The KJV Audio Bible

Genesis 21

Genesis 21 focuses on three key events in Abraham's life: the birth of Isaac, the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, and the covenant with Abimelech.
The Birth of Isaac: As God promised, Sarah gave birth to Abraham's son Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old. Isaac's name means "laughter," reflecting Sarah's joy and initial disbelief that she would bear a child in her old age. Abraham circumcised Isaac on the eighth day as commanded by God.
Hagar and Ishmael's Banishment: After Isaac was weaned, Sarah saw Ishmael (Abraham's firstborn son by Hagar) mocking Isaac. Sarah demanded that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away. Though upset, Abraham obeyed after God reassured him that Ishmael would also become a nation. Hagar and Ishmael nearly died in the wilderness until God provided water and promised that Ishmael would become a great nation. Ishmael grew up in the wilderness of Paran and became an archer.
The Covenant with Abimelech: Abimelech, king of Gerar, recognized God's favor on Abraham and proposed a treaty of peace between them. Abraham agreed but raised an issue about a well that Abimelech's servants had seized. They resolved the dispute, and Abraham planted a grove at Beersheba ("well of the sevenfold oath") to commemorate their covenant. Abraham continued to stay in Philistine territory.

Genesis 22

Genesis 22 is the account of God testing Abraham by commanding him to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice on a mountain in the land of Moriah. This is the same Isaac who was miraculously born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age — and through whom God had promised to establish His covenant.
Abraham obeyed without question, taking Isaac on a three-day journey to the designated place. He had his servants wait while he and Isaac proceeded alone up the mountain. Isaac, carrying the wood for the sacrifice, asked his father where the lamb for the offering was, to which Abraham cryptically responded, "God will provide himself a lamb."
At the place God had told him, Abraham built an altar, arranged the wood, bound Isaac, and placed him on the altar. Just as Abraham took the knife to kill his son, an angel of the LORD called out, stopping him. The angel declared that Abraham had now demonstrated his fear of God by his willingness to offer his only son as a sacrifice.
Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by its horns, which he sacrificed instead of Isaac. He named the place "Jehovahjireh" ("Jehovah will see to it").
Following this test of faith, God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham, promising to multiply his descendants as numerous as the stars and that, through his offspring, all nations on earth would be blessed because of his obedience.
Genesis 22 concludes with a brief genealogy mentioning Abraham's brother Nahor and his children, including Rebekah.

Genesis 23

Genesis 23 focuses on the death of Sarah and Abraham's purchase of a burial site for her.
Sarah died at the age of 127 in Hebron (Kirjatharba) in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned his loss and then looked for a burial place.
Abraham approached the Hittites, acknowledging himself as "a stranger and a sojourner with you," and asked to purchase land for a burial site. The Hittites respectfully offered to let him use any of their tombs.
Abraham specifically requested to buy the cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite. Though Ephron initially offered to give Abraham both the field and cave as a gift, Abraham insisted on paying the full price.
Ephron named his price of 400 shekels of silver, which Abraham weighed out and paid in full. The transaction was formalized in the presence of witnesses at the city gate.
The field, cave, and all the trees within its boundaries became Abraham's legal property, and he buried Sarah there. This purchase established Abraham's first legal claim to property in the promised land.

Genesis 24

Genesis 24 is the account of how Abraham's servant found a wife for Isaac.
Abraham, now old, wanted to ensure his son Isaac would marry someone from his homeland, not a Canaanite woman. He made his most trusted servant swear to find Isaac a wife from Abraham's relatives in Mesopotamia.
The servant traveled to the city of Nahor with ten camels and valuable gifts. Outside the city, he prayed for a sign: the woman who offered to provide water for both him and his camels would be the one God chose for Isaac.
Before he finished praying, Rebekah appeared. She not only gave him water but voluntarily offered to water all his camels too — fulfilling the exact sign he had requested. The servant learned she was the daughter of Bethuel, who was Abraham's nephew.
The servant praised God for guiding him, and then he gave Rebekah gold jewelry. She invited him to stay with her family, where he explained his mission and how God had clearly indicated Rebekah as the chosen bride. Her brother Laban and father Bethuel recognized God's hand in the matter and agreed to the marriage.
The next day, despite their request to delay her departure, Rebekah chose to leave immediately with the servant. When they arrived in Canaan, Isaac was out meditating in the fields. Rebekah covered herself with a veil upon seeing him. The servant told Isaac everything that had happened, and Isaac married Rebekah, finding comfort in her love after his mother Sarah's death.

