I mentioned recently the newly released Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Pentateuch, edited by Barry J. Beitzel. I thought it would be useful here to provide a short summary of one of the two articles I contributed.
Chapter 8 (of 47) is entitled “The Patriarchal Travels in Canaan: A Geographic Assessment.” Two helpful features for each article is that they begin with a list of relevant biblical references and as well as an inset box with the “Key Points.” This particular article covers a bit of ground in Genesis, and the listed references are Genesis 12:6–8; 13:1–18; 14:13–24; 20:1–13; 22:1–19; 23:2–20; 26:7–33; 28:11–22; 33:18–20; 35:1–7; 46:1–5.
As with previous volumes in the Lexham Geographic Commentary, I find the “Key Points” overview to be extremely useful in getting a quick feel for the article and whether it’s one I want to read now or later. I think what might be most interesting here is if I give each of my five Key Points along with a little bit of commentary.
1. As the book of beginnings, Genesis explains the origins of significant sites and regions in the history of Israel.
I suppose that this point shouldn’t really be a surprise, but I must say for myself that it took me a long time to put two and two together. Yes, I think of Genesis as the book of origins, but I’m always thinking in terms of the origins of the earth, humanity, sin, promise, covenant, and theological categories. But Genesis also explains where Shechem “came from” (that is, before Moses sent the Israelites there to renew the covenant, it was the place where God promised Abram the land). So many sites that were later prominent in Israel’s history have their beginnings explained in Genesis.
2. The patriarchs lived in the southern hill country and Negev, avoiding the plains and valleys where major cities were located.
This point explains why the average tourist to Israel hears almost nothing about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—because the average tour doesn’t visit the southern hill country or the Negev. The patriarchs’ stomping grounds was in less traveled areas, avoiding major Bronze Age sites such as Hazor, Megiddo, Joppa, and Sodom. They generally stayed away from the coastal plain, the Shephelah, and the Jezreel Valley. This leads to the next point.
3. The places where the patriarchs lived and worshiped became significant sites for the Israelites when they returned from Egypt and settled the land.
Many of the sites most important in Israel’s history following the conquest feature prominently in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Shechem, significant to both Abraham and Jacob, was the northern kingdom’s first capital. Jacob made a vow to the Lord at Bethel, and the tribes later inquired of the Lord there before Jeroboam built his infamous high place. Hebron first was the place of the patriarchs’ burial, but it became important to Caleb, David, and Absalom.
4. The places where the patriarchs had conflicts became places where the Israelites had conflicts.
Not only do the patriarchal locations reappear in Israel’s history, but often we see that the Israelites imitated the actions of their ancestors in these places. Bethel and Beersheba were each worship sites for Jacob and for his descendants. Shechem saw the painful episode with the violation of Jacob’s daughter, and in the time of the judges Abimelech slaughtered his own people there. The Jewish commentator Ramban observed this pattern, noting that “not a single incident that befell the father didn’t befall the children.”
5. The patriarchal sites served as signposts, pointing forward to Israel’s future hope.
This is easily my favorite point, and the most delightful discovery of my studies. The lessons learned at Shechem, Bethel, Hebron, Beersheba, and Moriah all were intended to point Israel to God’s fulfillment of the covenant promise through a greater priest-king, a divinely provided substitute, resurrection from the dead, and restoration to the land.
As I mentioned before, the Lexham Geographic Commentary on the Pentateuch is available in both print (hardcover; Amazon) and in digital (Logos) formats. I plan to do a similar post in the coming weeks on my second article in the volume.
