GENESIS CHAPTER 25
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Verse 1, Abraham takes another wife after the death of Sarah,
  Isaac's mother.
  Keturah's {ket-oo-raw'} name means "incense."

Verse 2, Problem - Isaac is now a little over 40 years of age and
  when Isaac was born some 40 years prior it was said that
  Abraham's body was as good as dead, for producing offspring.
    Ro 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his
      own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old,
      neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
    Heb 11:12  Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as
      good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in
      multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore
      innumerable.
  So, how could he bear children some 40 years after it was said
  that his body was as good as dead?
  One possibility is that when God gave him vigor some 40 years
  prior that it continued on now for 40 years.
  Another possibility:
    1Ch 1:32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she
      bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and
      Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and
      Dedan. 33 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and
      Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these [are] the sons of
      Keturah.
    Here she is said to be Abraham's concubine. Dr. Lightfoot is
    of the opinion that she had these offspring long before when
    she was Abraham's concubine and now after Sarah's death she
    has become his wife.

  She bare him 6 sons:
    1) Zimran {zim-rawn'} = "musician"
    2) Jokshan {yok-shawn'} = "snarer"
    3) Medan {med-awn'} = "contention"
    4) Midian {mid-yawn'} = "strife"
         Progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians.
         The territory of the tribe descended from Midian;
         located principally in the desert north of the Arabian
         peninsula; land to which Moses went when he fled from
         Pharaoh.
    5) Ishbak {yish-bawk'} = "he releases"
    6) Shuah {shoo'-akh} = "wealth"

Verse 3, The sons of Jokshan {yok-shawn'} the second son, are
  here mentioned Sheba, and Dedan. Then the sons of Dedan are
  mentioned being Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

  So we see 3 generations of sons mentioned in this verse.
  According to Gill only two generations are mentioned of Hagar's
  sons, which may indicate how early these sons were born to this
  Keturah.

Verse 4, Here the sons of Midian {mid-yawn'}, the fourth son are
  mentioned. Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah.

Verses 5-6, Here we see that Isaac is the sole inheritor, which
  is the way it should be since he was the promised seed and the
  only son of his wife Sarah. All other sons were born to him of
  concubines (Verse 6).
  Jewish writers say that concubines were a kind of secondary
  wife and were espoused but not by writing and were under the
  lawful wife and their children did not inherit.

  Abraham, while he was yet alive, sent the others away from
  Isaac that there be no contention between them about the
  inheritance. He gave gifts to the others, but Isaac inherited
  all that he had.

  I think this shows that the children born to Keturah were while
  she was Abraham's concubine and then after Sarah's death she
  became his lawful wife (verse 1) but never had any children by
  him as his lawful wife.

  We also see that Isaac typically represents "sonship."
  Christ was appointed heir of all things.
    Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by [his] Son,
      whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
      made the worlds;
  We are adopted sons and joint-heirs with Christ (Ro 8:17).
  All the wealth of the Father's house is ours.




Verse 7-8, Abraham lived to be 175 years of age and then he died.
  He gave up the ghost or spirit, which returns unto the Lord who
  gave it (Ec 12:7).
  He must have died a peaceful death.
  He was gathered to his people, which speaks not of his burial
  place where his Sarah was buried, but that place where
  righteous souls went before Christ ascended to heaven.
    Lu 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was
      carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man
      also died, and was buried; 23  And in hell he lift up his
      eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and
      Lazarus in his bosom.

Verses 9-10, Isaac along with Ishmael, buried their father in the
  cave that he had purchased to bury Sarah. There and not in
  Mecca as some claim (the Mohometans), Abraham is buried.

Verse 11, God blesses Isaac, he being the promised and chosen
  seed, that Messiah would come from.
  Isaac dwelt by the well of Lahairoi. (See Gen 16:14)
    B@'er la-Chay Ro'iy {be-ayr' lakh-ah'ee ro-ee'}
    Beer-lahai-roi = "well of the Living One seeing me"
    1) a well west of Kadesh, south of Israel

Verses 12-16, The 12 sons (princes) of Ishmael are here mentioned
  by their names which are by the names of their towns and
  castles, which shows that they were princes.

Verse 17, Ishmael lived 48 years after the death of Abraham and
  died at the age of 137.

  Here it says that he was also gathered to his people. This
  phrase is, according to Gill, used both of good men and bad
  men. I could not find such a case, so perhaps Ishmael was a
  righteous man, trusting in the same promised Messiah that
  Abraham and Isaac trusted in.

  Of Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, it was said: "That he may take
  part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by
  transgression fell, that he might go to his OWN PLACE" (Acts
  1:25).

Verse 18, The posterity of Ishmael, his 12 sons, dwelt from
  Havilah unto Shur, that [is] before Egypt, as thou goest toward
  Assyria. The land of Arabia.
  Here we see that Ishmael lived with his brethren and died in
  their presence.

Verse 19, Now the attention is brought back to Isaac, who is the
  promised seed and of whom Messiah should come.
  He goes from Abraham who begat Isaac and then continues.

Verse 20, The account of Isaac taking his wife Rebekah, when he
  was 40 years of age.

Verse 21, Rebekah was barren but the Lord answered Isaac's prayer
  and she conceived.

Verse 22, The children (two) struggled together within her. This
  shows also that before they were born they were called children
  and not fetuses.
  This was an unusual struggle and so she enquired of the Lord as
  to what was going on.

  This was a prophetic circumstance which foretells of the
struggle that these two men would have with each other and their
  offspring and even God's people with the people of the world.

Verse 23, The Lord informs her of the reason for the struggle
  within her by the two sons.
  "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and
  two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and
  [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and
  the elder shall serve the younger."
  READ: Ro 9:7-13
    There we see the promised seed are the real children of God,
    and the word of promise is explained by these examples.
    The difference between now and then is only that God's
    election is from among all nations, tribes and tongues and is
    not so much of the nation of Israel only. He grants to his
    elect faith to trust in Christ, and that is the means by
    which we know that we are the elect.
      1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:
        and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even]
        our faith.
      1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that BELIEVE
        on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye
        have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of
        the Son of God.

Verse 24, Two (twins) born of the same mother and same father. So
  the election of Jacob over Esau had nothing to do with that
  fact that one may have been born to a concubine and the other
  to a lawful wife. It was God's election before they were ever
  born or had done any evil or any good.
    Ro 9:10  And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had
      conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; 11  (For [the
      children] being not yet born, neither having done any good
      or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
      might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It
      was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
      {elder: or, greater} {younger: or, lesser} 13  As it is
      written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
      Compare:
        Mal 1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say,
          Wherein hast thou loved us? [Was] not Esau Jacob's
          brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I
          hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage
          waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Verse 25, Esau was born first (the elder) and would serve the
  younger. He was red all over like a hairy garment.
  Esau = "hairy"
    apparently a form of the pass. part. of 06213 in the original
      sense of handling;; n pr m
    from `asah {aw-saw'}
    1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
       1a) (Qal)
           1a1) to do, work, make, produce
                1a1a) to do
                1a1b) to work
  He made his way out first. He is the WORKER and represents all
  those who would work for their salvation.

Verse 26, Jacob is then born with his hand a hold of Esau's heel.
  The struggle was still going on while they were being delivered.
  Jacob Ya`aqob {yah-ak-obe'} = "heel holder" or "supplanter"
  Gill says that even at birth Jacob was pulling on Esau that he
  might be first rather than Esau, and we see later that Jacob
  talked Esau into selling his birthright.

Verse 27, Esau became a cunning hunter, but Jacob dwelt in tents.
  The world would look up to Esau in a favorable manner more so
  than to Jacob.
  There was another hunter in the Bible that has already been
  mentioned in the book of Genesis.
    Ge 10:8  And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one
      in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD:
      wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter
      before the LORD.

Verse 28, We see that Isaac loved Esau, but for a fleshly reason.
  Esau was a hunter and Isaac loved to "eat of his venison."
  But Rebekah loved Jacob.

Verse 29, Esau has been hunting and is tired and faint from
  hunger. Jacob was sodding pottage.
  Gill says that this is at the same time when Abraham died and
  these boys are 15 years of age.

Verse 30, Esau wanted some of the red pottage (lentils) that
  Jacob was boiling.
  Therefore Esau was called Edom {Edom: that is Red}.

Verse 31, Jacob plots to get Esau to sell his birthright.

Verse 32, The birthright means nothing to Esau, but his belly
  means more.
  Compare:
    Heb 12:16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person,
      as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17
      For ye know how that afterward, when he would have
      inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no
      place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with
      tears.
      {place...: or, way to change his mind}

    birthright - carried special privileges (Deut. 21:15-17) and
    was regarded as a very special thing being typical of a
    spiritual inheritance.
    All of this, Esau regarded as common and despised.
    Esau preferred to filling his belly over the blessings of
    God.

    By calling Esau "profane," the Holy Spirit reveals that he
    placed no higher value upon sacred things than he did upon
    those which were common.  He sought after "meat" to indicate
    that the satisfying of the flesh was his motive.
    It is called a "morsel" to show the insignificance of what he
    thought to be important.
    Because he thought more of the things of the flesh than the
    spirit, the Holy Spirit called him profane.

Verse 33-34, Esau sold his birthright for one morsel of meat and
  thus it is said that he despised his birthright.