Reading with Ben

Reading with Ben

By Ben LopezArtsBooks
Download on the App Store

Reading with Ben episodes

  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 34 and 35. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today April 16, 2022, and Episode #16!

    I'll continue the lecture with chapters 34 & 35.

    Genesis Chapter 34, Jacob and his family have settled within sight of the city of Shechem. They've purchased the land they occupy outside of the city from the city's ruler, Hamor (Genesis 33:18–19). These "Israelites" have found a home. Eventually, though, things go terribly wrong between the Shechemites and Jacob's family.

    Genesis Chapter 35, Jacob had been afraid of how other tribes would react to his sons' violent revenge. God sees to it that the local people respond with fear, instead, so that no one chases the family as they leave. Once they arrive at Bethel, Jacob obediently builds an altar to the Lord. He calls the place El-Bethel, meaning "God in Bethel." A passing reference is made to Deborah, the nurse of Jacob's mother, and her burial in this area. It's not clear if she has just died, or if this refers to some earlier event (Genesis 35:5–8).

    13 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 32 and 33. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today April 15, 2022, and Episode #15!

    I'll continue the lecture with chapters 32 & 33.

    Genesis chapter 32 Now returning to his homeland, Jacob could not know if Esau had forgiven him. Jacob begins by sending messengers to Esau to let him know he is back in the land, that he is wealthy, and that he hopes to find favor in Esau's sight. He calls Esau lord and himself Esau's servant (Genesis 32:1–5).


    Genesis chapter 33 Jacob makes one last-minute strategic choice before approaching his brother. He arranges his family into at least three distinct groups with some space between them. He places his two servant wives and their children at the front of the line. Next he places Leah and her children. Finally, he places his beloved Rachel and Joseph. Given that Jacob is going to approach Esau first, this is not a cowardly act, at all. It does, however, show Jacob's open favoritism, since Rachel and Joseph will have the easiest path of escape in case Esau becomes aggressive (Genesis 33:1–2).


    12 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 30 and 31. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today April 14, 2022, and Episode #14!

    I'll continue the lecture with chapters 230 & 31.

    Genesis 30 is characterized by sibling conflict between Jacob's wives, the birth of many more children under the blessing of God, and Jacob eventually achieving great wealth after striking an unusual bargain with his father-in-law.

    Genesis 31 is a long, eventful chapter that follows Jacob from his last days in a twenty-year career as Laban's servant. It ends with Jacob standing with his wives and children, as a free man, in the borderlands of the promised land of Canaan. It's not a smooth transition, though, and this chapter details several controversies.

    20 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 28 and 29. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today April 12, 2022, and Episode #13!

    I'll continue the lecture with chapters 28 & 29.

    Genesis 28 is the story of Jacob leaving home to begin his journey to Mesopotamia. Based on recent events, however, it would be more accurate to describe it as fleeing from his home. Jacob's brother Esau wants to kill him for cheating him out of Isaac's blessing (Genesis 27:41). No mention is made of that in this chapter, but this is the context driving Jacob's flight.

    Genesis 29 After his journey east, Jacob arrives at the home of Laban, his mother's brother. Laban lives in Haran in Mesopotamia, outside of the land God has promised to Abraham, Isaac and, in the previous chapter, to Jacob. Jacob had left his homeland in Canaan, both to find a wife among his father's people (Genesis 28:1–2) and to escape the murderous rage of his older twin brother, Esau (Genesis 27:41). Jacob's plan is to seek out the former household of his mother, Rebekah, and her brother, Laban.

    11 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 26 and 27. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today April 12, 2022, and Episode #12!

    I'll continue the lecture with chapters 26 & 27.

    Genesis 26 focuses on the Lord reassuring Isaac. God states that His relationship with Abraham, and its blessings, are for Isaac, as well. God appears to Isaac not once, but twice in this chapter. In both cases, the Lord restates and emphasizes the covenant promises He had made to Abraham and is now making to Isaac.

    Genesis 27, Isaac will have handed the family blessing down to his second-born, Jacob. This should seem unusual since Esau is technically the oldest and is entitled to that inheritance. At the start of the chapter, though, Isaac has no intention of doing so. Instead, Isaac sets out to confer the blessing on Esau, the firstborn of the two twins. Isaac is old and blind. He believes himself to be near the end of his life.

    18 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 24 and 25. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today April 11, 2022, and Episode #11!

    I'll continue the lecture with chapters 24 & 25.

    Genesis 24 describes in great detail how Rebekah came to be the wife of Abraham's son Isaac. The story begins with what sounds like a deathbed scene, though Abraham will apparently live another 35 years.

    Genesis 25 records the deaths of both Abraham and Ishmael, as well as the births of Jacob and Esau, and the purchase of the most expensive bowl of stew in history.

    19 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 22 and 23. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today I'll continue the lecture with chapters 22 & 23.

    Happy Sunday!


    Genesis Chapter 22, contains one of the most iconic stories in all of literature: Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son, Isaac. It's a troubling story for many, mostly because it is so often misunderstood. When read as part of the long, detailed story of Abraham, this is an event that reveals the depth of Abraham's trust in God, one of the qualities God values most in His people.

    Genesis Chapter 23, Abraham presents himself to them as a foreigner and a sojourner. He requests that they give him a piece of property to use as a burial place. Their response is gracious. They know Abraham well. They call him "a prince of God among [them]." Abraham was a foreigner, but he was also quite wealthy and clearly blessed by God in all he did.

    9 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 20 and 21. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today I'll continue the lecture with chapters 20 & 21.


    Genesis Chapter 20, a similar pattern emerges. Abraham and company pull up stakes at Mamre and move to a place called Gerar, south of Gaza. Once again, Abraham and Sarah lie: claiming they are brother and sister (Genesis 20:13). The intent is to disguise the fact that they are married. Again, the most powerful man in the region, King Abimelech, takes this supposedly unattached woman for one of his wives (Genesis 20:2).

    Genesis Chapter 21, begins with the long-awaited birth of the son God had promised to Abraham and Sarah. This is the child through whom God would make Abraham a great nation (Genesis 17:6–7).

    11 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 18 and 19. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today I'll continue the lecture with chapters 18 & 19.


    Genesis chapter 18, takes place not long after God's visit with Abraham in chapter 17. This visit from the Lord is quite different, however. It's not clear, at first, if Abraham even recognizes the three men who appear outside of his tent as the Lord and two angels in human form. In either case, Abraham runs to show them deep respect and hospitality. He tells Sarah to bake them bread and has a young calf slaughtered for them to eat as they rest in the heat of the day.

    Chapter chapter 19, is one of the most dramatic and shocking chapters in Genesis—which is saying something! The events recorded here reveal the utter wickedness of the people of Sodom. They display God's grace to Abraham in rescuing Lot and his family. They show God's readiness and ability to judge the sins of humanity. And, these verses display the lasting consequences of sin in the hearts of Lot and his daughters.

    15 min
  • The Book of Genesis Part 2 Chapters 15, 16 and 17. ESV Version.

    Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Today I'll continue the lecture with chapters 15, 16 & 17.


    Genesis chapter 15, consists entirely of an extended encounter between the Lord and Abram, the man who will later be renamed, Abraham. This concludes with the formal establishment of God's covenant promise to Abram: to give him and his descendants the land of Canaan.

    Genesis chapter 16, continues to follow the life of one of Israel's greatest patriarchs: Abram, who will soon be renamed Abraham. To this point, Abram and his wife Sarai are still childless, despite Abram being well over seventy-five years old (Genesis 12:4). In fact, at this point in the narrative, Abram is pushing ninety (Genesis 16:16)! In the prior chapter, Abram has voiced his concerns to God about the situation, and God has responded with a dramatic demonstration of His intentions.

    Genesis chapter 17, describes God's appearance to Abram, who is now 99 years old. Twenty-three years have passed since God first promised to make Abram a great nation and to give to him and to his descendants the land of Canaan. During that time, Abram and his large company have lived in different parts of the region. He has grown quite wealthy, and God has appeared to him several more times to restate and expand on the initial covenant promises.

    15 min

About Reading with Ben

From the publisher's feed

Hello everyone I'm glad to introduce myself in this first episode.