Genesis 25 - Introduction
Abraham's Descendants by Keturah, 1 6 (J). Abraham's Death and Burial, 7 11 (P). The Descendants of Ishmael, 12 18 (P).... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham's Descendants by Keturah, 1 6 (J). Abraham's Death and Burial, 7 11 (P). The Descendants of Ishmael, 12 18 (P).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Abraham … another wife … Keturah_ We are not told the period in Abraham's history at which his marriage with Keturah took place. The mention of it here is introduced, in order to complete the account of his descendants, before the narrative passes on to the story of Isaac and Jacob. _Keturah_ This... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham's Descendants by Keturah This section is from J. The children by a concubine represent tribal relationship of a secondary and less intimate character. The domestic tradition in these verses preserves the recollection of an early connexion between the ancestors of Israel and the clans or tr... [ Continue Reading ]
_And she bare him_ The genealogy of Keturah is found again in a shortened form in 1 Chronicles 1:32. That we have to do with a tradition relating to tribes and places rather than to individuals, is clearly shewn by such names as Midian, Shuah, Sheba, and Dedan. In this verse six names are given. In... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sheba … Dedan_ These places have already been mentioned by P in a different connexion (Genesis 10:7). The identity of the names illustrates the fact, that there were different Israelite traditions explaining the relation of the different members of the Hebrew-speaking families. _Asshurim, and Letus... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Abraham … Isaac_ See Genesis 24:36. This disposition of his property seems to have been made some time before his death; and was intended to prevent disputes amongst the members of his family.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the concubines_ i.e. Hagar and Keturah; although in Genesis 16:3 Hagar is called Abraham's wife, as also is Keturah in Genesis 25:1 of this chapter. _sent them away_ The present passage belongs to J, a different source of tradition from chap. 21 (E). It ignores the account of the expulsion of Haga... [ Continue Reading ]
_And these are the days_ Cf. the age of Terah, Genesis 11:32 (P). Abraham Isaiah 30 years younger than Terah at his death.... [ Continue Reading ]
(P). The Death of Abraham This passage is from P, recording the age of Abraham and the place of his burial, and following directly upon the death and burial of Sarah (chap. 23).... [ Continue Reading ]
_gave up the ghost_ Cf. Genesis 25:7; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 49:33 (P): the same word as "die" in Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:21 (P). _in a good old age_ This was part of the promised blessing: cf. Genesis 15:15. _was gathered to his people_ See note on Genesis 17:14. "His people" evidently has no loca... [ Continue Reading ]
_Isaac and Ishmael_ The two sons are mentioned once more together, as paying the last tribute of honour to their father. The banishment of Ishmael, recorded by E in 21, was not apparently included in the narrative of P, which avoids the notice of anything derogatory to the patriarchs. _in the cave... [ Continue Reading ]
_God blessed Isaac_ The fulfilment of Genesis 17:21. The traditions of Isaac are very meagre. Here, as in Genesis 24:62, his dwelling-place is at Beer-lahai-roi, which was also connected with Ishmael (Genesis 16:14). In Genesis 35:27, Hebron is spoken of as the dwelling-place of Isaac at a later per... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now these are the generations_ Cf. Genesis 5:1; Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27 (P).... [ Continue Reading ]
(P). The Descendants of Ishmael The genealogy of Ishmael is thus disposed of, before the narrative resumes the history of the Chosen Family in the generations of Isaac (Genesis 25:19). It is to be noticed that the sons of Ishmael are twelve in number, like the sons of Nahor (Genesis 22:21-24) and o... [ Continue Reading ]
_and these are the names_ Cf. the genealogy in 1 Chronicles 1:29-31. _Nebaioth_ Mentioned also in Genesis 28:9; Genesis 36:3, and in Isaiah 60:7, where the name is associated also with Kedar. Probably Nebaioth is to be identified with the _Nabajâti_of the inscriptions of Assurbanipal. The identific... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hadad_ The name of a Syrian god; cf. Hadad (1 Kings 11:14) and Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20:1 ff.). It occurs again Genesis 36:35; Genesis 36:39. _Tema_ A famous locality modern _Teima_on the trade-route between Syria and _Yemen_= S. Arabia, mentioned in Isaiah 21:14; Job 6:19. _Jetur_ Mentioned along wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_by their villages, and … encampments_ The distinction is, probably, between settled habitations in open unwalled villages, and circles of black tents in which the Bedouins dwell. This distinction between the permanent and the movable dwellings of the Ishmaelites is not reproduced in the versions. L... [ Continue Reading ]
