Abraham was from a Mesopotamian city of Ur (present day Iraq), and was called by God to leave his home. God said that he was to travel west to Canaan.
There was a divine promise from God concerning this.
Abraham then becomes convinced that God wants him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham and Isaac travel to the place that his son is to be sacrificed at and suddenly, God intervenes. Isaac is spared and a ram is sacrificed in his place.
When the time comes, Abraham decides that Isaac should have a wife and sets out to find one. He succeeds and her name is Rebekah.
Isaac and Rebekah have two sons named Jacob and Esau. Esau being the older of the two, has a birthright which he sells for food because he is starving. Jacob now has the birthright. Isaac is going to give Esau the blessing but Rebekah who favors Jacob, decides to trick her husband into giving Jacob the blessing. Esau is away hunting which gives Rebekah and Jacob time to attain the blessing. In the end, Jacob does get the blessing and his brother is furious, so Rebekah sends Jacob away because she fears for his safety.
While Jacob is away he comes to his Uncle Laban’s house and falls in love with his daughter, Rachel. He agrees to work for Laban seven years in exchange for his marriage to Rachel. After the time has passed, Jacob marries who he thinks is Rachel. Notice how I say “thinks”. The woman who he actually married was Rachel’s sister, Leah. Laban then makes an excuse and says that Jacob must work seven more years in order to marry Rachel. He agrees, marries Rachel, and goes back home. Luckily, Jacob and Esau reconcile.
Jacob had twelve sons but favored one. His name was Joseph. Joseph was clearly loved more than his brothers, and this hurt them. They became angry and sold their brother into slavery. Joseph’s new home becomes Egypt. Eventually Joseph is taken out of captivity because he can interpret dreams. He interprets the pharaoh’s dream and comes to the conclusion that a famine is coming. He is given a position of authority, and sets out preparing for the famine so that they will not die.
The famine causes many to seek safety in Egypt. Among these people are Joseph’s brothers, whom he forgives.
The Hebrews then lived in harmony with Egypt for a long while until, the pharaoh ruling at that time dies. Now, a new pharaoh is in control and enslaves the Hebrews because he fears their numbers. He also starts killing the baby boys, but one escapes. He is set in the river by his mother and miraculously, is found by Pharaoh’s daughter. She names him Moses and raises him as her own son.
As Moses grows up, he begins hanging around the Hebrews. One day, he sees one of the Egyptian overseers beating a Hebrew slave. This stirs up Moses’ emotions (more like boils them) and he kills the overseer. He is afraid and runs away.
After this he becomes a shepherd until God, in the form of a burning bush, tells him to go back. Moses demands that pharaoh let his people go. Pharaoh does not listen, so God sends plagues. Pharaoh does not listen until God sends the angel of death to kill all of the Egyptian firstborn. Pharaoh allows the Hebrews to leave but changes his mind. God parts the Red Sea so that the Hebrews could cross on dry land, but sends the waters crashing down upon the approaching chariots.
The now free Hebrew people, eventually reach Sinai. Moses goes up Mt. Sinai to talk with the Lord. He comes down with the law of Moses, and sees that the people are worshipping a golden calf. Moses is furious and throws the tablets down. They are rewritten and put in the Ark of the Covenant.
When the Hebrews reach Canaan the cities appear well protected and they are afraid to take it. God is angry and will not let them take possession of Canaan at the moment.
He has them wander around the desert for 40 years and then they complain. He tells Moses to strike a rock in order to find a spring. Moses does not follow God’s exact instructions and is not allowed to enter Canaan.
Moses nears his death and gives control to a man named Joshua. Who does in the end, conquer Canaan.
