Abraham -- called out of Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan, there to found a great nation, a blessing to all peoples.

Isaac -- his son, taken to be sacrificed by his father, until God provided a substitute.

Jacob -- Isaac's son, the schemer who cheated his older brother of his birthright but whose thigh (and heart) was broken as he wrestled all night with God's messenger.

Joseph -- the dreamer sold into Egypt by his brothers, who meant it for evil while God meant it for good.

These are the patriarchs whose stories are told in Genesis 12-50. Why have these accounts been preserved? What importance do they have in the development of Israel's understanding of God? What message from them does God have for us today?

Joyce Baldwin skillfully weaves her answers to these questions, bringing the history of an ancient people to bear on our lives.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

Interested in the full sets related to this series? You can locate them here: