January 13 (Genesis 25–26; Psalm 13; Matthew 15)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode: January 13 (Genesis 25–26; Psalm 13; Matthew 15)
Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Crossway

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Episode Overview

This episode guides listeners through daily readings from Genesis 25–26, Psalm 13, and Matthew 15, continuing the year-long journey through the ESV Bible. The readings focus on pivotal transitions in the patriarchal lineage, a psalmic outcry of distress and trust, and Jesus’ teachings and miracles regarding tradition, purity, faith, and compassion.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Genesis 25–26: Legacy, Rivalry, and Divine Blessing

• Abraham’s Descendants and Death (00:04–02:21)

  • Abraham fathers children with Keturah and his concubines but gives everything to Isaac before his death.
  • “Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.”
    — Reader (01:13)
  • The legacy of Ishmael: twelve princes, and the end of his life is recounted.

• Isaac and Rebekah: Divine Intervention and Sibling Rivalry (02:21–03:38)

  • Isaac prays for Rebekah’s barrenness; God answers, and she conceives twins—Jacob and Esau.
  • “‘Two nations are in your womb… The older shall serve the younger.’”
    — God to Rebekah (02:23)
  • The struggle begins before birth, foreshadowing a lifetime of conflict.
  • Esau, returning famished, sells his birthright for stew, despising his inheritance.

• Isaac’s Trials, God’s Faithfulness & Treaty with Abimelech (03:38–07:31)

  • Facing famine, Isaac repeats Abraham’s “sister-wife” deception in Gerar.
  • God reiterates the covenant:
    “‘Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you… I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven.’”
    — God to Isaac (03:53)
  • Divine blessing causes Isaac to flourish, leading to tension and eventual treaties with neighbors.
  • Isaac persistently re-digs wells, symbolizing re-establishing God’s promises and provision.
  • “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
    — Isaac (06:10)
  • Upheaval as Esau marries Hittite women, creating bitterness for Isaac and Rebekah.

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Psalm 13: Lament and Faith

• A Cry of Despair, Ending in Trust (07:31–08:25)
  • David voices feelings of abandonment:
    “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”
    — Psalmist (07:54)
  • Pleads for deliverance, fearing his enemy’s triumph.
  • Yet trusts in God’s steadfast love:
    “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”
    — Psalmist (08:17)
  • Concludes with resolved praise despite ongoing struggle.

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Matthew 15: Tradition, Purity, and Expanding Grace

• Jesus Confronts Tradition vs. God’s Command (08:28–09:25)

  • Pharisees criticize disciples for ignoring ritual handwashing.
  • Jesus rebukes them:
    “‘Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition… You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you… this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’”
    — Jesus (08:43)

• What Truly Defiles? Heart over Ritual (09:25–10:20)

  • Jesus teaches that inner evil, not external ritual breach, defiles a person.
  • “‘It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth. This defiles a person.’”
    — Jesus (09:13)
  • He identifies the heart as the source of sin:
    “‘For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.’”
    — Jesus (10:07)

• The Canaanite Woman: Persistent Faith Outside Israel (10:20–10:53)

  • A Gentile woman pleads for her daughter; Jesus’ initial reluctance underscores his mission to Israel.
  • Her humility and faith prompt Jesus to heal her daughter:
    “‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire.’”
    — Jesus (10:50)

• Feeding the Four Thousand: Compassion and Provision (11:15–end)

  • Moved by compassion, Jesus miraculously feeds a vast crowd with seven loaves and a few fish, symbolizing divine sufficiency for all.
  • “And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.”
    — Reader (11:44)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s sovereign choice and reversal of expectation (Jacob & Esau):

  • “The older shall serve the younger.” (God to Rebekah, 02:23)

• On tradition vs. true worship:

  • “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Jesus quoting Isaiah, 08:56)

• On the nature of defilement:

  • “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth.” (Jesus, 09:13)

• On faith breaking boundaries:

  • “O woman, great is your faith!” (Jesus to the Canaanite woman, 10:50)

• On persistent lament and hopeful trust:

  • “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” (Psalmist, 08:17)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Abraham’s Death & Legacy: 00:04–02:21
• Birth and Story of Jacob & Esau: 02:21–03:38
• Isaac in Gerar and Covenant with Abimelech: 03:38–07:31
• Psalm 13 Reading (Lament): 07:31–08:25
• Pharisees Challenge Tradition; Jesus on Purity: 08:28–10:20
• Canaanite Woman’s Faith & Daughter’s Healing: 10:34–10:53
• Feeding the Four Thousand: 11:15–end

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Episode Tone

Maintains a reverent, narrative-driven style. The language follows the ESV translation, blending genealogies, dramatic exchanges, and poetic lament. The teachings of Jesus are direct and provocative, emphasizing the heart’s primacy in faith and conduct.

