Father AbrahamSample

Arrangement of the Abraham Material: Genesis 11:10-25:18

As we might expect at the beginning of the patriarch’s life, Moses’ record begins with Abraham’s background and early experiences with God. This section includes: Abraham’s favored lineage, his failing father, and his migration to Canaan. These chapters explain how Abraham entered into his special relationship with God by focusing on his family’s background and his initial migration to the Promised Land.

The second cluster of episodes in Abraham’s life concentrates on Abraham’s earlier contacts with other peoples in 12:10 though 14:24. It includes his deliverance from Egypt, his conflict with Lot, and his rescue of Lot. These three episodes hold together because they concentrate primarily on Abraham’s encounters and interactions with representatives of several groups of people. In these chapters the patriarch dealt primarily with the Pharaoh of Egypt, his nephew Lot, invading kings, the king of Sodom and Melchizedek the king of Salem. 

The third and central section of Abraham’s life focuses on Abraham’s covenant relationship with God in 15:1–17:27. This portion of the patriarch’s life consists of three episodes: Abraham’s covenant promises, Abraham’s failure with Hagar, and Abraham’s covenant requirements. 

The fourth section, which appears in 18:1–21:34, turns to Abraham’s later contacts with other peoples. These chapters hold together primarily because they concentrate on Abraham’s interactions with other groups of people. These chapters describe Abraham in relation to Sodom and Gomorrah. We find Abraham’s intercession for Abimelech, Abraham in relationship with Isaac and Ishmael, and Abraham’s treaty with Abimelech. These four episodes further illustrate how the patriarch interacted with Lot and his family, as well as how he related to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and to the Philistine Abimelech. 

As we might expect, the fifth and final section of the patriarch’s life in 22:1–25:18, deals with matters toward the end of Abraham’s life, especially with his progeny and death. It records how God tested Abraham. It records Abraham’s purchase of burial property. It records how Abraham found a wife for his son Isaac. And it also records Abraham’s death. These chapters focus on Abraham’s wife Sarah and her son Isaac (the true heir of Abraham), giving them honor over Abraham’s other wives and their sons.