Click here to be a part of the Live Stream and interact with us in the Chat during this Bible Study.
A Bride for Isaac
Genesis 24:67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
He thus established his acceptance of her as his wife before he had seen her beauty. When he did see her, “he loved her.”
Abraham and Keturah
Genesis 25:1 Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. :2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. :3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. :4 And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
Abraham’s sons through Keturah, (a concubine, cf. v. 6; 1Ch 1:32) a wife of lower status than Sarah, became the progenitors of various Arab tribes to the east of Canaan.
Genesis 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. :6 But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.
Conferring gifts upon these other sons, then sending them away, and also conferring the estate upon Isaac ensured that Isaac would be considered as the rightful heir without competition or threat from his half-brothers.
The steward, Eliezer, had informed Rebekah’s relatives that all of Abraham’s estate was Isaac’s (cf. 24:36).
Abraham’s Death and Burial
Genesis 25:7 This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years.
Genesis 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
A euphemism for death, but also an expression of personal continuance beyond death, which denoted a reunion with previously departed friends.
Genesis 25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, :10 the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.
Abraham’s funeral brought together two sons who would perhaps otherwise have remained somewhat estranged from each other (cf. 35:29). He was buried in the place which he had purchased at Hebron (chap. 23).
Genesis 25:11 And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.
The Families of Ishmael and Isaac
Summary: 25:12–18 the generations of Ishmael. With the death of Abraham and the focus shifting to Isaac, the record confirms God’s promise of 12 princes to Ishmael.
Genesis 25:19 This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac. :20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.
Genesis 25:21 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Confronted by 20 years of his wife’s barrenness (vv. 19, 26), Isaac rose to the test and earnestly turned to God in prayer, obviously acknowledging thereby God’s involvement and timing in the seedpromise.
Genesis 25:22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
The very uncomfortable condition of her pregnancy (“why then am I this way?”) prompted Rebekah, undoubtedly following the example of her husband, to turn earnestly to God in prayer.
She learned directly from the Lord that the severe jostling in her womb prefigured the future antagonism between the two nations to arise from her twin sons (v. 23).
Genesis 25:23 And the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.”
This was contrary to the custom in patriarchal times when the elder son enjoyed the privileges of precedence in the household and at the father’s death received a double share of the inheritance and became the recognized head of the family. Grave offenses could annul such primogeniture rights or the birthright could be sacrificed or legally transferred to another in the family, as in this case (vv. 29– 34). In this case, God declared otherwise since His sovereign elective purposes did not necessarily have to follow custom.1
Genesis 25:24 So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.
Esau and Jacob were born ca. 2005 b.c.
Genesis 25:25 And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.
This would be the linguistic basis for calling Esau’s country “Edom” (cf. v. 30).
Genesis 25:26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Genesis 25:27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. :28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
The difference between the two sons manifested itself in several areas: 1) as progenitors—Esau of Edom and Jacob of Israel; 2) in disposition—Esau a rugged, headstrong hunter preferring the outdoors and Jacob a plain, amiable man preferring the comforts of home; and 3) in parental favoritism—Esau by his father and Jacob by his mother. These were the ingredients for conflict and heartache!1
Esau Sells His Birthright
Genesis 25:29 Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.
Genesis 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
In a play upon words to forever recall that Esau was born red and hairy (v. 25) and had sold his birthright for red stew, he was also named Edom, i.e., “Red.”
Genesis 25:31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”
A double portion of the inheritance (Dt 21:17) and the right to be family chief and priest (Ex 4:22).
Genesis 25:32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”
Genesis 25:33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Esau foolishly agreed. “No food except the forbidden fruit was as dearly bought as this broth.” The prophecy of verse 23 is partially fulfilled in verses 29–34.
Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006).
