Genesis 25:1-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 25:1-10

Abraham lived, after the marriage of Isaac, thirty-five years, and all that is recorded concerning him during the time lies here in a very few verses. We hear no more of God's extraordinary appearances to him or trials of him; for all the days, even of the best and greatest saints, are not eminent days, some slide on silently, and neither come nor go with observation; such were these last days of Abraham. We have here, I. An account of his children by Keturah, another wife whom he married... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:1

Then again Abraham took a wife ,.... Three years after the death of Sarah, and when his son Isaac was married, and he alone, and now one hundred and forty years of age: and her name was Keturah ; who she was, or of what family, is not said. An Arabic writer F26 Abul. Pharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 14. says she was a daughter of the king of the Turks; another F1 Elmacinus, p. 34. apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 309. of them calls her the daughter of King Rama; and another F2 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:2

And she bare him Zimran ,.... That Keturah should bear children who probably, was a young woman, is not strange; but that Abraham, whose body forty years before this was dead should now have any bore to him, may seem difficult to account for, and only can be attributed to the fresh vigour his body was endued with at the generation of Isaac; and which still continued for the fulfilment of the promise to him of the multiplication of his seed. But if the notion of a late learned bishop F5 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:3

And Jokshan begat Sheba and Dedan ,.... Bochart F15 Phaleg. l. 2. c. 9. col. 227. is of opinion, that the posterity of this Sheba are the same with the Sabeans who inhabited at the entrance of Arabia Felix, not far from the Nabathaeans; and who, by Strabo F16 Geograph. l. 16. p. 536. , are mentioned together as near to Syria, and used to make excursions on their neighbours; and not without some colour of reason thought to be the same that plundered Job of his cattle, Job 1:15 .... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:4

And the sons of Midian ,.... The fourth son of Abraham by Keturah; he had five sons next mentioned, who were heads of so many tribes or families in Midian: hence we read of five kings of Midian; Numbers 31:8 ; their names follow: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah : the two first of these, whom Cleodemus F20 Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 20. p. 432.) calls Aphra and Apher, and makes them to be sons of Abraham by Keturah, when they were his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:5

And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. By his last will and testament; not all out of his own hand, while he lived, at least he reserved somewhat for himself, and for gifts to his other children; so his servant declared to the parents and friends of Rebekah, Genesis 24:35 ; wherefore some render the words here "had given" F4 נתן "dederat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; or the sense is, that he had at that time purposed and promised to give all that he had to Isaac, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:6

But unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham had ,.... These were Hagar and Keturah, though they are both called his wives, Genesis 16:3 ; yet they were concubines; so Keturah, 1 Chronicles 1:32 ; they were, as some render the word, "concubine wives" F5 הפילגשים "concubinarum uxorum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; they were half wives or secondary ones: the Jewish writers say that they were espoused, but not by writing, as wives were; they were under the lawful wife,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:7

And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life, which he lived ,.... Being about to die, an account is given of his age, which was an hundred threescore and fifteen years ; one hundred and seventy years; so that Isaac was now seventy five years of age, for he was born when Abraham was an hundred years old, and Jacob and Esau must how be fifteen years of age at this time, since they were born when Isaac was sixty years of age, Genesis 25:26 ; and Ishmael must be eighty nine... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:8

Then Abraham gave up the ghost ,.... Very readily and cheerfully, without any previous sickness or present pain, but through the decay of nature by reason of old age, in a very easy quiet manner: and died in a good old age, an old man ; for quantity, in those times few arriving to a greater; for quality, not attended with those inconveniences and disadvantages with which old age generally is, and therefore called evil: and full of years ; in the original it is only, "and full"; the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 25:9

And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah ,.... Isaac, though the younger brother, is set first, because he was born of the lawful wife of Abraham, the free woman, whereas Ishmael was born of a concubine and a bondwoman; Isaac was heir not only to Abraham's temporal estate, but of the promise made concerning the Messiah, (not so Ishmael,) and was on all accounts the greater man. It appears from hence, that, though them had been a quarrel between Ishmael and Isaac,... read more

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