Speak The Word Only

Genesis 17 takes place approximately thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael. Abram is now ninety-nine years old, and the LORD appears to him declaring: “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” — Genesis 17:1 KJV The title Almighty God — El Shaddai emphasizes God's sufficiency and power. Abram and Sarai had attempted to address their childlessness through Hagar in Genesis 16, but Genesis 17 brings the focus back to what God Himself had promised to accomplish . God confirms His covenant with Abram and changes his name from Abram to Abraham , declaring that he will become “a father of many nations.” God promises that kings will come from him and that the covenant will continue through his descendants. God also establishes circumcision as the sign of the covenant . Every male in Abraham's household was to be circumcised, including those born in his house and those acquired from outside his family. Then God changes Sarai's name to Sarah and declares th...

Genesis 16 takes place after God had promised Abram that an heir would come from his own body and that his descendants would become as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:4–5). Yet Sarai remained barren , and the promised son had not yet been born. After Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years , Sarai proposed that Abram have a child through her Egyptian handmaid, Hagar . Abram agreed, and Hagar conceived. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, tension developed between the two women. Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, and Hagar fled into the wilderness. There, beside a fountain of water on the way to Shur , the angel of the LORD found Hagar. He asked: “Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?” — Genesis 16:8 KJV Hagar was instructed to return and was given a promise concerning her descendants. She was told that she would bear a son and call his name Ishmael , because: “the LORD hath heard thy affliction.” — Genesis 16:11 KJV Hagar responded to this divine enco...

 Genesis 15 takes place after Abram’s victory in Genesis 14. Abram had rescued Lot, defeated the invading kings, received the blessing of Melchizedek, and refused the riches offered by the king of Sodom. After these events, the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision : “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” — Genesis 15:1 KJV Although Abram had received great promises from God, one major problem remained: he had no child . Abram questioned how God's promise of descendants could be fulfilled when Eliezer of Damascus appeared to be the heir of his household. God answered Abram directly. Eliezer would not be his heir. A son who would come from Abram himself would be his heir. God then brought Abram outside and told him to look toward heaven and count the stars, if he were able: “So shall thy seed be.” — Genesis 15:5 KJV Abram responded with faith: “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” — Genesis 15:6 KJV The chapter...

  Genesis 14 records the first major military conflict described in Scripture . A coalition of four eastern kings, led by Chedorlaomer king of Elam , went to war against five kings of the cities of the plain, including the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah . These cities had served Chedorlaomer for twelve years but rebelled in the thirteenth year. In the fourteenth year, Chedorlaomer and his allies invaded the region, defeating several peoples before confronting the rebellious kings in the vale of Siddim . The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated, and their cities were plundered. Lot, Abram's nephew, was living in Sodom , so he, his household, and his possessions were taken captive. When Abram heard that Lot had been captured, he armed 318 trained servants born in his own house and pursued the invading army. Abram and his men attacked by night, defeated them, and recovered Lot, the people, and the possessions . As Abram returned from victory, two kings came to meet him: the kin...

Genesis 13 continues Abram’s journey after his return from Egypt. Abram traveled back into the land of Canaan with Sarai, Lot, and the possessions he had acquired . Scripture emphasizes that Abram had become “very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2). Abram returned to the place between Bethel and Hai (Ai) where he had previously built an altar, and there he called upon the name of the LORD . Lot, who traveled with Abram, had also accumulated flocks, herds, and tents. Their possessions became so great that the land could not adequately support both households together. As a result, strife arose between Abram’s herdmen and Lot’s herdmen . Rather than allowing the conflict to grow, Abram sought peace. Although Abram was the elder and the one to whom God had given the promise, he allowed Lot to choose where he would live. Lot looked toward the well-watered plain of Jordan and chose it for himself. He journeyed east and eventually pitched his tent toward Sodom . Script...

  Genesis 12 marks a major turning point in the book of Genesis. Genesis 1–11 largely follows the history of humanity as a whole—Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the nations, and Babel. Beginning in Genesis 12, Scripture focuses particularly upon Abram , whom God calls to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house. The LORD gives Abram a remarkable promise: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” — Genesis 12:2 KJV God also promises that through Abram “all families of the earth” will be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This covenant promise becomes foundational to the remainder of Genesis and ultimately points forward to God's redemptive purpose through Abraham's seed. Abram obeys and departs from Haran at seventy-five years old , taking Sarai, Lot, their possessions, and the people associated with their household. When Abram arrives in Canaan, the LORD appears to him and promises: “Unto thy s...

Genesis 10 is often called the Table of Nations because it records the descendants of Noah’s three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—after the flood . Through these family lines, Scripture explains how Noah’s descendants developed into families, peoples, territories, and nations. The chapter follows naturally after Genesis 9, where God commanded Noah and his sons to “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Genesis 10 begins showing the fulfillment of that command. The chapter is arranged primarily around three family lines: Japheth — Genesis 10:2–5 His descendants spread into various lands and are described according to their lands, languages, families, and nations. Ham — Genesis 10:6–20 Ham’s sons were Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan . This section also introduces Nimrod , the son of Cush, who became a mighty figure upon the earth. His kingdom began with Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar . Shem — Genesis 10:21–31 Shem’s descendants are partic...