spoke kindly to them.
here. 26So Joseph died, being one hundred
and ten years old; and they embalmed him,
Death ofJoseph
and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and
his fathers household. And Joseph lived
50:25 bone see Ps. 53:5.
one hundred and ten years. 23Joseph saw
6/17/16 1:06 PM
THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
ROMANS
ROMANS, PAULS GREATEST WORK, IS placed first among his 13 epistles in

the New Testament. While the four Gospels present the words and works of
Jesus Christ, Romans explores the significance of His sacrificial death. Using a
question-and-answer format, Paul records the most systematic presentation
of doctrine in the Bible. Romans is more than a book of theology; it is also
a book of practical exhortation. The good news of Jesus Christ is more than
facts to be believed; it is also a life to be liveda life of righteousness befitting
the person, justified freely by [Gods] grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus (3:24).
Although some manuscripts omit in Rome in 1:7, 15, the title Pros
Romaious, To the Romans, has been associated with the epistle almost from
the beginning.
WATCH WORDS
justification (acquittal, declaration of righteousness)4:25 (also5:18)
law (an inward principle of action)6:14 (also7:21; 8:2)
predestine (mark out beforehand)8:29
transform (change form)12:2
flesh (the lower nature of a person)13:14 (also7:25; 8:49)
Greeting
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called
to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of
God 2which He promised before through His
prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3concerning
His Son J esus Christ our Lord, who was born
of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 and declared to be the Son of God with
power according to the Spirit of holiness, by
the resurrection from the dead. 5Through
Him we have received grace and apostleship
for obedience to the faith among all nations
for His name, 6among whom you also are the
called of J esus Christ;
7To all who are in Rome, beloved of God,
called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our

Father and the Lord J esus Christ.
Desire to Visit Rome
8First, I thank my God through Jesus
Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken
of throughout the whole world. 9For God is
my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in
the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I
9780718076566_int_06_rom_rev_nkjvwordstudy.indd 1292
make mention of you always in my prayers,

10making request if, by some means, now
at last I may find a way in the will of God
to come to you. 11For I long to see you, that
1:1 apostlesee 2 Cor. 12:12.
1:1 gospelsee Mark 16:15.
1:3 seed
(Gr. sperma) (Matt. 13:37; Mark 12:19; John 7:42;
Acts 3:25; Gal. 3:16) G4690: Referring to either
the seed of plants or to a persons descendants,
this word is extended in Scripture to refer metaphorically to spiritual offspring (Gal. 3:29).
The root word means to sow or scatter seed.
John uses this word to refer to the descendants
of Abraham (John 8:33, 37). The most important
uses of this word are referring to Jesus as the seed
of David (John 7:42), but it is made clear throughout Romans (Rom. 4:16; 9:8) that Jesus work on
the cross made it possible for anyone to become a
seed of Abrahamsaved by grace through faith.
1:4 holinesssee 1 Thess. 3:13.
1:5 obediencesee 2 Cor. 10:1.
1:8 thanksee Luke 17:16.
1:10 willsee Eph. 1:11.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1293
Romans 1:26
I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so
1:11 impart
that you may be established12that is, that I
(Gr. metadidmi) (Luke 3:11; Rom. 12:8; Eph.
may be encouraged together with you by the
4:28; 1 Thess. 2:8) G3330: A compound word
mutual faith both of you andme.
formed from meta (G3326), with, after and
13Now I do not want you to be unaware,
didmi (G1325), to give, this word means to
brethren, that I often planned to come to
give over, share, impart, distribute. Generosity
you (but was hindered until now), that I
and liberality in giving are implied. This is the
might have some fruit among you also, just
type of giving that compels someone to work
as among the other Gentiles. 14I am a debtor
hard so he can share with someone in need (Luke
both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to
3:11; Eph. 4:28) and to share both the gospel and
wise and to unwise. 15So, as much as is in me,
his very life out of love (1 Thess. 2:8).
I am ready to preach the gospel to you who
are in Rome also.
1:11 spiritual see 1 Cor. 2:13.
TheJust Live by Faith

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ, a for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew
first and also for the Greek. 17For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith
to faith; as it is written, The just shall live
by faith.a
Gods Wrath on Unrighteousness
18For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth
in unrighteousness, 19because what may be
known of God is manifest in them, for God
has shown it to them. 20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things
that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21because, although they knew God, they did
not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful,
but became futile in their thoughts, and their
foolish hearts were darkened. 22Professing to
be wise, they became fools, 23and changed
the glory of the incorruptible God into an
image made like corruptible mana nd
birds and four-footed animals and creeping
things.
24T herefore God also gave them up to
uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to
dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25who exchanged the truth of God for the
lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen.
26For this reason God gave them up to vile
passions. For even their women exchanged
the natural use for what is against nature.
1:16aNUText omits of Christ. 1:17aHabakkuk 2:4
1:14 debtorsee Luke 13:4.

1:14 wisesee 1 Cor. 1:20.
1:16 salvationsee Luke 1:69.
1:17 righteousness
(Gr. dikaiosyn) (Matt. 5:6; Rom. 3:22; Phil.
3:9) G1343: Derived from judicial contexts
referring to the judge or to the requirements
of the law
t his word means righteousness,
uprightness, justice. It refers to doing the right
thing, observing divine laws, or holiness. In
Scripture it denotes right standing with Goda
status which can only be attained through faith
in Christ. Paul writes to the Romans, But now
the righteousness [dikaiosyn] of God apart
from the law is revealed... even the righteousness [dikaiosyn] of God, through faith in Jesus
Christ, to all and on all who believe. (Rom. 3:21,
22). The phrase the righteousness of God refers
either to being right before God (being found
guiltless) or to right standing provided by God
through faith in Christ. These two meanings are
closely related.
1:18 wrathsee Rev. 14:10.
1:18 ungodlinesssee Rom. 11:26.
1:18 unrighteousnesssee John 7:18.
1:20 things that are madesee Eph. 2:10.
1:20 powersee Acts 1:8.
1:21 glorifysee John 17:5.
1:21 futile
(Gr. metaio) G3154: Used only here in Scripture,
this word means to make vain, empty, foolish.
The root word means useless, devoid of force,
without purpose. Those who do not honor God
become increasingly foolish in their thinking to
the point where their thoughts lack logical coherence. In the end their thoughts, just like their
lives, lack any sort of lasting purpose.
1:26 give upsee Luke 23:25.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 1:27
1294
27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural will also perish without law, and as many
use of the woman, burned in their lust for one as have sinned in the law will be judged by
another, men with men committing what is the law 13(for not the hearers of the law are
shameful, and receiving in themselves the just in the sight of God, but the doers of the
penalty of their error which was due.
law will be justified; 14for when Gentiles,
28And even as they did not like to retain who do not have the law, by nature do the
God in their knowledge, God gave them over things in the law, these, although not having
to a debased mind, to do those things which the law, are a law to themselves, 15who show
are not fitting; 29being filled with all unrigh- the work of the law written in their hearts,
teousness, sexual immorality, a wickedness, their conscience also bearing witness, and
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, between themselves their thoughts accusing
murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they or else excusing them) 16in the day when God
are whisperers, 30backbiters, haters of God, will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ,
violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil according to my gospel.
things, disobedient to parents, 31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,a TheJews Guilty as theGentiles
unmerciful; 32who, knowing the righteous
17Indeeda you are called a Jew, and rest on
judgment of God, that those who practice the law, and make your boast in God, 18and
such things are deserving of death, not only know His will, and approve the things that
do the same but also approve of those who are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
practice them.
19and are confident that you yourself are a
guide to the blind, a light to those who are
Gods Righteous Judgment
in darkness, 20an instructor of the foolish, a
Therefore you are inexcusable, Oman, teacher of babes, having the form of knowlwhoever you are who judge, for in what- edge and truth in the law. 21You, therefore,
ever you judge another you condemn your1:29aNUText omits sexual immorality. 1:31aNUText
self; for you who judge practice the same omits
unforgiving. 2:6aPsalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12
things. 2But we know that the judgment of 2:17aNUText reads But if.
God is according to truth against those who
practice such things. 3And do you think
1:27 receive see 3 John 8.
this, Oman, you who judge those practic1:27 error see Jude 11.
ing such things, and doing the same, that
1:28 debased see 1 Cor 9:27.
you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or
1:29 whisperer
do you despise the riches of His goodness,
forbearance, and longsuffering, not know(Gr. psithyrists) G5588: This word appears only
ing that the goodness of God leads you to
here in the New Testament. It is an example of
repentance? 5But in accordance with your
onomatopoeiaa word sounding like what it
represents. The ps, th, and s sounds all
hardness and your impenitent heart you
suggest whispering. The word has a negative
are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the
connotation of whispering slander. However,
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
it is differentiated from katalalos, slanderer
6
judgment of God, who will render to each
(G2637
Romans 1:30), in that whispering is
one according to his deeds:a 7eternal life to
done behind someones back
those who by patient continuance in doing
good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
1:30 proud see Luke 1:51.
8but to those who are self-seeking and do not
2:3 escape see Luke 21:36.
obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness 2:3 judgment see Rev. 20:4.
indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and
2:4 goodness see Gal. 5:22.
2:4 goodness see Luke 6:35.
anguish, on every soul of man who does
2:8 self-seeking see Phil. 1:16.
evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
2:10 honor see 1 Tim. 5:17.
10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone
2:10 work see John 9:4.
who works what is good, to the Jew first and
2:11 partiality see James 2:1.
11
also to the Greek. For there is no partiality
2:15 heart see Rev. 2:23.
with God.
2:19 blind see John 9:1.
12For as many as have sinned without law
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Romans 3:13
who teach another, do you not teach your- All Have Sinned
9W hat then? Are we better than they? Not
self? You who preach that a man should not
steal, do you steal? 22You who say, Do not at all. For we have previously charged both
commit adultery, do you commit adultery? Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10As it is written:
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23You who make your boast in the law, do
you dishonor God through breaking the 11 There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
law? 24For the name of God is blasphemed
a
among the Gentiles because of you, as it is 12 There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
written.
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.a
Circumcision ofNo Avail
13

