This week we are discussing the Patriarchs who are found in the Torah (Pentateuch section of the Hebrew Bible.

In this forum,  we are discussing Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's 12 sons

Discussion Prompt
Your required original post as two parts but you are only posting ONE original post.

Part 1 Reflect on the following statement in a minimum of 100 words. (detailed explanation of shared heritage is in the PowerPoint for the week)

“If Jews, Christians, and Muslims really understood their shared heritage, perhaps there would be less conflict in the world.” First discuss the extent of their shared heritage, and then discuss how knowledge of this shared heritage might or might not bring increased respect and cooperation between followers of the three religions.

Part 2 - Provide answers to TWO of the following sets of discussion questions

Genesis 12-19 - Promises Made to Abraham, Sarah and Abraham
Genesis 16       - Hagar and Ishmael
Genesis 18  - Importance of Hospitality and story of Lot
Genesis 21-22  - Isaac
Genesis 24  - Isaac & Rebekah
Genesis 25:19-28:9    -Jacob and Esau – Rivals from the Start
Genesis 28:10-22 - Jacob's dream
Genesis 29-33 - Jacob Marries and Has Children
Genesis 34 - Revenge for Dinah
Genesis 37 - Joseph and his brothers
Genesis 38 - Tamar and Family Obligations
Genesis 39-41  -Joseph’s Time in Egypt – Interacting with the Pharaoh
Genesis 42-44 - Joseph’s Time in Egypt – Interacting with his brothers
Genesis 45-47 - Joseph reveals himself
Genesis 48 - Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons
Genesis 49-50  - Jacob Gathers his Sons, Jacob’s death, Joseph’s death

 
 Promises Made to Abraham
Genesis 12:1-4 - What does Yahweh promise Abram?
Genesis 17 - What is new covenant Yahweh makes with Abram?
Genesis 16 and 21:13 What promise does Yahweh make to Abraham with regard to what will happen to Abraham’s first born son, Ishmael, once Isaac (son of Abraham’s wife) is born?

 

Hagar and Ishmael
Genesis 16 - How does Hagar end up being the mother of Abraham’s first born son, Ishmael?
Genesis 21:8-22 - What are the details of the lives of Hagar and Ishmael after the birth if Isaac?
Genesis 21:13 - What promise does Yahweh make to Abraham with regard to what will happen to Ishmael, once Isaac (son of Abraham’s wife) is born?

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Importance of Hospitality and destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah
Genesis 18:1-10 - establishes the ideal of hospitality. From this example, explain what it means to be a good host.
Genesis 19 explain how the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah is Yahweh’s punishment for the behavior of men of the town whose actions violate the code of hospitality.  

 

 Isaac
Genesis 21-22 - at this point, there are no discussion options for these reading

Isaac & Rebekah
Genesis 24 - at this point, there are no discussion options for these reading

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Jacob and Esau – Rivals from the Start
Genesis 25:19-28-9 - What is Esau skilled at and what how is Jacob described. Which son does Isaac favor and which son does Rebekah favor? What is the difference between the birthright and the blessing. Why are these important to Jacob?  

 

Jacob's dream
Genesis 28:10-22 - What was Jacob’s dream after he left, and did YAHWEH tell Jacob? What did Jacob say about his experience. How did Jacob memorialize his encounter? What did he ask of YAHWEH, and what did he promise in return?

 

Jacob Marries and Has Children
Genesis 29-33 – How does Jacob end up with Rachel as his wife? Discuss the parentage of Jacob’s 12 sons and 1 daughter (Gen 35:23 can help here). Speculate why is Joseph the favorite son, given who his mother is? Who is the youngest offspring of Jacob?

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Revenge for Dinah
Genesis 34 - What has Shechem done that is so offensive to Jacob and his sons? What is the ‘price’ that Dinah’s brothers demand? What is the ultimate fate of Shechem and his family?

Joseph and his brothers
Genesis 37 - Why did Jacob love Joseph more than his other sons and how do Joseph’s brother feel toward him? Summarize Joseph’s dreams. Why do the dreams upset his brothers, and what do the brothers do to Joseph?

 

Tamar and Family Obligations
Genesis 38 -
Realize that the Judah in this story is one of Jacob’s 12 sons, so the story appears to be out of chronological order as Judah does not seem old enough at this point in the story line to be a grandfather.  What are the names of Judah three sons? Who is married to Tamar? What happens to the 1st 2 sons and why?  What does Judah promise to Tamar? Is that promise fulfilled? What does Tamar do? What is Judah’s reaction? What insight does this story give readers into the importance of offspring?  What insight does this story give readers  about marriage expectations for brothers when a man with a wife dies? This is called a levirate marriage.

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Joseph’s Time in Egypt – Interacting with the Pharaoh
Genesis 39 -How does Joseph land in jail? Who is still protecting him?
Genesis 40 - How did Joseph aid the cupbearer and the baker? How did these two men reward Joseph for his assistance?
Genesis 41 - What is Pharaoh’s dream. What is Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream? How does Pharaoh reward Joseph for his dream interpretation?

 Joseph’s Time in Egypt – Interacting with his brothers
Genesis 42- What happens when the sons of Israel go to Pharaoh seeking food during the famine? What  are Joseph’s orders concerning his brothers as they prepare to head for home? Apply the facts of this chapter to the dream of Joseph in Gen. 37.
Genesis 43 - How are the brothers treated by Joseph on their second trip to Egypt? Make sure you read carefully Gen. 43:28-29. What is the general attitude amongst the brothers at the end of the chapter?
Genesis 44 - What are Joseph’s orders (all of them) to his servants upon the departure of his brothers? Summarize Judah’s words to Joseph, Gen. 44:18-34.

 

 

Joseph reveals himself
Genesis 45 & 46 - After Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, what new instructions does he give them? What instructions does Pharaoh issue to the brothers?
Genesis 47 - What land does Pharaoh give to Jacob and his family?
Genesis 47:11-31 Given this example of Joseph’s skill as an administrator, what skills does Joseph have? What is it that he has done well?

 

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Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons
Genesis 48 - How is the pattern discussed in Gen. 48:14-22 significant as a recurring theme? Genesis 48 – How does this passage explain the fact that when the Promised Land is divided among the 12 tribes of Israel (Jacob’s 12 sons) that the land is divided into 13 areas?

 

Jacob Gathers his Sons, Jacob’s death, Joseph’s death
Genesis 49 -  List the 12 sons of Jacob and identify each son in Israel’s poem. What is the supposed fate of each? (don’t get too hung-up on details here – general statements are fine). Where does Jacob wished to be buried?Genesis 50 - What is it to “keen,” Gen. 50:4? How does Joseph choose to interpret the evil done to him by his brothers? What are Joseph’s instructions to his brothers as he is about to die?

 

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