Genesis 25:25

Abraham's Marriage to Keturah is generally supposed to have taken place after Sarah's death, and his power to beget six sons at so advanced an age is attributed to the fact, that the Almighty had endowed him with new vital and reproductive energy for begetting the son of the promise. But there is no firm ground for this assumption; as it is not stated anywhere, that Abraham did not take Keturah as his wife till after Sarah's death. It is merely an inference drawn from the fact, that it is not mentioned till afterwards; and it is taken for granted that the history is written in strictly chronological order. But this supposition is precarious, and is not in harmony with the statement, that Abraham sent away the sons of the concubines with gifts during his own lifetime; for in the case supposed, the youngest of Keturah's sons would not have been more than twenty-five or thirty years old at Abraham's death; and in those days, when marriages were not generally contracted before the fortieth year, this seems too young for them to have been sent away from their father's house. This difficulty, however, is not decisive. Nor does the fact that Keturah is called a concubine in Gen 25:6, and Ch1 1:32, necessarily show that she was contemporary with Sarah, but may be explained on the ground that Abraham did not place her on the same footing as Sarah, his sole wife, the mother of the promised seed. Of the sons and grandsons of Keturah, who are mentioned in Ch1 1:32 as well as here, a few of the names may still be found among the Arabian tribes, but in most instances the attempt to trace them is very questionable. This remark applies to the identification of Zimran with Ζαββάμ (Ptol. vi. 7, 5), the royal city of the Κιναιδοκολπῖται to the west of Mecca, on the Red Sea; of Jokshan w…

The sacred historian, in this chapter, I. Takes his leave of Abraham, with an account, I. Of his children by another wife (Gen 25:1-4). 2. Of his last will and testament (Gen 25:5, Gen 25:6). 3. Of his age, death, and burial (Gen 25:7-10). II. He takes his leave of Ishmael, with a short account, 1. Of his children (Gen 25:12-16). 2. Of his age and death (Gen 25:17, Gen 25:18). III. He enters upon the history of Isaac. 1. His prosperity (Gen 25:11). 2. The conception and birth of his two sons, with the oracle of God concerning them (Gen 25:19-26). 3. Their different characters (Gen 25:27, Gen 25:28). 4. Esau's selling his birthright to Jacob (Gen 25:29-34).

25:25 Two wordplays anticipate Esau’s later life. Esau sounds like Hebrew se‘ar, which means “hair”; Esau’s later homeland, Edom, was known as Seir (“hairy”) because it was wooded (as though covered with hair). • red (Hebrew ’admoni) sounds like Esau’s other name, Edom (25:27-34); Edom had red soil. • Esau’s >hair was like the fur coat of an animal, foreshadowing his unspiritual character (25:34; Heb 12:16; cp. Lev 26:22; Deut 7:22; 1 Cor 15:32). The description of the child uses words that highlight the Edomites’ nature.