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This summary brings out the interconnectedness of Scripture: the unfolding of God’s promises in the patriarchal stories, the honest struggles of spiritual life in the Psalms, and the radical reorientation of tradition and boundary-breaking grace in the life and teachings of Jesus.

Transcript

[Narrator]

A reading from the Book of Genesis.

[Reader]

Abraham took another wife whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Midan, Midian, Ishbak and Shua. Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Didan were Ashuram, Latushim and Leumim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Ephar, Hanak, Abidah and Eldeah. All these were the children of Keturah. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts. And while he was still living, he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward to the east country. These are the days of the years of Abraham's life. 175 years. And Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years. And was gathered to his people, Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave at Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar, the Hittite, east of Mamre, the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with Sarah, his wife. After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer Lahai Roi. These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth. Nebaoth, the firstborn of Ishmael. And Kedar, Adbiel, Mibzam, Mishma, Duma, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jiter, Nephesh and Kitamah. These are the sons of Ishmael. And these are their by their villages and by their encampments. 12 princes according to their tribes. These are the years of the life of Ishmael. 137 years. He breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people. They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt, in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen. These are the generations of Isaac. Abraham's son Abraham fathered Isaac. And Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean, of Paddan, Aram, the sister of Laban, the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer. And Rebekah, his wife, conceived. The children struggled together within her. And she said, if it is thus, why is this happening to me?

[Jesus]

So she went to Inquire of the Lord.

[Reader]

And the Lord said to her, two nations are in your womb and two peoples from within. You shall be divided. The one shall be stronger than the other. The older shall serve the younger.

[Jesus]

When her days to give birth were.

[Reader]

Completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red. All his body was like a hairy cloak. So they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel. So his name was called Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game. But Rebekah loved Jacob. Once, when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted. Therefore his name was called Edom. Jacob said, sell me your birthright now. Esau said, I am about to die. Of what use is a birthright to me? Jacob said, swear to me now. So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. And he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

[Narrator]

Now there was a famine in the land besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech, king of the Philistines. And the Lord appeared to him and.

[Jesus]

Said, do not go down to Egypt.

[Reader]

Dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.

[Narrator]

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands. And I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham, your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes and my laws. So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, she is my sister. For he feared to say, my wife, thinking lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah, because she was attractive in appearance. When he had been there a long time. Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah, his wife. So Abimelech called Isaac and said, behold, she is your wife. How then could you say she is my sister? Isaac said to him, because I thought lest I die because of her. Abimelech said, what is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us. So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, whoever touches this man or his wife.

[Jesus]

Shall surely be put to death.

[Narrator]

And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father. And Abimelech said to Isaac, go away from us, for you are much mightier than we. So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the valley of Gerar and settled there. And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. But when Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, the water is ours. So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also. So he called its name Sitnah. And he moved from there and dug another well. And they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, for now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. From there he went up to Beersheba, and the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham, your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake. So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well. When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath, his adviser, and Phicol, the commander of his army, Isaac said to them, why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you? They said, we see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us. Between you and us. And let us make a covenant with you that you will do us no harm. Just as we have not touched you and have done nothing to you but good, and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord. So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. That same day, Isaac's servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, we have found water. He called it Sheba. Therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day. When Esau was 40 years old, he took Judith, the daughter of Beri the Hittite, to be his wife.

[Reader]

And.

[Narrator]

And Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah. A reading from the Book of Psalms to the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my.

[Jesus]

Heart all the day?

[Narrator]

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God.

[Jesus]

Light up my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.

[Narrator]

Lest my enemies say I have prevailed over him.

[Jesus]

Lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

[Narrator]

A reading of the Gospel according to Matthew.

[Jesus]

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat. He answered them, and why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded honor your father and your mother, and whoever reviles father or mother must surely die. But you say, if anyone tells his father or his mother, what you would have gained from me is given to God. He need not honor his father. So for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites. Well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said, this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. And he called the people to him and said to them, hear and understand. It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth. This defiles a person. Then the disciples came and said to.

[Reader]

Him, do you know that the Pharisees.

[Jesus]

Were offended when they heard this saying? He answered, every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone. They are blind guides.

[Reader]

And if the blind lead the blind.

[Jesus]

Both will fall into a pit. But Peter said to him, explain the parable to us. And he said, are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart. And this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone. And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David. My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, send her away, for she is crying out after us. He answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

[Narrator]

But she came and knelt before him.

[Jesus]

Saying, lord, help me. And he answered, it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. She said, yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answered her.

[Reader]

O woman, great is your faith.

[Jesus]

Let it be done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed instantly. Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there. And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others. And they put them at his feet. And he healed them so that the crowd wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I have compassion on the crowd. Because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way. And the disciples said to him, where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd? And Jesus said to them, how many.

[Reader]

Loaves do you have?

[Jesus]

They said, seven and a few small fish. And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples. And the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were 4,000 men, besides women and children. And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.