The Biblical Patriarchs

The patriarchs are the founding fathers of Israel — Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons, whose stories fill the book of Genesis. Through them God established the covenant that shaped the rest of Scripture: the promise of land, descendants, and blessing to all nations.

Explore each patriarch's life, family line, and theological significance below — from Abraham's call out of Ur and the binding of Isaac, to Jacob's wrestling at Peniel and Joseph's rise in Egypt. Their timeline traces the origin of the nation of Israel and the line that leads to Christ.