The First Five Books
History of the Pentateuch
 Pentateuch means five scrolls in Greek
 It consists of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy
 The Jewish name for these books is the Torah, which
means the Law. It is more than just the 10
Commandments.
 Authorship is believed to be with Moses, supporting
evidence for this occurs in Deut. 31:24-26
 Other references include: Exodus 17:14; 23:3-4; 34:27
Num. 33:2; Deut. 31:9
History of the Pentateuch
 Authors from these books also give credit to Moses for
authorship: Joshua, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah
 Authorship evidence is also found in the New
Testament, such as Matthew 8:4, Luke 2:22, Mark 1:44,
John 1:17 and many more books do as well.
 As we know, Moses was Egyptian educated, he was
being raised by Egyptian royalty to rule.
 There are many Egyptian names, words, phrases, and
references to plants and animal life as well as
geographical notations.
Genesis- “In the beginning…..”
 Genesis- Greek for beginning
 Genesis can be divided into 3 eras
 The first two are Creation and Failure, which are
covered in Chapter s 1-11
 The third is Promise, which begins in Chapter 12 with
the call of Abram by God and ends with Jacob’s family
safely dwelling in Egypt (1876 BC)
 Moses is believed to have written Genesis while
leading the people of Israel in the wilderness(14461406 BC)
Genesis- “In the beginning…..”
 In Creation God created for six days and rested on the
seventh day.
 Day 1- Light
 Day2- Water, Sky
 Day 3- Land, Vegetation
 Day 4- Sun, Moon, Stars
 Day 5- Fish, Birds
 Day 6- Animals, people
 Day 7- God rests
Genesis- “In the beginning…..”
 Eve is deceived by the Serpent(Satan) and eats of the
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fruit and gives the fruit to Adam.
Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden.
God promises a future deliverer (3:15)
God covers their nakedness through a sacrifice of an
animal’s life. (3:21)
Sin continues to spread throughout creation.
Cain kills his brother Abel
Seth is born and people begin calling on the name of
the Lord.
Genesis- “In the beginning…..”
 In the line of Seth, two notables: Enoch and
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Methusalah
Enoch was taken to heaven without dying.
Methuselah was the oldest person in the Bible (969)
In the midst of wickedness, “Noah found favor in the
eyes of the Lord” (6:8)
Noah builds an ark (boat) for the “Great Flood” or
Deluge and saves his family as well as some animals.
God promises to never destroy all flesh again and
makes a covenant with Noah through a rainbow.
Genesis- “In the beginning…..”
 The messiah will end up coming from the line of
Shem, which is Noah’s son.
 After the flood, people build a tower (Tower of Babel)
to rival God.
 God destroys the tower and scatters the people
throughout the earth.
 Then in Chapter 12 begins the story of Abraham.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 God calls Abram (Abraham) to go to an unknown land,
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where he will experience God’s blessing.
Abraham goes to Canaan with Sarai (Sarah), his
nephew Lot and their herds.
Abraham and Lot’s herds grow too big and they
separate.
God makes a covenant with Abram and tells him he
will have a son from his own flesh. Sarai is barren and
cannot have children.
Sarai convinces Abram to have a child with Hagar her
maidservant.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 Hagar has a son named Ishmael.
 God confirms his covenant with Abram and Sarai by
changing their names to Abraham and Sarah.
 The covenant is sealed with a blood covenant by
circumcision. All of the males of his household must
be circumcised. (Abraham was 99 years old.)
 Three angelic visitors come to Abraham and confirm
God’s promise of Sarah having a child.
 The visitors also tell him that Sodom and Gomorrah
will be destroyed.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed, but Lot and his
family are spared. (His wife turns to a pillar of salt.)
 Isaac is born to Sarah; Hagar and Ishmael are sent
away. (This begins the ongoing feud between Muslims
and Jews up to present day).
 God tests Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham shows
his faith so that God will fulfill His promise.
 Sarah Dies
 Abraham sends a servant to find a wife for Isaac, the
servant brings back Rebekah.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 Abraham dies
 Rebekah has twin boys, Esau and Jacob.
 Esau is born first and Jacob second (birthright).
 Jacob tricks Esau into giving up his birthright.
 Jacob then gets his father Isaac to bless him, Esau
threatens to kill Jacob and then Jacob runs away.
 Jacob goes to his Uncle’s house Laban.
 On the way to Laban’s house, Jacob has a dream and
God restates his promise that he made to Abraham.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 Jacob marries Leah and Rachel.
 He has eleven sons by Leah, Rachel and their
maidservants.
 Jacob leaves Laban to return home.
 Jacob is met by Esau and they reconcile their
differences.
 Leah’s daughter Dinah is raped by Shechem.
 Dinah’s brothers Levi and Simeon kill every male in
the city of Shechem.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, Jacob’s 12th son.
 Jacob moves back to childhood home, Isaac dies.
 Esau moves away, his descendants become the nation
of Edom.
 Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers.
 Joseph goes to Egypt.
 Jacob is heart broken over the loss.
 Joseph is accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into
prison.
Genesis- “Father of a Great Nation”
 Joseph interprets the pharaoh’s dreams and raised to ruler
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of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.
He saves the nation of Egypt from a famine.
Joseph is reunited with his family as a result of the famine.
Joseph promises not to take revenge on his brothers.
Jacob blesses all his sons in addition to Manasseh and
Ephraim (Joseph’s sons).
Joseph prophesies that his people will return to the
Promised Land one day, and he makes his brothers promise
that their descendants will bring his bones back with them.