1 Then again H3254 Abraham H85 took H3947 a wife, H802 and her name H8034 was Keturah. H6989
2 And she bare H3205 him Zimran, H2175 and Jokshan, H3370 and Medan, H4091 and Midian, H4080 and Ishbak, H3435 and Shuah. H7744
3 And Jokshan H3370 begat H3205 Sheba, H7614 and Dedan. H1719 And the sons H1121 of Dedan H1719 were Asshurim, H805 and Letushim, H3912 and Leummim. H3817
4 And the sons H1121 of Midian; H4080 Ephah, H5891 and Epher, H6081 and Hanoch, H2585 and Abida, H28 and Eldaah. H420 All these were the children H1121 of Keturah. H6989
5 And Abraham H85 gave H5414 all that he had unto Isaac. H3327
6 But unto the sons H1121 of the concubines, H6370 which Abraham H85 had, Abraham H85 gave H5414 gifts, H4979 and sent them away H7971 from Isaac H3327 his son, H1121 while he yet lived, H2416 eastward, H6924 unto the east H6924 country. H776
7 And these are the days H3117 of the years H8141 of Abraham's H85 life H2416 which he lived, H2425 an hundred H3967 H8141 threescore and fifteen H7657 H8141 H2568 years. H8141
8 Then Abraham H85 gave up the ghost, H1478 and died H4191 in a good H2896 old age, H7872 an old man, H2205 and full H7649 of years; and was gathered H622 to his people. H5971
9 And his sons H1121 Isaac H3327 and Ishmael H3458 buried H6912 him in the cave H4631 of Machpelah, H4375 in the field H7704 of Ephron H6085 the son H1121 of Zohar H6714 the Hittite, H2850 which is before H6440 Mamre; H4471
10 The field H7704 which Abraham H85 purchased H7069 of the sons H1121 of Heth: H2845 there was Abraham H85 buried, H6912 and Sarah H8283 his wife. H802
11 And it came to pass after H310 the death H4194 of Abraham, H85 that God H430 blessed H1288 his son H1121 Isaac; H3327 and Isaac H3327 dwelt H3427 by H5973 the well Lahairoi. H883
12 Now these are the generations H8435 of Ishmael, H3458 Abraham's H85 son, H1121 whom Hagar H1904 the Egyptian, H4713 Sarah's H8283 handmaid, H8198 bare H3205 unto Abraham: H85
13 And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Ishmael, H3458 by their names, H8034 according to their generations: H8435 the firstborn H1060 of Ishmael, H3458 Nebajoth; H5032 and Kedar, H6938 and Adbeel, H110 and Mibsam, H4017
14 And Mishma, H4927 and Dumah, H1746 and Massa, H4854
15 Hadar, H2316 and Tema, H8485 Jetur, H3195 Naphish, H5305 and Kedemah: H6929
16 These are the sons H1121 of Ishmael, H3458 and these are their names, H8034 by their towns, H2691 and by their castles; H2918 twelve H8147 H6240 princes H5387 according to their nations. H523
17 And these are the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Ishmael, H3458 an hundred H3967 H8141 and thirty H7970 H8141 and seven H7651 years: H8141 and he gave up the ghost H1478 and died; H4191 and was gathered H622 unto his people. H5971
18 And they dwelt H7931 from Havilah H2341 unto Shur, H7793 that is before H6440 Egypt, H4714 as thou goest H935 toward Assyria: H804 and he died H5307 in the presence H6440 of all his brethren. H251
19 And these are the generations H8435 of Isaac, H3327 Abraham's H85 son: H1121 Abraham H85 begat H3205 Isaac: H3327
20 And Isaac H3327 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he took H3947 Rebekah H7259 to wife, H802 the daughter H1323 of Bethuel H1328 the Syrian H761 of Padanaram, H6307 the sister H269 to Laban H3837 the Syrian. H761
21 And Isaac H3327 intreated H6279 the LORD H3068 for H5227 his wife, H802 because she was barren: H6135 and the LORD H3068 was intreated H6279 of him, and Rebekah H7259 his wife H802 conceived. H2029
22 And the children H1121 struggled together H7533 within her; H7130 and she said, H559 If it be so, why am I thus? H2088 And she went H3212 to enquire H1875 of the LORD. H3068
23 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto her, Two H8147 nations H1471 are in thy womb, H990 and two manner H8147 of people H3816 shall be separated H6504 from thy bowels; H4578 and the one people H3816 shall be stronger H553 than the other people; H3816 and the elder H7227 shall serve H5647 the younger. H6810
24 And when her days H3117 to be delivered H3205 were fulfilled, H4390 behold, there were twins H8380 in her womb. H990
25 And the first H7223 came out H3318 red, H132 all over like an hairy H8181 garment; H155 and they called H7121 his name H8034 Esau. H6215
26 And after H310 that came H3318 his brother H251 out, H3318 and his hand H3027 took hold H270 on Esau's H6215 heel; H6119 and his name H8034 was called H7121 Jacob: H3290 and Isaac H3327 was threescore H8346 years H8141 old H1121 when she bare H3205 them.
