In this article, we will explore a basic and detailed outline of Genesis. This Bible study aid will help you see clearly what is happening through the book of Genesis and it’s stories.
Do you want to study Genesis but don’t know where to start? One way to help you get started is by using an outline of Genesis. This outline will give you an overview of the major events and characters in the Bible. It can also help you understand how the different stories relate and connect to each other. And using an outline can make your Bible study more focused and enjoyable.
We will be looking at two kinds of outlines. A basic outline which grabs the large concepts of the book of Genesis and detailed outline for those who want to dig deeper. But before we go through those outlines let’s check out facts on Genesis!
Background Facts About The Book Of Genesis
Challenge Yourself On A Quiz On Genesis
The Author of Genesis
Now, the book of Genesis does not name or mention its author. But in Jewish and Christian tradition has accepted that Moses wrote it (and the other four books of the Pentateuch). In our modern times many skeptics believe that Moses was not the author.
I like what Don Stewart on the topic, “A strong case can be made for Moses’ involvement with the first five books of Scripture. He had the ability to write, had the time to write, and was in a position to know the facts. In addition, we know that he wrote some of it. Add to this the testimony of the Old Testament, the New Testament, early non-Biblical writers, and Jesus Himself, we find good reason to accept Moses as the author of Genesis through Deuteronomy.” (source)
The Date or Timeline
Moses would have written Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch/Law between 1446 bc and 1406 bc which is said to be the date of Moses’ death.
The reason we get this date is because of scripture. In 1 Kings 6:1 we read…
“In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the Lord.”
Many historians believe that Solomon became king in approximately 967 B.C. With a rough estimate of dates, they are able to take the 480 years before and get that approximate date of 1445 B.C.
Key People in the book of Genesis
Let’s look at some key players throughout the book of Genesis:
Adam – Adam was the first man that God created. He was made from the dust of the ground and God breathed life into him. He was given the task to rule over all the animals and to care for the Garden of Eden. After sinning, he was exiled from the Garden.
Eve – Eve was the first woman that God created. She was made from Adam’s rib. She was tempted by the serpent to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. After sinning, she was also exiled from the Garden.
Cain and Abel – Cain and Abel were Adam and Eve’s first two sons. Cain became a farmer and Abel became a shepherd. Abel’s offering to God was accepted but Cain’s was not. Out of jealousy, Cain killed Abel.
Noah – Noah was a righteous man who was chosen by God to build an ark and to be saved from the flood. He was the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Abraham – Abraham was a man who obeyed God and followed him even though he didn’t know where he was going. He is known as the father of faith. He was the father of Isaac.
Sarah – Sarah was Abraham’s wife. She was barren for many years, but God promised her a son. She gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old. More posts on Sarah: Powerful Lessons From The Life Of Sarah In The Bible
Isaac – Isaac was Abraham’s son who was born to him in his old age. He married Rebekah and had twins, Jacob and Esau.
Jacob – Jacob was Isaac’s son who tricked his brother Esau out of his birthright. He later had twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. He was also known as Israel.
Joseph – Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son. His brothers were jealous of him and sold him into slavery. He was later betrayed by Potiphar’s wife and sent to prison. He interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and was put in charge of Egypt. He later reunited with his brothers and father. >> More posts on Joseph: Joseph’s Dreams: Unlocking 7 Life Lessons, 7 Powerful Lessons From The Life Of Joseph and 22 Fascinating Similarities Between Joseph and Jesus
Basic Outline of the Book of Genesis
I like to look at this basic outline as an overview of the stories told in Genesis.
I. Outline of the book of Genesis:
1. The Creation of the World and Everything in it (Genesis 1-2) 2. The Fall of Man and His Separation from God (Genesis 3-5) 3. The Story of Noah and the Great Flood (Genesis 6-9) 4. The Tower of Babel and the Dispersal of the Nations (Genesis 11:1-9) 5. Abraham, the Birth of the Hebrew Nation (Genesis 12-25) 6. Isaac, Son of Abraham and Father of Jacob (Genesis 26-28) 7. Jacob, son of Isaac and Father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Genesis 29-36) 8. Joseph, Sold into Slavery by His Brothers but Rising to Power in Egypt (Genesis 37-50)
Detailed Outline of Genesis
Are you ready to go deeper? We will be taking the basic Genesis outline and beefing it up and giving you tons more details.
I. Outline of the Book of Genesis:
1. The Creation of the World and Everything In It (Genesis 1-2)
- The First Day: God separates the light from the darkness (1:3-5)
- The Second Day: God separates the waters (1:6-9)
- The Third Day: God separates seas from land (1:9-13)
- The Fourth Day: God creates lights in the heavens (1:14-19)
- The Fifth Day: God creates living creatures (1:20-23)
- The Sixth Day: God creates man (1:24-31)
- The Seventh Day: God rests from his work (2:1-3)
- Adam and Eve in Paradise (2:4-25)
2. The Fall of Man and His Separation from God (Genesis 3-5)
- The serpent tempts Adam and Eve and they fall into sin (3:1-24)
- Eve gives birth to Cain and Abel
- Cain murders Abel and is cursed (4:1-16)
- The family line of Cain (4:17-24)
- Eve gives birth to Seth (4:25-26)
- The genealogy of Adam (5:1-6:8)
3. The Story of Noah and the Great Flood (Genesis 6-9)
- God speaks to Noah and instructs him to build the ark for the flood (6:9-7:5)
- God delivers Noah’s family and animals from the flood (7:6-8:19)
- God makes a covenant by giving the rainbow to man. That He would not flood the earth (8:20-9:17)
- After the flood Ham sins against his father Noah and he curses Canaan (9:18-29)
4. The Tower of Babel and the Dispersal of the Nations (Genesis 11:1-9)
- The genealogy of Shem (11:10-26)
- The genealogy of Terah (11:27-25:11)
5. Abraham, the Birth of the Hebrew Nation (Genesis 12-25)
- God Calls Abram and sends him to the promised land – goes to Egypts and settles in Canaan (12-13)
- God promises Abram a child and land (13:14-18)
- Abram defeats 5 kings (14:1-24)
- God makes a covenant with Abram (15:1-21)
- Abram takes things into his hands and bares a child with Hagar. (16:1–16; 21:8–21)
- God introduces circumcision (17:1-27)
- God promises Sarah her a son and destroys Sodom and Gomorrah (18:1-15 -18:16-19:38)
- Sarah gives birth to Isaac (21:1-7)
- God test’s Abraham’s faith with Issac but provides a ram (22:1-19)
- The story of Isaac begins (22:20-25:11)
- Rebekah’s comes into the picture (22:20-24)
- Sarah passes (23:1-20)
- Isaac marries Rebekah (24:1-67)
- Abraham blesses and gives everything to Isaac (25:1-6)
- Abraham passes and is buried next to Sarah (25:7-11)
- Rebekah gives birth to twins, Jacob and Esau (25:19-28)
- Esau gives Jacob his birthright (25:29-34)
6. Isaac, Son of Abraham and Father of Jacob (Genesis 26-28)
- Isaac and Abimelech make a covenant (26:1-35)
- Jacob deceives his father and steals Esau’s Blessing (27:1-40)
- Jacob prospers while in exile (27:41-32:32)
- Isaac sends Jacob to his uncle Laban (27:41-28:9)
- On the journey to Laban, Jacob has a dream at Bethel (28:10-22)
7. Jacob, Son of Isaac and Father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Genesis 29-36)
- Jacob’s works for Laban and marries both Leah and Rachel (29:1-30)
- Jacob’s children are born which include the 12 tribes (29:31-30:24)
- Jacob strips Laban of his herd (30:25-43)
- Jacob runs from Laban (31:1-55)
- Jacob and Esau meet(32:1-21)
- Jacob’s wrestles with an angel and his name is changed to Israel (32:22-32)
- Esau and Jacob are reconciled (33:1-20)
- Jacob’s sons take revenge on Shechem (34:1-31)
- Rachel passes by giving birth to Benjamin (35:16-20)
- Isaac passes and is buried by his sons (35:27-29)
- The genealogy of Esau (36:1-37:1)
8. Joseph, Sold into Slavery by His Brothers but Rising to Power in Egypt (Genesis 37-50)
- The genealogy of Jacob (37:2-50:26)
- Joseph dreams about his calling and future (37:2-11)
- Joseph’s older brothers sell him into slavery (37:12-36)
- Tamar Conceives from Judah (38:1-30)
- Joseph prospers in Egypt (39:1-41:57)
- Potiphar’s wife tempts and falsely accuses Joseph (39:1-23)
- Joseph is sent to prison(40:1-23)
- Joseph goes before Pharaoh to help with his dreams(41:1-36)
- Pharaoh gives Joseph authority in all of Egypt (41:37-57)
- Joseph shows mercy and forgives his brothers (42:1-45:28)
- Jacob’s family moves to Egypt (46:1-27)
- Israel is lives in the land of Goshen (46:28-47:31)
- Jacob on his deathbed blesses his 12 sons (12 tribes of Israel) (48:1-49:28)
- Jacob passes and is brought back to Canaan to be buried. (49:28-50:14)
- Joseph passes away Egypt (50:15-26)
Outline of Genesis PDF – FREE
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I hope the you have enjoyed these Genesis outlines and that they our helps in your study of God’s Word! If you would like to dig into more topics of the Bible please visit my Bible Study page or check out another outline on Ezra. You will find a slew of different methods and studies that will encourage you dig deeper into scripture.
Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. She has been involved in church and vocational ministry for over 18 years. And is the founder of Think About Such Things. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. She also enjoys family, cooking, and reading.
She has spoken in churches in California, Oregon, Texas, and Mexico and has been featured in Guidepost Magazine and All Recipes Magazine. Read More…