Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

From Adam to Noah

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.

When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”

Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.

Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”

And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again,

Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.

“Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.

Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.”

Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.

So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it.

He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him.

So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.

Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”

Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.