If you are looking for the beginning of this study you can start HERE with the brief introduction. At the bottom of that introduction will be the links to each section of the study guide as it becomes available. For this study the English Standard Version is the translation that is being utilized and you can read it online HERE or pick up the copy of your choice from Amazon or your local book store. I find THIS EDITION to be useful for deep study and annotation.
Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)
Who is Hagar and where is she from? (16:1)
Why does Sarah get angry with Hagar? (16:4)
Who appears to Hagar in the wilderness? (16:7)
What does Hagar call Yahweh? (16:13)
How long is the Abrahamic covenant to last? (17:7)
What is the sign of the Abrahamic covenant? (17:10)
What is to be the name of the promised son of the covenant? (17:15)
How old was Abraham when he received the sign of circumcision? (17:24)
Where is Abraham staying when he is visited by “three men”? (18:1-3)
What does Abraham do on behalf of the righteous in Sodom? (18:22-33)
Where is Lot when the two angels meet him? (19:1)
How many men of the city of Sodom come to lay hold of Lot’s guests? (19:4)
What do the angels do to the men at Lot’s door to protect Lot? (19:11)
What happens to Sodom and Gomorrah? (19:23-25)
How do Lot’s daughters become pregnant? (19:30-38)
What happens in Gerar? (Ch. 20)
Logic Questions: (The Interpretation of the Text)
How might we be able to tell that the Abrahamic covenant is not merely about being a physical descendant of Abraham? (17:15-21)
What indications are there that the “three men” in chapter 18 are not merely men? Who are they?
Why does Sarah laugh at the idea that she will bear a child? (18:10-15)
Why does Yahweh decide to let Abraham in on the plans he has to destroy Sodom? (18:16-21)
According to what virtue does Abraham appeal to Yahweh that he might not destroy the righteous in Sodom? (18:25)
The text says, “Bot Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” (19:26) What might we infer from this verse about Lot? What might we infer about his wife?
What does Gen. 19:31 seem to suggest Lot’s daughters believed?
Abimelech says he acted “in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands” (20:5) when he took Sarah to be his wife. God acknowledges the truth of this (20:6) but Abimelech had still been under a curse for his actions (c.f. 20:17-18). What might we learn from all of this about sin and honest intentions?
Why does Abimelech give Abraham “a thousand pieces of silver”? (20:16)
What is the most important key term in Genesis 16-20? (Look for repetition)
Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of the Text)
Abraham interceded on behalf of the righteous in Sodom. How might we intercede on behalf of the righteous in our own day? What does that look like? (18:20-33)
In what ways did Lot act righteously and in what ways did he not? (Gen. 19)
Did Abraham sin in his dealing with Abimelech? If so, why does God still bless him and increase his wealth? If not, why is this not sinful? (Gen. 20)
Does God still bring calamity against wicked people, and nations in our own day? Defend your answer.
What does it mean to be “righteous”?
Theological Analysis: (Scripture Interprets Scripture)
Read Romans 9:6-13 and compare this to Genesis 17. Why is it important that Isaac is the one to whom God extends the continuation of the covenant and not Ishmael?
Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16. How does this speak to why Ishmael is circumcised (Gen. 17:25) even though he is not the child of the promise?
Why does Lot refer to the men of Sodom’s desire to “know” the visitors in his house as “wicked”? Consider Gen 4:1, 4:17, and 4:25 in your answer.
Read 2 Peter 2:4-10. How does this inform us about Lot? How might it change your perspective on the account of Genesis 18-19?
Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)
Wilderness vs. Civilization, Hospitality, Justice, Humility, Unbelief