Genesis 25

Genesis 25 can be divided into three main sections: Abraham's final years and death, Ishmael's descendants, and Jacob and Esau's birth and rivalry.
Abraham's final years and death (Verses 1-11): Abraham married Keturah after Sarah's death and had six more sons. Abraham gave gifts to these sons and sent them away, eastward. Abraham left everything else to Isaac (his son with Sarah). Abraham died at age 175 and was buried in the cave of Machpelah with Sarah. Isaac settled near Lahairoi after Abraham's death.
Ishmael's descendants (Verses 12-18): The twelve sons of Ishmael became tribal leaders. Ishmael died at age 137. Ishmael's descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt.
Jacob and Esau's birth and rivalry (Verses 19-34): Isaac (at age 40) married Rebekah, who was initially barren. Isaac prayed for Rebekah, and she conceived twins. During pregnancy, the babies struggled within her womb. God revealed to Rebekah that two nations were in her womb, and the older would serve the younger. Esau was born first (reddish and hairy), followed by Jacob (grasping Esau's heel). Esau became a skilled hunter, while Jacob is described as a "plain man, dwelling in tents." Isaac favored Esau, but Rebekah favored Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew when he came home famished from hunting.

Genesis 26

Genesis 26 focuses on Isaac's experiences during a famine and his interactions with the Philistines.
During a famine, God instructed Isaac not to go to Egypt but to stay in Gerar, reaffirming the covenant promises made to Abraham.
Like his father Abraham had done, Isaac told the people of Gerar that Rebekah was his sister rather than his wife, fearing they might kill him because of her beauty. King Abimelech discovered the truth when he saw Isaac "sporting with" Rebekah and confronted him. He commanded his people not to harm Isaac or Rebekah.
Isaac prospered greatly in Gerar, growing wealthy with flocks, herds, and servants. His success caused the Philistines to envy him. The Philistines had filled up the wells that Abraham had dug. Abimelech asked Isaac to leave because he had become too powerful.
Isaac moved to the valley of Gerar and reopened his father's wells. His servants dug new wells, but local herdsmen quarreled with Isaac's men over the water rights. After digging several contested wells, Isaac finally dug one that caused no disputes.
Isaac moved to Beersheba, where God appeared to him and reassured him of the covenant promises. Abimelech and his officials sought a peace treaty with Isaac, recognizing that God was with him. They shared a feast and made a covenant.
Esau, at age forty, married two Hittite women, which greatly upset Isaac and Rebekah.

Genesis 27

Genesis 27 is the account of how Jacob deceived his father Isaac to steal the blessing intended for his older brother Esau.
Isaac, now old and blind, felt death approaching and asked his favorite son Esau to hunt game and prepare a meal for him, after which he planned to give Esau his special blessing.
Rebekah overheard this conversation and devised a plan to ensure her favorite son Jacob received the blessing instead. She prepared a meal and helped Jacob disguise himself as Esau by covering his smooth skin with goatskins and dressing him in Esau's clothes.
When Jacob went to Isaac pretending to be Esau, Isaac was suspicious because Jacob's voice didn't match Esau's. He felt Jacob's goatskin-covered hands and was convinced enough to proceed with the blessing, which included promises of abundance, dominion over nations, and curses for those who cursed him.
Shortly after Jacob left, Esau returned with the prepared meal. Isaac and Esau both realized the deception, and Esau wept bitterly. Isaac couldn't revoke the blessing already given to Jacob but offered Esau a lesser blessing that included living by the sword and eventually breaking free from Jacob's dominion.
Esau became enraged and planned to kill Jacob after their father died. When Rebekah learned of this threat, she told Jacob to go her brother Laban's house in Haran, under the pretext of finding a wife from her family rather than from the local Canaanites.

Genesis 28

Genesis 28 focuses on Jacob's journey from Beersheba to Haran and his encounter with God at Bethel.
Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and instructed him not to marry a Canaanite woman. Instead, he was to go to Padanaram (Mesopotamia) to find a wife from among his uncle Laban's daughters.
Jacob left Beersheba and headed toward Haran. While sleeping at a certain place along the journey, Jacob had a remarkable dream. He saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven. Angels of God were ascending and descending on it. God stood above it and spoke to Jacob.
In this dream, God renewed the covenant previously made with Abraham and Isaac. He promised the land on which Jacob lay to him and his descendants. He promised that his descendants would be numerous and spread in all directions. He promised that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Jacob and his descendants. He promised to be with Jacob, protect him, and bring him back to this land.
When Jacob woke up, he realized the sacred nature of the place. Jacob took the stone he had used as a pillow and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on it. He named the place Bethel ("house of God"), though it was previously called Luz.
Jacob made a vow to God: If God protected him, provided for him, and brought him back safely, then the LORD would be his God, this pillar would be God's house, and he would give God a tenth of everything he received.

Genesis 29

Genesis 29 focuses on Jacob's arrival in Haran and his marriages to Leah and Rachel, daughters of his uncle Laban.
Jacob arrived in Haran and met Rachel at a well where shepherds were gathering. He removed a stone covering the well and watered her flock.
Jacob identified himself as Rachel's relative (Rebekah's son), kissed her, and wept. Rachel ran to tell her father Laban.
Laban welcomed Jacob into his home. After a month, Laban offered Jacob wages for his work.
Jacob fell in love with Rachel, Laban's younger daughter, and offered to work seven years for her hand in marriage. Laban agreed.
The seven years passed quickly for Jacob because of his love for Rachel. On the wedding night, Laban deceived Jacob by substituting his older daughter Leah in the darkness.
When Jacob discovered the deception the next morning, he confronted Laban, who explained it was not their custom to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.
Laban offered Rachel to Jacob in exchange for another seven years of service, after completing the bridal week with Leah.
Jacob agreed and married Rachel as well, though he loved Rachel more than Leah.
Genesis 29 concludes with Leah bearing four sons for Jacob — Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah — while Rachel remained barren.

Genesis 30

Genesis 30 focuses on the competition between Jacob's wives (Rachel and Leah) to bear children and Jacob's growing prosperity while working for his father-in-law Laban.
The chapter begins with Rachel's desperation over her barrenness while her sister Leah had already borne four sons. In her jealousy, Rachel gave Jacob her maidservant Bilhah as a concubine to bear children "upon my knees" (a cultural practice in which the children were legally considered Rachel's). Bilhah bore two sons: Dan and Naphtali. Not to be outdone, Leah (who had temporarily stopped bearing children) gave Jacob her maidservant Zilpah, who bore Gad and Asher.
Later, Leah traded mandrakes (plants believed to help with fertility) that her son Reuben found to Rachel in exchange for a night with Jacob. Leah bore two more sons (Issachar and Zebulun) and a daughter named Dinah.
Finally, God "remembered" Rachel and opened her womb. She bore Joseph and expressed hope for another son.
Jacob negotiated with Laban to begin building his own flocks. They agreed that Jacob could keep all the speckled, spotted, and dark-colored animals as his wages. Jacob then used a breeding technique involving peeled branches to produce strong, streaked animals for himself while the weaker ones went to Laban. Through this strategy, Jacob grew "exceedingly" prosperous with large flocks and many servants.