Latest Commentaries

The people wanted to build a city and a tower in order to make a name for themselves. They did not want to be scattered over the whole earth, as God had commanded.

At this time there was only one language used worldwide. A group of people settled in the plain of Shinar where they learned to make bricks and use mortar to build.

God appeared and made the covenant with Abram. God again promises the land to Abram’s descendants and gives the details.

God shows Abram that Israel will be enslaved (in Egypt) for 400 years. Then they will return to the promised land. Abram is told he will live a good long life.

The covenant ceremony is prepared. God causes Abram to fall into a deep sleep.

God begins a covenant with Abram.

Abram believed God’s promise and because of his faith, God counted him righteous.

Abram questions God because he is still childless and without an heir. God reassures him.

Abram strongly refuses the King of Sodom’s offer. He takes nothing for himself, except for those with him to get their shares.

After all the battles and wars, the king priest Melchizedek blessed Abram, and Abram gave to Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils of the wars.

When Abram learned of Lot’s capture, he set out in pursuit with his allies. They pursued them a considerable distance, then defeated the kings and rescued Lot and the other captives as well as his possessions.

Lot was captured as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled to the hill country.

After conquering four cities, King Chedorlaomer and his three allies defeated two more in route to the Jordan plains. Then they engaged the five allied kings of the Jordan Valley.

Chedorlaomer had ruled the five cities of the plains of the Jordan Valley for 13 years. He defeats four of the five kings of the plains.

The Kings of the plains went to war with the kings from the east. It was four allied kings from the east against five allied kings on the plains (including Sodom and Gomorrah).

Exodus 12:43-51 contains more details about how and who could celebrate Passover. It was probably necessary to add these rules because so many non—Hebrews exited Egypt when they did. The main rule in this section is that only those who have been circumcised could celebrate Passover, and no one who was uncircumcised could eat the Passover meal. This means that if non— Hebrews wanted to celebrate Passover, they and all the males of the family needed to be circumcised first. This includes servants and sojourners alike.

Exodus 12:37-42 summarizes the exit from Egypt. Verse 37 itself is a turning point in the book of Exodus. Instead remaining in bondage in Egypt, the Israelites are now beginning their journey to freedom out of Egypt. With them go various other enslaved ethnic peoples, along with a great many livestock. They left so quickly, they could only make unleavened bread for food. The Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years.

Exodus 12:29-36 relates the coming of the tenth plague and its immediate aftermath. The time for judgment (on Egypt) and deliverance (for Israel) had come. The LORD Himself went through the land of Egypt at midnight and killed all of the firstborn, even Pharaoh’s. Pharaoh woke up, saw what had happened, and called Moses and Aaron and told them to leave Egypt with all their families and flocks. He also asked Moses for a final blessing.

Exodus 12:21-28 records what Moses did after receiving the description of what the LORD was about to do.

In preparation for the coming of the last plague, the LORD gave explicit instructions to Moses and Aaron about how to commemorate their deliverance by their LORD. It consisted of celebrating the Passover of the LORD when He would "pass over" the houses having the blood of a sacrificed animal on the door frame and not inflict the death of the firstborn on the household. They were to eat the Passover meal as a family. Along with this, they were instructed to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread after removing all leaven from their homes. They were to eat the unleavened bread for seven days, beginning and ending with a communal feast. The Passover and Unleavened feasts were to be celebrated every year from then on. It was to be a way for the people to be reminded of the LORD’s deliverance. The Feast of Unleavened Bread continues in the Church in the form of the LORD’s Supper, in which New Testament Christians are to remember that He delivered us from the power of sin and death.