Before moving on to Exodus, I'm spending more time with Genesis. I don't want to just read it; I want to internalize it. I invite you to join me.

Genesis 50 is the last chapter of the book of Genesis, bringing closure to the account of Joseph and the patriarchs. Upon Jacob's passing, Joseph fell upon his father's face, weeping and kissing him. He then commanded the physicians in his service to embalm Jacob, a process that took forty days to complete, followed by seventy days of mourning by the Egyptians. After the mourning period, Joseph sought permission from Pharaoh to fulfill his oath to bury Jacob in the land of Canaan, specifically in the cave of Machpelah that Abraham had bought. Pharaoh granted this request, and Joseph embarked on the journey with a great company that included Egyptian officials, elders, and all of Joseph's household, along with his brothers and their father's household. Only the young children and flocks remained in Goshen. When they reached the threshing floor of Atad beyond the Jordan, they held a great and solemn lamentation for seven days. The burial took place as Jacob had requested, in the cave of Machpelah in the field that Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. After fulfilling their father's wishes, Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt. But Jacob's death brought anxiety to Joseph's brothers, who feared that, without their father's presence, Joseph might finally seek revenge for their past betrayal when they sold him into slavery. They sent word to Joseph, claiming that Jacob had instructed them before his death to ask Joseph to forgive their wrongdoing. When Joseph’s brothers came and fell before him, offering to be his servants, Joseph wept and reassured them: "Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good." He spoke kindly to them and comforted them. Joseph lived to see his great-grandchildren and died at the age of 110 years. Before his death, he reminded his brothers of God's promise to bring their descendants back to the Promised Land, saying, "God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Joseph made the children of Israel swear an oath that, when God would lead them out of Egypt, they would carry his bones with them. After his death, Joseph was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Genesis 49 contains Jacob's final blessings and prophecies over his twelve sons before his death in Egypt. Jacob began with Reuben, his firstborn, acknowledging his natural right to preeminence but declaring that he wouldn't excel due to his instability and his sin of defiling his father's bed with Bilhah (see Genesis 35). The next two sons, Simeon and Levi, were addressed together due to their shared violence, particularly their brutal revenge at Shechem (see Genesis 34). Jacob prophesied that they would be scattered in Israel (which historically came to pass as Simeon's territory was absorbed into Judah’s), and the Levites, though later sanctified as priests, were given no territorial inheritance but were dispersed among all the tribes. Judah received the most significant and memorable blessing, being promised that the scepter and ruler's staff would not depart from him “until Shiloh come.” Jacob prophesied royal leadership for Judah's line, describing him as a lion's cub who would be praised by his brothers. This blessing established Judah as the kingly tribe (from which David and ultimately the Messiah would come) and included imagery of abundance and prosperity. Zebulun was blessed with a future by the seashore and involvement in maritime trade, while Issachar was characterized as a strong donkey who would choose security and good land over freedom, becoming a servant to tribute. Dan was promised to judge his people and was described as a serpent by the roadway, suggesting both justice and cunning in warfare. Gad would face raids but would ultimately raid in return, showing resilience in the face of adversity. Asher was blessed with rich food and royal delicacies, indicating a future of abundance and prosperity. Naphtali was described as a deer set free who gives beautiful words, suggesting grace and eloquence. Joseph received an extensive and richly detailed blessing, being called “a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall.” Jacob acknowledged the attacks and hardships Joseph endured but declared that his bow remained steady and his arms were made strong by the mighty God of Jacob. The blessing invoked multiple names for God and promised blessings of heaven above, the deep below, and the breast and womb — culminating in Joseph being set apart from his brothers. Finally, Benjamin was described as a ravenous wolf who devours prey in the morning and divides spoil in the evening, indicating a fierce and warlike nature for his descendants. After completing these individual prophecies, Jacob gave final instructions about his burial, requesting to be laid to rest with his fathers in the cave of Machpelah, before drawing up his feet into the bed and breathing his last.

