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Genesis Chapter
Twenty-Five
I.
Content of the Chapter
From the Genealogy of Abraham to that of
Isaac
A. The final part of Abraham’s genealogy:
1. Concerning his sons of the concubines (v.1-4);
2. Concerning the distribution of all that
Abraham had to Isaac and his sons of the concubines (v.5-6);
3. Concerning his death and burial (v.7-10);
B. The final part of Ishmael’s genealogy:
1. Concerning his sons (v.12-16);
2. Concerning his death and dwelling-places of
his descendants (v.17-18);
C. The genealogy of Isaac started:
1. He was blessed (v.11);
2. The birth of Esau and Jacob (v.19-26);
3. Differences of the character between the two
brothers (v.27-28);
4. Esau sold the birthright to Jacob (v.29-34);
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
Gen. 25:1 “Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.”
YLT:
“And Abraham addeth and
taketh a wife, and her name Keturah;”
Meaning
of Words: “Keturah”: incense,
perfumed;
Literal
Meaning: “took a wife”, she
was also called as a “concubine” in other scriptures (1Chr. 1:32), which
indicated that she could not be bracketed with Sarah in the sight of God.
Spiritual
Meaning: after the marriage
of Isaac in the previous chapter, here Abraham got other physical descendants. Spiritual
speaking, the physical descendants of Abraham (the people of
Moreover, “Keturah” also typifies the church during the time of
Mid-tribulation.
Gen. 25:2 “And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan,
YLT:
“and she beareth to him
Zimran, and Jokshan, and
Meaning
of Words: “Zimran”: musical, praise; “Jokshan”: fowler; “
Literal
Meaning: this genealogy
provides a background for the priest of Midian, Jethro, to whom Moses then
turned afterwards (Ex. 2:15-22; 18:1-12). Sure enough, the knowledge of Midian’s
descendants was inherited from Abraham. These sons of the concubine as well as
the sons of Ishmael had later caused the literal fulfillment of God’s promise
to Abraham ---- make Him the father of nation.
Gen. 25:3 “Jokshan begot
YLT:
“And Jokshan hath begotten
Meaning
of Words: “
Gen. 25:4 “And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.”
YLT: “and the sons of Midian Ephah, and Epher, and
Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah: all these sons of Keturah.”
Meaning
of Words: “Ephah”: darkness, measuring vessel; “”Epher: gazelle; “Hanoch”: dedicate, narrow; “Abidah”: father of knowledge; “Eldaah”: God of knowledge;
Gen. 25:5 “And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.”
YLT:
“And Abraham giveth all that
he hath to Isaac;”
Literal
Meaning: it indicated that
Isaac inherited all that his father had freely.
“All that he had” referred to all the property assets including most of
the movable property. After Abraham had bought the field of Ephron and the cave
in Machpelah (Gen. 23:17-18), he might continually purchase many properties
(Gen. 24:35).
Spiritual
Meaning: Isaac typifies
Christ who is the heir of all that God the Father has (John 16:13-15).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If we believers experience the God of Isaac, we
are experiencing that God is everything of us, and that He is a God who gives
us richly all things to enjoy (1Tim. 6:17).
2) The whole life of Isaac was characterized by his partaking of
everything. If we have not partaken of the provision of God, the purpose of God
will not be fulfilled in us.
3) God had early appointed Christ to be the heir of all (Heb. 1:3). Only
He is worthy of all. And let us devote all our time and energy and all that we
are and all that we have unto Christ.
Gen. 25:6 “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.”
YLT:
“and to the sons of the
concubines whom Abraham hath, Abraham hath given gifts, and sendeth them away
from Isaac his son (in his being yet alive) eastward, unto the east country.”
Literal
Meaning: “gifts” refer to the
moveable property, e.g. flocks, herds of cattle, etc.
“The
sons of the concubines” refer to all the
sons begotten by Keturah.
“The east”: the eastern part of
The proper interpretation of the
distribution of the property in verse five and six should be that Abraham gave
all that he had before he took the wife Keturah to Isaac, and he remained a
part of his property for his daily life only. And all that he had got
afterwards were given to the sons of concubine.
Abraham sent the
sons of the concubines eastward away from Isaac
his son, for he
knew God only promised to give the land of Canaan to Isaac and other sons had
no right to cut in the counsel of God.
Enlightenment
in the Word: let parents not
plan for the physical needs of children only, but regard the needs of the
children’s souls and lead them to know the Lord and experience and partake of
the riches of the Lord.
Gen. 25:7 “This is the
sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five
years.”
YLT:
“And these the days of the
years of the life of Abraham, which he lived, a hundred and seventy and five
years;”
Literal
Meaning: here it fulfilled
the promise of God to Abraham that he would be “in a good old age” (Gen.
15:15).
Spiritual
Meaning: note that Abraham
was seventy five years old when he arrived at the
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If we trust in the promise of God, we will have
much perfect spiritual experience.
2) Days in Christ are perfect in every way.
3) May God teach us how to number our days so that we may gain a heart
of wisdom (Ps. 90:12) and that all our days will be remembered by God.
Gen. 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.”
YLT:
“and Abraham expireth, and
dieth in a good old age, aged and satisfied, and is gathered unto his people.”
Literal
Meaning: “breathed
his last and died”: stop breathing
and die naturally;
“Was
gathered to his people”, someone inferred
that he was buried in the sepulcher of his ancestor, with the bodies of them together. However,
Abraham and Sarah were both buried in the
According to the word of the Lord Jesus,
the hell is of two parts ---- one is for rest, and the other is for pain. There
is a great gulf fixed between them. Those who want to pass from one side to the
other cannot, nor can those from there pass to here (Luke 16:19-30). The former
part for rest is called “the
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Let believers seek the Lord in lifetime and
expect to become mature in spirit (“in a good old age”).
2) Die means “breathing the last” (Matt. 27:50). If we often “get angry”,
it shows that the old man of us has not been put to death yet (
Gen. 25:9 “And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the
YLT:
“And Isaac and Ishmael his
sons bury him at the
Literal
Meaning: Isaac was younger
than Ishmael, but was mentioned previously, for he was the legitimate son of
Abraham.
Gen. 25:10 “the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth.
There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.”
YLT: “the field which Abraham bought from the sons
of Heth -- there hath Abraham been buried, and Sarah his wife.”
Enlightenment
in the Word: only when we pay
the price, can we obtain true rest.
Gen. 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.”
YLT: “And it cometh to pass after the death of
Abraham, that God blesseth Isaac his son; and Isaac dwelleth by the Well of the
Living One, my Beholder.”
Meaning
of Words: “Beer Lahai Roi”: the well of the living one who sees me;
Spiritual
Meaning: before Isaac met
Rebekah, he came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi. Now his father died, he went
to Beer Lahai Roi again. Spiritual speaking, he always
led a life that was looked after by God.
Enlightenment
in the Word: if
we wholly look upon God’s attendance, we will be fully blessed by Him.
Gen. 25:12 “Now this is
the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s
maidservant, bore to Abraham.”
YLT:
“And these births of Ishmael,
Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, hath borne to
Abraham;”
Gen. 25:13 “And these were
the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their
generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar,
Adbeel, Mibsam,”
YLT:
“and these the names of the
sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their births: first-born of
Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,”
Meaning
of Words: “Nebajoth”: high place, germinate, bring
forth; “Kedar”: black, dusky; “Adbeel”: miracle of God; “Mibsam”: fragrant;
Gen. 25:14 “Mishma, Dumah,
YLT:
“and Mishma, and Dumah, and
Meaning
of Words: “Mishma”: hearing, report; “Dumah”: quiet; “
Gen. 25:15 “Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.”
YLT:
“Hadar, and Tema, Jetur,
Naphish, and Kedemah:”
Meaning
of Words: “Hadar”: brave, inclose; “Tema”: desert; “Jetur”: camp, encircled; “Naphish”: enlarge; “Kedemah”: eastward;
Gen. 25:16 “These were
the sons of Ishmael and these were
their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to
their nations.”
YLT:
“these are sons of Ishmael,
and these their names, by their villages, and by their towers; twelve princes
according to their peoples.”
Literal
Meaning: “settlements”: strong camps;
It is said that the descendants of Ishmael were the forefathers of the Arabians.
Therefore, the Arabians also regarded Abraham as their forefather.
Gen. 25:17 “These were
the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he
breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.”
YLT: “And these the years of the life of Ishmael,
a hundred and thirty and seven years; and he expireth, and dieth, and is
gathered unto his people;”
Gen. 25:18 “(They dwelt from Havilah as far as
Shur, which is east of
YLT:
“and they tabernacle from
Havilah unto Shur, which before
Meaning
of Words: “Havilah”: circular; “Shur”: high, wall, foretress;
Literal
Meaning: “his brethren” refer
to the people of
“East”, namely, the Arabian peninsular;
“Havilah”: the northwestern part of the Arabian
peninsular, which is different from the other “Havilah” in Gen. 2:11.
“Shur”, it is the area of the east part of the
“Go
toward
Gen. 25:19 “This is the
genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac.”
YLT:
“And these births of Isaac,
Abraham's son: Abraham hath begotten Isaac;”
Gen. 25:20 “Isaac was forty years old when he took
Rebekah as wife,
the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan
YLT:
“and Isaac is a son of forty
years in his taking Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramaean, from Padan-Aram,
sister of Laban the Aramaean, to him for a wife.”
Meaning
of Words: “Padan
Literal
Meaning: “Padan
Things of Isaac in the past are recorded
in the genealogy of his father, Abraham. The true genealogy of Isaac starts
from this chapter, verse nineteen.
Spiritual
Meaning: “Isaac was forty years old when he took
Rebekah as wife”, “forty” means trial in the Bible. The
marriage life is a great trial to everyone. When a man is single, he is free. Then
after he has married and lives with another one, he begins to be tried.
Gen. 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.”
YLT:
“And Isaac maketh entreaty to
Jehovah before his wife, for she barren: and Jehovah is entreated of him, and
Rebekah his wife conceiveth,”
Literal
Meaning: it was twenty years
between the time when Isaac married Rebekah and the birth of the two sons (see
v.20, 26).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) God promised seed to Isaac (Gen. 21:12), but it
was not fulfilled soon. God often tries our faith by delay of time to disclose
the preciousness of faith (1Pet. 1:7).
2) The promise of God does not replace our prayer, but turns out to be
the foundation of our faith to encourage our prayer. Let us catch the promise
of God and continue steadfastly in prayer.
3) Our prayer will surely be granted by God. But the way of being
answered may not be same as our expectation, for He knows what is profitable to
us.
4) If we preach the gospel fruitlessly and thus lack spiritual seed, let
us learn from Isaac and pray to God earnestly.
5) “Conceived”, it shows that there is life entering into
her ---- the most important thing for believers is to let the life of Christ
increase in us ---- only the life of Christ can renew our life and works.
Gen. 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.”
YLT:
“and the children struggle
together within her, and she saith, `If right -- why I thus?' and she goeth to
seek Jehovah.”
Literal
Meaning: probably the fetal
movement of Rebekah was fierce, which made her painful.
“So she went to inquire of the LORD”, “inquire of” is slightly different from “pleading
with…” in the previous verse. “Plead with…”, it is asking God to resolve some
problems or satisfy some needs; “inquire of”, it is asking God for the answer
to some questions beyond our understanding.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Sometimes, we find the blessing we have pleaded
for is not blessing after we have gained it. Contrarily, it brings us
difficulty, so we do not know what to do.
2) Once we are saved, struggles often happen in our heart (Gal. 5:17).
3) Whatever difficult things we believers suffer, let us inquire of God
like Rebekah.
Gen. 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.””
YLT: “And Jehovah saith to her, `Two nations in
thy womb, and two peoples from thy bowels are parted; and the people than the
people is stronger; and the elder doth serve the younger.'”
Literal
Meaning: the struggle between
the twinstypifies that between two nations (namely, Israelites and the Edomites)
(1Sam. 8:12-14; 2Chr. 25:11-24).
“The
Lord said to her”, that Rebekah later loved more Jacob (the
younger son) was on account of the personal revelation of God to her.
“And the older shall serve the younger”, here it speaks of the will of God’s
selection is before the birth of man. Therefore, it is not of works, but of Him
that calls (Rom. 9:11-12).
Spiritual
Meaning: “two nations”,
nation is a sphere of domination. One is dominated by Christ, and the other is
dominated by darkness.
“Two peoples”, “peoples” speak of different life. One is spiritual life,
and the other is the natural life.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Isaac pleaded with God for a son, but God gave
him a pair of twins. God answered our prayer far exceedingly above all which we
ask or think (Eph. 3:20).
2) Let each believer be strong in spirit and buffet my body and let it
captive (1Cor. 9:27).
Gen. 25:24 “So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.”
YLT:
“And her days to bear are
fulfilled, and lo, twins in her womb;”
Enlightenment
in the Word: the word of God is
faithful and trustworthy, and none of his words fall to the ground.
Gen. 25:25 “And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name
Esau.”
YLT:
“and the first cometh out all
red as a hairy robe, and they call his name Esau;”
Meaning
of Words: “red”: the pronunciation of red is the same
with that of “
Spiritual
Meaning: “came
out red”, it means that he is “natural”. When a man
gets into a temper, he blushes
up to the ears. Therefore, the flesh is characterized by the red body. And Esau
typifies “the carnal believers”.
“A
hairy garment all over”, the hair typifies
natural power. A hairy man is not tamed and disobedient to the authority of
God.
Gen. 25:26 “Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of
Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob.[c] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore
them.”
YLT:
“and afterwards hath his
brother come out, and his hand is taking hold on Esau's heel, and one calleth
his name Jacob; and Isaac a son of sixty years in her bearing them.”
Meaning
of Words: “Jacob”: supplanter, deceit, catch the heel;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Many people are able to seize status, wealth and
reputation, but cannot seize God.
2) If one seizes the high status by a human hand in the church, he will
humiliate the name of the Lord in the end.
Gen. 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.”
YLT:
“And the youths grew, and
Esau is a man acquainted hunting, a man of the field; and Jacob a plain man,
inhabiting tents;”
Meaning
of Words: “mild”: upright, perfect, complete;
Literal
Meaning: here it describes their
respective characteristic of the two sons when they are grown up, which is also
a picture of the different life style of the two peoples. The Edomites were
nomadic people who were active and wild. And the Israelites were half-nomadic
people who were thoughtful and transferred orderly.
Spiritual
Meaning: “hunter” typifies
the seeker of the world;
“Field” typifies the world;
“Mild” typifies sitting at the feet of the Lord (read the scriptures and
pray);
“Tent” typifies the church;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The natural life likes to seek worldly things,
but the spiritual life prefers to seek the Lord with the saints in the church.
2) It is a great danger and loss if believers are only occupied with
worldly things but ignore the rest in the Lord.
Gen. 25:28 “And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.”
YLT:
“and Isaac loveth Esau, for
hunting in his mouth; and Rebekah is loving Jacob.”
Literal
Meaning: the love of Isaac
was on account of carnal appetite. And the love of Rebekah was due to the revelation
of God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If we love someone for his sound word or
something he has done we desire, it is probably Isaac’s love ---- the carnal
love.
2) Let us love everyone simply for the sake of God.
Gen. 25:29 “Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field,
and he was weary.”
YLT:
“And Jacob boileth pottage,
and Esau cometh in from the field, and he weary;”
Meaning
of Words: “stew”: something boiled;
Enlightenment
in the Word: if we concentrate
our attention on worldly things, we will “be much weary” and thus ignore
spiritual needs.
Gen. 25:30 “And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called
YLT:
“and Esau saith unto Jacob,
`Let me eat, I pray thee, some of this red red thing, for I weary;' therefore
hath called his name
Meaning
of Words: “red stew”: red things; “
Literal
Meaning: “red stew”, it was
red gruel boiled with a kind of very cheap lentils and rice.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If the heart of man is overwhelmed, he cannot
see the preciousness of Christ and he will seek worldly pleasure.
2) He who is often quiet and restful before the Lord will have spiritual
food to those who are thirsty in soul.
Gen. 25:31 “But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.””
YLT:
“and Jacob saith, `Sell
to-day thy birthright to me.'”
Literal
Meaning: “birthright”: the
Jewish elder son has the following rights: 1) the blessing of the father; 2)
the master of the whole family (1Sam. 20:29); 3) double portions of inheritance
(Deut. 21:17); 4) the honor of priesthood for the whole family;
Enlightenment
in the Word: believers shall
seize the opportunity to seek the heavenly spiritual blessings.
Gen. 25:32 “And Esau said,
“Look, I am about to die; so
what is this birthright to
me?””
YLT:
“And Esau saith, `Lo, I am
going to die, and what is this to me -- birthright?'”
Literal
Meaning: here it indicated
that Esau cherished visible things and despised the promise of God and ignored
the spiritual blessings.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Esau regarded the red stew more important than
the birthright. The natural man walks by sight, not by faith, and sees the
present things, not the coming blessings.
2) He who does not know God does not cherish things of God, for he is
unable to perceive the preciousness of God’s promises and thinks that all of them
are vague and impractical.
Gen. 25:33 “Then
Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his
birthright to Jacob.”
YLT:
“and Jacob saith, `Swear to
me to-day:' and he sweareth to him, and selleth his birthright to Jacob;”
Gen. 25:34 “And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate
and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”
YLT:
“and Jacob hath given to Esau
bread and pottage of lentiles, and he eateth, and drinketh, and riseth, and
goeth; and Esau despiseth the birthright.”
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Esau was a profane person, who for one morsel of
food sold his birthright (Heb. 12:16).
2) It is an irredeemable loss if believers sell the adoption of
Christians for the sake of the temporary worldly profit.
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
Esau Typifies the Natural Life
A. Who is born earlier ---- “the
first came out” (v.25);
B. Who walks in the flesh ---- “red” (v.25);
C. Who is untamed and wild ---- “a hairy
garment all over” (v.25);
D. Who is jealousy and cruel ---- “a skillful
hunter” (v.27);
E. Who likes to wander in the world ---- “a
man of the field” (v.27);
F. Who is fully occupied with the pursuit of
worldly things ---- “weary” (v.30);
G. Who cherishes visible things ---- “red
stew” (v.30);
H. Who despises heavenly things ---- “despised
his birthright” (v.34);
Jacob Typifies the Spiritual Life
A. Who was born later ---- “afterward … came out” (v.26);
B. Salvation is not of man’s labor ---- “took
hold of Esau’s heel” (v.26);
C. Salvation is of God’s selection ---- “the
older shall serve the younger”
(v.23);
D. Who is fond of having fellowship with the
Lord ---- “mild” (v.27);
E. Who lives in the church ---- “dwelling
in tents” (v.27);
F. Who desires heavenly blessings ---- “sell me your
birthright as of this day”
(v.31);
G. Who is willing to pay the price to seek the
heavenly blessings ---- “gave Esau bread and stew of lentils” (v.34);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou