Outline of Genesis: Beginnings and the promised Seed

God makes a very good world; when sin brings death, He promises a Seed to crush the serpent and to bless all nations through Abraham's family.

2 parts11 movements50 chapters219 sections

Part 1 · All humanity 1:1–11:26

God makes all things good; sin spreads from Eden to Babel, and God judges, preserves the world, and keeps alive the line of the promised Seed.

Prologue: the creation week 1:1–2:3

God makes, orders and fills the world by His word in six days, crowns it with man in His image, and rests on the seventh day.

1
Genesis 1: In the beginning, God
By His word God makes a very good world in six days, crowned with mankind in His image.
1. The beginning
  God creates the heavens and the earth; the earth is still unformed, empty and dark, and the Spirit of God hovers over the waters.
  1:1–2
2. Day one: light
  God speaks light into being, separates it from the darkness, and names day and night.
  1:3–5
3. Day two: sky
  God makes an expanse that divides the waters above from the waters below, and calls it sky.
  1:6–8
4. Day three: land and plants
  God gathers the seas, brings up dry land, and makes the earth put forth plants that bear seed according to their kinds.
  1:9–13
5. Day four: lights
  God sets sun, moon and stars in the heavens to give light, to rule day and night, and to mark seasons, days and years.
  1:14–19
6. Day five: birds and fish
  God fills the waters with living creatures and the sky with birds, and blesses them to multiply.
  1:20–23
7. Day six: beasts and mankind
  God makes the land animals and then mankind, male and female, in His image, blesses them to rule, and sees all as very good.
  1:24–31

Heavens and earth: Eden lost 2:4–4:26

Opens: “This is the account of the heavens and the earth”

Man placed in the garden under God's command, the fall and the first promise, Cain's murder, and a new line calling on the LORD.

2
Genesis 2: The garden and the command
God hallows the seventh day, sets man under one life-or-death command in Eden, and makes the woman.
1. The seventh day
  God finishes His work, rests on the seventh day, and blesses and sanctifies it.
  2:1–3
2. Man from the dust
  Under the first heading, the LORD God forms man from the dust and breathes into him the breath of life.
  2:4–7
3. A garden in Eden
  The LORD God plants a garden in Eden with the tree of life and the tree of knowledge in its midst, watered by a river.
  2:8–14
4. The one command
  God sets the man in the garden to work and keep it, gives him every tree but one, and warns that eating it means death.
  2:15–17
5. The woman and marriage
  Finding no fit helper for the man, God builds the woman from his rib, and the two become one flesh, unashamed.
  2:18–25
3
Genesis 3: The fall and the promise
Man falls into sin and death, but God promises that the woman's seed will crush the serpent's head.
1. Did God really say?
  The serpent questions and then denies God's word, promising that eating will make the woman like God.
  3:1–5
2. The fall
  The woman eats and gives to her husband; their eyes open to shame, and they hide from the LORD God.
  3:6–8
3. Where are you?
  God calls the man and questions both; the man blames the woman God gave him, and the woman blames the serpent.
  3:9–13
4. The sentences and the promise
  God curses the serpent and promises a seed of the woman to crush its head; pain, toil and death fall on the woman and man.
  3:14–19
5. Eve and the garments
  Adam names his wife Eve, mother of all living, and the LORD God clothes them with garments of skin.
  3:20–21
6. Sent out of Eden
  God drives the man from Eden, lest he eat of the tree of life, and sets cherubim to guard the way.
  3:22–24
4
Genesis 4: Cain, Abel and Seth
Sin spreads from murder to vengeance, but God gives another seed, Seth, and men call on the LORD.
1. Two offerings
  The LORD accepts Abel's offering but not Cain's, and warns the angry Cain that sin crouches at his door.
  4:1–7
2. Abel's blood cries out
  Cain kills Abel and denies responsibility; the LORD curses him to wander but marks him for protection.
  4:8–16
3. Cain's city and line
  Cain builds a city; his line develops herding, music and metalwork, and Lamech boasts of seventy-sevenfold vengeance.
  4:17–24
4. Another seed
  Eve bears Seth, “another seed in place of Abel,” and in the days of his son Enosh men begin to call upon the name of the LORD.
  4:25–26

Adam's line: death reigns 5:1–6:8

Opens: “This is the book of the generations of Adam”

Ten generations from Adam to Noah, each closed by death but one; the earth fills with evil, and Noah finds favor with the LORD.

5
Genesis 5: And then he died
Ten generations from Adam to Noah end in death, except Enoch, who walked with God and was taken.
1. In the likeness of God
  The heading recalls that God made man in His likeness, male and female, blessed them and named them.
  5:1–2
2. Adam to Jared
  Adam fathers Seth in his own likeness, and each in the line lives long, fathers sons, and dies.
  5:3–20
3. Enoch walked with God
  Enoch walks with God three hundred years, and then he is no more, because God takes him away.
  5:21–24
4. Methuselah
  Methuselah lives 969 years, the longest life recorded, and still dies.
  5:25–27
5. Noah, the comfort
  Lamech names Noah, hoping he will bring comfort from the cursed ground; Noah fathers Shem, Ham and Japheth.
  5:28–32

Noah: the flood and the covenant 6:9–9:29

Opens: “This is the account of Noah”

God judges a corrupt world by water, saves Noah's household in the ark, remembers them, and covenants to preserve the earth.

6
Genesis 6: Corruption and the ark
God resolves to destroy a violent, corrupt earth, but Noah finds favor with the LORD and builds the ark as commanded.
1. Sons of God, daughters of men
  The sons of God take wives of the daughters of men; the LORD limits man's days, and mighty men fill the earth.
  6:1–4
2. Grief and grace
  The LORD grieves that man's every thought is evil and resolves to blot him out, but Noah finds favor in His eyes.
  6:5–8
3. Noah walked with God
  Noah's heading: a righteous man, blameless in his generation, who walks with God; his sons are Shem, Ham and Japheth.
  6:9–10
4. All flesh corrupt
  The earth is corrupt and full of violence, and God tells Noah He will destroy all flesh with the earth.
  6:11–13
5. Build the ark
  God gives the ark's plan, warns of the flood and promises His covenant to Noah, who does all that God commands.
  6:14–22
7
Genesis 7: The LORD shut him in
Noah's household enters the ark, the LORD shuts him in, and the flood destroys all life outside.
1. Come into the ark
  The LORD calls righteous Noah, his family and the animals into the ark, clean ones by seven pairs, warning of rain in seven days.
  7:1–5
2. Two by two
  Noah, six hundred years old, enters with his family and the animals as God commanded, and the waters come.
  7:6–10
3. The fountains break open
  On the dated day the deep bursts forth and the floodgates of the heavens open; all enter, and the LORD shuts Noah in.
  7:11–16
4. The waters prevail
  The waters cover the high mountains and destroy all life on land; only Noah's company survives, as the waters prevail 150 days.
  7:17–24
8
Genesis 8: God remembered Noah
God remembers Noah, and after Noah's offering He resolves never again to strike every living thing.
1. God remembered
  God remembers Noah and sends a wind; after 150 days the waters fall, and the ark rests on the mountains of Ararat.
  8:1–5
2. Raven and dove
  Noah sends out a raven, then a dove that returns with an olive leaf, and at last one that does not return.
  8:6–12
3. Out of the ark
  The ground is dry, and God brings Noah and every creature out of the ark to multiply on the earth.
  8:13–19
4. The altar and the LORD's resolve
  Pleased by Noah's offering, the LORD vows, though man's heart is evil, never again to curse the ground or strike all life.
  8:20–22
9
Genesis 9: The rainbow covenant
God renews His blessing, guards His image-bearers, and by the rainbow vows no flood will destroy the earth again.
1. Blessing and blood
  God renews His blessing, gives meat but not its blood, and requires a life for a murdered man, made in God's image.
  9:1–7
2. The rainbow in the clouds
  God covenants with Noah and every creature never again to destroy all life by flood, setting the rainbow as its sign.
  9:8–17
3. Three sons
  Shem, Ham and Japheth come out of the ark, Ham being the father of Canaan, and from them the whole earth is peopled.
  9:18–19
4. Cursed be Canaan
  Noah lies drunk and uncovered; Ham sees and tells, his brothers cover him, and Noah curses Canaan and blesses the God of Shem.
  9:20–27
5. Noah dies
  Noah lives 350 years after the flood and dies at 950.
  9:28–29

Noah's sons: the nations and Babel 10:1–11:9

Opens: “This is the account of Noah's sons”

The nations spread from Noah's three sons, and Babel's proud unity ends in confused speech and scattering.

10
Genesis 10: The table of nations
The nations spread from Noah's three sons by clan, language and land, fulfilling God's blessing.
1. The heading
  The account of Noah's sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, and the sons born to them after the flood.
  10:1
2. Japheth
  Japheth's descendants spread to the coastlands, each by language, family and nation.
  10:2–5
3. Ham
  Ham's sons include Mizraim and Canaan; Nimrod's kingdom begins in Babylon (Babel) in Shinar, and Canaan's clans fill the land.
  10:6–20
4. Shem
  Shem, forefather of all the sons of Eber, comes last; in the days of his descendant Peleg the earth was divided.
  10:21–31
5. The nations divided
  These are the clans of Noah's sons by their generations, and from them the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.
  10:32

Shem's line: down to Abram 11:10–26

Opens: “This is the account of Shem”

Ten generations narrow the story from the scattered nations to Terah's family.

11
Genesis 11: Babel and Shem's line
God scatters proud Babel and confuses its language, then traces Shem's line to Abram and barren Sarai.
1. Let us build
  In Shinar one-language mankind resolves to build a city and a tower to the heavens, to make a name and avoid scattering.
  11:1–4
2. The LORD came down
  The LORD comes down, confuses their language and scatters them over the earth, and the city is called Babel.
  11:5–9
3. Shem to Abram
  Shem's heading traces ten generations, with shrinking lifespans, down to Terah, the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.
  11:10–26
4. Terah's household
  Under Terah's heading, Abram marries barren Sarai, and Terah leads his family from Ur toward Canaan but dies in Haran.
  11:27–32

Part 2 · One family 11:27–50:26

God calls Abram and binds Himself by covenant to him and his offspring; the promise passes to Isaac, Jacob and the twelve, kept alive in Egypt.

Terah's line: Abraham 11:27–25:11

Opens: “This is the account of Terah”

God calls Abram, promises offspring, land and blessing for the nations, confirms it by covenant and oath, and at last gives Isaac.

