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Selected Verse: Genesis 25:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ge 25:1	Strong Concordance	Then again [03254] Abraham [085] took [03947] a wife [0802], and her name [08034] was Keturah [06989].
	King James	Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
SONS OF ABRAHAM. (Gen 25:1-6) Abraham took a wife--rather, "had taken"; for Keturah is called Abraham's concubine, or secondary wife (Ch1 1:32); and as, from her bearing six sons to him, it is improbable that he married after Sarah's death; and also as he sent them all out to seek their own independence, during his lifetime, it is clear that this marriage is related here out of its chronological order, merely to form a proper winding up of the patriarch's history.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

SONS OF ABRAHAM. (Gen 25:1-6)

Abraham took a wife--rather, "had taken"; for Keturah is called Abraham's concubine, or secondary wife (Ch1 1:32); and as, from her bearing six sons to him, it is improbable that he married after Sarah's death; and also as he sent them all out to seek their own independence, during his lifetime, it is clear that this marriage is related here out of its chronological order, merely to form a proper winding up of the patriarch's history.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
Keturah As Sarah stands for "the mother of us all," that is, of those who, by grace, are one with the true Son of promise, of whom Isaac was the type (Joh 3:6-8); (Gal 4:26); (Gal 4:28); (Gal 4:29); (Heb 2:11-13) and joint heirs of His wealth; (Heb 1:2); (Rom 8:16); (Rom 8:17); so Keturah (wedded after the full blessing of Isaac) and her children by Abraham may well stand for the fertility of Israel the natural seed, Jehovah's wife (Hos 2:1-23) after the future national restoration under the Palestinian covenant. (See Scofield) - (Deu 30:3).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
Abraham's Marriage to Keturah is generally supposed to have taken place after Sarah's death, and his power to beget six sons at so advanced an age is attributed to the fact, that the Almighty had endowed him with new vital and reproductive energy for begetting the son of the promise. But there is no firm ground for this assumption; as it is not stated anywhere, that Abraham did not take Keturah as his wife till after Sarah's death. It is merely an inference drawn from the fact, that it is not mentioned till afterwards; and it is taken for granted that the history is written in strictly chronological order. But this supposition is precarious, and is not in harmony with the statement, that Abraham sent away the sons of the concubines with gifts during his own lifetime; for in the case supposed, the youngest of Keturah's sons would not have been more than twenty-five or thirty years old at Abraham's death; and in those days, when marriages were not generally contracted before the fortieth year, this seems too young for them to have been sent away from their father's house. This difficulty, however, is not decisive. Nor does the fact that Keturah is called a concubine in Gen 25:6, and Ch1 1:32, necessarily show that she was contemporary with Sarah, but may be explained on the ground that Abraham did not place her on the same footing as Sarah, his sole wife, the mother of the promised seed. Of the sons and grandsons of Keturah, who are mentioned in Ch1 1:32 as well as here, a few of the names may still be found among the Arabian tribes, but in most instances the attempt to trace them is very questionable. This remark applies to the identification of Zimran with Ζαββάμ (Ptol. vi. 7, 5), the royal city of the Κιναιδοκολπῖται to the west of Mecca, on the Red Sea; of Jokshan with the Κασσανῖται, on the Red Sea (Ptol. vi. 7, 6), or with the Himyaritish tribe of Jakish in Southern Arabia; of Ishbak with the name Shobek, a place in the Edomitish country first mentioned by Abulfeda; of Shuah with the tribe Syayhe to the east of Aila, or with Szyhhan in Northern Edom (Burckhardt, Syr. 692, 693, and 945), although the epithet the Shuhite, applied to Bildad, points to a place in Northern Idumaea. There is more plausibility in the comparison of Medan and Midian with Μοδιάνα on the eastern coast of the Elanitic Gulf, and Μαδιάνα, a tract to the north of this (Ptol. vi. 7, 2, 27; called by Arabian geographers Madyan, a city five days' journey to the south of Aila). The relationship of these two tribes will explain the fact, that the Midianim, Gen 37:28, are called Medanim in Gen 37:36.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

Abraham's Marriage to Keturah is generally supposed to have taken place after Sarah's death, and his power to beget six sons at so advanced an age is attributed to the fact, that the Almighty had endowed him with new vital and reproductive energy for begetting the son of the promise. But there is no firm ground for this assumption; as it is not stated anywhere, that Abraham did not take Keturah as his wife till after Sarah's death. It is merely an inference drawn from the fact, that it is not mentioned till afterwards; and it is taken for granted that the history is written in strictly chronological order. But this supposition is precarious, and is not in harmony with the statement, that Abraham sent away the sons of the concubines with gifts during his own lifetime; for in the case supposed, the youngest of Keturah's sons would not have been more than twenty-five or thirty years old at Abraham's death; and in those days, when marriages were not generally contracted before the fortieth year, this seems too young for them to have been sent away from their father's house. This difficulty, however, is not decisive. Nor does the fact that Keturah is called a concubine in Gen 25:6, and Ch1 1:32, necessarily show that she was contemporary with Sarah, but may be explained on the ground that Abraham did not place her on the same footing as Sarah, his sole wife, the mother of the promised seed. Of the sons and grandsons of Keturah, who are mentioned in Ch1 1:32 as well as here, a few of the names may still be found among the Arabian tribes, but in most instances the attempt to trace them is very questionable. This remark applies to the identification of Zimran with Ζαββάμ (Ptol. vi. 7, 5), the royal city of the Κιναιδοκολπῖται to the west of Mecca, on the Red Sea; of Jokshan with the Κασσανῖται, on the Red Sea (Ptol. vi. 7, 6), or with the Himyaritish tribe of Jakish in Southern Arabia; of Ishbak with the name Shobek, a place in the Edomitish country first mentioned by Abulfeda; of Shuah with the tribe Syayhe to the east of Aila, or with Szyhhan in Northern Edom (Burckhardt, Syr. 692, 693, and 945), although the epithet the Shuhite, applied to Bildad, points to a place in Northern Idumaea. There is more plausibility in the comparison of Medan and Midian with Μοδιάνα on the eastern coast of the Elanitic Gulf, and Μαδιάνα, a tract to the north of this (Ptol. vi. 7, 2, 27; called by Arabian geographers Madyan, a city five days' journey to the south of Aila). The relationship of these two tribes will explain the fact, that the Midianim, Gen 37:28, are called Medanim in Gen 37:36.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Five and thirty years Abraham lived after the marriage of Isaac, and all that is recorded concerning him during that 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 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 an account of his children by Keturah, another wife, which be married after the death of Sarah. He had buried Sarah, and married Isaac, the two dear companions of his life, and was now solitary; his family wanted a governess and it was not good for him to he thus alone; he therefore marries Keturah, probably the chief of his maid servants, born in his house, or bought with money. By her he had six sons, in whom the promise made to Abraham concerning the great increase of his posterity was in part fulfilled. The strength he received by the promise still remained in him, to shew how much the virtue of the promise exceeds the power of nature.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Then again Abraham took a wife - When Abraham took Keturah we are not informed; it might have been in the lifetime of Sarah; and the original ויסף vaiyoseph, and he added, etc., seems to give some countenance to this opinion. Indeed it is not very likely that he had the children mentioned here after the death of Sarah; and from the circumstances of his age, feebleness, etc., at the birth of Isaac, it is still more improbable. Even at that age, forty years before the marriage of Isaac, the birth of his son is considered as not less miraculous on his part than on the part of Sarah; for the apostle expressly says, Rom 4:19, that Abraham considered not his own body Now Dead, when he was about a hundred years old, nor the Deadness of Sarah's womb; hence we learn that they were both past the procreation of children, insomuch that the birth of Isaac is ever represented as supernatural. It is therefore very improbable that he had any child after the birth of Isaac; and therefore we may well suppose that Moses had related this transaction out of its chronological order, which is not infrequent in the sacred writings, when a variety of important facts relative to the accomplishment of some grand design are thought necessary to be produced in a connected series. On this account intervening matters of a different complexion are referred to a future time. Perhaps we may be justified in reading the verse: "And Abraham had added, and had taken a wife (besides Hagar) whose name was Keturah," etc. The chronology in the margin dates this marriage with Keturah A. M. 2154, nine years after the death of Sarah, A. M. 2145. Jonathan ben Uzziel and the Jerusalem Targum both assert that Keturah was the same as Hagar. Some rabbins, and with them Dr. Hammond, are of the same opinion; but both Hagar and Keturah are so distinguished in the Scriptures, that the opinion seems destitute of probability.

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³² Now the sons [01121] of Keturah [06989], Abraham's [085] concubine [06370]: she bare [03205] Zimran [02175], and Jokshan [03370], and Medan [04091], and Midian [04080], and Ishbak [03435], and Shuah [07744]. And the sons [01121] of Jokshan [03370]; Sheba [07614], and Dedan [01719].

¹ Then again [03254] Abraham [085] took [03947] a wife [0802], and her name [08034] was Keturah [06989].
² And she bare [03205] him Zimran [02175], and Jokshan [03370], and Medan [04091], and Midian [04080], and Ishbak [03435], and Shuah [07744].
³ And Jokshan [03370] begat [03205] Sheba [07614], and Dedan [01719]. And the sons [01121] of Dedan [01719] were Asshurim [0805], and Letushim [03912], and Leummim [03817].
⁴ And the sons [01121] of Midian [04080]; Ephah [05891], and Epher [06081], and Hanoch [02585], and Abida [028], and Eldaah [0420]. All these were the children [01121] of Keturah [06989].
⁵ And Abraham [085] gave [05414] all that he had unto Isaac [03327].
⁶ But unto the sons [01121] of the concubines [06370], which Abraham [085] had, Abraham [085] gave [05414] gifts [04979], and sent them away [07971] from Isaac [03327] his son [01121], while he yet lived [02416], eastward [06924], unto the east [06924] country [0776].

³ That then the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] will turn [07725] thy captivity [07622], and have compassion [07355] upon thee, and will return [07725] and gather [06908] thee from all the nations [05971], whither the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] hath scattered [06327] thee.

¹ Say [0559] ye unto your brethren [0251], Ammi [05971]; and to your sisters [0269], Ruhamah [07355].
² Plead [07378] with your mother [0517], plead [07378]: for she is not my wife [0802], neither am I her husband [0376]: let her therefore put away [05493] her whoredoms [02183] out of her sight [06440], and her adulteries [05005] from between her breasts [07699];
³ Lest I strip [06584] her naked [06174], and set [03322] her as in the day [03117] that she was born [03205], and make [07760] her as a wilderness [04057], and set [07896] her like a dry [06723] land [0776], and slay [04191] her with thirst [06772].
⁴ And I will not have mercy [07355] upon her children [01121]; for they be the children [01121] of whoredoms [02183].
⁵ For their mother [0517] hath played the harlot [02181]: she that conceived [02029] them hath done shamefully [03001]: for she said [0559], I will go [03212] after [0310] my lovers [0157], that give [05414] me my bread [03899] and my water [04325], my wool [06785] and my flax [06593], mine oil [08081] and my drink [08250].
⁶ Therefore, behold, I will hedge [07753] up thy way [01870] with thorns [05518], and make [01443] a wall [01447], that she shall not find [04672] her paths [05410].
⁷ And she shall follow [07291] after her lovers [0157], but she shall not overtake [05381] them; and she shall seek [01245] them, but shall not find [04672] them: then shall she say [0559], I will go [03212] and return [07725] to my first [07223] husband [0376]; for then was it better [02896] with me than now [06258].
⁸ For she did not know [03045] that I gave [05414] her corn [01715], and wine [08492], and oil [03323], and multiplied [07235] her silver [03701] and gold [02091], which they prepared [06213] for Baal [01168].
⁹ Therefore will I return [07725], and take away [03947] my corn [01715] in the time [06256] thereof, and my wine [08492] in the season [04150] thereof, and will recover [05337] my wool [06785] and my flax [06593] given to cover [03680] her nakedness [06172].
¹⁰ And now will I discover [01540] her lewdness [05040] in the sight [05869] of her lovers [0157], and none [0376] shall deliver [05337] her out of mine hand [03027].
¹¹ I will also cause all her mirth [04885] to cease [07673], her feast days [02282], her new moons [02320], and her sabbaths [07676], and all her solemn feasts [04150].
¹² And I will destroy [08074] her vines [01612] and her fig trees [08384], whereof she hath said [0559], These are my rewards [0866] that my lovers [0157] have given [05414] me: and I will make [07760] them a forest [03293], and the beasts [02416] of the field [07704] shall eat [0398] them.
¹³ And I will visit [06485] upon her the days [03117] of Baalim [01168], wherein she burned incense [06999] to them, and she decked [05710] herself with her earrings [05141] and her jewels [02484], and she went [03212] after [0310] her lovers [0157], and forgat [07911] me, saith [05002] the LORD [03068].
¹⁴ Therefore, behold, I will allure [06601] her, and bring [03212] her into the wilderness [04057], and speak [01696] comfortably [03820] unto her.
¹⁵ And I will give [05414] her her vineyards [03754] from thence, and the valley [06010] of Achor [05911] for a door [06607] of hope [08615]: and she shall sing [06030] there, as in the days [03117] of her youth [05271], and as in the day [03117] when she came up [05927] out of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].
¹⁶ And it shall be at that day [03117], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], that thou shalt call [07121] me Ishi [0376]; and shalt call [07121] me no more Baali [01180].
¹⁷ For I will take away [05493] the names [08034] of Baalim [01168] out of her mouth [06310], and they shall no more be remembered [02142] by their name [08034].
¹⁸ And in that day [03117] will I make [03772] a covenant [01285] for them with the beasts [02416] of the field [07704], and with the fowls [05775] of heaven [08064], and with the creeping things [07431] of the ground [0127]: and I will break [07665] the bow [07198] and the sword [02719] and the battle [04421] out of the earth [0776], and will make them to lie down [07901] safely [0983].
¹⁹ And I will betroth [0781] thee unto me for ever [05769]; yea, I will betroth [0781] thee unto me in righteousness [06664], and in judgment [04941], and in lovingkindness [02617], and in mercies [07356].
²⁰ I will even betroth [0781] thee unto me in faithfulness [0530]: and thou shalt know [03045] the LORD [03068].
²¹ And it shall come to pass in that day [03117], I will hear [06030], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], I will hear [06030] the heavens [08064], and they shall hear [06030] the earth [0776];
²² And the earth [0776] shall hear [06030] the corn [01715], and the wine [08492], and the oil [03323]; and they shall hear [06030] Jezreel [03157].
²³ And I will sow [02232] her unto me in the earth [0776]; and I will have mercy [07355] upon her that had not obtained mercy [07355] [03818]; and I will say [0559] to them which were not my people [05971], Thou art my people [05971]; and they shall say [0559], Thou art my God [0430].