Their throat is an open tomb;

25For circumcision is indeed profitable
With
their tongues they have practiced
if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker
deceit
;a
of the law, your circumcision has become
The poison of asps is under their lips;b
uncircumcision. 26T herefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous require- 2:24aIsaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22 3:4aPsalm 51:4
ments of the law, will not his uncircumcision 3:12aaPsalms 14:1b3; 53:13; Ecclesiastes 7:20
3:13 Psalm 5:9 Psalm 140:3
be counted as circumcision? 27And will not
the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills
2:23 breaking
the law, judge you who, even with your
(Gr.
parabasis) (Gal. 3:19; 1 Tim. 2:14; Heb. 9:15)
w ritten code and circumcision, are a transG3847: The Greek word parabasis literally means
gressor of the law? 28For he is not a Jew who
transgression. It is derived from the verb
is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that
parabain (G3845), which is translated to go or
29
which is outward in the flesh; but he is a
to turn aside (as Acts 1:25) but is used figuraJew who is one inwardly; and circumcision
tively with terms such as law or tradition to
is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the
mean transgress (Matt. 15:2). It is in this latter
letter; whose praise is not from men but
sense that the noun parabasis refers to a violation
from God.
of an established, known law. As here in Romans
Gods Judgment Defended
W hat advantage then has the Jew, or
what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to
them were committed the oracles of God.
3For what if some did not believe? Will their
unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4Certainly not! Indeed, let God be
true but every man a liar. As it is written:
That You may be justified in Your words,

And may overcome when You are
judged.a
5But if our unrighteousness demonstrates
the righteousness of God, what shall we say?

Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak
as a man.) 6Certainly not! For then how will
God judge the world?
7For if the truth of God has increased
through my lie to His glory, why am I also
still judged as a sinner? 8And why not say,
Let us do evil that good may come?as we
are slanderously reported and as some affirm
that we say. Their condemnation is just.
2:23, the law that is violated may be a general

rather than a specific one. Those who customarily violate the law are described as transgressors, using the related Greek word parabats
(G3848Rom. 2:25).
2:26 countsee Rom. 4:3.

2:29 praisesee Eph. 1:6.
3:2 oraclesee Heb. 5:12.
3:4 true
(Gr. alths) (John 5:32; 19:35; Phil. 4:8; 1 John
2:8) G0227: Literally rendered not hidden, this
word implies transparency. It means genuine,
real, unconcealed, true. Opposites are false,
concealed, and inconsistent. In Scripture this
word is often used in conjunction with legal testimony (John 8:17)an image that was used to
confirm the deity of Christ, for Jesus was proven
true based on the testimony of God Himself (John
5:31, 32). In fact, all we know about God rests on
the fact that He is althsHe is true, consistent,
and faithful all the time. Believers should seek
that same kind of truth and transparency in their
lives, freely displaying the glory of God by the
way they live.
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Romans 3:14
1296
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and
3:14 bitterness see Eph. 4:31.
bitterness.a
3:18 fear see 1 John 4:18.
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
3:21 prophet see Matt. 2:5.
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
3:22 righteousness see Rom. 1:17.
17 And the way of peace they have not
3:23 fall short see Luke 22:35.
3:23 glory see John 2:11.
known.a
3:24 free see 2 Cor. 11:7.
18 There is no fear of God before their
eyes.a
3:24 redemption
19Now we know that w
hatever the law
(Gr. apolytrsis) (Luke 21:28; Rom. 8:23; Eph.
says, it says to those who are under the law,
1:7; Col. 1:14) G0629: The Greek word apolytrsis
that every mouth may be stopped, and all
refers to the buying back or freeing (of a slave) by
the world may become guilty before God.
payment of the redemption price. Its New Tes20Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh
tament occurrences emphasize both the price
(Jesus blood in Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14) and the resultwill be justified in His sight, for by the law is
ing freedom. The use of apolytrsis and its cogthe knowledge of sin.
Gods Righteousness Through Faith

21But now the righteousness of God apart
from the law is revealed, being witnessed by
the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus
Christ, to all and on alla who believe. For there
is no difference; 23for all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God, 24being justified
freely by His grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God set forth
as a propitiation by His blood, through faith,
to demonstrate His righteousness, because in
His forbearance God had passed over the sins
that were previously committed, 26to dem
onstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of
the one who has faith in J esus.
Boasting Excluded
27W here is boasting then? It is excluded.
By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of
faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith apart from the deeds of the
law. 29Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He
not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the
Gentiles also, 30since there is one God who
will justify the circumcised by faith and the
uncircumcised through faith. 31Do we then
make void the law through faith? Certainly
not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Abraham Justified by Faith
W hat then shall we say that Abraham
our father has found according to the
flesh?a 2For if Abraham was justified by
nates in salvation contexts implies the complete

liberation of those redeemed by Christ from their
former slavery. The related Greek word lytrsis
essentially means the same thing (G3085Luke
1:68; 2:38); and elsewhere in the New Testament
different authors use the verb lytro, free by paying ransom, redeem (G30841 Pet. 1:18); and
noun lytron, ransom price (G3083only in Matt.
20:28; Mark 10:45).
3:25 propitiation
(Gr. hilastrion) (Heb. 9:5) G2435: Used twice
in the New Testament, this term is derived from
the Greek verb hilaskomai, a word that has three
meanings: (1)to placate or to appease; (2)to
be propitious and merciful; or (3)to make
propitiation for someone. The New Testament
never describes people appeasing God. Instead,
as Luke 18:13 and 1 John 2:2 make clear, the New
Testament describes God as being merciful to,
or making propitiation, for us. God provides a
merciful expiation, or atonement, of the sins
of believers through the death of Christ. But
since Paul also speaks of Gods wrath, it must
also speak of the conciliation of Gods anger by
means of a sacrificenamely, the sacrifice of
His Son. John states that God demonstrated His
love to us by sending His Son to become the
propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). Just as
in the Old Testament God met His people when
the blood of the sin offering was sprinkled on
the altar, so Christs death brings us into fellowship with God.
3:25 sinsee Mark 3:28.
3:28 deedsee 1 Thess. 1:3.
3:14aPsalm 10:7 3:17aIsaiah 59:7, 8 3:18aPsalm 36:1

3:22aNUText omits and on all. 4:1aOr Abraham our
(fore)father according to the flesh has found?
6/17/16 1:09 PM
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Romans 4:21
works, he has something to boast about, but faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
not before God. 3For what does the Scrip- 17(as it is written, I have made you a father
ture say? Abraham believed God, and it was of many nationsa) in the presence of Him
accounted to him for righteousness.a 4Now whom he believedGod, who gives life to
to him who works, the wages are not counted the dead and calls those things which do not
exist as though they did; 18who, contrary to
as grace but as debt.
hope, in hope believed, so that he became the
David Celebrates theSame Truth
father of many nations, according to what
5But to him who does not work but was spoken, So shall your descendants be.a
believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, 19And not being weak in faith, he did not
his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6just consider his own body, already dead (since
as David also describes the blessedness of the he was about a hundred years old), and the
man to whom God imputes righteousness deadness of Sarahs womb. 20He did not
waver at the promise of God through unbeapart from works:
lief, but was strengthened in faith, giving
7 Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are
g lory to God, 21and being fully convinced
forgiven,
that what He had promised He was also
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lor d
4:3aGenesis 15:6 4:8aPsalm 32:1, 2 4:17aGenesis
17:5 4:18aGenesis 15:5
shall not impute sin.a
Abraham Justified
BeforeCircumcision
9Does this blessedness then come upon the
circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised
also? For we say that faith was accounted to
Abraham for righteousness. 10How then was
it accounted? While he was circumcised, or
uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but
while uncircumcised. 11And he received
the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still
uncircumcised, that he might be the father
of all those who believe, though they are
uncircumcised, that righteousness might
be imputed to them also, 12and the father of
circumcision to those who not only are of the
circumcision, but who also walk in the steps
of the faith which our father Abraham had
while still uncircumcised.
ThePromise Granted Through Faith
13For the promise that he would be the
heir of the world was not to Abraham or to
his seed through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith. 14For if those who are
of the law are heirs, faith is made void and
the promise made of no effect, 15because the
law brings about wrath; for where there is no
law there is no transgression.
16T herefore it is of faith that it might be
according to grace, so that the promise might
be sure to all the seed, not only to those who
are of the law, but also to those who are of the
4:3 believesee Acts 10:43.
4:3 account
(Gr. logizomai) (Mark 15:28; Rom. 2:26; 2 Cor.
5:19; Gal. 3:6) G3049: Used 11 times in Romans
4, this word comes from the world of accounting. From it we get words like logistic and
logarithm. It means to count, impute, calculate, consider, reckon, value. It is a judgment,
a combining of evidence to determine a logical
outcome wherein every action is either debited
against or credited toward righteousness. The
thrust of this chapter is that God imputes to our
account the righteousness of Christ so that His
holiness and guiltlessness becomes ours. This
idea goes all the way back to Genesis 15:6, where
Abrahams faith was imputed or accounted as
righteousness.
4:4 debt
(Gr. opheilma) (Matt. 6:12) G3783: Used only
twice in the New Testament, the word ophei
lma describes what is owed or ones due, thus
debt. Here the wages for which one works are
considered owed because they have been earned;
they are not an undeserved favor. In the Lords
Prayer the word is used figuratively of liability
for wrongdoing (Matt. 6:12; the parallel Luke 11:4
reads sins). The verb form of this word is ophei
l, to owe, or be obligated, sin (G3784
1Cor. 7:3).
4:14 voidsee 1 Cor. 9:15.
4:20 waversee Acts 11:12.
4:21 promisesee Acts 7:5.
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Romans 4:22
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22
able to perform. And therefore it was
4:25 justification
accounted to him for righteousness.a
(Gr. dikaisis) (Rom. 5:18) G1347: The Greek
23Now it was not written for his sake
noun for justification is derived from the Greek
24
alone that it was imputed to him, but also
verb dikaio, meaning to acquit or to declare
for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe
righteous (used by Paul in Rom. 4:2, 5; 5:1). It is
in Him who raised up J esus our Lord from
a legal term used of a favorable verdict in a trial.
the dead, 25who was delivered up because of
The word, used only twice in the New Testament,
our offenses, and was raised because of our
depicts a courtroom setting, with God presiding
justification.
as the Judge, determining the faithfulness of each
Faith Triumphs in Trouble
Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we havea peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we
have access by faith into this grace in which
we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. 3And not only that, but we also glory
in tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance; 4and perseverance,
character; and character, hope. 5Now hope
does not disappoint, because the love of God
has been poured out in our hearts by the
Holy Spirit who was given tous.
Christ in Our Place

6For when we were still without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For
scarcely for a righteous man will one die;
yet perhaps for a good man someone would
even dare to die. 8But God demonstrates
His own love toward us, in that while we
were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much
more then, having now been justified by His
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through
Him. 10For if when we were enemies we were
reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more, having been reconciled,
we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only
that, but we also rejoice in God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
now received the reconciliation.
Death in Adam, Life in Christ
12Therefore, just as through one man sin
entered the world, and death through sin,
and thus death spread to all men, because all
sinned13(For until the law sin was in the
world, but sin is not imputed when there is
no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from
Adam to Moses, even over those who had not
sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who
4:22aGenesis 15:6 5:1aAnother ancient reading is, let us
have peace.
person to the Law. In the first section of Romans,

Paul makes it clear that no one can withstand
Gods judgment (Rom. 3:920). The Law was not
given to justify sinners but to expose their sin. To
remedy this deplorable situation, God sent His
Son to die for our sins, in our place. When we
believe in Jesus, God imputes His righteousness
to us, and we are declared righteous before God.
In this way, God demonstrates that He is both
a righteous Judge and the One who declares us
righteous, our Justifier (Rom. 3:26).
5:1 peacesee Luke 2:14.
5:3 perseverancesee Heb. 10:36.
5:5 hopesee Rom. 15:13.
5:8 lovesee 1 John 2:15.
5:8 sinnersee James 5:20.
5:9 wrathsee Rev. 14:10.
5:10 reconcile
(Gr. katallass) (1 Cor. 7:11; 2 Cor. 5:18) G2644: A
verb meaning to reconcile, whether of husband
and wife (1 Cor. 7:11) or of God and man (here
and 2 Cor. 5:20). As applied to divine-human
relations, the word indicates a change in relationship, the restoration of a broken relationship
between God and persons at Gods initiative. The
related noun katallag, reconciliation, occurs
only in the same contexts (G2643Rom. 5:11;
11:15; 2 Cor. 5:18, 19). The English word atonement carries the same idea of oneness.
5:11 reconciliation
(Gr. katallag) (Rom. 11:15; 2 Cor. 5:18) G2643:
The Greek word basically means change or
exchange. In the context of relationships
between people, the term implies a change
in attitude on the part of both individuals, a
change from enmity to friendship. When used
to describe the relationship existing between
God and a person, the term implies the change
of attitude on the part of both a person and God.
The need to change the sinful ways of a human
being is obvious; but some argue that no change
is needed on the part of God. But inherent in the
doctrine of justification is the changed attitude
Continued
6/17/16 1:09 PM
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Romans 6:13
that He lives, He lives to God. 11Likewise you
offense. For if by the one mans offense many also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to
died, much more the grace of God and the sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12T herefore do not let sin reign in your
gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ,
16
abounded to many. And the gift is not mortal body, that you should obey it in its
like that which came through the one who lusts. 13And do not present your members as
sinned. For the judgment which came from instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but
one offense resulted in condemnation, but present yourselves to God as being alive from
the free gift which came from many offenses the dead, and your members as instruments
resulted in justification. 17For if by the one
mans offense death reigned through the one,
Continued
much more those who receive abundance of
of God toward the sinner. God declares a person
grace and of the gift of righteousness will
who was formerly His enemy to be righteous
reign in life through the One, J esus Christ.)
before Him.
18Therefore, as through one mans offense
5:15 gift see 1 Cor. 1:7.
judgment came to all men, resulting in
5:15 offense see Eph. 2:5.
condemnation, even so through one Mans
5:18 justification see Rom. 4:25.
righteous act the free gift came to all men,
resulting in justification of life. 19For as by
5:19 disobedience
one mans disobedience many were made
(Gr.
parako) (2 Cor. 10:6; Heb. 2:2) G3876:
sinners, so also by one Mans obedience
The Greek word parako is derived from the
many will be made righteous.
verb parakou (G3878), literally overhear
20 Moreover the law entered that the
or ignore, but extended to include the sense
offense might abound. But where sin
refuse to listen or disobey (Matt. 18:17). In
21
abounded, grace abounded much more, so
both the Old Testament and New Testament, disthat as sin reigned in death, even so grace
obedience is often portrayed as a refusal to listen
might reign through righteousness to eternal
(Jer. 35:17; Acts 7:57). Here in Romans 5:19, para
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
ko is the one mans disobedience through which
was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the
Dead to Sin, Alive to God

W hat shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died
to sin live any longer in it? 3Or do you not
know that as many of us as were baptized
into Christ J esus were baptized into His
death? 4Therefore we were buried with Him
through baptism into death, that just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life.
5For if we have been united together in the
likeness of His death, certainly we also shall
be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with
Him, that the body of sin might be done away
with, that we should no longer be slaves of
sin. 7For he who has died has been freed from
sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe
that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing
that Christ, having been raised from the
dead, dies no more. Death no longer has
dominion over Him. 10For the death that He
died, He died to sin once for all; but the life
sin entered the world. Paul uses the antonym

hypako (G5218), obedience, in this same verse.
5:19 righteoussee Matt. 1:19.