_And these are_, &c. The same phrases occur in this verse as in Genesis 25:7. _gathered unto his people_ See note on Genesis 25:8. 18 (J). _from Havilah unto Shur_ Cf. 1 Samuel 15:7. See note on "Havilah," Genesis 10:29. It was apparently a locality in the N.E. of Arabia. On "Shur," see note on Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
Narrative of Jacob (Genesis 25:25-34) 19 34 (P and J). Esau and Jacob. Esau sells his Birthright Genesis 25:19 are from P, Genesis 25:21-34 from J. 19. _And these are the generations_ See Genesis 25:12. With this familiar formula (cf. Genesis 2:4) commences the next section from P, which deals wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_forty years old_ P gives the age of Isaac at the time of his marriage with Rebekah, thirty-five years before Abraham's death (Genesis 25:8). _Bethuel_ P makes no mention here of Bethuel's being son of Nahor, the brother of Terah. The genealogy of J in Genesis 22:22 is ignored. _the Syrian_ Heb. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_barren_ As in the case of Sarah (Genesis 11:30) and of Rachel (Genesis 29:31). Rebekah has at first no children. The Chosen People are the children of God's gift. In each generation patience is made the test of faith. Cf. the birth of Samson (Judges 13:2) and Samuel (1 Samuel 1). _was intreated_ A... [ Continue Reading ]
_struggled together_ LXX ἐσκίρτων. Cf. Luke 1:41. The future hostility between Israel and Edom was thus prefigured before their birth. Rebekah, afraid of some betokening of evil, becomes fearful and despondent. Aquila συνεθλάσθησαν, Symmachus διεπάλαιον. _wherefore do I live_ R.V. marg. _wherefore... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Lord said_ How the Divine answer was granted, whether by priest or soothsayer, by dream or by vision, we are not told. It is in the form of a rhythmic oracle, in four _stichoi_, or lines. The oracle proclaims, that (1) there are two children who shall be two nations; (2) from the first ther... [ Continue Reading ]
_red_ R.V. marg. _ruddy_. The adjective refers to the skin rather than to the hair, as in the case of David (1 Samuel 16:12). The Heb. for "red," _admoni_, is intended as a play on the word "Edom," as if the Edomites were known as "the Reds," or "Redskins," on account of their warm complexion. _lik... [ Continue Reading ]
_had hold … heel_ As if, from the first, desirous to pull his brother, back, and get in front of him. See the reference to this passage in Hosea 12:3. The character of the man was thus prefigured at birth. The idea of overreaching, or outwitting, by cunning and strategy, inspired the early Israelite... [ Continue Reading ]
_a cunning hunter_ That is a skilful, expert hunter. The word "cunning" is used in its old English sense, with no idea of craft or deceit; see 1 Samuel 16:16. The Heb. means having a knowledge of the chase. LXX εἰδὼς κυνηγεῖν, Lat. _gnarus venandi_. _a man of the field_ i.e. a man who spends his da... [ Continue Reading ]
_because … venison_ Cf. Genesis 27:3-4. _Rebekah loved Jacob_ i.e. more than Esau. We have in this verse the division of the two pairs, Isaac and Esau, Rebekah and Jacob, on which turns the narrative in chap. 27. The contrast between the hunter and the shepherd is drawn with a settled preference f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Feed me … with_ i.e. "let me, I pray thee, swallow a little of." _that same red_pottage] Heb. _the red_pottage, _this red_pottage. Esau's words repeat the adjective "red": either this was the name by which the pottage was known, or else Esau in his faintness and weariness is represented as simply... [ Continue Reading ]
_this day_ Rather, as R.V. marg., _first of all_. So also in Genesis 25:33. See 1 Samuel 2:16, "they will surely burn the fat _presently_," where "presently" = Heb. "this day," i.e. "first of all." The same idiom explains 1 Kings 22:5, where "to-day" should be rendered "first of all." Jacob seizes... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am at the point to die_ Esau's words mean that he is dying of hunger, and has no thought of anything but the prospect of food. So LXX ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πορεύομαι τελευτᾶν, Lat. _en morior_. A more improbable and very insipid interpretation makes Esau say, "I live as a hunter in continual danger of death.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Swear to me_ Jacob is acute enough to secure the solemn ratification of his brother's act, done in the thoughtless moment of exhaustion. When Esau recovers his self-control, he will not be able to repudiate his action. _this day_ R.V. marg. rightly, _first of all_. Cf. Genesis 25:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
_lentils_ The pottage here described is made of a small reddish kind of bean much in use for food in Palestine, Arab. _-adas_. Cf. 2 Samuel 17:28; 2 Samuel 23:11; Ezekiel 4:9. It makes the reddish pottage now called in Palestine _mujedderah_, a very popular dish. _so Esau despised his birthright_ Th... [ Continue Reading ]