Genesis 48 recounts the final encounter between the aging patriarch Jacob (also called Israel) and his son Joseph, along with Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob, who was nearing death, summoned Joseph to his bedside. Despite his physical weakness and failing eyesight, Jacob's spiritual authority remained strong as he prepared to pass on the covenant blessings that he himself had received from his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham. When Joseph arrived with his two sons, Jacob formally adopted Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons, elevating them to the same status as his other children. This adoption was significant because it meant that Joseph's lineage would receive a double portion of inheritance through his two sons, effectively making Joseph the recipient of the firstborn's blessing despite not being Jacob's oldest son. Jacob declared that these two grandsons would be counted among the tribes of Israel. During the blessing ceremony, Joseph carefully positioned his sons so that Manasseh (the older son) was at Jacob's right hand to receive the greater blessing, while Ephraim (the younger) was at Jacob's left. But Jacob deliberately crossed his hands, placing his right hand on Ephraim's head and his left on Manasseh's, thereby giving the greater blessing to the younger grandson. Joseph tried to correct what he assumed was his father's mistake due to poor eyesight, but Jacob insisted that his actions were intentional, prophesying that, while both sons would become great, Ephraim would surpass his older brother in prominence. Genesis 48 concludes with Jacob's prophetic blessing over both grandsons, invoking the God of Abraham and Isaac and asking that they be blessed with fruitfulness and multiplication. Jacob spoke of his own approaching death and assured Joseph that God would take him back to Canaan, the land of promise — where Jacob wanted Joseph to bury his body after his death.

Genesis 47 continues the account of Jacob's family settling in Egypt during the severe famine. Joseph presented five of his brothers and his father Jacob to Pharaoh. When Pharaoh asked the brothers about their occupation, they identified themselves as shepherds and requested permission to settle in the land of Goshen, explaining that the famine had devastated their homeland of Canaan. Pharaoh welcomed them warmly and instructed Joseph to settle his family in the best part of Egypt (specifically in the region of Rameses) and to put any capable men among them in charge of Pharaoh's own livestock. Joseph then brought his father Jacob before Pharaoh for a formal introduction. The elderly patriarch blessed Pharaoh when meeting him and when leaving. When Pharaoh asked about Jacob's age, Jacob responded that he had lived 130 years, describing his life as a pilgrimage of few and difficult years that hadn't matched the lifespan of his ancestors. As the famine deepened and people exhausted their money to buy grain, Joseph accepted their livestock as payment. When their animals were gone, the people offered their land and themselves as servants to Pharaoh in exchange for food and seed. Through this process, Joseph centralized almost all of Egypt's land ownership under Pharaoh — with the notable exception of the priests' land, which Pharaoh had decreed should remain in their possession. Joseph established a new economic system in which the people became tenant farmers on what was formerly their own land, paying one-fifth of their harvest to Pharaoh while keeping four-fifths for themselves. The people expressed gratitude for this arrangement, recognizing that Joseph had saved their lives. Meanwhile, the Israelites prospered in Goshen — acquiring property, becoming fruitful, and multiplying greatly — in stark contrast to the economic hardship experienced by the broader Egyptian population. Jacob lived in Egypt for seventeen years, reaching the age of 147. As his death approached, he called Joseph to him and made him swear an oath. Jacob told Joseph not to bury him in Egypt but instead carry his body back to the burial place of his fathers in Canaan. Joseph agreed to this, and Jacob bowed in worship at the head of his bed.

Genesis 46 recounts Jacob's journey to Egypt to reunite with his son Joseph, whom he had believed to be dead for many years. When Jacob learned that Joseph was not only alive but also a powerful ruler in Egypt, he decided to travel there with his entire household. Before leaving, Jacob stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac, seeking God’s guidance for this big decision. God appeared to Jacob in a vision during the night, reassuring him not to fear going down to Egypt. The Lord promised to make Jacob into a great nation while in Egypt and guaranteed that He would bring Jacob's descendants back to the promised land. God also assured Jacob that Joseph would be present to close his eyes when he died, providing comfort about his final moments. The chapter includes a detailed genealogical record of Jacob's family members who accompanied him to Egypt. This comprehensive list includes his sons and their children, totaling seventy people from Jacob's lineage who entered Egypt. The genealogy is organized by the mothers of Jacob's children — those born to Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah — creating a complete family record. Jacob sent Judah ahead to Joseph to get directions to Goshen, the region where they planned to settle. When Joseph learned of his family's arrival, he prepared his chariot and traveled to meet his father in Goshen. Joseph fell on his father's neck and wept for a long time, while Jacob expressed that he could now die in peace since he had seen Joseph alive again. Genesis 46 concludes with Joseph preparing to present his family to Pharaoh. He instructed his brothers on how to respond when Pharaoh asks about their occupation, advising them to identify themselves as keepers of livestock. Joseph explained this strategy would help ensure they could settle in Goshen, as shepherds were considered an abomination to the Egyptians, which would actually work in their favor by keeping them separate and allowing them to maintain their distinct identity in their designated region.