12
Genesis 12: The call of Abram
The LORD calls Abram to a new land and promises blessing for all families of the earth through him.
1. Leave your country
  The LORD calls Abram to leave all for a land He will show, promising a great nation and blessing for all families through him.
  12:1–3
2. Altars in the land
  Abram obeys; at Shechem the LORD promises the land to his offspring, and Abram builds altars and calls on the LORD.
  12:4–9
3. Down to Egypt
  In Egypt, fearing for his life, Abram calls Sarai his sister; the LORD plagues Pharaoh, who sends Abram away.
  12:10–20
13
Genesis 13: Abram and Lot part
Lot chooses the plain toward wicked Sodom; the LORD gives Abram all the land he sees and countless offspring.
1. Back to the altar
  Abram returns from Egypt rich and goes back to his altar near Bethel, calling on the name of the LORD.
  13:1–4
2. Lot chooses
  Strife parts Abram and Lot; Lot picks the Jordan plain, like the garden of the LORD, and pitches toward wicked Sodom.
  13:5–13
3. Lift up your eyes
  After Lot leaves, the LORD gives Abram and his offspring all the land he can see, forever, and offspring like the dust.
  13:14–18
14
Genesis 14: Abram and Melchizedek
Abram rescues Lot; Melchizedek, priest of God Most High, blesses him, and Abram refuses Sodom's reward.
1. The war of kings
  Four eastern kings crush the kings of the plain, plunder Sodom and Gomorrah, and carry Lot away.
  14:1–12
2. Abram the rescuer
  Abram the Hebrew leads 318 trained men, routs the kings by night, and brings back Lot, the people and the goods.
  14:13–16
3. Melchizedek blesses Abram
  Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, brings bread and wine and blesses Abram, who gives him a tenth.
  14:17–20
4. Not a thread
  Abram refuses Sodom's goods, sworn to the LORD, Creator of heaven and earth, not to take even a thread.
  14:21–24
15
Genesis 15: Credited as righteousness
Abram believes the LORD and it is credited to him as righteousness, and God binds Himself by covenant to give the land.
1. He believed the LORD
  God promises childless Abram a son and offspring as the stars; Abram believes, and it is credited to him as righteousness.
  15:1–6
2. How can I know?
  The LORD promises Abram the land; asked for assurance, He has Abram lay out divided animals for a covenant rite.
  15:7–11
3. Four hundred years
  In a deep sleep Abram learns that his offspring will suffer 400 years abroad, then come out with wealth and return.
  15:12–16
4. Between the pieces
  A smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the pieces as the LORD covenants the land to Abram's offspring.
  15:17–21
16
Genesis 16: The God who sees Hagar
Sarai's plan brings strife, but the angel of the LORD finds the fleeing Hagar and promises her a son.
1. Sarai's plan
  Sarai gives Hagar to Abram; Hagar conceives and despises her, and when Sarai deals harshly, Hagar flees.
  16:1–6
2. The God who sees me
  The angel of the LORD finds Hagar, sends her back, promises offspring and names Ishmael; she calls Him “the God who sees me.”
  16:7–14
3. Ishmael born
  Hagar bears Abram a son, and Abram names him Ishmael; Abram is eighty-six.
  16:15–16
17
Genesis 17: The covenant of circumcision
God renames Abram father of many nations, gives circumcision as the covenant sign, and names Isaac the heir.
1. Father of many nations
  God Almighty renames Abram as father of many nations and makes an everlasting covenant to be God to him and his offspring.
  17:1–8
2. The sign in the flesh
  Every male of Abraham's household, born or bought, is to be circumcised on the eighth day as the covenant's sign.
  17:9–14
3. Sarah will bear Isaac
  Sarai becomes Sarah, mother of nations; God blesses Ishmael but will establish His covenant with Isaac, born next year.
  17:15–22
4. That very day
  That same day Abraham, ninety-nine, circumcises himself, Ishmael, thirteen, and every male of his household.
  17:23–27
18
Genesis 18: Is anything too difficult?
The LORD promises Sarah a son within a year, reveals Sodom's judgment, and hears Abraham plead for the righteous.
1. Three visitors
  The LORD appears at Mamre, and Abraham runs to welcome three visitors and serves them a meal.
  18:1–8
2. Sarah laughs
  The LORD promises Sarah a son next year; she laughs, and He asks whether anything is too difficult for the LORD.
  18:9–15
3. Shall I hide it from Abraham?
  The LORD reveals His plan to Abraham, chosen to teach his house justice, for Sodom's outcry is great.
  18:16–21
4. The Judge of all the earth
  Abraham pleads with the Judge of all the earth for Sodom, from fifty righteous down to ten, and the LORD agrees.
  18:22–33
19
Genesis 19: Fire on Sodom
God destroys Sodom with fire but, remembering Abraham, brings Lot out, though Lot's household ends in shame.
1. Sodom at evening
  Lot shelters the two angels; the men of Sodom surround the house demanding them, and the angels strike the mob blind.
  19:1–11
2. Run for your lives
  At dawn Lot lingers, but the angels, in the LORD's compassion, drag him and his family out and let him flee to Zoar.
  19:12–22
3. Sulfur and fire
  The LORD rains fire on Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot's wife looks back, and God, remembering Abraham, brings Lot out.
  19:23–29
4. Moab and Ammon
  Hiding in a cave, Lot is made drunk by his daughters, whose sons become the fathers of Moab and Ammon.
  19:30–38
20
Genesis 20: Abraham in Gerar
Abraham again passes Sarah off as his sister, but God protects her and Abraham prays for Abimelech's house.
1. A warning in a dream
  Abimelech takes Sarah, but God warns him in a dream, keeps him from sinning, and sends her back to Abraham the prophet.
  20:1–7
2. What have you done to us?
  Confronted, Abraham pleads fear that there was no fear of God there, and that Sarah is in fact his half-sister.
  20:8–13
3. Restored and healed
  Abimelech restores Sarah with gifts and land, and at Abraham's prayer God heals the wombs of his household.
  20:14–18
21
Genesis 21: Isaac born, Ishmael sent away
Isaac is born as promised, and Ishmael is sent away, for through Isaac Abraham's offspring will be reckoned.
1. The LORD did as He had promised
  The LORD attends to Sarah as promised, and she bears Isaac, circumcised on the eighth day; God has made her laugh.
  21:1–7
2. Expel the slave woman
  Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, for through Isaac the offspring will be reckoned, but God hears the boy and preserves him.
  21:8–21
3. The covenant at Beersheba
  Abraham makes a sworn covenant with Abimelech at Beersheba and calls on the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
  21:22–34
22
Genesis 22: The LORD Will Provide
God tests Abraham with Isaac, provides a ram instead, and swears to bless all nations through Abraham's offspring.
1. The test
  God tests Abraham, commanding him to offer his only son Isaac, whom he loves, as a burnt offering in Moriah.
  22:1–2
2. The journey
  Abraham obeys at once, lays the wood on Isaac, and tells his son that God Himself will provide the lamb.
  22:3–8
3. On the mount
  The angel of the LORD stops Abraham's hand; a ram is offered in Isaac's place, and the place is named The LORD Will Provide.
  22:9–14
4. The oath
  Abraham has not withheld his son, so the LORD swears to multiply his descendants and bless all nations through his offspring.
  22:15–19
5. Rebekah's family
  News of Nahor's children introduces Bethuel and his daughter Rebekah, Isaac's future bride.
  22:20–24
23
Genesis 23: A grave in the land
Abraham buys a grave for Sarah at Machpelah, his first owned piece of the promised land.
1. Sarah dies
  Sarah dies at 127 in Kiriath-arba, that is Hebron, in Canaan, and Abraham mourns and weeps for her.
  23:1–2
2. A foreigner buys a grave
  Abraham, a foreigner, refuses Ephron's offer of a gift and pays four hundred shekels for the field and cave.
  23:3–16
3. Deeded to Abraham
  The field of Machpelah near Mamre, with its cave and trees, is deeded over to Abraham as a possession, and he buries Sarah there.
  23:17–20
24
Genesis 24: A bride for Isaac
The LORD guides Abraham's servant to Rebekah, who goes willingly to become Isaac's wife.
1. Not from Canaan
  Aged Abraham makes his servant swear to find Isaac a wife from his kin, never taking Isaac back there.
  24:1–9
2. At the well
  At Nahor's city the servant prays for a sign; Rebekah waters his camels, and he blesses the LORD for His faithful kindness.
  24:10–27
3. The servant's story
  Welcomed by Laban, the servant retells his errand, the oath, his prayer and its answer, and asks for a decision.
  24:28–49
4. I will go
  Her family sees the LORD's hand, and Rebekah agrees to go, blessed that her offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.
  24:50–61
5. Isaac and Rebekah
  Isaac meets Rebekah in the field at evening, takes her as his wife, loves her, and is comforted after his mother's death.
  24:62–67

Ishmael's line 25:12–18

Opens: “This is the account of Abraham's son Ishmael”

God keeps His word to Ishmael with twelve princes, but the promise does not run through him.

Isaac's line: Jacob 25:19–35:29

Opens: “This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac”

God chooses Jacob before birth, meets him at Bethel, disciplines the deceiver through Laban, renames him Israel, and gives him twelve sons.

25
Genesis 25: Abraham dies; twins born
Abraham dies with Isaac his heir, and before birth God chooses Jacob: the older will serve the younger.
1. All to Isaac
  Abraham has sons by Keturah, but gives all he has to Isaac and sends the other sons east with gifts while he still lives.
  25:1–6
2. Abraham dies
  Abraham dies old and contented and is gathered to his people; Isaac and Ishmael bury him, and God blesses Isaac.
  25:7–11
3. Ishmael's twelve princes
  Ishmael's heading lists twelve princes; Ishmael dies at 137, and his line settles from Havilah to Shur.
  25:12–18
4. Two nations in the womb
  Isaac prays for barren Rebekah, and the LORD says of her struggling twins that the older will serve the younger.
  25:19–26
5. The birthright sold
  Famished Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for bread and red stew, despising his birthright.
  25:27–34
26
Genesis 26: Isaac, heir of the oath
The LORD confirms Abraham's oath to Isaac and blesses him despite his lie, until even Abimelech seeks peace.
1. Stay in the land
  In famine the LORD keeps Isaac from Egypt and confirms to him the oath to Abraham: land, offspring, and blessing for nations.
  26:1–6
2. She is my sister
  Afraid, Isaac says Rebekah is his sister; Abimelech sees them together, rebukes Isaac, and forbids anyone to touch them.
  26:7–11
3. Wells and strife
  Isaac reaps a hundredfold; the envious Philistines fight over his wells until he digs Rehoboth, for the LORD has made room.
  26:12–22
4. Do not be afraid; I am with you
  At Beersheba the LORD promises to be with Isaac for Abraham's sake, and Isaac builds an altar and calls on the LORD.
  26:23–25
5. Peace with Abimelech
  Seeing that the LORD is with Isaac, Abimelech makes a sworn covenant with him, and the place is named Beersheba.
  26:26–33
6. Esau's wives
  Esau marries two Hittite women, who make life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
  26:34–35
27
Genesis 27: The stolen blessing
Jacob deceives blind Isaac for Esau's blessing, yet God's word that the older will serve the younger stands.
1. Isaac's plan
  Old and nearly blind, Isaac tells Esau to hunt and prepare savory food so that he may bless him before he dies.
  27:1–4
2. Rebekah's plan
  Rebekah has Jacob bring two young goats, cooks the meal, and disguises him in Esau's clothes and goatskins.
  27:5–17
3. Jacob takes the blessing
  Jacob lies, even invoking the LORD, and Isaac blesses him with plenty, lordship over his brothers, and curse or blessing.
  27:18–29
4. Esau's bitter cry
  Esau returns; Isaac trembles but confirms Jacob's blessing, and Esau's bitter cry wins only a word of the sword and servitude.
  27:30–40
5. Flee to Laban
  Esau plans to kill Jacob after Isaac dies, so Rebekah sends Jacob away to her brother Laban in Haran.
  27:41–46
28
Genesis 28: Jacob's ladder
At Bethel Jacob sees a ladder to heaven, and the LORD renews Abraham's promises and pledges His presence.
1. The blessing of Abraham
  Isaac blesses Jacob with the blessing of Abraham and sends him to Paddan-aram for a wife from Laban's daughters.
  28:1–5
2. Esau tries to please
  Seeing that Canaanite wives displease his father, Esau adds a wife from Ishmael's family.
  28:6–9
3. The ladder to heaven
  Jacob dreams of a ladder to heaven with God's angels, and the LORD renews Abraham's promises and pledges His presence.
  28:10–15
4. The house of God
  Jacob wakes in awe at the house of God and gate of heaven, names it Bethel, and vows the LORD will be his God.
  28:16–22
29
Genesis 29: Leah and Rachel
Laban deceives the deceiver Jacob with Leah, and the LORD gives unloved Leah sons, among them Judah.
1. Rachel at the well
  At a well in the east Jacob meets Rachel, waters her flock and weeps, and Laban welcomes him as his own flesh and blood.
  29:1–14
2. Leah for Rachel
  Jacob serves seven years for Rachel, but Laban gives him Leah, since the older must marry first; Jacob serves seven more.
  29:15–30
3. The LORD saw Leah
  The LORD sees unloved Leah and opens her womb: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, at whose birth she praises the LORD.
  29:31–35
30
Genesis 30: Sons and flocks
God remembers Rachel and gives Joseph after the sisters' rivalry, then makes Jacob's flocks increase despite Laban.
1. Children through maids
  Rachel envies Leah; Jacob says he is not in God's place, and the maids Bilhah and Zilpah bear four sons.
  30:1–13
2. The mandrakes
  Rachel trades a night with Jacob for mandrakes; God hears Leah, who bears Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah.
  30:14–21
3. God remembered Rachel
  God remembers Rachel, hears her and opens her womb; she bears Joseph and asks the LORD for another son.
  30:22–24
4. Send me on my way
  Jacob asks to go home; Laban, blessed for his sake, agrees to pay him the speckled flocks, then secretly removes them.
  30:25–36
5. The flocks increase
  By peeled branches and careful breeding Jacob's flocks grow strong and he becomes rich, though he credits God (31:9).
  30:37–43
31
Genesis 31: Flight from Laban
The LORD calls Jacob home; Laban pursues but is warned by God, and they part under a covenant.
1. Go back to your land
  The LORD tells Jacob to return; he tells his wives how God protected and prospered him, and they agree to go.
  31:1–16
2. The secret flight
  Jacob slips away toward Gilead with family and flocks, while Rachel steals her father's household gods.
  31:17–21
3. Laban's pursuit
  Laban overtakes them but is warned by God in a dream; he searches for his gods, which Rachel hides by sitting on them.
  31:22–35
4. Twenty years
  Jacob protests twenty years of hard service and says only the Fear of Isaac kept him from being sent away empty-handed.
  31:36–42
5. Galeed and Mizpah
  Jacob and Laban raise a heap of stones as witness and boundary, call on the LORD to watch between them, and part.
  31:43–55
32
Genesis 32: Wrestling at Peniel
Fearing Esau, Jacob prays on God's promise, then wrestles at the Jabbok until blessed and renamed Israel.
1. God's camp
  The angels of God meet Jacob, and he calls the place Mahanaim, for this is God's camp.
  32:1–2
2. Esau is coming
  Hearing that Esau comes with four hundred men, Jacob is terrified and divides his people into two camps.
  32:3–8
3. Jacob's prayer
  Jacob confesses he is unworthy of God's kindness and faithfulness, asks rescue from Esau, and pleads God's promise of offspring.
  32:9–12
4. A present sent ahead
  Jacob sends drove after drove of goats, sheep, camels, cattle and donkeys ahead, hoping to appease Esau before he sees his face.
  32:13–21
5. Israel
  At the Jabbok Jacob wrestles a man till dawn and, lamed, will not let go until he is blessed and renamed Israel.
  32:22–32
33
Genesis 33: Esau's embrace
Esau embraces Jacob instead of attacking him, and Jacob returns safely to Canaan and worships at Shechem.
1. Esau runs to meet him
  Jacob bows seven times, Esau runs to embrace him, and Jacob presses his gift on Esau, calling it (in Hebrew) his blessing.
  33:1–11
2. Parting ways
  Jacob declines to travel with Esau, promising to follow to Seir, but goes to Succoth instead.
  33:12–17
3. An altar at Shechem
  Jacob arrives safely at Shechem in Canaan, buys a plot of land, and builds an altar named El-Elohe-Israel.
  33:18–20
34
Genesis 34: Dinah and Shechem
After Shechem defiles Dinah, Jacob's sons misuse circumcision to deceive the city, and Simeon and Levi slaughter it.
1. Dinah defiled
  Dinah goes out to visit the women of the land, and Shechem defiles her, then wants her as his wife.
  34:1–4
2. Terms of deceit
  Hamor proposes intermarriage and shared land; Jacob's angry sons answer deceitfully that every male must be circumcised.
  34:5–17
3. The city agrees
  Hamor and Shechem persuade their city to be circumcised, hoping to gain Jacob's wealth.
  34:18–24
4. The sword of Simeon and Levi
  Simeon and Levi kill the city's men while they are still in pain, the brothers plunder it, and Jacob rebukes them for the danger.
  34:25–31
35
Genesis 35: Back to Bethel
At Bethel God confirms Jacob's name Israel and promises nations, kings and land; Rachel and Isaac die.
1. Get rid of the foreign gods
  Jacob's household puts away foreign gods and goes up to Bethel under God's protection, where he builds an altar.
  35:1–8
2. God Almighty at Bethel
  God confirms the name Israel and, as God Almighty, promises nations, kings and the land; Jacob sets up a pillar.
  35:9–15
3. Rachel dies
  Rachel dies giving birth near Bethlehem, naming him Ben-oni; Jacob names him Benjamin and marks her grave.
  35:16–21
4. Reuben and the twelve
  Reuben lies with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel hears of it; the twelve sons of Jacob are listed by their mothers.
  35:22–26
5. Isaac dies
  Jacob comes home to Isaac at Mamre; Isaac dies at 180, old and full of years, and Esau and Jacob bury him.
  35:27–29

Esau's line 36:1–37:1

Opens: “This is the account of Esau”

Esau's descendants become Edom's chiefs and kings in Seir, while Jacob stays in the land of promise.

36
Genesis 36: Esau, that is, Edom
Esau settles in Seir, and his line becomes Edom's chiefs and kings before any king reigns over Israel.
1. From Canaan to Seir
  Esau's sons born in Canaan are listed; since the land cannot hold both brothers' herds, he moves to Seir.
  36:1–8
2. Sons and chiefs in Seir
  Under a second heading, Esau's descendants in Seir and the chiefs descended from his sons are named.
  36:9–19
3. The Horites
  The sons of Seir the Horite, the land's earlier inhabitants, and their chiefs are listed.
  36:20–30
4. Kings of Edom
  The kings who reigned in Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites are named in order.
  36:31–39
5. Chiefs by their places
  Edom's chiefs are listed by clans and territories: this is Esau, father of the Edomites.
  36:40–43

Jacob's line: Joseph and Judah 37:2–50:26

Opens: “This is the account of Jacob”

Through Joseph's suffering and exaltation and Judah's change of heart, God preserves Jacob's family and points to a royal Seed from Judah.

37
Genesis 37: Joseph sold
Joseph's brothers hate the favored dreamer and, at Judah's suggestion, sell him as a slave into Egypt.
1. Jacob in the land
  Unlike Esau in Seir, Jacob lives in Canaan, the land where his father had resided.
  37:1
2. The dreamer
  Seventeen-year-old Joseph, given a special robe, dreams of his family bowing to him, and his brothers hate him.
  37:2–11
3. Into the pit
  At Dothan the brothers plot to kill “that dreamer,” but Reuben talks them into throwing him into a pit.
  37:12–24
4. Sold for silver
  Judah proposes selling rather than killing their brother, and they sell Joseph to traders for twenty shekels of silver.
  37:25–28
5. The bloodied robe
  The brothers deceive Jacob with the robe dipped in goat's blood, and in Egypt Joseph is sold to Potiphar.
  37:29–36
38
Genesis 38: Judah and Tamar
Exposed by Tamar, Judah confesses her more righteous than he, and God preserves his line through Perez.
1. Judah goes down
  Judah marries a Canaanite; the LORD slays his wicked sons Er and Onan, and Judah sends Tamar to wait for Shelah.
  38:1–11
2. The veiled woman
  With Shelah withheld, Tamar veils herself by the road, and Judah takes her for a prostitute, leaving his seal and staff as pledge.
  38:12–23
3. More righteous than I
  Ordered burned, Tamar shows Judah's pledge, and Judah confesses she is more righteous than he.
  38:24–26
4. Perez breaks out
  Tamar bears twins; Zerah puts out a hand marked with a scarlet thread, but Perez breaks out first.
  38:27–30
39
Genesis 39: The LORD was with Joseph
The LORD is with Joseph in Potiphar's house and in prison, though he suffers for refusing sin.
1. Blessed for Joseph's sake
  The LORD is with Joseph, and Potiphar sets him over his house, which the LORD blesses for Joseph's sake.
  39:1–6
2. How could I do such a great evil?
  Joseph refuses Potiphar's wife as sin against God and flees, leaving the garment she uses to accuse him.
  39:7–18
3. With him in prison
  In prison the LORD is with Joseph and gives him favor, and the warden puts all the prisoners in his charge.
  39:19–23
40
Genesis 40: The prisoners' dreams
In prison Joseph interprets two officials' dreams, crediting God, but the restored cupbearer forgets him.
1. Two troubled officials
  Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker dream in Joseph's prison, and Joseph asks to hear, for interpretations belong to God.
  40:1–8
2. The vine
  The cupbearer's vine means he will be restored in three days, and Joseph asks to be remembered to Pharaoh.
  40:9–15
3. The baskets
  The baker's three baskets mean that in three days Pharaoh will hang him.
  40:16–19
4. Forgotten
  On Pharaoh's birthday both dreams come true as Joseph said, but the cupbearer forgets Joseph.
  40:20–23
41
Genesis 41: From prison to palace
God reveals the famine through Joseph, whom Pharaoh sets over Egypt, and all the earth comes for grain.
1. Pharaoh's dreams
  Pharaoh dreams of lean cows eating fat ones and thin ears swallowing full ones, and no wise man can interpret.
  41:1–8
2. The cupbearer remembers
  The chief cupbearer recalls his offense and tells Pharaoh of the young Hebrew in prison whose interpretations came true.
  41:9–13
3. God has shown Pharaoh
  Joseph says God gives the answer: seven years of plenty, then famine, decreed by God; he counsels storing a fifth.
  41:14–36
4. Over all Egypt
  Seeing the Spirit of God in Joseph, Pharaoh sets him over all Egypt and gives him his ring, chariot, name and wife.
  41:37–45
5. Plenty and two sons
  Joseph stores grain like sand, and his sons Manasseh and Ephraim are named for God's comfort and fruitfulness.
  41:46–52
6. Famine in all lands
  The famine comes as Joseph said; he opens the storehouses, and all the earth comes to Egypt to buy grain.
  41:53–57
42
Genesis 42: The brothers bow
The brothers bow to Joseph unknowingly; tested as spies, they confess their guilt, and Jacob clings to Benjamin.
1. Down to buy grain
  Jacob sends ten of his sons to Egypt for grain, but keeps Benjamin back for fear of harm.
  42:1–5
2. You are spies
  The brothers bow before Joseph, who knows them, remembers his dreams, and accuses them of being spies.
  42:6–17
3. Surely we are being punished
  Joseph keeps Simeon and sends the rest for Benjamin; they confess their guilt over Joseph, and he turns away to weep.
  42:18–24
4. What is this that God has done to us?
  Joseph has their silver returned in their sacks; at the lodging place one brother finds his, and their hearts fail them.
  42:25–28
5. Everything is going against me
  Finding their silver returned, the brothers tell Jacob all, and he refuses to risk Benjamin, lest grief bring him to the grave.
  42:29–38
43
Genesis 43: Judah's pledge
Judah pledges himself as the guarantee of Benjamin's safety, and Joseph welcomes his brothers with unexpected kindness.
1. I will guarantee his safety
  Judah offers himself as guarantee for Benjamin, and Jacob sends them with gifts, praying God Almighty grant them mercy.
  43:1–14
2. Do not be afraid
  Afraid of a trap, the brothers explain the silver; the steward says their God gave it and brings Simeon out.
  43:15–25
3. A feast before the governor
  Joseph weeps in secret at the sight of Benjamin and feasts his amazed brothers, giving Benjamin five times as much.
  43:26–34
44
Genesis 44: The silver cup
When Joseph's cup is found in Benjamin's sack, Judah offers himself as a slave in Benjamin's place.
1. The cup in Benjamin's sack
  Joseph's silver cup is hidden in Benjamin's sack; the steward finds it, and the brothers tear their clothes and return.
  44:1–13
2. God has exposed our iniquity
  Judah says God has exposed their iniquity and offers them all as slaves, but Joseph will keep only Benjamin.
  44:14–17
3. Let me stay instead
  Judah tells how their father's life is wrapped up in the boy's and begs to stay as a slave in Benjamin's place.
  44:18–34
45
Genesis 45: I am Joseph
Joseph reveals himself and tells his brothers God sent him ahead to preserve life; Jacob's spirit revives.
1. I am Joseph
  Joseph clears the room, weeps aloud, and tells his terrified brothers, “I am Joseph, your brother … the one you sold into Egypt.”
  45:1–4
2. God sent me
  Joseph tells them not to grieve: God sent him ahead to preserve life and save them by a great deliverance, not they.
  45:5–8
3. Bring my father
  Joseph tells them to bring Jacob down to Goshen to be fed through the famine, and he embraces and kisses his brothers.
  45:9–15
4. Pharaoh's invitation
  Pharaoh offers the best of Egypt and wagons, and Joseph sends his brothers home with gifts, warning them not to quarrel.
  45:16–24
5. Jacob revives
  Jacob is stunned at the news, until he sees the wagons; then his spirit revives, and he resolves to go.
  45:25–28
46
Genesis 46: Down to Egypt
God sends Jacob down to Egypt with a promise: a great nation there, and a sure return.
1. Do not be afraid to go down
  At Beersheba God tells Jacob not to fear Egypt: He will go with him, make him a great nation, and surely bring him back.
  46:1–4
2. All his offspring
  Jacob sets out from Beersheba in Pharaoh's wagons and goes down to Egypt with all his offspring and possessions.
  46:5–7
3. The seventy
  The names of Israel's sons who went down are listed by their mothers; the house of Jacob numbers seventy.
  46:8–27
4. Reunited
  Joseph meets his father in Goshen, embraces him and weeps, and Jacob says he can now die in peace.
  46:28–30
5. Shepherds in Goshen
  Joseph tells his brothers to say they are herdsmen, so they may live apart in Goshen.
  46:31–34
47
Genesis 47: Settled in Goshen
Jacob blesses Pharaoh, Joseph's policy keeps Egypt alive, and Israel multiplies in Goshen while Jacob looks to Canaan.
1. Before Pharaoh
  Joseph presents five brothers, and Pharaoh grants them Goshen and puts capable men over his own herds.
  47:1–6
2. Jacob blesses Pharaoh
  Jacob blesses Pharaoh, calls his 130 years of travels few and hard, and Joseph settles the family in Rameses.
  47:7–12
3. Bread for land
  As famine deepens, Joseph trades bread for the Egyptians' money, herds and land, and they thank him for saving their lives.
  47:13–26
4. Fruitful in Goshen
  Israel settles in Goshen, gains property, and is fruitful and increases greatly; Jacob lives seventeen years in Egypt, to 147.
  47:27–28
5. Bury me with my fathers
  Near death, Israel makes Joseph swear to bury him with his fathers, not in Egypt, and bows in worship at the head of his bed.
  47:29–31
48
Genesis 48: Ephraim before Manasseh
Jacob adopts Joseph's sons and, crossing his hands, sets the younger Ephraim before Manasseh.
1. Two sons adopted
  Jacob recalls God Almighty's promise at Luz and claims Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh as his own.
  48:1–7
2. God has let me see your children
  Nearly blind, Israel embraces the boys, amazed that God has let him see Joseph's children too.
  48:8–12
3. Crossed hands
  Crossing his hands, Israel puts his right hand on the younger Ephraim and blesses both by the Angel who redeemed him.
  48:13–20
4. God will bring you back
  Israel says God will bring them back to their fathers' land, and gives Joseph one portion above his brothers.
  48:21–22
49
Genesis 49: Jacob's last words
Jacob foretells his sons' futures, giving Judah the scepter until Shiloh comes and the nations' allegiance is his.
1. In the days to come
  Jacob calls his sons together to tell them what will happen to them in the days to come.
  49:1–2
2. Reuben, Simeon and Levi
  Uncontrolled Reuben loses the firstborn's place for defiling his father's bed; violent Simeon and Levi will be scattered.
  49:3–7
3. Judah the lion
  Judah, the young lion, will be praised and obeyed, holding the scepter until Shiloh comes and the nations' allegiance is his.
  49:8–12
4. Six brothers
  Brief words for Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher and Naphtali, with Jacob's cry that he waits for the LORD's salvation.
  49:13–21
5. Joseph and Benjamin
  Joseph, made strong by the Mighty One of Jacob, the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, is richly blessed; Benjamin is a wolf.
  49:22–27
6. Gathered to his people
  These are the twelve tribes; Jacob charges burial with his fathers at Machpelah, then is gathered to his people.
  49:28–33
50
Genesis 50: God intended it for good
Joseph forgives, for God intended his brothers' evil for good, and dies trusting God to bring Israel home.
1. Mourning
  Joseph weeps over his father and has him embalmed, taking forty days, and Egypt mourns him seventy days.
  50:1–3
2. Burial in Canaan
  With Pharaoh's leave and a great Egyptian company, Joseph and his brothers bury Jacob at Machpelah in Canaan.
  50:4–14
3. God intended it for good
  The fearful brothers beg forgiveness; Joseph answers that they intended evil but God intended it for good, to preserve many lives.
  50:15–21
4. God will surely visit you
  Dying, Joseph says God will surely visit Israel and bring them to the sworn land, and makes them swear to carry up his bones.
  50:22–26

Words that shape Genesis

“This is the account of / This is the book of the generations of” Ten headings after the prologue (1:1–2:3), each “This is the account of” (5:1: “This is the book of the generations of”). Each introduces what came from the person named, not mainly that person's own life, so Terah's heading carries Abraham's story and Isaac's carries Jacob's. 36:9 repeats Esau's heading as a sub-heading, and 10:32 closes the list of Noah's sons with the same Hebrew word (there “generations”). (Genesis 2:4; Genesis 5:1; Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 25:19; Genesis 36:1; Genesis 37:2)
“After these events / Some time later / after some time” One Hebrew phrase (“after these things”), rendered “After these events” at 15:1 and “Some time later” or “after some time” elsewhere: it opens a new episode that follows from what came before. (Genesis 15:1; Genesis 22:1; Genesis 22:20; Genesis 39:7; Genesis 40:1; Genesis 48:1)
“God remembered / He remembered” Marks a turn from danger or barrenness to rescue. (Genesis 8:1; Genesis 19:29; Genesis 30:22)
“God Almighty / the Almighty” El Shaddai in Hebrew: the name tied to God's promise of fruitfulness to the fathers. (Genesis 17:1; Genesis 28:3; Genesis 35:11; Genesis 43:14; Genesis 48:3; Genesis 49:25)
“The LORD appeared / God appeared” (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 17:1; Genesis 18:1; Genesis 26:2; Genesis 26:24; Genesis 35:9)
“The wife passed off as a sister” Three times the mother of the promised line is endangered by a patriarch's fear and protected by God. (Genesis 12:10–20; Genesis 20:1–18; Genesis 26:1–11)

How Genesis is shaped

Ten “account” sections Gen 2:4–50:26

1 2:4–4:26 The heavens and the earth
2 5:1–6:8 Adam
3 6:9–9:29 Noah
4 10:1–11:9 The sons of Noah
5 11:10–26 Shem
6 11:27–25:11 Terah (the Abraham story)
7 25:12–18 Ishmael
8 25:19–35:29 Isaac (the Jacob story)
9 36:1–37:1 Esau, with a second heading at 36:9
10 37:2–50:26 Jacob (Joseph and his brothers)

The headings point forward, so the creation week (1:1–2:3) stands outside the series as a prologue. Narrative and the straight-line genealogies follow the chosen line; the three branching genealogies (10; 25:12–18; 36) mostly cover lines that are not chosen.

The ten sections in pairs Gen 2:4–50:26

1 2:4–4:26 Mankind at the first creation
4 10:1–11:9 Mankind spread out after the new start of the flood
2 5:1–6:8 The godly line through Seth
5 11:10–26 The godly line through Shem
3 6:9–9:29 Covenant with Noah
6 11:27–25:11 Covenant with Abraham
7 25:12–18 Ishmael, not chosen
8 25:19–35:29 Isaac's line, chosen
9 36:1–37:1 Esau, not chosen
10 37:2–50:26 Jacob's line, chosen

The first six sections pair across the flood; the last four set each line that is passed over beside the line that carries the promise.

Forming and filling: two sets of three days Gen 1:1–2:3

Day 1 1:3–5 Light and darkness divided
Day 2 1:6–8 Sky and seas divided
Day 3 1:9–13 Dry land and plants
Day 4 1:14–19 Lights to rule day and night (fills day 1)
Day 5 1:20–23 Birds and sea creatures (fill day 2)
Day 6 1:24–31 Land animals and mankind (fill day 3)
Day 7 2:1–3 God rests; the day stands outside both sets

Days one to three form realms out of the formless earth; days four to six fill them, and the earth that was empty is full. The pattern is plain; whether it means the days are topical rather than sequential is disputed (see contested). Each day also repeats a fixed formula of word, fulfillment, evaluation and evening-and-morning.

Eden in seven scenes Gen 2:4–3:24

A 2:4–17 God alone acts: man formed, garden planted, command given
B 2:18–25 God acts for the man: the woman made
C 3:1–5 Serpent and woman talk
D 3:6–8 The fall
C′ 3:9–13 God questions the man and the woman
B′ 3:14–21 God acts: sentences, names, garments
A′ 3:22–24 God alone acts: man sent out, the way guarded

Scenes are marked by changes in who is present and who speaks. The nakedness of 2:25 and the clothing of 3:21 face each other across the center.

Two panels of early history Gen 1:1–11:26

A 1:1–3:24 Creation and God's word to Adam
B 4:1–16 Adam's sons
C 4:17–26 Skills and cities develop
D 5:1–32 Ten generations, Adam to Noah
E 6:1–8 Downfall: the sons of God and the mighty men
A′ 6:9–9:17 Flood, new start and God's word to Noah
B′ 9:18–29 Noah's sons
C′ 10:1–32 Nations develop
E′ 11:1–9 Downfall: Babel
D′ 11:10–26 Ten generations, Shem to Abram

The creation/flood pairing and the two ten-member genealogies are the firmest parallels (probable); the full scheme is proposed. The second panel swaps the last two members, so it is parallel rather than mirrored, with Noah's finding favor (6:8–9) at the hinge.

The flood in mirror image Gen 6:10–9:19

A 6:10 Noah
B 6:10 Shem, Ham and Japheth
C 6:14–16 The ark to be built
D 6:17 The flood announced
E 6:18–20 Covenant with Noah
F 6:21 Food taken into the ark
G 7:1–3 Command to enter the ark
H 7:4–5 Seven days of waiting for the flood
I 7:7–10 Seven days of waiting for the flood
J 7:11–15 Entering the ark
K 7:16 The LORD shuts Noah in
L 7:17 Forty days of flood
M 7:17–18 The waters rise
N 7:19–20 The mountains covered
O 7:21–24 The waters prevail 150 days
P 8:1 God remembers Noah
O′ 8:3 The waters go down after 150 days
N′ 8:4–5 The mountain tops appear
M′ 8:5 The waters fall
L′ 8:6 Forty days
K′ 8:6 Noah opens the window
J′ 8:7–9 Raven and dove go out
I′ 8:10–11 Seven days of waiting for the waters to fall
H′ 8:12–13 Seven days of waiting for the waters to fall
G′ 8:15–17 Command to leave the ark
F′ 9:1–4 Food outside the ark
E′ 9:8–10 Covenant with all flesh
D′ 9:11–17 No flood ever again
C′ 9:18 The ark
B′ 9:18 Shem, Ham and Japheth
A′ 9:19 Noah's sons fill the earth

The story rises and falls like the waters, with the numbered days in mirror order (7, 7, 40, 150 / 150, 40, 7, 7). The turning point at 8:1 is widely accepted (strong); the full list of mirrored items is probable, since some items fit loosely and Noah's sacrifice (8:20–22) stands outside the pattern. The scheme has been criticized and revised by later scholars.

Babel turned upside down Gen 11:1–9

A 11:1 The whole world of one language
B 11:2 They settle there
C 11:3–4 “Come, let us”: brick, city, tower and a name
X 11:5 The LORD comes down to see
C′ 11:6–7 The LORD's “Come, let Us”: their language confused
B′ 11:8 Scattered from there
A′ 11:9 The language of the whole world confused

The second half answers the first word for word, so human plans are reversed point by point. Some place the hinge at the builders' wish for a name (11:4) instead.

The Abraham cycle Gen 11:27–22:24

A 11:27–32 Terah's genealogy
B 12:1–9 Abram's journey of faith begins: “go to the land”
C 12:10–13:18 Sarai in a foreign palace; Abram and Lot part
D 14:1–24 Abram rescues Sodom and Lot
E 15:1–16:16 Covenant with Abram; Ishmael announced
X 17:1–5 Abram renamed Abraham; the covenant
E′ 17:6–18:15 Covenant with Abraham; Isaac announced
D′ 18:16–19:38 Abraham pleads for Sodom; Lot rescued
C′ 20:1–21:34 Sarah in a foreign palace; Abraham and Ishmael part
B′ 22:1–19 Abraham's journey of faith tested: “go to the land of Moriah”
A′ 22:20–24 Nahor's genealogy

The pairs are plain in the text: two wife-sister stories, two rescues of Lot, two covenant chapters, two Hagar episodes, and the Hebrew call rendered “go to the land” only at 12:1 and 22:2. The exact limits of some members vary between proposals.

The Jacob cycle Gen 25:19–35:22

A 25:19–34 Oracle sought; struggle at birth; Jacob born
B 26:1–35 Interlude: Rebekah in a foreign palace; pact with foreigners
C 27:1–28:9 Jacob fears Esau and flees
D 28:10–22 Angels at Bethel
E 29:1–30 Arrival at Haran
F 29:31–30:24 Jacob's wives are fruitful
X 30:22–25 Rachel bears Joseph; Jacob resolves to go home
F′ 30:25–43 Jacob's flocks are fruitful
E′ 31:1–55 Flight from Haran
D′ 32:1–32 Angels at Mahanaim; Peniel
C′ 33:1–20 Jacob returns and meets Esau
B′ 34:1–31 Interlude: Dinah in a foreign palace; pact with foreigners
A′ 35:1–22 Oracle fulfilled; struggle in childbirth; Jacob becomes Israel

Strongest in chapters 27–33: angels at Bethel and at Mahanaim (28:12; 32:1–2), two Bethel encounters (28; 35), the naming of Israel twice (32:28; 35:10), and “face” language (32:20, 30; 33:10).

The Joseph story Gen 37:1–50:26

A 37:1–36 Joseph and his brothers; Jacob and Joseph parted
B 38:1–30 Interlude: Judah and Tamar
C 39:1–23 Reversal: Joseph accused, his accuser believed
D 40:1–41:57 Joseph the hero of Egypt
E 42:1–43:34 Two journeys to Egypt
F 44:1–34 The final test
X 45:1–4 Joseph makes himself known
F′ 45:5–28 The test resolved
E′ 46:1–47:12 The family's move to Egypt
D′ 47:13–27 Joseph the hero of Egypt
C′ 47:28–48:22 Reversal: the younger Ephraim set first
B′ 49:1–28 Interlude: Jacob's words to the tribes
A′ 49:29–50:26 Joseph and his brothers; Jacob and Joseph parted

Joseph's self-revelation (45:1–4) as the story's climax is strong; the full mirror is proposed, and critics say chapters 38 and 49 are forced into it. Doubling is the clearer feature: paired dreams three times (37; 40; 41) and two journeys (42; 43–45).

Genesis is open in full

This is the Outline as it is in the free app, section notes and all. TheoMaps Plus opens the outline of the other 65 books the same way.

Get launch news