OTC: Unit 3: Patriarchs

Abram/Abraham

the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and the father of Isaac; ancestor of a multitude

Sarai/Sarah

first OT matriarch; Abraham's wife and mother of Isaac

patriarch

the male head of family or tribe; from Latin "pater" = father

matriarch

the wife of a patriarch; female head of a family or tribe

monotheism

belief in one God

polytheism

belief in many gods

nomad

A member of a group that has no permanent home, wandering from place to place in search of food and water

Ur

Abram's original homeland before his family's migration to Haran; located in the modern country of Iraq (then southern Mesopotamia)

Haran

the place Abram was living when he was first called by God; located in the modern country of Turkey

monogamy

A form of marriage in which one woman and one man are married only to each other

polygamy

the practice of having more than one wife

concubine

a woman who serves as a surrogate to provide children for a patriarch; usually a servant/slave; NOT viewed by ancient culture as a prostitute or adulterer; had lesser social status than a wife

Hagar

Abraham's concubine and mother of Ishmael; Sarai's Egyptian maidservant

altar

an elevated place or structure, as a mound or platform, at which religious rites are performed or on which sacrifices are offered to gods

Semite/Semitic

a term applied to Jews, Arabs, and others of eastern Mediterranean origin; descendants of "Shem"

Lot

Abram's nephew who journeyed to Canaan with Abram and who later settled outside Sodom

Sodom

an ancient city near the Dead Sea that was destroyed by God for the wickedness of its inhabitants

Melchizedek

"King of Righteousness/Peace/Salem"; king, priest, and type of Christ, who used bread and wine in a ritual to bless Abram.

Ishmael

son of Abram & Hagar; means "God listens"; traditionally believed to be the ancestor of the Arab people

angel

messenger of God; Hebrew: malach

Arab

ethnic group that dominates the Middle East and northern Africa; descendants of Ishmael

Islam

Religion that traces its origins to Abraham through his son Ishmael

Isaac

son of Abraham & Sarah; means "laughter"

Abrahamic covenant

God promised the land, many descendants, and many blessings to the patriarch after whom this covenant is named. The sign of God's covenant with him and his descendants was circumcision.

changing of biblical characters' names

represents a turning point in one's relationship with God; a new destiny & purpose/mission in salvation history

Moriah

The location of the mountain where Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son; traditionally identified with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

typology

A way of interpreting the Bible which sees certain Old Testament figures and events as foreshadowing greater realities in the New Testament

Genesis characters whose names are changed

Abram -> Abraham; Sarai -> Sarah; Jacob -> Israel

Abrahamic religions

3 religions that regard Abraham as their ancestor in faith: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Rebekah

wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau

Esau

The elder of Isaac and Rebekah's twin sons. He gave up his birthright for a bowl of stew. Skilled hunter, reddish, hairy

Jacob

grandson of Abraham, son of Isaac and Rebekah; heel-grabber; brother of Esau, and the traditional ancestor of Israelites. His name was changed to Israel, and his 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel.

Israel

"one who wrestles with God"; the new name given to Jacob by an angel

birthright

inheritance due to eldest son in patriarchal society of Genesis; position of honor & double share of the inheritance

patriarchal blessing

bestows the leadership of the tribe to the receiver; traditionally given to the eldest son

Leah

The older sister of Rachel whom Jacob was tricked into marrying; mother of half of Jacob's sons

Rachel

The beloved second wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin

Laban

Jacob's uncle (his mother's brother) and then father-in-law

dreams

believed by ancient peoples to be messages from the gods

Reuben

This son of Jacob lost the rights of the firstborn and the leadership among his brothers because he slept with Bilhah, his father's concubine.

Simeon

Second son of Jacob and Leah who conspires with Levi to murder the Shechemites

Levi

Third son of Jacob and Leah who conspires with Simeon to murder the Shechemites

Judah

The 4th son of Jacob and Leah, it was his idea to sell his brother Joseph; later undergoes a conversion

Joseph

Firstborn son of Rachel; Jacob's favorite among his 12 sons; envious brothers sold him as a slave; he rose to become prime minister of Egypt and saved his family from starvation

Benjamin

youngest son of Jacob and Rachel; Joseph's youngest brother

Dinah

Daughter of Jacob

Tamar

Judah's daughter-in-law

levirate marriage

the marriage of a widow to a brother of her deceased husband; the first male child of a levirate marriage would be considered the legal son of the widow's first husband

Potiphar

The Egyptian official who bought Joseph for a slave

Pharaoh

a king of ancient Egypt, considered a god as well as a political and military leader

Ephraim & Manasseh

Joseph's sons born in Egypt

conversion

A change of heart, turning away from sin and toward God.

12 tribes of Israel

the future name for the descendants of Abraham; tribes named for the sons of Jacob/Israel

Lion of Judah

an image of the Messiah (Rev. 5:5, see also Gen 49:8-9), who descends from the tribe of Judah

Bethel

"house of God"; the place where Jacob saw the stairway to heaven & renewed his covenant with God.