XXV. ABRAHAM’S MARRIAGE WITH KETURAH. (1) THEN AGAIN ABRAHAM TOOK A WIFE. — This rendering implies that Abraham’s marriage with Keturah did not take place until after Sarah’s death; but this, though probable, is far from certain, as the Hebrew simply says, _And Abraham added and took a wife._ This s... [ Continue Reading ]
ZIMRAN. — The home of Keturah’s descendants is placed by Josephus and Jerome in Arabia-Felix; but the supposed traces of their names are untrustworthy. MIDIAN is the one son of Keturah who had a great future before him, for his race became famous traders (Genesis 37:28); and as they are called _Me·... [ Continue Reading ]
JOKSHAN BEGAT SHEBA, AND DEDAN. — But Sheba and Dedan are also described as the sons of Raamah, the son of Cush (Genesis 10:7). We have here proof that these genealogies are to a certain extent geographical, and that whereas these districts at first were peopled by a Hamitic race, they were subseque... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EAST COUNTRY. — By this is meant Arabia and Southern Mesopotamia, where, by their superior vigour and organisation, the descendants of Abraham were able to establish their supremacy over the natives. Burckhardt tells us that the Bedaween still follow Abraham’s practice. When their children are g... [ Continue Reading ]
AN HUNDRED THREESCORE AND FIFTEEN YEARS. — As Abraham was seventy-five years of age when he left Haran (Genesis 12:4), his sojourn in Canaan lasted just a century, one quarter of which was spent in the long trial of his faith before Isaac was granted to him. As, however, Esau and Jacob were born whe... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS SONS ISAAC AND ISHMAEL. — Isaac was now seventy-five years of age, and Ishmael eighty-nine, and the two old men, with their enmity long over, metas friends at their father’s burial. While Keturah’s sons were apparently sent far away into Arabia, Ishmael at Paran (Genesis 21:21) would be at no ve... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD BLESSED HIS SON ISAAC. — With this general summary the _Tôldôth Terah_ concludes, and no portion of Holy Scripture is more interesting or valuable; for in it the broad foundation is laid for the fulfilment of the protevangelium contained in Genesis 3:15, the progenitor of the chosen race is sele... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TÔLDÔTH ISHMAEL. (12) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISHMAEL. — Following the usual rule of this book, Ishmael is not dismissed from the Divine presence without a short record of his history, after which he falls into the background, and the historian proceeds with his main subject, which is the p... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THEIR TOWNS, AND BY THEIR CASTLES. — Towns and castles in the wilderness of Paran there were none, but we know for certain that the first of these words signified an unwalled village. (See Leviticus 25:31, where it is exactly described; also Psalms 10:8_·,_ Isaiah 42:11.) It was, however, a settl... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVILAH was far to the south, on the Persian Gulf. (See Genesis 10:29.) SHUR. — This was their western limit towards Egypt. (See Genesis 16:7.) In 1 Samuel 15:7 this same region is assigned to the Amalekites. AS THOU GOEST TOWARD ASSYRIA. — This does not mean that Shur was on the route toward Assy... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his descent to Shem, and showing thereby that the right of primogeniture belonged to him; but the inspired... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HER. — Not by the mouth of Abraham, nor in a dream, but directly, as He spake of old to Adam and Eve. We read of no appearance, as in Genesis 17:1, nor must we invent one. The manner in which Jehovah thus spake has not been revealed, and it is enough for us to know that Jehova... [ Continue Reading ]
RED. — Heb., admoni_,_ a secondary reason for the name Edom. (See Genesis 25:30,) ALL OVER LIKE AN HAIRY GARMENT. — Heb., _all of_ him — that is, completely — _like a garment of hair:_ words rendered “a rough garment” in Zechariah 13:4, where it is used of the jacket of sheepskin worn by the prophe... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS HAND TOOK HOLD ON ESAU’S HEEL. — Usually there is a considerable interval — an hour or more — between the birth of twins; but here Jacob appeared without delay, following immediately upon his brother. This is expressed by the metaphorical phrase that his hand had hold on Esau’s heel — that is, t... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHARACTERS OF ESAU AND JACOB. ESATU SELLS HIS BIRTHRIGHT. (27) THE “BOYS GREW. — With advancing years came also the formation of their characters. Esau became a skilful hunter, a “man of the field”: not a husbandman, but one who roamed over the open uncultivated wilderness (see Ge... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE HE DID EAT OF HIS VENISON. — Literally, _because the venison_ — that is, the produce of Esau’s hunting — _was in his mouth;_ in our phrase, _was to his taste_ — was what he liked. The diet of an Arab sheik is very simple (see Note on Genesis 18:6); and Isaac, a man wanting in physical vigour... [ Continue Reading ]
JACOB SOD POTTAGE. — The diverse occupations of the two youths led, in course of time, to an act fatal to Esau’s character and well-being. Coming home one day weary, and fainting with hunger, he found Jacob preparing a pottage of lentils. No sooner did the savoury smell reach him than he cried out i... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DID EAT AND DRINK, AND ROSE UP, AND WENT HIS WAY. — These words graphically describe Esau’s complete indifference to the spiritual privileges of which he had denuded himself. There is no regret, no sad feeling that he had prolonged his life at too high a cost. And if Jacob is cunning, and mean in... [ Continue Reading ]