Genesis Summary

The book of Genesis is important for a few reasons. All of the books in the Bible are important, obviously, but Genesis is one of the ones that really stands out in peoples’ minds. Not just because it’s the first book—although this is where many people will start, when they’re going to read the entire Bible, because it makes sense to start at the beginning—but also because there are so many familiar and important stories in this one book.

You have the creation of the world, including the story of Adam and Eve and original sin, Cain and Abel and the first murder, the flood, the Tower of Babel, the story of Abram/Abraham & Sarai/Sarah, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the story of Joseph, and much more. When I first started reading the Bible, as a teenager, I was surprised how many of these familiar stories could all be found in one book.

Here are all of the sections of Genesis that were covered in the serna Bible Blog. For most of the book, it’s one post per chapter, but near the end I started to wise up, and realize that I could break it up in different ways, when that makes sense.

Genesis 1: The first book in the Bible Genesis 2: The creation story, continued Genesis 3: the introduction of Satan (I think); the fall of man Genesis 4: Cain and Abel—the first murder Genesis 5: A genealogy Genesis 6: The Flood—Part 1 Genesis 7: The Flood Genesis 8: The conclusion of the flood story Genesis 9: God’s covenant with Noah (and, by extension, with us) Genesis 10: Genealogy Genesis 11: The Tower of Babel,and more genealogy Genesis 12: Abram is introduced Genesis 13: Abram and Lot separate Genesis 14: Abram rescues Lot, and Melchizedek is introduced Genesis 15: God’s covenant with Abram Genesis 16: Hagar and Ishmael Genesis 17: The Covenant of Circumcision; Abram and Sarai are given new names Genesis 18: Abraham is visited by “three visitors”; Abraham pleads the case of Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis 19: Lot sells out his daughters; Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed; a tale of incest Genesis 20: Abraham up to his old tricks Genesis 21: Isaac is born; Hagar and Ishmael are sent away; Abraham swears an oath with the king of the land where he lives Genesis 22: Abraham tested Genesis 23: Sarah dies Genesis 24: A wife for Isaac Genesis 25: Abraham dies; more genealogy; Jacob and Esau are born

Genesis 26: Isaac Genesis 27: Jacob takes Esau’s blessing, and flees Genesis 28: Jacob is sent to Laban; a real stairway to heaven Genesis 29: Jacob marries Leah and Rachel Genesis 30: More children for Jacob; more flocks for Jacob Genesis 31: Jacob runs, Laban follows Genesis 32: Jacob prepares himself to meet Esau, and wrestles with God Genesis 33: Jacob meets Esau Genesis 34: Dinah’s rape, and her brothers’ revenge Genesis 35: Jacob gets a new name; more genealogy Genesis 36: Genealogy Genesis 37: Joseph’s dreams; Joseph is sold by his brothers Genesis 38: Judah and Tamar Genesis 39: Joseph and Potiphar’s wife Genesis 40: Joseph the dream interpreter Genesis 41: The Pharaoh’s dreams get Joseph out of jail—and in charge of the country! Genesis 42: Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt for grain Genesis 43: The brothers return to Egypt Genesis 44: Joseph plays more games with his brothers Genesis 45: Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers; also, there is an addendum which talks about the reason Joseph’s life turned out the way that it did Genesis 46: Jacob/Israel and his family move to Egypt Genesis 47: The Hebrews settle into their new home in Egypt; Joseph continues to handle the famine Genesis 48: Blessings for Manasseh and Ephraim Genesis 49:1–28: Israel blesses his sons Genesis 49:29–50:26: Jacob/Israel dies; Joseph reassures his brothers; Joseph dies