¹⁷ And [1161] if [1487] children [5043], then [2532] heirs [2818]; heirs [2818] of God [3303] [2316], and [1161] joint-heirs [4789] with Christ [5547]; if so be [1512] that we suffer with [4841] him, that [2443] we may be [4888] also [2532] glorified together [4888].

¹⁶ The Spirit [4151] itself [846] beareth witness [4828] with our [2257] spirit [4151], that [3754] we are [2070] the children [5043] of God [2316]:

² Hath [2980] in [1909] these [5130] last [2078] days [2250] spoken [2980] unto us [2254] by [1722] his Son [5207], whom [3739] he hath appointed [5087] heir [2818] of all things [3956], by [1223] whom [3739] also [2532] he made [4160] the worlds [165];

¹¹ For [1063] both [5037] he that sanctifieth [37] and [2532] they who are sanctified [37] are all [3956] of [1537] one [1520]: for [1223] which [3739] cause [156] he is [1870] not [3756] ashamed [1870] to call [2564] them [846] brethren [80],
¹² Saying [3004], I will declare [518] thy [4675] name [3686] unto my [3450] brethren [80], in [1722] the midst [3319] of the church [1577] will I sing praise [5214] unto thee [4571].
¹³ And [2532] again [3825], I [1473] will [2071] put my trust [3982] in [1909] him [846]. And [2532] again [3825], Behold [2400] I [1473] and [2532] the children [3813] which [3739] God [2316] hath given [1325] me [3427].

²⁹ But [235] as [5618] then [5119] he that was born [1080] after [2596] the flesh [4561] persecuted [1377] him that was born after [2596] the Spirit [4151], even [2532] so [3779] it is now [3568].

²⁸ Now [1161] we [2249], brethren [80], as [2596] Isaac [2464] was [2596], are [2070] the children [5043] of promise [1860].

²⁶ But [1161] Jerusalem [2419] which is above [507] is [2076] free [1658], which [3748] is [2076] the mother [3384] of us [2257] all [3956].

⁶ That which is born [1080] of [1537] the flesh [4561] is [2076] flesh [4561]; and [2532] that which is born [1080] of [1537] the Spirit [4151] is [2076] spirit [4151].
⁷ Marvel [2296] not [3361] that [3754] I said [2036] unto thee [4671], Ye [5209] must [1163] be born [1080] again [509].
⁸ The wind [4151] bloweth [4154] where [3699] it listeth [2309], and [2532] thou hearest [191] the sound [5456] thereof [846], but [235] canst [1492] not [3756] tell [1492] whence [4159] it cometh [2064], and [2532] whither [4226] it goeth [5217]: so [3779] is [2076] every one [3956] that is born [1080] of [1537] the Spirit [4151].

³⁶ And the Midianites [04092] sold [04376] him into Egypt [04714] unto Potiphar [06318], an officer [05631] of Pharaoh's [06547], and captain [08269] of the guard [02876].

²⁸ Then there passed [05674] by Midianites [04084] merchantmen [0582] [05503]; and they drew [04900] and lifted up [05927] Joseph [03130] out of the pit [0953], and sold [04376] Joseph [03130] to the Ishmeelites [03459] for twenty [06242] pieces of silver [03701]: and they brought [0935] Joseph [03130] into Egypt [04714].

⁶ But unto the sons [01121] of the concubines [06370], which Abraham [085] had, Abraham [085] gave [05414] gifts [04979], and sent them away [07971] from Isaac [03327] his son [01121], while he yet lived [02416], eastward [06924], unto the east [06924] country [0776].

¹⁹ And [2532] being not [3361] weak [770] in faith [4102], he considered [2657] not [3756] his own [1438] body [4983] now [2235] dead [3499], when he was [5225] about [4225] an hundred years old [1541], neither yet [2532] the deadness [3500] of Sara's [4564] womb [3388]: