You can skip to local navigation, content or closing (global) navigation.

Matthew Poole’s Bible Commentary

Parallel Works

Bibles King James Bible Geneva Bible
Psalters Scottish Psalter Bay Psalm Book
Geneva Notes Gill’s Exposition Matthew Henry’s Commentary Matthew Poole’s Commentary Treasury of David Brown’s Psalm Commentary Hodge on Romans Haldane on Romans
Tools Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis Matthew Poole

Chapters

  1. Creation of the World in Six Days.
  2. Creation of Adam, Eve, and Eden.
  3. The Fall: Adam and Eve’s Sin.
  4. Cain Kills Abel; Cain’s Descendants Multiply.
  5. Genealogy from Adam to Noah.
  6. Wickedness Prompts God to Flood Earth.
  7. Noah’s Ark Survives the Great Flood.
  8. Waters Recede; Noah Exits the Ark.
  9. God’s Covenant with Noah; Rainbow Sign.
  10. Genealogy of Noah’s Descendants Post-Flood.
  11. Tower of Babel; Languages Confused.
  12. God’s Call to Abram; Covenant Begins.
  13. Abram and Lot Separate; God Promises Land.
  14. Abram Rescues Lot; Melchizedek Blesses Abram.
  15. God’s Covenant with Abram Affirmed.
  16. Hagar Bears Ishmael, Abram’s First Son.
  17. Circumcision Covenant; Abram Renamed Abraham.
  18. Angelic Visitors Announce Isaac’s Birth.
  19. Destruction of Sodom; Lot’s Escape.
  20. Abraham’s Encounter with Abimelech in Gerar.
  21. Birth of Isaac; Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away.
  22. Abraham’s Near-Sacrifice of Isaac.
  23. Sarah Dies; Abraham Purchases Burial Site.
  24. Isaac Marries Rebekah, Abraham’s Choice.
  25. Abraham’s Death; Jacob and Esau’s Births.
  26. Isaac Prospers in Gerar, Repeats Abraham’s Mistakes.
  27. Jacob Deceives Isaac; Esau’s Blessing Stolen.
  28. Jacob’s Ladder Dream; Covenant Reaffirmed.
  29. Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel.
  30. Jacob’s Children; Prosperity Through Livestock.
  31. Jacob Flees Laban; Covenant of Peace.
  32. Jacob Wrestles with God; Becomes Israel.
  33. Jacob Reconciles with Esau Peacefully.
  34. Dinah Defiled; Simeon and Levi’s Revenge.
  35. Jacob’s Name Change Reaffirmed; Rachel Dies.
  36. Genealogy of Esau’s Descendants.
  37. Joseph’s Dreams; Sold into Slavery by Brothers.
  38. Judah and Tamar’s Complicated Story.
  39. Joseph Prospers in Egypt Despite Imprisonment.
  40. Joseph Interprets Dreams for Pharaoh’s Servants.
  41. Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams; Rises to Power.
  42. Joseph’s Brothers Visit Egypt for Grain.
  43. Brothers Return to Egypt with Benjamin.
  44. Joseph Tests His Brothers’ Loyalty.
  45. Joseph Reveals His Identity to Brothers.
  46. Jacob’s Family Moves to Egypt.
  47. Joseph Manages Egypt During Famine; Jacob Blesses Pharaoh.
  48. Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons, Ephraim, and Manasseh.
  49. Jacob’s Prophetic Blessings on His Sons.
  50. Jacob’s Burial; Joseph Reassures His Brothers.

The First Book of Moses Called Genesis

The Argument

This Book is called GENESIS, i.e. generation, or birth, giving an account of passages during 2300 years and upwards, i.e. from the creation of all things, to the death of Joseph. In which history Moses, by Divine inspiration, treats of the creation of the world, with all the parts and uses in it, and of it, but chiefly of man, who alone was made after God's image; where he lays down God's concessions and prohibitions to him; and man's transgression, together with the woeful effects, and the remedy of them in the promise of a Saviour; the original, progress, and preservation of the true church, springing from Abel, and carried on by Seth, Enoch, etc.; and the ground and rise of apostacy, begun in Cain, and carried on by his posterity, separating themselves from the holy seed, till by their monstrous provocations they had brought a universal deluge to destroy all mankind from off the earth, excepting only Noah and his family; out of which, as the church did again spring forth, so another cursed race carrying on the former enmity to a greater height, not only fell into idolatry, after it had continued a considerable time in Sem's race, but breaking out into all outrages, and tyrannical oppressions, it was almost extinct among those numerous nations that Noah's posterity sprang out into. But God calling Abraham into the Land of Promise, who was an idolater in Chaldea, and giving him temporal and spiritual promises, and especially that of the Messiah coming out of his loins, and assuring it by a special covenant sealed by circumcision, the church began now to take root, and to be embodied in Jacob's family under the name of Israel; and here God undertook the protection of his people and worship, by the visible presence of Christ her Head, that Angel of the covenant, going continually with them, comforting and defending them, till they came into Egypt, where the church continued until Joseph's death; where this Book ends.