Genesis 25

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Abraham's Death and His Descendants

1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2 1She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5 2Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.
6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he 3sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward 4to the east country.
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years.
8 Abraham 5breathed his last and 6died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
9 Isaac and Ishmael 7his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre,
10 the field 8that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. 9There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife.
11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at 10Beer-lahai-roi.
12 These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, 11whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.
13 12These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: 13Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and 14Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
15 Hadad, 15Tema, 16Jetur, 17Naphish, and Kedemah.
16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, 18twelve princes according to their tribes.
17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He 19breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.)
18 20They settled from Havilah to 21Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled[a] over against all his kinsmen.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: 22Abraham fathered Isaac,
20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, 23the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of 24Paddan-aram, 25the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.
21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And 26the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?"[b] So she went 27to inquire of the LORD.
23 And the LORD said to her, 28"Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you[c] shall be divided; 29the one shall be stronger than the other, 30the older shall serve the younger."
24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25 The first came out red, 31all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau.
26 Afterward his brother came out with 32his hand holding Esau's heel, so 33his name was called Jacob.[d] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was 34a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, 35dwelling in tents.
28 Isaac loved Esau because 36he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.
30 And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.[e])
31 Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now."
32 Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?"
33 Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and 37sold his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

Abraham's family by Keturah, His death and burial. (1-10) God blesses Isaac The descendants of Ishmael. (11-18) The birth of Esau and Jacob. (19-26) The different characters of Esau and Jacob. (27,28) Esau despises and sells his birth-right. (29-34)

Verses 1-10 All the days, even of the best and greatest saints, are not remarkable days; some slide on silently; such were these last days of Abraham. Here is an account of Abraham's children by Keturah, and the disposition which he made of his estate. After the birth of these sons, he set his house in order, with prudence and justice. He did this while he yet lived. It is wisdom for men to do what they find to do while they live, as far as they can. Abraham lived 175 years; just one hundred years after he came to Canaan; so long he was a sojourner in a strange country. Whether our stay in this life be long or short, it matters but little, provided we leave behind us a testimony to the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord, and a good example to our families. We are told that his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. It seems that Abraham had himself brought them together while he lived. Let us not close the history of the life of Abraham without blessing God for such a testimony of the triumph of faith.

Verses 11-18 Ishmael had twelve sons, whose families became distinct tribes. They peopled a very large country that lay between Egypt and Assyria, called Arabia. The number and strength of this family were the fruit of the promise, made to Hagar and to Abraham, concerning Ishmael.

Verses 19-26 Isaac seems not to have been much tried, but to have spent his days in quietness. Jacob and Esau were prayed for; their parents, after being long childless, obtained them by prayer. The fulfilment of God's promise is always sure, yet it is often slow. The faith of believers is tried, their patience exercised, and mercies long waited for are more welcome when they come. Isaac and Rebekah kept in view the promise of all nations being blessed in their posterity, therefore were not only desirous of children, but anxious concerning every thing which seemed to mark their future character. In all our doubts we should inquire of the Lord by prayer. In many of our conflicts with sin and temptation, we may adopt Rebekah's words, "If it be so, why am I thus?" If a child of God, why so careless or carnal? If not a child of God, why so afraid of, or so burdened with sin?

Verses 27-28 Esau hunted the beasts of the field with dexterity and success, till he became a conqueror, ruling over his neighbours. Jacob was a plain man, one that liked the true delights of retirement, better than all pretended pleasures. He was a stranger and a pilgrim in his spirit, and a shepherd all his days. Isaac and Rebekah had but these two children, one was the father's darling, and the other the mother's. And though godly parents must feel their affections most drawn over towards a godly child, yet they will not show partiality. Let their affections lead them to do what is just and equal to every child, or evils will arise.