6:4 baptismsee Matt. 21:25.
6:5 united together

(Gr. symphytos) G4854: The expression, which
occurs only here in the New Testament, means
to grow in union or to plant in union. The
word describes two plants that have been planted
together and are growing together, closely
entwined or even united. The context speaks
of union, our union with Christ in His death
(Rom. 6:4) and resurrection (Rom. 6:5). Our
union with Christ in death is like being planted
with Him. Like a seed, our sinful natures must
die with Christ so that we might grow in Christ
and bear spiritual fruit (John 12:24). Our union
with Christ is now a loving union, in which we
are growing with Him in the likeness of His
resurrection.
6:5 resurrectionsee Acts 2:31.
6:6 be slavesee Rom. 14:18.
6:10 once for allsee Heb. 10:10.
6:13 unrighteousnesssee John 7:18.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 6:14
1300
14
of righteousness to God. For sin shall not fruit to death. 6But now we have been delivhave dominion over you, for you are not ered from the law, having died to what we
were held by, so that we should serve in the
under law but under grace.
newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness
From Slaves ofSin to Slaves ofGod of the letter.
15W hat then? Shall we sin because we are
not under law but under grace? Certainly Sins Advantage in theLaw
7W hat shall we say then? Is the law sin?
not! 16Do you not know that to whom you
present yourselves slaves to obey, you are Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not
that ones slaves whom you obey, whether have known sin except through the law. For
of sin leading to death, or of obedience lead- I would not have known covetousness unless
ing to righteousness? 17But God be thanked the law had said, You shall not covet.a 8But
that though you were slaves of sin, yet you sin, taking opportunity by the commandobeyed from the heart that form of doctrine 7:7aExodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21
to which you were delivered. 18And having
been set free from sin, you became slaves
6:14 law
of righteousness. 19I speak in human terms
(Gr. nomos) (Matt. 5:18; Rom. 7:21; 8:2; Gal. 2:16;
because of the weakness of your flesh. For
5:14; Heb. 8:4) G3551: The Greek term for law
just as you presented your members as slaves
here means an inward principle of actioneither
of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading
good or eviloperating with the regularity of
to more lawlessness, so now present your
a law. The term also designates a standard for a
members as slaves of righteousness for holipersons life. The apostle Paul described three
ness.
such laws. The first is called the law of sin
20For when you were slaves of sin, you
which was operating through his flesh, causing
were free in regard to righteousness. 21What
him to sin. Paul, like all other believers, needed
fruit did you have then in the things of which
another law to overcome the law of sin. This is
you are now ashamed? For the end of those
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, which
makes us free from the law of sin and death
things is death. 22But now having been set
(Rom. 8:2). By following this law, believers can
free from sin, and having become slaves of
actually fulfill the righteous requirements of
God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the
Gods law (Rom. 8:4)which is the third law in
23
end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin
this section; it is the standard for human action
is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
that corresponds to the righteous nature of God.
Christ J esus our Lord.
Freed from theLaw
Or do you not know, brethren (for I
speak to those who know the law), that
the law has dominion over a man as long as
he lives? 2For the woman who has a husband
is bound by the law to her husband as long
as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is
released from the law of her husband. 3So
then if, while her husband lives, she marries
another man, she will be called an adulteress;
but if her husband dies, she is free from that
law, so that she is no adulteress, though she
has married another man. 4Therefore, my
brethren, you also have become dead to the
law through the body of Christ, that you may
be married to anotherto Him who was
raised from the dead, that we should bear
fruit to God. 5For when we were in the flesh,
the sinful passions which were aroused by
the law were at work in our members to bear
6:16 obediencesee 2 Cor. 10:5.
6:17 obey
(Gr. hypakou) (Matt. 8:27; Mark 1:27; Eph. 6:1;
Heb. 5:9) G5219: Derived from a combination of
a preposition meaning under and a verb meaning to hear, this verbs literal meaning is to be
in subjection to (i.e., to hear in submission; to
obey). When Jesus spoke to the wind and waves,
they obeyed Him (Matt. 8:27), as did the unclean
spirits (Mark 1:27). It is used of obedience to
ones parents (Eph. 6:1), a master (Eph. 6:5), a
husband (1 Pet. 3:6), the Lord (Heb. 5:9), or the
teaching and preaching of the gospel (as here; see
also Rom. 10:16; 2 Thess. 3:14). When one obeys
the truth, one submits to its authority.
6:18 set freesee Rom. 8:2.
6:20 freesee Rev. 6:15.
6:23 giftsee 1 Cor. 1:7.
7:7 shallsee Matt. 13:17.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1301
Romans 8:4
ment, produced in me all manner of evil in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account
desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4that
9I was alive once without the law, but when the righteous requirement of the law might
the commandment came, sin revived and I be fulfilled in us who do not walk accorddied. 10And the commandment, which was ing to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
to bring life, I found to bring death. 11For 8:1aNUText omits the rest of this verse.
sin, taking occasion by the commandment,
deceived me, and by it killed me. 12Therefore
7:13 exceedingly
the law is holy, and the commandment holy
(Gr. hyperbol) (1 Cor. 12:31; 2 Cor. 1:8; 12:7)
and just and good.
G5236: The Greek noun means throwing
Law Cannot Save from Sin
13Has then what is good become death
to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might
appear sin, was producing death in me
through what is good, so that sin through
the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14For we know that the law is
spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand.
For what I will to do, that I do not practice;
but what I hate, that I do. 16If, then, I do what
I will not to do, I agree with the law that it
is good. 17But now, it is no longer I who do
it, but sin that dwells in me. 18For I know
that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good
dwells; for to will is present with me, but how
to perform what is good I do not find. 19For
the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the
evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20Now if I
do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who
do it, but sin that dwells inme.
21I find then a law, that evil is present
with me, the one who wills to do good.
22For I delight in the law of God according
to the inward man. 23But I see another law
in my members, warring against the law of
my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will
deliver me from this body of death? 25I thank
Godthrough J esus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the
law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Free from Indwelling Sin
T here is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ J esus, a
who do not walk according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free
from the law of sin and death. 3For what the
law could not do in that it was weak through
the flesh, God did by sending His own Son
beyond (coming from a combination of a preposition meaning beyond and a noun that means
throwing); hence, the figurative sense is of
excess, superiority, or excellence. The word is
used just eight times in seven verses in the New
Testament, and renderings range from more
excellent (1 Cor. 12:31) to beyond measure
(2Cor. 1:8; Gal. 1:13) to abundance (2 Cor.
12:7). As is evident from the transliteration,
the Greek word is the same one from which the
English word hyperbole (meaning extravagant
exaggeration) is derived.
7:15 willsee Matt. 8:2.
7:20 sinsee John 9:41.
7:21 lawsee Rom. 6:14.
7:24 deliversee 1 Thess. 1:10.
7:25 mind
(Gr. nous) (1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 4:23; 2 Thess. 2:2)
G3563: The word refers both to the intellect
(the faculties of perceiving and understanding)
and the empirical mind (the faculties of feeling,
judging, and determining) as well as to the more
spiritual capacity for perceiving divine things
and recognizing goodness and hating evil. For
this reason, a possible rendering is understanding (Luke 24:45; Phil. 4:7). The word can refer to
the mind (or understanding) of a single man (as
Rom. 7:23my mind), all men (Rom. 14:5), the
Lord (Rom. 11:34), and Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).
8:2 lawsee Rom. 6:14.
8:2 make free

(Gr. eleuthero) (John 8:36; Rom. 6:18; Gal. 5:1)
G1659: The verb means to set at liberty and is
used in the New Testament only in a spiritual
sense to refer to believers being freed from sin
and death (as here), corruption (Rom. 8:21), and
the Mosaic law (Gal. 5:1). It can imply a freedom
that is eschatological in its fullest experience
(Rom. 8:21). John 8:36 speaks of being made free
by Christ, suggesting that the Christian lives as a
person free to perform Gods will rather than as
a slave either to a ritualistic law or to the flesh.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 8:5
1302
5For those who live according to the flesh ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption,
set their minds on the things of the flesh, the redemption of our body. 24For we were
but those who live according to the Spirit, saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not
the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally hope; for why does one still hope for what he
minded is death, but to be spiritually minded sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see,
is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26Likewise the Spirit also helps in our
enmity against God; for it is not subject to
the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8So then, weaknesses. For we do not know what we
those who are in the flesh cannot please God. should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
9But you are not in the flesh but in the Himself makes intercession for us a with
Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in groanings which cannot be uttered. 27Now
you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit He who searches the hearts knows what the
of Christ, he is not His. 10And if Christ is in mind of the Spirit is, because He makes interyou, the body is dead because of sin, but the cession for the saints according to the will of
Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But God.
28 And we know that all things work
if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from
the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ together for good to those who love God, to
from the dead will also give life to your 8:26aNUText omits for us.
mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells
in you.
8:5 spirit see John 3:5.
Sonship Through theSpirit

12T herefore, brethren, we are debtors
not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13For if you live according to the flesh you
will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death
the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, these
are sons of God. 15For you did not receive
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you
received the Spirit of adoption by whom we
cry out, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit Himself
bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also
be glorified together.
From Suffering to Glory
18For I consider that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19For the earnest expectation of the creation
eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons
of God. 20For the creation was subjected to
futility, not willingly, but because of Him
who subjected it in hope; 21because the creation itself also will be delivered from the
bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God. 22For we know
that the whole creation groans and labors
with birth pangs together until now. 23Not
only that, but we also who have the firstfruits
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
8:11 give lifesee 1 Cor. 15:45.

8:11 bodysee Phil. 3:21.
8:15 bondagesee Heb. 2:15.
8:15 fearsee 1 John 4:18.
8:15 adoptionsee Gal. 4:5.
8:15 Father
(Gr. abba) (Mark 14:36; Gal. 4:6) G0005: The
word is of Aramaic origin and means father.
Abba is one of a handful of Aramaic expressions
adopted by the Greek-speaking church. Originally a childhood word similar to the English
Papa or Daddy, by New Testament times it had
become a term of respect and endearment both
for ones own father and for elders. In His agony
in Gethsemane, Jesus used the term as an address
to God in prayer (Mark 14:36), apparently in
keeping with Jewish practice. Here, Paul uses
abba as the natural address by the children of
God to the One who has adopted them into His
family. Galatians 4:6 contrasts being a slave with
the intimate relationship a son or daughter has
with the beloved Father.
8:16 childrensee Mark 2:5.
8:17 joint heirssee 1 Pet. 3:7.
8:18 glorysee John 2:11.
8:19 revealsee Rev. 1:1.
8:20 subjectsee 1 Cor. 14:32.
8:21 bondagesee Heb. 2:15.
8:21 libertysee 1 Cor. 10:29.
8:23 firstfruitssee 1 Cor. 15:23.
8:23 redemptionsee Rom. 3:24.
8:26 praysee Matt. 6:6.
8:27 make intercessionsee Heb. 7:25.
8:28 work togethersee James 2:22.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1303
Romans 9:5
those who are the called according to His
8:28 purpose see Eph. 1:11.
purpose. 29For whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to be conformed to the image
8:29 predestine
of His Son, that He might be the firstborn
(Gr.
prooriz) (Acts 4:28; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11)
among many brethren. 30Moreover whom
G4309: To predestine means to mark out beforeHe predestined, these He also called; whom
hand, to establish ones boundary, or ones
He called, these He also justified; and
limits, beforehand. Our English word horizon is
whom He justified, these He also glorified.
a derivative of this Greek word. The Christians
Gods Everlasting Love

31W hat then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him
also freely give us all things? 33W ho shall
bring a charge against Gods elect? It is God
who justifies. 34Who is he who condemns? It
is Christ who died, and furthermore is also
risen, who is even at the right hand of God,
who also makes intercession for us. 35W ho
shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written:
For Your sake we are killed all day

long;
We are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter.a
37Yet in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him who loved us. 38For
I am persuaded that neither death nor life,

nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come, 39nor
height nor depth, nor any other created
thing, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God which is in Christ J esus our Lord.
Israels Rejection ofChrist
I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying,
my conscience also bearing me witness
in the Holy Spirit, 2that I have great sorrow
and continual grief in my heart. 3For I could
wish that I myself were accursed from Christ
for my brethren, my countrymena according to the flesh, 4who are Israelites, to whom
pertain the a doption, the glory, the cov
enants, the giving of the law, the service of
God, and the promises; 5of whom are the
fathers and from whom, according to the
flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
8:36aPsalm 44:22 9:3aOr relatives
ultimate destiny or horizon has been fixed by

God from all eternity: to be made like His Son.
Note how the words predestined, called, justified,
and especially glorified in Romans 8:29, 30 are
in the past tense. That is because God, from His
eternal perspective, sees this process as having
been completed already. From Gods perspective,
we have been glorified already because He sees
us righteous because of the work of Jesus on the
Cross. But still, in the march of time, we must
undergo the process of being conformed to the
image of Gods Son.
8:29 firstbornsee Heb. 1:6.
8:30 glorifysee John 17:5.
8:32 deliversee Luke 23:25.
8:32 freely givesee Col. 3:13.
8:33 justifysee Acts 13:39.
8:34 make intercessionsee Heb. 7:25.
8:37 more than conqueror

(Gr. hypernika) G5245: This particular combination of hyper (G5228), over, in behalf of and
nika (G3528), to conquer, overcome, is used
only here in Scripture. It denotes gaining a surpassing victory, conquering over and above an
ordinary victory. This is overpowering, abundant victory; Christians are super conquerors.
The confidence of such victory comes from
Christs work on the cross that conquered sin and
death on our behalf and enables us to conquer the
difficulties in our lives.
8:38 persuadesee 2 Thess. 3:4.
8:39 lovesee 1 John 2:15.
9:3 accursed
(Gr. anathema) (Acts 23:14; 1 Cor. 12:3; 16:22;
Gal. 1:8) G0331: Originally the Greek noun
meant that which has been devoted to God. In
the Septuagint, it carries a negative sense: that
which has been devoted to God for destruction
(Josh. 6:17, 18); that is, a thing accursed. In the
New Testament, similarly, it is used with a negative meaning each of the six times it occursa
thing (or person) to be cursed, destroyed. In
the same vein, in Acts 23:14, the rendering is
great oath.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 9:6
1304
25As He says also in Hosea:
Israels Rejection and Gods
Purpose
I will call them My people, who were not
6But it is not that the word of God has
My people,
taken no effect. For they are not all Israel
And her beloved, who was not beloved.a
who are of Israel, 7nor are they all children 26 And it shall come to pass in the place
because they are the seed of Abraham; but,
where it was said to them,
In Isaac your seed shall be called.a 8That is,
You are not My people,
those who are the children of the flesh, these
There they shall be called sons of the
are not the children of God; but the children
living God.a
of the promise are counted as the seed. 9For
27Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:a
this is the word of promise: At this time I
Though the number of the children of
will come and Sarah shall have a son.a
10And not only this, but when Rebecca
Israel be as the sand of the sea,
The remnant will be saved.
also had conceived by one man, even by our
father Isaac 11(for the children not yet being 9:7aGenesis 21:12 9:9aGenesis 18:10, 14
born, nor having done any good or evil, that 9:12aGenesis 25:23 9:13aMalachi 1:2, 3
9:16 9:25aHosea
the purpose of God according to election 9:15aExodusa 33:19 9:17aExodus
2:23 9:26 Hosea 1:10 9:27aIsaiah 10:22, 23
might stand, not of works but of Him who
calls), 12it was said to her, The older shall
9:6 word see John 1:1.
serve the younger.a 13As it is written, Jacob
9:9 promise see 2 Cor. 1:20.
a
I have loved, but Esau I have hated.
Israels Rejection and Gods Justice

14W hat shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15For
He says to Moses, I will have mercy on
whomever I will have mercy, and I will
have compassion on whomever I will have
compassion.a 16So then it is not of him who
wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who
shows mercy. 17For the Scripture says to the
Pharaoh, For this very purpose I have raised
you up, that I may show My power in you,
and that My name may be declared in all the
earth.a 18Therefore He has mercy on whom
He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
19You will say to me then, Why does
He still find fault? For who has resisted His
will? 20But indeed, Oman, who are you to
reply against God? Will the thing formed say
to him who formed it, Why have you made
me like this? 21Does not the potter have
power over the clay, from the same lump to
make one vessel for honor and another for
dishonor?
22What if God, wanting to show His wrath
and to make His power known, endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath
prepared for destruction, 23and that He
might make known the riches of His glory on
the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared
beforehand for glory, 24 even us whom He
called, not of the Jews only, but also of the
Gentiles?
9:15 have mercy

(Gr. elee) (Matt. 5:7; Rom. 11:31; 2 Cor. 4:1; 1 Pet.
2:10) G1653: This word means to show mercy;
have compassion on. It is showing kindness and
offering help to someone in need, having pity
on him. This is concern expressed in action, not
mere emotional pity. Those who care for the sick
perform this act, as well as God who cures our
soul sickness. Jesus offered both physical and
spiritual mercy to the blind men who begged for
mercy in Matthew 9:27. Gods mercy is evidence
of His gracious and faithful benevolence toward
us. Believers are called to imitate the mercy of
God, for He promises, Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy (Matt. 5:7).
9:18 hardensee Heb. 4:7.
9:21 powersee 1 Cor. 9:18.
9:21 vesselsee Heb. 9:21.
9:22 preparedsee Heb. 11:3.
9:23 mercy
(Gr. eleos) (Matt. 9:13; Luke 1:78; Eph. 2:4; 2 John
3) G1656: The word means (and is always rendered) mercy, a manifestation of compassion
not merely a feeling but an actionfor one in
distress. Mercy is different from grace, which
emphasizes that favor is not deserved. Mercy,
in contrast, emphasizes the misery that elicits
response. The word may refer to mercy shown
by people to one another (Luke 10:37), mercy
shown by God to people in general (Luke 1:58),
or the mercy that comes in Christ for redemption
(Rom. 15:9).
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1305
Romans 10:14
unto righteousness, and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation. 11For the
short in righteousness,
Because the Lor d will make a short work Scripture says, Whoever believes on Him
will not be put to shame.a 12For there is no
upon the earth.a
distinction between Jew and Greek, for the
29And as Isaiah said before:
same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon
Unless the Lor d of Sabaotha had left us
Him. 13For whoever calls on the name of the
a seed,
Lor d shall be saved.a
We would have become like Sodom,
Israel Rejects theGospel
And we would have been made like
14 How then shall they call on Him in
Gomorrah.b
whom they have not believed? And how shall
Present Condition ofIsrael
9:28aNUText reads For the Lord will finish the work and
30W hat shall we say then? That Gentiles, cut it short upon the earth. 9:29aLiterally, in Hebrew,
Hosts bIsaiah 1:9 9:31aNUText omits of righteousness.
who did not pursue righteousness, have 9:32
aNUText reads by works. 9:33aIsaiah 8:14; 28:16
attained to righteousness, even the righ- 10:1aNUText reads them. 10:5aLeviticus 18:5
teousness of faith; 31but Israel, pursuing the 10:6aDeuteronomy 30:12 10:7aDeuteronomy 30:13
aDeuteronomy 30:14 10:11aIsaiah 28:16
law of righteousness, has not attained to the 10:8
10:13aJoel 2:32
law of righteousness.a 32W hy? Because they
did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the
9:29 Sabaoth see James 5:4.
works of the law.a For they stumbled at that
9:32 stumbling stone see 1 Cor. 8:9.
stumbling stone. 33As it is written:
10:2 zeal
Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone
(Gr.
zlos) (John 2:17; Acts 5:17; 2 Cor. 9:2; Phil.
and rock of offense,
3:6)
G2205: This noun can be used either posiAnd whoever believes on Him will not be
tively, meaning ardor or earnestness (thus,
a
put to shame.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it
Israel Needs theGospel

Brethren, my hearts desire and
prayer to God for Israela is that they
may be saved. 2For I bear them witness that
they have a zeal for God, but not according to
knowledge. 3For they being ignorant of Gods
righteousness, and seeking to establish their
own righteousness, have not submitted to the
righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end
of the law for righteousness to everyone who
believes.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, The man who does
those things shall live by them.a 6But the
righteousness of faith speaks in this way,
Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend
into heaven? a (that is, to bring Christ
down from above) 7or, Who will descend
into the abyss?a (that is, to bring Christ up
from the dead). 8But what does it say? The
word is near you, in your mouth and in your
hearta (that is, the word of faith which we
preach): 9that if you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will
be saved. 10For with the heart one believes
10
zeal), or negatively, meaning jealousy or

envy. Another similarly negative rendering
is indignation (Acts 5:17; Heb. 10:27). Several
of the positive uses in the New Testament have
been influenced by the Jewish concept of holy
zeal (see 2 Cor. 11:2godly jealousy). When
plural in the negative sense, as in 2 Corinthians
12:20, the word refers to the various manifestations of jealousy. In Galatians 5:20, the same
rendering (jealousies) is used, and the word
appears in a list of grievous sins including idolatry and sorcery.
10:3 ignorant
(Gr. agnoe) (Rom. 11:25; 1 Cor. 12:1; 1 Thess.
4:13) G0050: The Greek verb is a joining of a
negative participle with a word that means to
understandthus the literal meaning is to not
understand or to be ignorant (to not know). In
Hebrews 5:2, the word is rendered those who are
ignorant and carries the sense of erring or sinning through mistake (ignorance of the proper
behavior), as opposed to willful disobedience. In
2 Corinthians 6:9, the word refers to men who are
unknown, not familiar. Similarly, in Galatians
1:22, the word describes a single man who is
unknown (to the churches).
10:7 abysssee Rev. 9:1.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 10:15
1306
7W hat then? Israel has not obtained what
they believe in Him of whom they have not
heard? And how shall they hear without it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and
a preacher? 15And how shall they preach the rest were blinded. 8Just as it is written:
unless they are sent? As it is written:
God has given them a spirit of stupor,
How beautiful are the feet of those who
Eyes that they should not see
preach the gospel of peace,a
And ears that they should not hear,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!b
To this very day.a
16But
they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For Isaiah says, Lor d, who has believed our
report?a 17So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.
18But I say, have they not heard? Yes
indeed:
Their sound has gone out to all the earth,

And their words to the ends of the
world.a
19But I say, did Israel not know? First
Moses says:
I will provoke you to jealousy by those

who are not a nation,
I will move you to anger by a foolish
nation.a
20But Isaiah is very bold and says:
I was found by those who did not seekMe;

I was made manifest to those who did not
ask for Me.a
21But to Israel he says:
All day long I have stretched out My

hands
To a disobedient and contrary people.a
Israels Rejection Not Total
I say then, has God cast away His
people? Certainly not! For I also am an
Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of
Benjamin. 2God has not cast away His people
whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what
the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads
with God against Israel, saying, 3Lor d, they
have killed Your prophets and torn down
Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek
my life?a 4But what does the divine response
say to him? I have reserved for Myself seven
thousand men who have not bowed the knee
to Baal.a 5Even so then, at this present time
there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then it is no
longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer
grace.a But if it is of works, it is no longer
grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
11
9And David says:
Let their table become a snare and a trap,

A stumbling block and a recompense to
them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they
do not see,
And bow down their back always.a
Israels Rejection Not Final
11I say then, have they stumbled that they
should fall? Certainly not! But through their
fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation
has come to the Gentiles. 12Now if their fall is
riches for the world, and their failure riches
for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
10:15aNUText omits preach the gospel of peace, Who.
bIsaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15 10:16aIsaiah 53:1
10:18aPsalm 19:4 10:19aDeuteronomy 32:21
10:20aIsaiah 65:1 10:21aIsaiah 65:2 11:3a1Kings
19:10, 14 11:4a1Kings 19:18 11:6aNUText omits the
rest of this verse. 11:8aDeuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
11:10aPsalm 69:22, 23
10:15 preachsee Luke 3:3.

10:17 wordsee 1 Pet. 1:25.
11:2 foreknowsee Acts 2:23.
11:2 pleadsee Heb. 7:25.
11:7 blindsee Mark 8:17.
11:9 recompense
(Gr. antapodoma) (Luke 14:12) G0468: This word
appears only twice in the New Testament and
literally means the thing paid back or repayment; the nuance of the word may be either
positive (reward) or negative (retribution). In
this verse Paul is quoting Psalm 68:23 from the
Septuagint (equivalent to Psalm 69:22 in English
Bibles), where the word has its negative sense,
indicating that unbelieving Israelites, in contrast to the godly remnant, will be punished for
their unbelief. In Luke 14:1214, Jesus warns
against inviting only people who can return your
invitation so that you will get a reward. He tells
His people to show charity to the unfortunate;
then they will be repaid at the resurrection of
the just.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1307
Romans 11:34
31
their disobedience, even so these also have
I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my now been disobedient, that through the
ministry, 14if by any means I may provoke mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.
to jealousy those who are my flesh and save 32For God has committed them all to disobesome of them. 15For if their being cast away dience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of
is the reconciling of the world, what will their
the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
acceptance be but life from the dead?
16For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is unsearchable are His judgments and His
also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the ways past finding out!
branches. 17And if some of the branches were 34 For who has known the mind of the Lor d?
broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree,
Or who has become His counselor?a
were grafted in among them, and with them
became a partaker of the root and fatness 11:22aaNUText adds of God. a11:26aOr delivered
11:27 Isaiah 59:20, 21 11:34 Isaiah 40:13; Jeremiah
of the olive tree, 18do not boast against the 23:18
branches. But if you do boast, remember that
11:15 reconciling see Rom. 5:11.
you do not support the root, but the root
11:22 goodness see Gal. 5:22.
supports you.
11:25 ignorant see Rom. 10:3.
19You will say then, Branches were
broken off that I might be grafted in.
11:25 blindness
20Well said. Because of unbelief they were
(Gr. prsis) (Mark 3:5; Eph. 4:18) G4457: Used
broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not
only three times in the New Testament, this word
be haughty, but fear. 21For if God did not
in its original sense is a medical term, meaning
spare the natural b
ranches, He may not spare
covering with a callus. It describes the way
you either. 22Therefore consider the goodbones calcify and harden when they are broken,
ness and severity of God: on those who fell,
or a hardening of the eyes that blinds a person.
severity; but toward you, goodness, a if you
Metaphorically, which is how it is used in Scripcontinue in His goodness. Otherwise you
ture, it means lack of perception. It denotes a
also will be cut off. 23And they also, if they do
mind that has been blunted through stubbornnot continue in unbelief, will be grafted in,
ness and obstinacy. When we rebel against God
24
for God is able to graft them in again. For
and are proud in our hearts, our minds become
if you were cut out of the olive tree which is
hardened to truth and we become spiritually
wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to
blinded, as happened to the Israelites.
nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much
more will these, who are natural branches, be
11:26 ungodliness
grafted into their own olive tree?
25For I do not desire, brethren, that you
(Gr. asebeia) (Rom. 1:18; 2 Tim. 2:16; Titus 2:12;
Jude 15) G0763: Derived from the verb ase
should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you
be (G0764), itself the negative of the verb seb
should be wise in your own opinion, that
(G4576reverence, worship), asebeia means to
blindness in part has happened to Israel
act impiously (2 Pet. 2:6) or commit impious deeds
until the fullness of the Gentiles has come
(Jude 15). The noun asebeia is used to describe the
in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, a as it is
irreligious attitudes and conduct of unbelievers
written:
13For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as
The Deliverer will come out of Zion,

And He will turn away ungodliness from
Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.a
28Concerning the gospel they are enemies
for your sake, but concerning the election they

are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29For
the gifts and the calling of God are irrevo
cable. 30For as you were once disobedient
to God, yet have now obtained mercy through
(Rom. 1:18). It designates irreligion in general (as

here in Rom. 11:26). The related adjective asebs
(G0765) means impious or godless (2 Pet. 3:7),
whereas the antonym eusebeia (G2150) means
godliness or religion (2Pet. 1:3).
11:27 covenantsee Mark 14:24.

11:29 callingsee 2 Tim. 1:9.
11:31 obtain mercysee Rom. 9:15.
11:33 wisdomsee 1 Cor. 12:8.
11:33 judgmentsee Rev. 20:4.
11:33 waysee Heb. 10:20.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 11:35
35 Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?a
1308
36For of Him and through Him and to

Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
Living Sacrifices to God

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God.
12
Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

3For I say, through the grace given to me,
to everyone who is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think,
but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each
one a measure of faith. 4For as we have many
members in one body, but all the members
do not have the same function, 5so we, being
many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6Having then
gifts differing according to the grace that is
given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let
us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7or
ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he
who teaches, in teaching; 8he who exhorts,
in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality;
he who leads, with diligence; he who shows
mercy, with cheerfulness.
Behave Like a Christian
9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor
what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be
kindly affectionate to one another with
brotherly love, in honor giving preference
to one another; 11not lagging in diligence,
11:35aJob 41:11
11:36 foreversee Matt. 28:20.
12:2 conform
(Gr. syschmatiz) (1 Pet. 1:14) G4964: Formed
from the root syn (G4862), with, and schma
(G4976), the figure or external condition, this
word refers to conforming oneself in outward
appearance to a model or pattern. From this word
we get scheme and schematic. In both of the
places it is used in Scripture, here and 1 Peter
1:14, it refers to being conformed to the ways of

the world, especially its passions and lusts. We
are to conform ourselves to the image of Christ,
not to the pattern of the world.
12:2 transform
(Gr. metamorpho) (Matt. 17:2; 2 Cor. 3:18)
G3339: The Greek word means to change form,
as does the English derivative metamorphosis. In
the New Testament, this word is used to describe
an inward renewal of our mind through which
our inner spirit is changed into the likeness of
Christ. Paul told the Roman believers: Be transformed by the renewing of your minds (Rom.
12:2). As our Christian life progresses, we should
gradually notice that our thought life is being
changed from Christlessness to Christlikeness.
Transformation does not happen overnight. Our
regeneration is instantaneous, but our transformation is continuous. We are conformed to
Christs image gradually as we spend time in intimate fellowship with Him (2 Cor. 3:18).
12:2 renewsee Titus 3:5.
12:2 mindsee Matt. 22:37.
12:3 gracesee Acts 14:3.
12:6 prophecy
(Gr. prophteia) (1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Thess. 5:20; 1Tim.
4:14; Rev. 11:6) G4394: The word prophteia
may imply prophetic activity (as Rev. 11:6), the
prophetic utterance (as 2 Pet. 1:20), or the gift
of prophesying (as here in Rom. 12:6; cf. 1 Cor.
12:10). The terms in this word group are derived
from a compound of the proposition pro (G4253),
before, and the verb phmi (G5346), to speak.
Thus the noun prophts (G4396), prophet, is
one who speaks before and for God, giving Gods
revealed word to others (whether for the future or
for the present).
12:8 givesee Rom. 1:11.
12:8 cheerfulness
(Gr. hilarots) G2432: As it sounds, this is the
word from which we get hilarity and hilarious. It is only used here in Scripture. It means
graciousness, joyfulness, gladness, merriment,
affability. Elsewhere this word is used to describe
the demeanor of those who are visiting the sick to
cheer them up. This is someone who enters the
room and lights it up with his goodwill, laughter,
and cheerthereby spreading joy to others.
12:9 without hypocrisysee 1 Pet. 1:22.
12:10 brotherly lovesee Heb. 13:1.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1309
Romans 13:14
murder, You shall not steal, You shall not
in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing bear false witness,a You shall not covet,b
steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the and if there is any other commandment, are
all summed up in this saying, namely, You
needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless shall love your neighbor as yourself.c 10Love
and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is
rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16Be the fulfillment of the law.
of the same mind toward one another. Do
not set your mind on high things, but associ- Put on Christ
11And do this, knowing the time, that now
ate with the humble. Do not be wise in your
it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now
own opinion.
17Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard our salvation is nearer than when we first
for good things in the sight of all men. 18If it believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is
is possible, as much as depends on you, live at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of
peaceably with all men. 19Beloved, do not darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
avenge yourselves, but rather give place to 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in
wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness
and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on
will repay,a says the Lord. 20Therefore
the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
12:19aDeuteronomy 32:35 12:20aProverbs 25:21, 22
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire 13:9
aNUText omits You shall not bear false witness.
a
bExodus 20:1315, 17; Deuteronomy 5:1719, 21
on his head.
fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome
evil with good.
Submit to Government
L et every soul be subject to the
governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the
ordinance of God, and those who resist will
bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers
are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do
you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do
what is good, and you will have praise from
the same. 4For he is Gods minister to you for
good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does
not bear the sword in vain; for he is Gods
minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him
who practices evil. 5Therefore you must be
subject, not only because of wrath but also for
conscience sake. 6For because of this you also
pay taxes, for they are Gods ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7Render
therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes
are due, customs to whom customs, fear to
whom fear, honor to whom honor.
13
Love Your Neighbor

8Owe no one anything except to love one
another, for he who loves another has fulfilled
the law. 9For the commandments, You
shall not commit adultery, You shall not
cLeviticus
19:18
12:11 ferventsee Acts 18:25.

12:12 patientsee Matt. 24:13.
12:12 continue steadfastlysee Acts 2:46.
12:13 distributesee Phil. 4:15.
12:15 weepsee Luke 19:41.
12:16 humblesee 2 Cor. 7:6.
12:21 overcomesee Rev. 2:7.
13:2 resistsee Eph. 6:13.
13:6 ministersee Heb. 1:7.
13:7 honorsee 1 Tim. 5:17.
13:13 lewdnesssee Jude 4.
13:14 provision
(Gr. pronoia) (Acts 24:2) G4307: Appearing only
here and in Acts 24:2, this word means provision,
forethought, providence. This is a premeditated
plan, something that has been carefully prepared in
advance. The root words are pro (G4253), before,
and noe (G3539) to think, contemplate. In our
fight against the sinful desires of the flesh we must
not plan for or make preparations to satisfy them.
Instead, our planning should be devoted to how we
can avoid sinful acts and our preparations should
be devoted to how we can do the right things.
13:14 flesh
(Gr. sarx) (John 1:14; 3:6; 1 Cor. 15:39; Gal. 5:17;
1 Pet. 1:24) G4561: In its most literal sense, the
word refers to the substance of the body, whether
of animals or persons (1 Cor. 15:39; 1 Pet. 4:1).
Continued
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 14:1
1310
who serves Christ in these thingsa is acceptTheLaw ofLiberty
able
to God and approved by men.
Receive one who is weak in the faith,
19Therefore let us pursue the things which
but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2For one believes he may eat all make for peace and the things by which one
things, but he who is weak eats only vegeta- may edify another. 20Do not destroy the work
bles. 3Let not him who eats despise him who of God for the sake of food. All things indeed
does not eat, and let not him who does not are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats
eat judge him who eats; for God has received with offense. 21It is good neither to eat meat
him. 4W ho are you to judge anothers nor drink wine nor do anything by which
servant? To his own master he stands or falls. your brother stumbles or is offended or is
Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is made weak.a 22Do you have faith? a Have it
to yourself before God. Happy is he who does
able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above not condemn himself in what he approves.
another; another esteems every day alike. 23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats,
Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. because he does not eat from faith; for what
6He who observes the day, observes it to ever is not from faith is sin.a
the Lord;a and he who does not observe the 14:6aNUText omits the rest of this sentence. 14:9aNU
day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He Text omits and rose. 14:10aNUText reads of God.
who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God 14:11aaIsaiah 45:23 14:18aNUText reads this.
14:21 NUText omits or is offended or is made weak.
thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord 14:22aNUText reads The faith which you havehave.
7
he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For 14:23aMText puts Romans 16:2527 here.
none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to
himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord;
Continued
and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore,
However, in its idiomatic use, the word sarx
whether we live or die, we are the Lords.
indicates the human race or personhood (Matt.
9For to this end Christ died and rosea and
24:22; 1 Pet. 1:24). In an ethical and spiritual
sense, sarx is the lower nature of a person, the
lived again, that He might be Lord of both
seat and vehicle of sinful desires (Rom. 7:25; 8:4
the dead and the living. 10But why do you
9; and here; Gal. 5:16, 17).
judge your brother? Or why do you show
contempt for your brother? For we shall all
14:6 give thanks see Luke 17:16.
stand before the judgment seat of Christ.a
14:10 judgment seat see Matt. 27:19.
11For it is w
ritten:
14
As I live, says the Lor d,

Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.a
12So then each of us shall give account of
himself to God. 13Therefore let us not judge
one another anymore, but rather resolve this,

not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall
in our brothers way.
TheLaw ofLove
14I know and am convinced by the Lord
Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself;
but to him who considers anything to be
unclean, to him it is unclean. 15Yet if your
brother is grieved because of your food, you
are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy
with your food the one for whom Christ
died. 16T herefore do not let your good be
spoken of as evil; 17for the kingdom of God
is not eating and drinking, but righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he
14:11 confesssee Luke 10:21.

14:13 stumbling blocksee 1 Cor. 8:9.
14:13 cause to fallsee Matt. 16:23.
14:18 serve
(Gr. douleu) (Matt. 6:24; Rom. 6:6; 1 Thess. 1:9;
Titus 3:3) G1398: The Greek word douleu literally means to be a (bond) slave, to perform the
service of a slave, or to serve. The related noun
doulos, slave, bondservant, is often used in the
New Testament to refer to the believers relation
ship to God or Christ (Phil. 1:1; James 1:1). Christians belong to God. They happily give to Him,
their Master, unconditional obedience as His due
and their obligation (cf. Luke 17:710). In Greco-
Roman society, it was both a great honor and
privileged opportunity to be slaves of an impor
tant master. Slaves gained benefits and status
from the authority delegated to them. Christians
are also admonished to offer such service to one
another (Gal. 5:13).
14:19 edifysee Eph. 4:12.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1311
Romans 15:19
brethren, I have written more boldly to you
Bearing Others Burdens
We then who are strong ought to bear on some points, as reminding you, because of
with the scruples of the weak, and not the grace given to me by God, 16that I might
to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,
neighbor for his good, leading to edification. ministering the gospel of God, that the offer3For even Christ did not please Himself; but ing of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sancas it is written, The reproaches of those who tified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore I have
reproached You fell on Me.a 4For whatever reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things
things were written before were written for which pertain to God. 18For I will not dare
our learning, that we through the patience to speak of any of those things which Christ
and comfort of the Scriptures might have has not accomplished through me, in word
hope. 5Now may the God of patience and and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient
comfort grant you to be like-minded toward 19in mighty signs and wonders, by the power
one another, according to Christ J esus, 6that of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem
you may with one mind and one mouth 15:3aPsalm 69:9 15:7aNUText and MText read you.
glorify the God and Father of our Lord J esus 15:9a2Samuela 22:50; Psalm 18:49 a15:10aDeuteronomy
32:43 15:11 Psalm 117:1 15:12 Isaiah 11:10
Christ.
15:14aMText reads others.
15
Glorify God Together

7T herefore receive one another, just as
Christ also received us,a to the glory of God.
8Now I say that J esus Christ has become a
servant to the circumcision for the truth of
God, to confirm the promises made to the
fathers, 9and that the Gentiles might glorify
God for His mercy, as it is written:
For this reason I will confess to You

among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.a
10And again he says:
Rejoice, OGentiles, with His

people!a
11And again:
Praise the Lor d, all you Gentiles!

Laud Him, all you peoples!a
12And again, Isaiah says:
There shall be a root of Jesse;

And He who shall rise to reign over the
Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.a
13Now may the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace in believing, that you may

abound in hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
From Jerusalem to Illyricum
14Now I myself am confident concerning
you, my brethren, that you also are full of
goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also
to admonish one another.a 15Nevertheless,
15:3 reproachsee James 1:5.

15:4 scripturesee John 5:39.
15:6 with one mindsee Acts 12:20.
15:8 confirmsee Mark 16:20.
15:13 aboundsee Matt. 25:29.
15:13 hope
(Gr. elpis) (Acts 23:6; Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 13:13; Col.
1:5; Titus 1:2) G1680: The Greek term denotes
confident expectation or anticipation, not
wishful thinking as in common parlance. The
use of the word hope in this context is unusual
and ironic, for it suggests that the Gentiles, who
knew nothing or little about the Messiah, were
anticipating His coming. However, we need only
think of Cornelius (Acts 10) to realize that some
Gentiles had anticipated the coming of the Jewish
Messiah. For Jesus was sent, not only for the salvation of the Jews, but also for the Gentiles. Since
God is the Author of our salvation, we can call
Him the God of hope, for He has given us hope
(Rom. 15:13).
15:14 goodness
(Gr. agathsyn) (Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9; 2 Thess.
1:11) G0019: Occurring only four times in Scripture, this word encompasses both a character
traitbeing goodand the action of doing good
to others. It is a demeanor of kind benevolence
combined with the propensity to do what is kind
and right. Goodness is a fruit of the spirit (Gal.
5:22; Eph. 5:9), a virtue that naturally flows from
being united with the God who perfectly exemplifies this characteristic (2 Thess. 1:11).
15:16 ministersee Heb. 1:7.
15:16 offeringsee Acts 21:26.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
Romans 15:20
1312
and round about to Illyricum I have fully Greeting Roman Saints
3Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow
preached the gospel of Christ. 20And so I
have made it my aim to preach the gospel, workers in Christ Jesus, 4who risked their
not where Christ was named, lest I should own necks for my life, to whom not only I
build on another mans foundation, 21but as give thanks, but also all the churches of the
it is written:
Gentiles. 5Likewise greet the church that is in
their house.
To whom He was not announced, they
Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the
shall see;
firstfruits of Achaiaa to Christ. 6Greet Mary,
And those who have not heard shall
who labored much for us. 7Greet Andronicus
understand.a
and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow
prisoners, who are of note among the aposPlan to Visit Rome
tles, who also were in Christ beforeme.
22For this reason I also have been much
8Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
hindered from coming to you. 23But now 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ,
no longer having a place in these parts, and
15:21aIsaiah 52:15 15:24aNUText omits I shall come to
having a great desire these many years to you (and joins Spain with the next sentence). 15:29aNU
come to you, 24whenever I journey to Spain, Text omits of the gospel. 16:5aNUText reads Asia.
I shall come to you.a For I hope to see you on
15:20 make aim
my journey, and to be helped on my way there
by you, if first I may enjoy your company for
(Gr. philotimeomai) (2 Cor. 5:9; 1 Thess. 4:11)
a while. 25But now I am going to Jerusalem
G5389: Compounded from phileo (G5384), to
love, and tim (G5092), value or honor, this
to minister to the saints. 26For it pleased
means to love honor or be ambitious. In the New
those from Macedonia and Achaia to make
Testament it is used in the positive sense of to
a certain contribution for the poor among
consider it an honor or to aspire. In 2 Cothe saints who are in Jerusalem. 27It pleased
rinthians 5:9 Paul speaks of what he aspires to
them indeed, and they are their debtors. For
achieve, and in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, he urges
if the Gentiles have been partakers of their
his readers to aspire to a quiet life. Here in
spiritual things, their duty is also to minisRomans 15:20 it may also refer to Pauls desire
ter to them in material things. 28Therefore,
to preach the gospel, or it may express the idea
when I have performed this and have sealed
that he considers it an honor to take the gospel
to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to
to new regions.
Spain. 29But I know that when I come to you,
15:21 understand see Acts 7:25.
I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of
15:22 hinder see 1 Thess. 2:18.
the gospela of Christ.
30Now I beg you, brethren, through the
15:27 debtor see Luke 13:4.
15:27 partake see Phil. 4:15.
Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of
15:27 minister see Acts 13:2.
the Spirit, that you strive together with me in
31
prayers to God for me, that I may be deliv16:2 worthy
ered from those in Judea who do not believe,
(Gr.
axis) (Eph. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; Col. 1:10) G0516:
and that my service for Jerusalem may be
The
adverb is derived from another Greek word
32
acceptable to the saints, that I may come to
that means weight, from which comes the sense
you with joy by the will of God, and may be
of value and the rendering worthy. The word is
refreshed together with you. 33Now the God
used only seven times, and in every instance it
of peace be with you all. Amen.
refers not to material worth but to living or act
Sister Phoebe Commended

I commend to you Phoebe our sister,
who is a servant of the church in
Cenchrea, 2that you may receive her in the
Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and
assist her in whatever business she has need
of you; for indeed she has been a helper of
many and of myself also.
16
ing in a worthy manner. Since Christians have

been rescued from their sin, it is incumbent upon
them to live in a way that glorifies Christ, the
divine Rescuer. This responsibility is reflected
in Colossians 1:10, where Paul prays that believes
may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing
Him, being fruitful in every good work.
16:4 give thankssee Luke 17:16.
6/17/16 1:09 PM
1313
Romans 16:27
23
and Stachys, my beloved.
Apelles,
Gaius, my host and the host of the whole
approved in Christ. Greet those who are church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of
of the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother.
Herodion, my countryman. a Greet those 24The grace of our Lord J esus Christ be with
who are of the household of Narcissus who you all. Amen.a
are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who Benediction
25Now to Him who is able to establish
have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved
Persis, who labored much in the Lord. you according to my gospel and the preach13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and ing of Jesus Christ, according to the revehis mother and mine. 14Greet Asyncritus, lation of the mystery kept secret since the
Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and world began 26but now made manifest, and
the brethren who are with them. 15Greet by the prophetic Scriptures made known
Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, to all nations, according to the commandand Olympas, and all the saints who are with ment of the everlasting God, for obedience
them.
to the faith27to God, alone wise, be glory
16Greet one another with a holy kiss. Thea through J esus Christ forever. Amen.a
churches of Christ greet you.
16:11aOr relative 16:16aNUText reads All the churches.
10 Greet
Avoid Divisive Persons

17Now I urge you, brethren, note those
who cause divisions and offenses, contrary
to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid
them. 18For those who are such do not serve
our Lord Jesusa Christ, but their own belly,
and by smooth words and flattering speech
deceive the hearts of the simple. 19For your
obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want
you to be wise in what is good, and simple
concerning evil. 20And the God of peace will
crush Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you. Amen.
Greetings from Pauls Friends
21Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius,
Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet
you.
22I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet
you in the Lord.
16:18aNUText and MText omit Jesus. 16:24aNUText

omits this verse. 16:27aMText puts Romans 16:2527
after Romans 14:23.
16:16 kisssee 1 Pet. 5:14.
16:20 crush
(Gr. syntrib) (Matt. 12:20; Mark 14:3; John 19:36)
G4937: The words literal meaning is to break in
pieces (see Mark 5:4; Rev. 2:27), but it can also
be interpreted figuratively as suffering extreme
sorrow (that is, to be emotionally crushed; thus
the rendering brokenhearted in Luke 4:18).
When rendered crush, as here, the sense is that
of being trodden underfoot. A similar interpretation is to bruise (see Matt. 12:20; Luke 9:39).
The word shortly in Romans 16:20 means with
swiftness, not soon. Gods triumph over Satan
will be fast and final.
16:23 treasurersee 1 Pet. 4:10.
16:25 revelationsee Rev. 1:1.
16:26 everlastingsee Matt. 25:46.
6/17/16 1:09 PM

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THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES CALLED

1:2aWords in italic type have been added for clarity. They

and the earth (Gen. 1:1), people (Gen. 1:27), or

created them. 28Then God blessed them, and

God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply;

Life in Gods Garden

1:28 fruitfulsee Gen. 28:3.

This is now bone of my bones

mother and be joined to his wife, and they

1:24). While the expression Garden of Eden is

You gave to be with me, she gave me of the

I will greatly multiply your sorrow and

to Adam He said, Because you

Adam called his wifes name Eve,

3:13 deceivesee Is. 36:14.

Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

4:8 brothersee Ps. 133:1.

sons and daughters.

5:5 diesee 2 Sam. 19:6.

Noah Pleases God

6:5aFollowing Masoretic Text and Targum; Vulgate reads

6:3 Spiritsee Joel 2:28.

a male and his female; two each of animals

breath of the spirita of life, all that was on the

dry land, died. 23So He destroyed all living

7:22aSeptuagint and Vulgate omit of the spirit.

7:4 destroysee Gen. 7:23.

Gods Covenant with Creation

Is. 29:16; Hab. 2:18). It carries the connotation

I establish My covenant with you and with

Blessed be the Lor d,

9:18 Canaansee Gen. 9:25.

dwelt there. 3Then they said to one another,

Come, let us make bricks and bake them

Get out of your country,

4 So Abram departed as the Lor d had

that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she

Why did you not tell me that she was your

13:1aHebrew Negev 1 3:15aLiterally seed, and so

13:1 go upsee Ex. 19:20.

Abram and Melchizedek

Blessed be Abram of God Most High,

all the earth (Ps. 47:2). He stands far and above

body shall be your heir.

And you shall bear a son.

she called the name of the Lor d

(Heb. ro'i) (1 Sam. 16:12; Job 7:8; 33:21) H7210:

you shall keep, between Me and you and

foreskin. 26That very same day Abraham was

the men of his house, born in the house or

18:1aHebrew Alon Mamre

17:10 malesee Num. 1:2.

So He said, I will not destroy it for the

19:6 doorsee Is. 57:8.

Abrahams Faith Confirmed

toshab was similar to the ger (H1616) in many

A Bride for Isaac

23:19 Sarahsee Is. 51:2.

TheFamilies ofIshmael and Isaac

14:1), yet in the end, by Gods grace, he also died

25:25 Esausee Gen. 36:1.

Abimelech said to Isaac, Go away

26:20aLiterally Quarrel 26:21aLiterally Enmity

26:16 Abimelechsee Gen. 26:1.