4. Return of the Jewish people from the Babylonian captivity c. 537 BC Ezra

5. 1 All the people of Israel gathered together in the square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Teachings of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Teachings for the crowd. Men, women, and all who could listen and understand had gathered. 3 At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the Teachings out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could listen and understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Teachings. 4 Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that had been built just for this time.

6. 1 All the people of Israel gathered together in the square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Teachings of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Teachings for the crowd. Men, women, and all who could listen and understand had gathered. 3 At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the Teachings out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could listen and understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Teachings. 4 Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that had been built just for this time.

7. 1 All the people of Israel gathered together in the square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Teachings of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Teachings for the crowd. Men, women, and all who could listen and understand had gathered. 3 At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the Teachings out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could listen and understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Teachings. 4 Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that had been built just for this time.

8. 1 All the people of Israel gathered together in the square by the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the teacher to bring out the Book of the Teachings of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought out the Teachings for the crowd. Men, women, and all who could listen and understand had gathered. 3 At the square by the Water Gate Ezra read the Teachings out loud from early morning until noon to the men, women, and everyone who could listen and understand. All the people listened carefully to the Book of the Teachings. 4 Ezra the teacher stood on a high wooden platform that had been built just for this time.

10. Can our copies of the Bible be trusted?

11. Copy Original Manuscript Copy

12. Original Manuscript Copy 1 2 3

14. Central Mountain Range The Coastal Plain Jordan Rift Valley

22.  Consider the occasion when originally spoken or written. › Who is speaking or writing (and who does he represent)? › Who is being addressed (and who do they represent)? › How would the original audience have understood the meaning?

23.  Consider the context of the message. › The immediate context—the statements just before and just after. › The broader context—the occasion and message of the entire letter or speech. › The subject context—all that we know from the Bible about the subject. › God’s entire revelation and “flow” of Scripture.

24.  Consider the language used. › How does the author use those words or phrases—on this and other occasions? › How do other NT authors use those words or phrases? › What kind of expression is it—literal, figurative, poetic, a proverbial saying? › Are there translation or textual issues involved?

25. Genesis 9 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers. 26 He also said, Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

26. The Book of Beginnings

29. Genesis 12-50 People Predominant – Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – Joseph Race as a wholeFamily of Abraham Over 2000 years250 years

30. baraBereshit Elohim In the Beginning Created God

34. – Creation – Fall – Flood – Tower of Babel

35. – Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – Joseph

38. ● Ur Haran ● And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew… …and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan. (Genesis 12:5).

40. Israel Hittites Assyria Egypt  Babylon

41. Land Bridge DESERT