In Genesis 45, Joseph finally revealed his identity to his brothers who had sold him into slavery years earlier. Unable to control himself any longer in the presence of his Egyptian attendants, Joseph commanded everyone except his brothers to leave the room. In this private moment, he broke down weeping so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh's household could hear him from outside. Through his tears, Joseph declared to his stunned brothers, "I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?" The brothers were so shocked and terrified that they couldn't answer him, struck speechless by the realization that the powerful Egyptian official before them was the very brother they had betrayed. Joseph, seeing their fear, gently called them closer and reassured them, explaining that, while they intended evil against him, God used their actions for good. Joseph urged his brothers not to be angry with themselves or each other for selling him, emphasizing that God sent him ahead to Egypt to save lives. He explained that there were still five more years of famine coming and that God positioned him in Egypt to preserve their family line. In a remarkable display of forgiveness and eternal perspective, Joseph reframed their betrayal as part of God's sovereign plan to make him "a father to Pharaoh" and ruler over all Egypt. The practical implications of this reunion quickly became apparent as Joseph instructed his brothers to return to Canaan and bring their father Jacob — along with all their families, livestock, and possessions — to settle in the land of Goshen in Egypt. Joseph promised to provide for them there during the remaining years of famine, ensuring they wouldn't become impoverished. He gave them wagons and provisions for the journey, along with changes of clothing for each brother and special gifts of silver and garments for Benjamin. When Pharaoh learned that Joseph's brothers had come to Egypt, he enthusiastically endorsed the plan and instructed Joseph to tell his family to bring everything and that they would receive “the good of the land of Egypt.” The brothers arrived back in Canaan and told their father, "Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt."

Genesis 44 continues the account of Joseph testing his brothers who came to Egypt seeking grain during the famine. Joseph instructed his steward to fill his brothers' sacks with grain and to secretly place each man's money back in his sack. Most significantly, he ordered that his personal silver cup be hidden in Benjamin's sack, the youngest brother who was Jacob's beloved son and Joseph's only full brother. After the brothers left the city, Joseph sent his steward to pursue them with an accusation of theft. The steward confronted them about stealing his master's silver cup, which he claimed was used for divination. The brothers vehemently denied the accusation and confidently declared that whoever was found with the cup should die while the rest should become slaves. However, the steward proposed a more lenient punishment: only the guilty party would become a slave while the others could go free. When the sacks were searched from oldest to youngest, the cup was discovered in Benjamin's possession. The brothers were devastated and tore their clothes in anguish. They all returned to the city together, refusing to abandon Benjamin despite being given the opportunity to leave without him. Back in Joseph's presence, Judah took the lead as spokesman for his brothers. He acknowledged their apparent guilt while maintaining their innocence, recognizing that God had somehow exposed their past sins. When Joseph insisted that only Benjamin needed to remain as his slave, Judah explained that their father Jacob's life was bound up with Benjamin's welfare, describing how Jacob had lost one beloved son (Joseph) and how losing Benjamin would kill him. Judah said that he couldn't bear to see his father's grief and asked to substitute himself for Benjamin so that the young man could return home.

