Abraham -- called out of Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan, there to found a great nation, a blessing to all peoples. Isaac -- his son, taken to be sacrificed by his father, until God provided a substitue.Jacob -- Isaac's son, the schemer who cheated his older brother of his birthright but whose thigh (and heart) was broken as he wrestled all night with God's messenger.Joseph -- the dreamer sold into Egypt by his brothers, who meant it for evil while God meant it for good. These are the patriarchs whose stories are told in Genesis 12-50. Why have these accounts been preserved? What importance do they have in the development of Israel's understanding of God? What message from them does God have for us today?Joyce Baldwin skillfully weaves her answers to these questions, bringing the history of an ancient people to bear on our lives.