About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand.  In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form. 

The book of Genesis was written by Moses. It is divided into three main parts.  1) God creates the universe and the first man and woman    2)God destroys the earth with a flood but saves Noah, his family, and the animals 3)God chooses Abraham and his descendants to be a great nation.

Genesis 17-20
Abraham and the men of his household are circumcised
God promises that Sarah will have a baby
God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 17

Abram gets a new name.  He and the men of his household are circumcised. 

When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord talked to him.  He again told Abram that he would have many descendants.  God told Abram that he would have a new name.  His new name would be Abraham.  The name Abraham means "father of many nations".
[1] And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
[2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
[3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
[4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
[5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

God told Abraham that many new nations and kings would come from him.  God's promise would be kept with all of Abraham's descendants. They would be given the land of Canaan, and God would be their God.  God gave instructions to Abraham for circumcision.  It would be an outward sign of God's promise to Abraham and his descendants.  Circumcision is surgery performed on males only.  It is cutting away the foreskin on the male organ. 
[6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
[7 ] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
[8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
[9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
[10 ] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
[11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Every male in Abraham's group who was older than 8 days old was to be circumcised.
[12 ] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
[13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
[14 ] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

God promises that Sarah will have a baby

God also changed Sarai's name to Sarah. God promised that Sarah would have a baby boy. She would be the mother of nations. Abraham laughed and thought about Sarah's age.  She was 90 years old.   Abraham asked God if Ishmael could be his heir.
[15] And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
[16 ] And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
[17 ] Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
[18] And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

God said no.  Sarah would have a son named Isaac, and he would be Abraham's heir. God also told the future for Ishmael.  He would also have many descendants, including twelve princes, and a great nation. God said that Sarah's son would be Isaac and that His covenant would be with Isaac and his descendants.
[19 ] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
[20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
[21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
[22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Later the same day, Abraham, Ishmael, and all of the men in Abraham's household were circumcised.  At that time, Ishmael was 13 years old. 
[23 ] And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
[24] And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[25] And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[26] In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
[27] And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

Genesis 18

God and two angels visit Abraham and Sarah
 

From: http://www.tstl.net

 On a very hot day, Abraham was sitting in the door of this tent.  He saw 3 men come to his tent.  He treated them well and made a meal for them.  One of the visitors was God, and the other two were angels.
[1] And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
[2 ] And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
[3] And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
[4] Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
[5 ] And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
[6] And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
[7] And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
[8 ] And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

Woodcut by Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, originally printed in Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden.  From:  www.wels.net

 The angel said that Sarah would have a son. Sarah heard what he said, and she laughed to herself.  The Lord asked Abraham why Sarah had laughed.  He said that nothing is too hard for God.  Sarah said she didn't laugh, but God told her that He knew that she did laugh.
[9] And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
[10 ] And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
[11] Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
[12] Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
[13] And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
[14 ] Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
[15] Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

The Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah

God and the angels were leaving Abraham's tent and were traveling to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. These two cities were the home of many, many bad and wicked people.  God decided to tell Abraham that they planned to destroy the two cities.
[16] And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
[17] And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
[18] Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
[19 ] For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Abraham's nephew, Lot, and his family lived in Sodom.  Abraham talked to God about His plan to destroy the cities.  Abraham asked God if He would save the cities if there were at least 50 good people living there.  God said that if there were at least 50 good people there, He would save the cities. Abraham continued to ask God to save Sodom. He asked God if there were at least 45, 40, 20, or 10 good people living there, would Sodom be saved.  God agreed that if there were at least 10 good and righteous people in Sodom, He would not destroy it.
[20] And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
[21 ] I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
[22] And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
[23] And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
[24 ] Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
[25 ] That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
[26] And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
[27] And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
[28 ] Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
[29] And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
[30] And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
[31 ] And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
[32] And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
[33] And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 19


God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah


The two angels who visited Abraham with God traveled to Sodom.  Lot was at the city gate and invited them to stay at his house.  They said they would sleep in the city square, but Lot insisted that they stay with him.  At that time in history, it was important for people to be good to travelers.
[1 ] And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
[2] And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
[3] And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

In the evening, the men of Sodom came to Lot's house.  They demanded that Lot send the visitors outside.  The men of Sodom wanted to have sex with them.  Lot begged the men not to behave that way. He offered to send his 2 daughters out to them.
[4] But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
[5] And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
[6] And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
[7] And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
[8 ] Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

The men tried to get into Lot's house, but the 2 angels made the men blind so they couldn't find the door.
[9] And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
[10] But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
[11 ] And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

The angels told Lot to take his family and leave Sodom because the Lord was going to destroy it.  Lot told his sons-in-law to hurry and leave, but they though he was joking.
[12 ] And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
[13] For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
[14] And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

The next morning, the angels told Lot to hurry and leave.  Lot was slow so the angels took Lot, his wife, and his 2 daughters and set them outside the city.  They told them to go to the mountains. They also told them they should not look back at the city.
[15] And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
[16 ] And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
[17 ] And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

Lot didn't want to live in the mountains, so he asked if he and his family could go to the small city of Zoar.
[18] And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
[19 ] Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
[20] Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
[21 ] And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
[22 ] Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
[23] The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

God made it rain fire and brimstone (hot rocks) on the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities were destroyed and were on fire. The angels had warned Lot not to look back at the bad cities.  But his wife looked back.  As soon as she looked back, she became a pillar of salt (like a statue made of salt).
[24] Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
[25] And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
[26] But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.




 

Painting by John Martin who lived from  1789 to 1854, "Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah" in the Laing Gallery. From Jesuswalk.com

Abraham could see the fire of the 2 destroyed, burning cities from his home in the spot where he had talked to God. 
[27] And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:
[28 ] And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

Before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He remembered Abraham.  He saved Abraham's brother, Lot.
[29] And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

Lot changed his mind and decided to leave the city of Zoar and move to the mountains.  He and his 2 daughters lived in a cave.
[30 ] And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

Lot's daughters

Lot's daughters were worried that they would not have husbands because many men died in Sodom and Gomorrah.  They made a plan to have children.  They gave their father wine, and he got drunk.  Then they had sexual relations with him and became pregnant.
[31] And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
[32] Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
[33 ] And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
[34] And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our Father.
[35] And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
[36] Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

The oldest daughter's baby was named Moab.  He became the father of the Moabite people.  The youngest daughter's baby was named Ben-Ammi. He became the father of the Ammonite people.
[37] And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
[38 ] And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Genesis 20


Abraham and Sarah travel to Gerar


Abraham and Sarah traveled to Gerar.  Abimelech was the king of Gerar.  Abraham did the same thing that he did in Egypt in the past.  He told  the king that Sarah was his sister. Sarah was very beautiful, and the king wanted Sarah to be his wife.
[1] And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
[2] And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

God spoke to Abimelech in a dream.  He told him that Sarah was already married.  Abimelech explained that he thought Sarah was Abraham's sister. God told him to send Sarah back to Abraham.
[3 ] But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
[4] But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
[5 ] Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
[6] And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
[7 ] Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

Abimelech asked Abraham why he had lied about Sarah.  Abraham said that he didn't realize Gerar was a good place.  He was afraid he would be killed if someone wanted Sarah and knew he was her husband.  Abraham told Abimelech that Sarah was actually his half-sister. They had the same father but not the same mother. 
[8] Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
[9 ] Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
[10] And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
[11] And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
[12] And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
[13 ] And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

Abimelech gave Abraham gifts and told him that he could live anywhere in Gerar that he wanted.
[14 ] And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
[15] And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
[16 ] And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.

Abraham prayed to God about Abimelech, and God healed Abimelech's wife and female servants.  Before that time, they had no children.  After God healed them, they had many children. 
[17] So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
[18] For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.