Many scholars suggest that the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-3) was located in the fertile crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. After the Fall, Adam was cast out of the Garden but most likely remained in the area with his family (Genesis 3:21-24). Cain may have traveled much farther away (Genesis 4:1-16) but it is very difficult to determine in what direction. Following the re-creation of civilization after the Flood (Genesis 7-11), the story of redemption focuses on the patriarch Abram, later to become Abraham (Genesis 11:26-32).
Abraham was from the city of Ur in Mesopotamia. It was there that God instructed him to leave for a land which would be revealed to him later (Genesis 12:1). Abraham gathered his family, including his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot, and made his first major stop in Haran (Genesis 12:4). From there he entered the land of Canaan and arrived in Shechem where he received God's promise that his descendants would inherit the whole land (Genesis 12:6-7). He then set up a tent at Bethel, where he worshipped (Genesis 12:8) before moving farther south to Canaan. Because of a famine in the land of Canaan, Abraham moved his family to Egypt (Genesis 12:10-14). In an attempt to save his own life, he lied to Pharaoh about his relationship with Sarah, claiming that she was his sister. When Pharaoh discovered the truth, he sent Abraham back to Canaan (Genesis 12:13-20).
Abraham and his family prospered greatly in Canaan. He gave his nephew Lot an opportunity to choose which portion of the land in which to settle. Lot chose to go to the east, settling in the cities known as Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 13). Later, due to the horrific sins of the people there, both cities were destroyed by God (Genesis 19). Scholars believe that the cities were located somewhere in the area now covered over by the Dead Sea.
The remainder of Abraham's life was spent wandering in the Promised Land. Eventually, God fulfilled his promise to Abraham that he and Sarah would have a child (Genesis 15, 18). The child, named Isaac, ultimately became the source of Abraham's greatest test of faith. In Genesis 22 God commanded Abraham to take his son to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice him there. Abraham obeyed, believing that God could raise him from the dead. Yet God provided a ram in place of Isaac and the boy's life was spared. Mt. Moriah is believed to be the site of this event in modern day Jerusalem.
Isaac spent the majority of his life in the land of Canaan (Genesis 21-35). His two sons by his wife Rebecca, Jacob and Esau, stayed with their father until Jacob took the birthright from his brother, Esau. Jacob then fled from Esau to Haran where his uncle, Laban, lived (Genesis 27-29).
It was in Haran that Jacob married both Leah and Rachel (Genesis 29). In Genesis 31 Jacob fled from his uncle, Laban, and headed back towards Canaan. Along the way, he wrestled with God and proceeded to resolve his conflict with Esau (Genesis 31-32). He then settled in Bethel where he raised his family (Genesis 35).
In Genesis 37 we read the sordid story when Jacob's second youngest son, Joseph, was sold into slavery by his older brothers. Joseph was taken to Egypt and suffered years of imprisonment and hardship. However, by the providence of God, he eventually rose to the second highest position of power in the nation.
Years later, Joseph's brothers were forced to come to Egypt to buy food because of a severe famine in Canaan. Joseph, under God's direction, knew of the coming famine and stored enough food to help Egypt endure it. Through a series of emotional encounters, Joseph ultimately revealed his identity to his brothers. After their reconciliation, he moved the entire family of Jacob to Egypt where they flourished. Joseph settled them in the land of Goshen, a fertile place in which to raise their livestock.