27 And the boys H5288 grew: H1431 and Esau H6215 was a cunning H3045 hunter, H6718 a man H376 of the field; H7704 and Jacob H3290 was a plain H8535 man, H376 dwelling H3427 in tents. H168
28 And Isaac H3327 loved H157 Esau, H6215 because he did eat H6310 of his venison: H6718 but Rebekah H7259 loved H157 Jacob. H3290
29 And Jacob H3290 sod H2102 pottage: H5138 and Esau H6215 came H935 from the field, H7704 and he was faint: H5889
30 And Esau H6215 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Feed H3938 me, I pray thee, with H4480 that same H122 red H122 pottage; for I am faint: H5889 therefore was his name H8034 called H7121 Edom. H123
31 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Sell H4376 me this day H3117 thy birthright. H1062
32 And Esau H6215 said, H559 Behold, I am at the point H1980 to die: H4191 and what profit shall this birthright H1062 do to me?
33 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Swear H7650 to me this day; H3117 and he sware H7650 unto him: and he sold H4376 his birthright H1062 unto Jacob. H3290
34 Then Jacob H3290 gave H5414 Esau H6215 bread H3899 and pottage H5138 of lentiles; H5742 and he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and rose up, H6965 and went his way: H3212 thus Esau H6215 despised H959 his birthright. H1062
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 25
Commentary on Genesis 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 25
Ge 25:1-6. Sons of Abraham.
1. Abraham took a wife—rather, "had taken"; for Keturah is called Abraham's concubine, or secondary wife (1Ch 1:32); and as, from her bearing six sons to him, it is improbable that he married after Sarah's death; and also as he sent them all out to seek their own independence, during his lifetime, it is clear that this marriage is related here out of its chronological order, merely to form a proper winding up of the patriarch's history.
5, 6. Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac … unto the sons of the concubines … Abraham gave gifts—While the chief part of the inheritance went to Isaac; the other sons (Ishmael included) migrated to "the East country," that is, Arabia, but received each a portion of the patrimony, perhaps in cattle and other things; and this settlement of Abraham's must have given satisfaction, since it is still the rule followed among the pastoral tribes.
Ge 25:7-11. Death of Abraham.
7. these are the days of … Abraham—His death is here related, though he lived till Jacob and Esau were fifteen years, just one hundred years after coming to Canaan; "the father of the faithful," "the friend of God" [Jas 2:23], died; and even in his death, the promises were fulfilled (compare Ge 15:15). We might have wished some memorials of his deathbed experience; but the Spirit of God has withheld them—nor was it necessary; for (see Mt 7:16) from earth he passed into heaven (Lu 16:22). Though dead he yet liveth (Mt 22:32).
9, 10. his sons … buried him—Death often puts an end to strife, reconciles those who have been alienated, and brings rival relations, as in this instance, to mingle tears over a father's grave.
Ge 25:12-18. Descendants of Ishmael. Before passing to the line of the promised seed, the historian gives a brief notice of Ishmael, to show that the promises respecting that son of Abraham were fulfilled—first, in the greatness of his posterity (compare Ge 17:20); and, secondly, in their independence.
18. he died—rather, "it [their lot] fell" in the presence of his brethren (compare Ge 16:12).
Ge 25:19-34. History of Isaac.
19. these are the generations—account of the leading events in his life.
21. Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife—Though tried in a similar way to his father, he did not follow the same crooked policy. Twenty years he continued unblessed with offspring, whose seed was to be "as the stars" [Ge 26:4]. But in answer to their mutual prayers (1Pe 3:7), Rebekah was divinely informed that she was to be the mother of twins, who should be the progenitors of two independent nations; that the descendants of the younger should be the more powerful and subdue those of the other (Ro 9:12; 2Ch 21:8).
27. the boys grew—from the first, opposite to each other in character, manners, and habits.
28. The parents were divided in their affection; and while the grounds, at least of the father's partiality, were weak, the distinction made between the children led, as such conduct always does, to unhappy consequences.
29. Jacob sod pottage—made of lentils or small beans, which are common in Egypt and Syria. It is probable that it was made of Egyptian beans, which Jacob had procured as a dainty; for Esau was a stranger to it. It is very palatable; and to the weary hunter, faint with hunger, its odor must have been irresistibly tempting.
31. Jacob said, Sell me … thy birthright—that is, the rights and privileges of the first-born, which were very important, the chief being that they were the family priests (Ex 4:22) and had a double portion of the inheritance (De 21:17).
32. Esau said … I am at the point to die—that is, I am running daily risk of my life; and of what use will the birthright be to me: so he despised or cared little about it, in comparison with gratifying his appetite—he threw away his religious privileges for a trifle; and thence he is styled "a profane person" (Heb 12:16; also Job 31:7, 16; 6:13; Php 3:19). "There was never any meat, except the forbidden fruit, so dear bought, as this broth of Jacob" [Bishop Hall].