The Death of Abraham
25:1 Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah. 25:2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 25:3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 25:4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
25:5 Everything he owned Abraham left to his son Isaac. 25:6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac.
25:7 Abraham lived a total of 175 years. 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. He joined his ancestors. 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar, the Hethite. 25:10 This was the field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 25:11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived near Beer Lahai Roi.
The Sons of Ishmael
25:12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
25:13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records: Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 25:15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps – twelve princes according to their clans.
25:17 Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors. 25:18 His descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next to Egypt all the way to Asshur. They settled away from all their relatives.
Jacob and Esau
25:19 This is the account of Isaac, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.
25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!” So she asked the Lord, 25:23 and the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples will be separated from within you.
One people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish all over, like a hairy garment, so they named him Esau. 25:26 When his brother came out with his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.
25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents. 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew, and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me some of the red stuff – yes, this red stuff – because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)
25:31 But Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?” 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.” So Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out. So Esau despised his birthright.
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You know...this may not be very deep and meaningful, but as i sit here pondering the last 2 chapters of reading, the one thought that keeps coming into my mind is how in the world any of these folks had any free time to spend deep in prayer/conversation with God, with all these kids?!? I struggle to find 5 minutes of peace/"me time" while at home, surely the wife has less.
ReplyDeletePerhaps our forefathers were the first to wake up at rediculous times in the morning to have this time. Based solely on this competely unfounded assumption, I will continue to follow their lead, and find my sancutuary at 5 AM:)
Good night and God bless, zzzzz.....
No comment on this chapter today... I think I'll wait until the next chapter, when the story of Jacob & Esau develops further. I remember this story from a sermon in church a couple of years ago!
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful chapter. Full of interesting events. What caught my eye first was that both Isaac and Ishmael buried Abraham. Despite Sarah and Hagar's disdain for each other the two half brothers managed to bury their father together. If the Hebrews were truly writing this text then why add that part? Why include him in the text completing an honorable task? On second thought why even give his lineage?
ReplyDeleteNext, Abraham gave his wealth and possessions to Isaac but he also took care of each of his children. Despite his sin with Hagar he still took care of the child (and presumably - mother).
Also, Isaac and Rebekah have two children (essentially just like Abraham originally) and the younger one - Jacob - ends up with the birth right of the firstborn. I am not an expert in this culture but that seem extremely important and unconventional. And Issac liked Esau because he was a hunter yet God choose Jacob who lived in tents - much like Abraham verses Lot the city slicker.
Last, Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. What a monumentally bad trade. In the past I thought this was a big mistake because Abraham and Isaac had so much individual wealth. Now what I am thinking is that this trade is even more lopside because of the promise that Abraham received from God. So originally I thought that Esau lost out on some livestock, wealth, status, etc. Now I am thinking that Esau lost out on the blessing of the God's oversight and protection, the promised land, the multitude of nations which might descend from him, the future miracles and blessings of God, and finally the opportunity to reconcile the world through his line. I hope the stew was good! Valuable lesson to me to not act in haste.
Interesting that two promises of God's are kept in this chapter. First God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:20
ReplyDeleteAs for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes;
And to Hagar in Genesis 16:12
And he will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers