Adam and Eve's firstborn, Cain committed the first murder, killing his younger brother, Abel.

Mankind became increasingly sinful as the generations passed until God decided to wipe out all of mankind with a great flood, saving only Noah whom He found righteous, his family and a representative gathering from all of the birds and animals to start again.

Before		After

What would a 900 year old man look like?

"When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not, Hmmm?"

Also, God shortened the lifespan of mankind from over 900 years down to 125 years in the generations that followed.

UV Rays Before	UV Rays After

This may have been brought about by the climatic changes such a flood would have had on the earth and its atmosphere.

After the flood, God promised never again to destroy all life... by flood.

When mankind gathered in one place to build the Tower of Babel, God confused their language causing them to spread out across the land as He had originally commanded.

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Several generations later, Abram was chosen by God to be the father of a nation to bear God's name in the world. His friends must have teased poor childless Abram about his name which meant 'exalted father'.

They must have been hooting with laughter when God had him change his name to Abraham, 'father of many'.

But Abraham had the last laugh when at age 100 he became the father of Isaac.

The towns of Sodom and Gomorrah committed horrendous sins against God and so He dispatched the towns to a notorious place in history.

Well, actually He rained down burning sulfur on them.

Close enough.

Later, God tested Abraham by telling him to sacrifice what he treasured most in all the world: his only son.

Don't think too harshly of God for putting Abraham through this test; He'll be put through this same test himself before long.

But enough foreshadowing.

Abraham proved faithful though God stopped him at the last minute from actually sacrificing his son. God promised Abraham and his descendants the rich land of Canaan, though informing him that for 400 years the nation would be slaves in a foreign country.

Abraham moved his family to Canaan.

The book of Job fits in here chronologically, telling in poetic form the historical account of Job and his struggle with the question of why the righteous suffer.

Meanwhile back in Genesis, Abraham's line continued through Isaac, his son to Jacob who was later to be called Israel.

His 12 sons would become the 12 tribes of Israel.

Reuben	Simeon	Levi	Judah	Dan	Naphtali
Gad	Asher	Issachar	Zebulun	Joseph	Benjamin

The best-loved of the 12, Joseph, had dreams about his family bowing down to him and assumed they would be pleased to hear of it.

They weren't.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers out of jealousy but God carefully orchestrated events such that Joseph eventually became governor of the land of Egypt and brought his father and brothers with their families, about 70 people altogether, to live there to escape a severe famine in the land. And yes, they eventually did end up voluntarily bowing down to Joseph.