K.G.J

Family ties. Laban took responsibility for his sister Rebekah (24:29-51). Apparently their father, who was still alive, was unable to do so.

Two biblical firsts. The burial of Sarah (23:19) is the first biblical record of a burial. Abraham’s purchase of the burial plot is also the… Read More »Two biblical firsts

Why fight over a well? Wells are of great importance in the hot, dry climates around the world. Because lack of water was a constant… Read More »Why fight over a well?

What is the Negeb? The Negeb (20:1) is a dry area of rolling hills in southern Israel. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived there. Hagar sought… Read More »What is the Negeb?

The city gate was a place where leaders made key decisions (Prov. 31:23; Lam. 5:14). Lot’s presence at the city gate (Gen. 19:1) shows that… Read More »The city gate

Isaac means “he laughs.” When Abraham and Sarah heard that they were going to have a son in their old age, they both laughed (17:17;… Read More »Isaac

Taking servants as wives. It was common in ancient cultures for a married man to take a servant as a wife (16:2). But this was… Read More »Taking servants as wives

Non-Levite Priests? Melchizedek (14:17–21) and Jesus Christ are the only approved priests in the Bible who were not Levites. The NT book of Hebrews explains… Read More »Non-Levite Priests?

Abram believed the Lord, and that was the basis for God counting him as righteous. Such faith remains the basis for God’s justification of Christians… Read More »Believed the Lord

Altars were tables or platforms used for presenting sacrifices to God. They could be built of stone, mud-brick, or dirt mounds. The first altar mentioned… Read More »Altars

What did the Tower of Babel look like? The Tower of Babel (11:1–9) probably resembled the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia. The most famous of these… Read More »What did the Tower of Babel look like?

Sinful pride and rebellion against God brought negative consequences to the builders of the Tower of Babel, introducing the many languages that now exist around… Read More »Sinful pride and rebellion