Pharaoh has two troubling dreams, and the cupbearer remembers Joseph. Joseph is brought from prison, interprets Pharaoh’s dreams as seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, and is placed in charge of Egypt’s preparations.

Joseph oversees the storage of grain during the years of plenty. When famine spreads across the region, people come to Egypt for food.

Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy grain, keeping Benjamin behind. Joseph recognizes his brothers when they arrive, but they do not recognize him.

He accuses them of being spies, questions them about their family, and imprisons them briefly. Simeon is kept behind, and the others are sent home with grain and instructions to return with their youngest brother.

Back in Canaan, the brothers tell Jacob what happened, carrying both food and fear as the famine continues.

Judah separates from his brothers and starts a family. His sons marry, but after the deaths of her husbands, Tamar is left without protection. Disguised, she becomes pregnant by Judah, and Tamar gives birth to twin sons.

The narrative then returns to Joseph in Egypt. He is sold to Potiphar, an Egyptian official, and rises in responsibility within his household.

After being falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph is imprisoned. Even in prison, Joseph is put in charge of others. He meets Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, who each have dreams. Joseph interprets their dreams, and events unfold exactly as he said, though Joseph is left behind when the cupbearer is restored to his position.

Jacob returns to Bethel, where he builds an altar and God confirms his name as Israel. Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, dies, and Rachel later gives birth to Benjamin but dies in childbirth. Isaac also dies and is buried by Esau and Jacob.

The story then turns to Joseph, one of Jacob’s younger sons, who is loved deeply by his father and given a special garment.

Joseph has dreams that place him above his brothers, which increases their resentment. While out tending their father’s flocks, Joseph’s brothers plot against him.

They strip him of his garment and sell him to passing traders, who take him to Egypt. Joseph is separated from his family, and his brothers return home carrying the weight of what they have done.

In Gen. 32–34, Jacob prepares to face his brother, Esau and wrestles with God. He emerges a changed man and is renamed Israel.

Reconciliation follows, Esau forgives his brother and the long standing tension between them dissolves.

Jacob settles down with his household and his sons carry out a brutal judgement in their sister’s defense.

Conflict, competition, and blessing continue. Jacob’s family grows rapidly, even amid rivalry and manipulation. God prospers Jacob despite unfair treatment.

Eventually, Jacob leaves Laban, marking a turning point as God leads him back toward home and unresolved relationships.

In Gen. 27–29, deception shapes the family story.

Esau trades his birthright for a plate of lentil stew, and Jacob steals Esau’s blessing.

Jacob on the run, God meets with him, reminding him that the promise He made to Abraham still stands.

Jacob enters Laban’s household, where he experiences deception himself, beginning a long season of growth and consequence.

Esau and Jacob are born, and from the start, tension marks their relationship, pointing to two nations moving in different directions.

God’s promise continues through Isaac, who experiences both blessing and fear as he navigates famine, conflict, and his own mistakes.

Even when Isaac fails, God remains faithful, reaffirming that His covenant moves forward by His commitment, not human perfection.

Faith reaches its deepest test as Abraham is asked to offer Isaac. His obedience reveals deep trust in God, and God provides a substitute, sparing Isaac and reaffirming His covenant.

We also see Abraham’s integrity when he insists on paying for land to bury Sarah, even though God has already promised him Canaan.

In Genesis 24, the focus shifts to the next generation, God continues to guide Abraham’s offspring, even in the ordinary details of life.

Not one righteous person is found in Sodom and Gomorrah. God destroys the city along with all the perversion in it, but He preserves Lot.

Isaac is finally born, proving God’s promise was never delayed, only fulfilled in His timing.

Ishmael is sent away, but God shows care for him too, a reminder that God’s word is His integrity and that His mercy reaches beyond the main storyline.

God’s promise to Abraham is tested by impatience and human effort, Hagar and Ishmael enter the story as a result of this.

Abraham and his wife struggle with the tension between trusting God and trying to help Him along. Yet God remains faithful, He reaffirms His covenant, renames Abram and Sarai, and promises a son through Sarah.

In Genesis 18, God’s nearness stands out as He listens, speaks, and reveals both mercy and justice.