User:Alastair Haines/Draft Bible synopsis
Adam
[edit]God creates the "heavens and the earth" in six days. Man (male and female) is created last, in "God's image," to grow in numbers and to rule and care for the earth. God rests on the seventh day. Adam is formed from the earth of the ground to live in the Garden of Eden. God forbids Adam to eat from the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil." Eve is formed from Adam's rib to be his companion. A snake suggests Eve ignore God and eat the fruit of the Tree. She is pursuaded and Adam eats too. God punishes them, saying their lives will be hard, and locks them out of Eden. Adam and Eve have two sons but the older murders the younger and God drives him away. They have more children and eventually die.
Noah
[edit]Several generations later people have grown in numbers; but they are totally evil, so God decides to destroy them, except for Noah. God tells him to build a boat so his family can escape the flood God will send. The flood comes and Noah's family survive. God promises never to destroy everything again, saying rainbows are reminders of his promise. Noah's sons and their wives repopulate the world with their children. After many generations the people decide to build a tower to reach heaven. God stops the project by turning people's speech into different languages.
Abraham
[edit]Still more generations later, Abraham's father takes his family from Ur in Mesopotamia towards Palestine, but they stop and settle in Haran before getting there. When Abraham is 75, God tells him to leave home, and promises him the land of Palestine for his descendants. His wife Sarah goes with him. They have no children yet. They have success in a series of difficulties, but still no children. God specifically promises Abraham a son. When Sarah thinks she is too old to have children, she suggests Abraham have children with her maidservant Hagar. Abraham and Hagar have a son, Ishmael. God tells Abraham he and all his male descendents must be circumcised, and that the son he promised will be Sarah's son also. Sarah is 90. Abraham laughs. Then God tells Sarah what will happen. She also laughs. But Abraham and Sarah do, in fact, have a son Isaac, which means he laughs.
Isaac
[edit]Some time later, God tests Abraham. He tells him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham does everything to prepare to sacrifice Isaac. At the last moment God stops Abraham and explains the test. Sarah dies. Abraham sends Isaac to Haran to find a wife, he finds Rebekah. Abraham has more children with another wife and eventually dies. Rebekah has twin sons — Esau is born first, with Jacob following, grasping his brother's heel. So Esau is Abraham's official heir, but Rebekah loves Jacob more. They grow up, Esau comes home hungry from work, and wants Jacob's food. Jacob offers Esau an exchange — food for inheritance — Esau accepts. Seemingly close to death and nearly blind Issac wants to bless his heir. Rebekah designs a trick and Jacob is blessed. Esau tells his friends he will kill Jacob as soon as Isaac dies. Rebekah finds out and organizes for Jacob to escape to live with her brother, Laban in Haran.
Jacob
[edit]Laban asks Jacob what he should give him in payment for the work he will do. Laban has two daughters — Leah and Rachel. Jacob loves Rachel and says he will work for seven years to marry Rachel. Laban agrees, but after seven years tricks Jacob, sending his older daughter Leah to sleep with him in the dark. Jacob has to work another seven years to marry Rachel. Each sister has a maidservant and periods of infertility. Jacob ends up having twelve sons and one daughter with the four women. Only the last two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, are born by Rachel. Jacob asks Laban for permission to take his wives and children and go home. Laban asks Jacob for a deal that will keep him. Jacob devises a profitable arrangement, which leads to Laban's sons resenting him. Jacob escapes with his family and flocks, using some of this wealth to appease Esau and make returning to Palestine possible. Jacob is given the name Israel.
Joseph
[edit]Jacob favours his second youngest son, Joseph. The ten older brothers hate him. Aged 17, God gives Joseph dreams that suggest his whole family, even father and mother will bow down before him. He tells his brothers. They hate him even more. One day they plan to kill him, but one of the brothers, Judah, suggests they sell him as a slave to passing traders instead. He is bought by a rich Egyptian.
Joseph is so productive his master promotes him. His master's wife tries to seduce him, Joseph refuses and she claims he tried to rape her. Joseph is sent to gaol. In prison, Joseph accurately interprets the dreams of fellow prisoners. Pharaoh himself has a dream and is told about Joseph's ability. Joseph predicts a famine and recommends Pharaoh save up food for the hard times ahead. Pharaoh makes Joseph, aged 30, ruler of Egypt, second only to himself. The famine comes and Pharaoh makes a lot of money.
Meanwhile back in Palestine, Joseph's father and brothers suffer from the famine. The ten older brothers go to Egypt to buy food. Jacob will not risk losing the youngest brother, Benjamin. Joseph recognizes his brothers but they don't recognize him. Joseph forces them to bring Benjamin to Egypt. Then he frames Benjamin as a thief, but offers to let the others go. Judah offers himself in Benjamin's place, so Jacob's heart will not be broken. Joseph sees his brothers have changed their ways. He let's them know who he is and forgives them.
Jacob comes to Egypt. Pharaoh wants to meet Joseph's family. He gives them the best land in Egypt.
Moses
[edit]Several generations later, Jacob's family, Israel, have grown greatly in numbers.