Genesis 43 covers the famine that continued to ravage the land of Canaan, forcing Jacob's family to consider another journey to Egypt for grain. When their supplies ran low, Jacob instructed his sons to return to Egypt to buy more food. However, Judah reminded his father that the Egyptian official (whom they didn't know was Joseph) had sternly warned them not to return without their youngest brother Benjamin. Jacob initially resisted sending Benjamin, expressing his fear of losing another beloved son after already mourning Joseph's apparent death. Judah stepped forward and offered to personally guarantee Benjamin's safety, pledging his own life as surety for his brother's return. He argued that, if they hadn’t waited, they could’ve made the trip twice already. Faced with the reality of starvation, Jacob reluctantly agreed to let Benjamin go. Before their departure, Jacob instructed his sons to take gifts for the Egyptian ruler. He also told them to take double the money, both to pay for the new grain and to return the money that had mysteriously appeared in their sacks after their previous trip. Jacob believed this might have been an oversight that could be corrected. When the brothers arrived in Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph saw them and instructed his steward to bring them to his house for a meal. This frightened the brothers, who assumed they were being brought to Joseph's house because of the money found in their sacks. They feared they would be accused of theft and enslaved. At the entrance to Joseph's house, they approached the steward and explained about the money, insisting they had brought it back along with additional money for more grain. The steward reassured them, telling them not to fear and that their God must have put treasure in their sacks, as he had received their payment. He then brought their brother Simeon out to them; he had been held as a guarantee since their previous visit. As they prepared for the noon meal with Joseph, the brothers were given water to wash their feet, and their donkeys were fed. When Joseph came home, the brothers presented their gifts and bowed down before him, again fulfilling the dreams Joseph had shared with them years earlier. Joseph asked about their welfare and specifically inquired about their elderly father. When he saw Benjamin, his youngest brother, Joseph was overcome with emotion but managed to control himself for a moment. He asked if this was their youngest brother and blessed Benjamin — and then quickly left the room to weep privately. After composing himself, Joseph returned and ordered the meal to be served. The Egyptians ate separately from the Hebrews due to cultural customs, and Joseph ate alone because of his high position. The brothers were seated in order of their ages, from oldest to youngest, which amazed them since they couldn't understand how this Egyptian official would know their birth order. Joseph sent portions from his table to his brothers, and Benjamin received five times as much as the others. Despite their initial fears, the brothers enjoyed their meal and the time with Joseph, not yet realizing they were dining with their long-lost brother.

Genesis 42 provides an account of the severe famine that gripped the ancient Near East, including the land of Canaan where Jacob and his family lived. When Jacob learned that grain was available for purchase in Egypt, he sent ten of his sons to buy food, keeping only Benjamin (his youngest son and the full brother of the presumed-dead Joseph) safely at home. Upon arriving in Egypt, the ten brothers unknowingly came before Joseph, who had risen to become the second-in-command of all Egypt and oversaw the distribution of grain during the famine. Joseph immediately recognized his brothers, but they didn't recognize him after more than twenty years and his transformation into an Egyptian official. Rather than revealing his identity, Joseph decided to test his brothers, speaking to them harshly through an interpreter and accusing them of being spies. The brothers vehemently denied the accusation, explaining that they were honest men — sons of one father in Canaan — and that they had come only to buy food. They mentioned that they were originally twelve brothers, but “one is not” and the youngest had remained at home with their father. Joseph continued his harsh treatment, insisting that they must prove their honesty by bringing their youngest brother to Egypt while one of them remained imprisoned as a guarantee of their return. After keeping all the brothers in custody for three days, Joseph modified his demand, stating that only one brother would remain in prison while the others returned home with grain. He required them to bring back their youngest brother as proof of their truthfulness, warning that otherwise they wouldn't see his face again. The brothers, speaking among themselves in Hebrew and unaware that Joseph understands them, began to acknowledge their guilt regarding their treatment of Joseph years earlier, recognizing their current situation as divine retribution for their past sins. Joseph, overhearing his brothers' confession and expressions of remorse, was deeply moved and turned away to weep privately. He then returned and selected Simeon to remain bound before their eyes while the others prepared to return to Canaan. Unknown to his brothers, Joseph secretly ordered his servants to return each brother's money to their grain sacks, along with provisions for their journey home. Genesis 42 concludes with the brothers' discovery of the returned money, first when one opened his sack at a lodging place during the journey, and later when they all discovered their money back at home. This discovery filled them with fear, as they wondered what God was doing to them. When they related all of this to Jacob, including Joseph's demand to see Benjamin and Simeon's imprisonment, Jacob was devastated, lamenting that he was being bereaved of his children and refusing to allow Benjamin to go to Egypt, declaring that, if harm should come to Benjamin, it would bring his gray hairs down to the grave in sorrow.

In Genesis 41, Pharaoh experienced two troubling dreams that none of his magicians or wise men could interpret. In the first dream, he saw seven fat, healthy cows grazing by the river, followed by seven thin, ugly cows that devoured the fat ones. In the second dream, seven plump ears of grain grew on a single stalk, but seven thin, scorched ears swallowed them up. These vivid dreams left Pharaoh deeply disturbed and searching for answers. The chief cupbearer, finally remembering Joseph's accurate interpretation of dreams in prison, spoke up and recommended Joseph to Pharaoh. Joseph was quickly summoned from the dungeon, cleaned up, and brought before the Egyptian ruler. When Pharaoh described his dreams, Joseph humbly credited God as the source of dream interpretation and explained that both dreams carried the same divine message about Egypt's future. Joseph revealed that the seven fat cows and full ears represented seven years of abundant harvests coming to Egypt, while the seven thin cows and scorched ears symbolized seven years of severe famine that would follow. He emphasized that God had shown Pharaoh what He was about to do, and the repetition of the dream in two forms indicated that this plan was firmly established and would happen soon. The coming famine would be so severe that it would consume all memory of the preceding abundance. Recognizing the gravity of this revelation, Joseph boldly advised Pharaoh to find a wise administrator to oversee a systematic storage program during the seven years of plenty. This person should collect one-fifth of Egypt's harvest each year and store it in cities under Pharaoh's authority, creating reserves that would sustain the nation through the devastating famine to come. Pharaoh and his officials were impressed by Joseph's wisdom and discernment. Pharaoh declared that, since God had revealed these things to Joseph, no one was more qualified to implement the plan. He appointed Joseph as second-in-command over all of Egypt, giving him his signet ring, fine clothing, and a gold chain as symbols of authority. At thirty years old, Joseph was given an Egyptian name and married Asenath, daughter of an Egyptian priest. Genesis 41 concludes by describing the fulfillment of Joseph's interpretation. During the seven years of abundance, Joseph efficiently collected and stored grain throughout Egypt in quantities so vast they stopped measuring it. He also had two sons during this period: Manasseh and Ephraim. When the seven years of famine began as predicted, Joseph opened the storehouses and began selling grain not only to the Egyptians but to people from surrounding nations who came to Egypt seeking relief from the widespread famine.

Genesis 40 is the account of Joseph's encounter with two fellow prisoners in the Egyptian dungeon where he was being held. While Joseph was imprisoned on false charges, Pharaoh's chief cupbearer and chief baker were thrown into the same prison after they had offended their master. The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to serve them during their imprisonment. One morning, Joseph noticed that both men appeared troubled. When he asked about their condition, they explained that they had each experienced dreams the previous night but had no one to interpret their meaning. Joseph responded with faith, telling them that interpretations belong to God, and he asked them to share their dreams with him. The chief cupbearer spoke first, describing his dream of a vine with three branches that budded, blossomed, and produced ripe grapes. In the dream, he had squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh's cup and placed it in Pharaoh's hand. Joseph interpreted this as a favorable sign, explaining that the three branches represented three days, and that within three days Pharaoh would restore the cupbearer to his former position. Next, the chief baker shared his own dream. He had seen three white baskets on his head, with the top basket containing baked goods for Pharaoh. But birds were eating from it. Joseph delivered a much grimmer interpretation, explaining that the three baskets also represented three days, but that within this time Pharaoh would execute the baker and hang his body on a pole, where birds would eat his flesh. Joseph made a personal appeal to the cupbearer, asking him to remember Joseph's kindness and mention his case to Pharaoh when he was restored. Joseph emphasized his innocence, explaining that he had been kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and had done nothing in Egypt to deserve imprisonment. Three days later, on Pharaoh's birthday, both interpretations came to pass exactly as Joseph had predicted. Pharaoh restored the cupbearer to his position but executed the baker. However, despite Joseph's request and the accuracy of his interpretation, the cupbearer forgot about Joseph and did not mention him to Pharaoh, leaving Joseph to remain in prison.

Genesis 39 follows Joseph after his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian official and captain of Pharaoh’s guard, purchased Joseph. The Lord was with Joseph, blessing everything he did — and Potiphar noticed. As a result, Potiphar placed Joseph in charge of his entire household and possessions, and the Lord blessed Potiphar’s house because of Joseph. Joseph was “a goodly person, and well favoured,” and he attracted the attention of Potiphar’s wife. She repeatedly propositioned Joseph, asking him to sleep with her, but Joseph consistently refused, explaining it would be a sin against God and a betrayal of his master’s trust. One day, when no one else was in the house, Potiphar’s wife caught Joseph by his cloak and demanded he sleep with her. Joseph fled, leaving his cloak behind in her hand. Potiphar’s wife used Joseph’s cloak as evidence to falsely accuse him of attempted rape. She told her household servants and later her husband that Joseph had tried to assault her, but she had screamed, causing him to flee and leave his garment behind. When Potiphar heard this accusation, he became angry and had Joseph thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held. Even in prison, the Lord remained with Joseph and showed him kindness. The prison warden noticed Joseph’s reliability and placed him in charge of all the other prisoners and prison operations. Whatever Joseph did, the Lord made it succeed.

Genesis 38 interrupts the account of Joseph to discuss Judah and his family. After moving away from his brothers, Judah married a Canaanite woman and had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Judah arranged for his firstborn Er to marry a woman named Tamar, but Er was “wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the Lord slew him” before Er could produce an heir. Following custom, Judah instructed his second son Onan to fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law by marrying Tamar and providing children for his dead brother. However, Onan, knowing that any child born would not be considered his own, deliberately spilled his seed on the ground during intercourse. This displeased God, who put Onan to death as well. Judah then promised Tamar that his third son Shelah would marry her when he grew up. But, afraid that Shelah also might die, Judah delayed fulfilling this promise and sent Tamar back to her father’s house to wait. As time passed, Tamar realized Judah had no intention of giving her to Shelah, even though Shelah had now grown up. When Tamar learned that Judah was traveling to shear his sheep, she removed her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil, and sat in an open place “by the way to Timnath.” Judah, not recognizing her, mistook her for a prostitute and propositioned her. She agreed on the condition that he give her his signet, bracelets, and staff as a pledge until he sent payment of a young goat. After their encounter, Tamar went back home and put her widow’s garments back on. When Judah sent a friend to deliver the promised goat and retrieve his personal items, the woman couldn't be found. About three months later, Judah learned that Tamar was pregnant through prostitution. He angrily ordered that she be brought out and burned. As she was being brought out, Tamar produced Judah’s signet, bracelets, and staff, saying, “By the man, whose these are, am I with child.” Judah recognized his items and acknowledged that Tamar was more righteous than he was, as he failed to give her to his son Shelah as promised. Judah didn't sleep with her again. When the time came for Tamar to give birth, she delivered twins. During the delivery, one twin (Zarah) put out his hand first, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread around it. But, he drew back his hand, and his brother (Pharez) came out first.

Genesis 37 begins to develop the account of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob. At seventeen, Joseph tended flocks with his brothers, but he brought bad reports about them to their father. Jacob showed his preference for Joseph by giving him a “a coat of many colours,” causing his brothers to hate him and speak harshly to him. Joseph’s position worsened when he shared two dreams suggesting his family would bow down to him. In the first dream, his brothers’ sheaves of grain bowed to his sheaf. In the second, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowed to him. These dreams infuriated his brothers even more. Even his father rebuked him and pondered what these dreams might have meant. Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers while they were tending flocks near Shechem. The brothers saw him approaching from a distance and plotted to kill him. Reuben (the oldest) intervened and convinced them to throw Joseph into a pit instead, planning to rescue him later. The brothers stripped Joseph of his special coat and threw him into the pit. While eating, they noticed a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants passing by. Judah proposed selling Joseph rather than killing him, reasoning they shouldn’t shed their brother’s blood. They sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver to the merchants. When Reuben returned and found Joseph missing, he tore his clothes in distress. The brothers then devised a plan to deceive their father. They took Joseph’s robe, dipped it in goat’s blood, and presented it to Jacob, leading him to believe a wild animal had devoured his son. Jacob mourned deeply, tearing his clothes and refusing to be comforted, saying he would mourn until he joined his son in death. Meanwhile, the Midianite merchants sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Genesis 36 provides detailed genealogical information about Esau (also called Edom) and his descendants. Esau took wives from among the Canaanites — Adah, Aholibamah, and Bashemath — and had five sons with them: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. Esau moved his family, possessions, and livestock away from his brother Jacob to the hill country of Seir because the land could not support both of their large herds. The chapter then lists the descendants of Esau through his sons, identifying them as the chiefs of various clans of Edom. Special attention is given to Eliphaz’s son Amalek, whose descendants would later become significant enemies of Israel. The text also records that Esau’s descendants became the Edomite nation. Genesis 36 includes information about the original inhabitants of Seir — the Horites — and lists their tribal chiefs. It then provides a record of the kings who ruled in Edom before any king ruled over the Israelites. Eight kings are named in succession, beginning with Bela son of Beor and ending with Hadar, along with their cities and notable details about some of them. The chapter concludes with another listing of the chiefs of Esau according to their clans and territories. This extensive genealogical information emphasizes Esau’s significant legacy as the father of the Edomites, who would have a complex relationship with Israel throughout their history.

Genesis 35 recounts Jacob's journey back to Bethel and several significant family events that followed. God instructed Jacob to go to Bethel, where he had earlier fled from his brother Esau, and to build an altar there. Jacob prepared his household by having them put away their foreign gods, purify themselves, and change their clothes before the journey. God protected Jacob's family as they traveled, causing terror to fall on the surrounding towns so no one pursued them. At Bethel, Jacob built an altar and named it Elbethel (God of Bethel). Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried there. God appeared to Jacob again, reaffirmed his name change to Israel, and repeated the covenant promises about descendants and land. Jacob set up a stone pillar at this place of divine encounter. As they journeyed from Bethel toward Ephrath (Bethlehem), Rachel went into difficult labor and died while giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob set up a pillar at her grave. While in that region, Jacob's eldest son Reuben slept with Bilhah, his father's concubine — a serious transgression noted but not immediately addressed. Genesis 35 lists all twelve sons of Jacob, grouped by their mothers. Finally, Jacob returned to his father Isaac at Mamre (Hebron), and the chapter ends with Isaac's death at 180 years old and his burial by both his sons, Esau and Jacob.

Genesis 34 is the account of Dinah and the Shechemites. Jacob's daughter Dinah went out to visit the women of the land. Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite (the local ruler), “saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.” Shechem fell in love with Dinah and asked his father to arrange a marriage. Hamor approached Jacob about the marriage and proposed an alliance between their peoples, offering intermarriage and land. Jacob’s sons, upon hearing what happened to their sister, were furious about the dishonor brought upon their family. When negotiating with Hamor and Shechem, Jacob’s sons proposed that all the men of the city must be circumcised before any marriage could take place. But it turned out to be a setup. Shechem and Hamor agreed to this condition and convinced all the men of their city to undergo circumcision. While the men were recovering and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons — Simeon and Levi (Dinah’s full brothers) — attacked the city, killed all the men, and took Dinah home. The other brothers then plundered the city, taking wealth, livestock, women, and children. Jacob chastises Simeon and Levi for endangering the family by making them odious to the surrounding peoples. But they defend their actions, asking, “Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?”

Genesis 33 recounts the emotional reunion between Jacob and his estranged brother Esau after 20 years of separation. Jacob, anxious about meeting Esau who once threatened to kill him, strategically arranged his family in groups with his most beloved (Rachel and Joseph) at the rear for protection. When Jacob saw Esau approaching with 400 men, he moved ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. Contrary to Jacob’s fears, Esau ran to meet him with open arms. They embraced and wept together. Esau initially refused Jacob's generous gifts, saying he had enough. Jacob insisted that Esau accept them as a sign of reconciliation and finding favor with him. Esau offered to escort Jacob, but Jacob politely declined, explaining that his children and flocks needed to travel slowly. Esau returned to Seir while Jacob journeyed to Succoth where he built a house and shelters for his livestock. Later, Jacob moved to Shechem in Canaan, purchased land from the sons of Hamor, and set up an altar called “El-Elohe-Israel” (God, the God of Israel).

Genesis 32 recounts a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life as he prepared to reunite with his estranged brother Esau after 20 years. The chapter begins with Jacob continuing his journey home after leaving his father-in-law Laban. Angels of God met him on the way, and Jacob called the place “Mahanaim,” meaning “two camps.” As he approached his homeland, Jacob sent messengers ahead to Esau, humbly announcing his return and seeking favor. The messengers returned with alarming news: Esau was coming to meet Jacob — with 400 men. Terrified of his brother’s potential revenge for stealing his birthright and blessing, Jacob divided his household into two groups, hoping at least one might escape if Esau attacked. Jacob then prayed earnestly to God, acknowledging his unworthiness of God’s faithfulness (“mercies” and “truth”) and asking for deliverance from Esau. He reminded God of the promise to make his descendants as numerous as the sand. As a strategic gesture, Jacob sent waves of generous gifts ahead to Esau — goats, sheep, camels, cattle, and donkeys — hoping to appease his brother. That night, after sending his wives, children, and possessions across the Jabbok River, Jacob remained alone. A mysterious man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man couldn't overpower Jacob, he touched Jacob’s hip socket, wrenching it. Despite his injury, Jacob refused to let go until the man blessed him. The man renamed Jacob as “Israel,” meaning “he who struggles with God,” acknowledging that Jacob had wrestled with God and with humans and had prevailed. Jacob named the place “Penuel” or “Peniel” (meaning ”facing God”), saying, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” As the sun rose, Jacob limped away because of his injured hip.