Verses 29-34 We have here the bargain made between Jacob and Esau about the right, which was Esau's by birth, but Jacob's by promise. It was for a spiritual privilege; and we see Jacob's desire of the birth-right, but he sought to obtain it by crooked courses, not like his character as a plain man. He was right, that he coveted earnestly the best gifts; he was wrong, that he took advantage of his brother's need. The inheritance of their father's worldly goods did not descend to Jacob, and was not meant in this proposal. But it includeth the future possession of the land of Canaan by his children's children, and the covenant made with Abraham as to Christ the promised Seed. Believing Jacob valued these above all things; unbelieving Esau despised them. Yet although we must be of Jacob's judgment in seeking the birth-right, we ought carefully to avoid all guile, in seeking to obtain even the greatest advantages. Jacob's pottage pleased Esau's eye. "Give me some of that red;" for this he was called Edom, or Red. Gratifying the sensual appetite ruins thousands of precious souls. When men's hearts walk after their own eyes, ( Job 31:7 ) , and when they serve their own bellies, they are sure to be punished. If we use ourselves to deny ourselves, we break the force of most temptations. It cannot be supposed that Esau was dying of hunger in Isaac's house. The words signify, I am going towards death; he seems to mean, I shall never live to inherit Canaan, or any of those future supposed blessings; and what signifies it who has them when I am dead and gone. This would be the language of profaneness, with which the apostle brands him, ( Hebrews 12:16 ) ; and this contempt of the birth-right is blamed, ver. ( 34 ) . It is the greatest folly to part with our interest in God, and Christ, and heaven, for the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world; it is as bad a bargain as his who sold a birth-right for a dish of pottage. Esau ate and drank, pleased his palate, satisfied his appetite, and then carelessly rose up and went his way, without any serious thought, or any regret, about the bad bargain he had made. Thus Esau despised his birth-right. By his neglect and contempt afterwards, and by justifying himself in what he had done, he put the bargain past recall. People are ruined, not so much by doing what is amiss, as by doing it and not repenting of it.

Cross References 37

  • 1. 1 Chronicles 1:32, 33
  • 2. Genesis 24:36
  • 3. Genesis 21:14
  • 4. [Judges 6:3]
  • 5. ver. 17; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 49:33
  • 6. Genesis 15:15
  • 7. Genesis 35:29
  • 8. Genesis 23:16; Genesis 50:13
  • 9. Genesis 49:30, 31
  • 10. Genesis 16:14; Genesis 24:62
  • 11. Genesis 16:15
  • 12. 1 Chronicles 1:29-31
  • 13. Isaiah 60:7
  • 14. Isaiah 60:7
  • 15. Job 6:19; Isaiah 21:14
  • 16. 1 Chronicles 5:19
  • 17. 1 Chronicles 5:19
  • 18. Genesis 17:20
  • 19. ver. 8
  • 20. 1 Samuel 15:7
  • 21. Genesis 16:7; Genesis 20:1; Exodus 15:22
  • 22. Matthew 1:2
  • 23. Genesis 22:23
  • 24. See Genesis 28:2
  • 25. Genesis 24:29
  • 26. 2 Samuel 21:14; 2 Samuel 24:25; 1 Chronicles 5:20; 2 Chronicles 33:13; Ezra 8:23
  • 27. [1 Samuel 9:9]
  • 28. Genesis 17:16; Genesis 24:60
  • 29. [2 Samuel 8:14]; See Obad. 18-21
  • 30. Genesis 27:29, 40; Cited Romans 9:12
  • 31. Genesis 27:11, 16, 23
  • 32. Hosea 12:3
  • 33. Genesis 27:36
  • 34. Genesis 27:3, 5
  • 35. Hebrews 11:9
  • 36. Genesis 27:4, 7, 9
  • 37. Hebrews 12:16

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Hebrew fell
  • [b]. Or why do I live?
  • [c]. Or from birth
  • [d]. Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats
  • [e]. Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 25

This chapter contains an account of Abraham's marriage with another woman, and of the children he had by her and of their posterity Ge 25:1-4; of Abraham's disposal of his substance; and his sons, Ge 25:5,6; of the years of his life, his death and burial, Ge 25:7-11; of the children of Ishmael, and of the years of his life, and of his death, Ge 25:12-18; and of the sons of Isaac the fruit of prayer, and of the oracle concerning them before they were born, and of their temper and disposition, conduct and behaviour, Ge 25:19-34.

Genesis 25 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.