CPCC Bible Study: Genesis 25 - 26

      Twenty-Five says

"Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. " (The Living Bible, see link below)

1 - 4
      Discussion: And "yasaph" (again) Abraham "laqach" ('married' / etc) a wife, named "Qeturah" (Keturah (means: perfumed / incense). And she bore him 'sons'. And the sons had sons. And so on.

     We do not know how long it has been since the death of Sarah.
      There's only a couple of names that are of any interest from this far out. One of those being Jokshan, who is listed as a patriarch of the Arabians. The next name of interest is Midyan / Midian, who is the sire of the nation known as the Midianites who come up from now until Judges 8 when Gideon did the things that made him a legend, and was all but the end of the Midianites.
      The names go on, some of them are never heard of again except for the mentioning of the sons of Keturah in 1 Chronicles 1. Others, like the Ashurites are mentioned as a nation that is trouble to Israel in 2 Samuel 2.

5
      Discussion: This verse, in the various translations, is exactly what the Hebrew says. Isaac inherited everything from the gold and herds all the way down to the dirty laundry....
      Except for what is mentioned in the next verse, which is often overlooked in studies and sermons about good father Abraham.

6
      but to "ben" (the sons) "pilegesh" (concubines (modern word: mistress)) Abraham, "nathan" (gave / 'to give a gift'), and "shalach" (send away / cast / push (implies with force or authority)) "al" (because of) Isaac his "ben" (son), while he was still "chay" (alive), "qedem" ('to the' east), "erets" (the land) "qedem" ('in the' east).

      This is an interesting footnote in the life of Abe. We know all about Ishmael, and then there were the kids by the second wife. But who are these 'women', and their boys, and when did they happen? And, furthermore, did he only have 'sons' in the forty-odd years its been since Sarah died?

7 - 11
      Discussion: Abraham was 175 when he was "gathered to his people" which is another way to say "he slept with his fathers" or "joined his ancestors" or whatever.
      One word that is easy to overlook in the overall drama is "sabea". We see it in verse 8, and it is translated as "contented / satisfied / (and even: satiated, 'full' as after a large dinner))

      Evidently Ismael is still in the vicinity as he shows up to help bury the old man in the family crypt. Which the text goes into detail to remind us who Abe bought it from and when.
      And GOD blesses Isaac the same way he had blessed Abraham, and Isaac is still living near the well he was by when his wife showed up.

12 - 18
      Summary: This is the shortest "Toledoth" (generation / account) in Genesis, and covers the Generations of Ishmael.
      Some of these turn up later, like his firstborn "Nebayoth" (fruitful) who is mentioned in the Esau narrative later. And we also also told about the princes that ruled who descended from him. Which was promised in chapter 17.
      We know how old Ishmael was when he was 'gathered to his people', even though this information is not in the text about Lot.
      Verse 18 also covers something that was promised, with a bit of geography. "Chavilah" (Havilah) is mentioned in the description of the Garden of Eden "where there is gold". To "Shur" that appears to be an oasis in the desert near Egypt. To the area of Assyria.....
      .... "al" (against / beside / over) "panim / paneh" (face / presence) of all his "ach" (brothers / kin), "naphal" (in context: 'laid down' (to die)).

19 - 20
NOTE: It isn't just our study that has picked up speed. At times the text in Genesis had been relaying a detailed 'play by play' account of events of one individual, in some cases devoting what is to us an entire chapter to something that perhaps took a few hours... such as Abraham's entertaining this three guests and the discussion that followed. ... to leaping forward several years in a shot. And, in just a few verses, Abe's Grandkids are grown men and involved in a key point in the overall drama of Genesis!

      And now comes a bit of information that we did NOT have when Isaac was out in the desert meditating and a camel train arrived. Verse 20 tells us he was forty years old when he married Rebekah. And, of course, the text goes into detail, again, about who she was, except this time it uses somewhat different names with the addition of "Arammi /Aramean" (Aramite / Syrian), a term not used in either of the accounts before, remember the setup in 22, and the long story about the well in 24.
      In 21 we have Isaac pleading with YHWH for a child by Rebekah, but until this moment, we haven't seen any particular devotion to GOD from Isaac as an adult. You really can't count his trip up the mountain with his dad.
      She conceives, and we have another interaction between a woman and GOD.

22 - 23
      Summary: It is a difficult twin pregnancy....
      ... she "halak" (went / moved / etc) "darash" (seek / investigate / ask / etc) of YHWH.
      "way yomer" (and said) YHWH to her "shenayim" (two) "goy" (nations / peoples) in your "beten" (belly / womb / innermost parts), and two "leom" (peoples / nations) from your "meeh" (body / bowels / etc) shall be "parad" (separate / divide / disperse) - and one people 'than other people' "amets" (strong / courage), and the "rab" (greater / chief / populous (in context: elder)) "abad" (serve / perform 'for' / bondage) "tsair" (smaller / younger / least).

24 - 26
      Discussion: she has the twins, and we have the description of their birth.
      The first born was red and hairy, so he was named "Esav / Esau" (means 'rough'). The second one was named for 'hanging onto his brother', "Yaaqob" (Jacob, means 'heel-catcher' or 'to supplant'). And Isaac was sixty when they were born.

27 - 34
      Discussion: In the next verse, the boys are now grown men. (we told you things get to moving in Genesis!). Esau is a skilled "tsayid" (hunter (the context here is different than in 10 about Nimrod)), but Jacob is "tam" (upright / blameless / perfect / gentle / etc) man in a tent.
      The text states that Issac loved the oldest because he at the game Esau provided. But Jacob was mom's favorite.

      Then comes the story about Esau selling his birthright.
      This is odd in one way because the inheritance passes from father to the first born son. So, going back to 'grandpa Abe', the Birth Right should have belonged to Ishmael. Some may make a stink about how Sarah was his Wife, which is true, but the inheritance still went to the oldest male. Perhaps the family tradition has become a bit more important because of that. And as for girls... except for a few odd occasions, if there were no male children, the estate passed on to the closest living male relative: brother, nephew, etc. And 'the estate' would include unmarried girls.
      In any case, Esau gives it up. We don't know of any witnesses based on the text, but it would seem the matter became common knowledge. It is interesting that the text, which is firmly embedded in Jewish Folklore adds this editorial comment in 34...
      "way" (and) "bazah" ('hold in contempt' / scorn / despise) Esaw 'his' "bekorah" (birthright).

- end 25 -

Chapter 26.

`       Discussion: This chapter opens with an interesting statement. It says there's a famine in the land, but this is a different famine than had occurred in Abraham's days. This verse also has Isaac going to King Abimelech.... hang on.
      Given the YEARS that have passes since Abe had his little excursion with the king who, at the time, was the ruling in Gerar, it is unlikely that this is the same man. The clue is in the name. "Abimelek / Abimelech" simply means 'his' Father 'was' King. So while it probably isn't the same man, it is fairly certain that he knew about Abe and his doings, and, it appears, knows Isaac as well.
      Verse two has YHWH speaking to Isaac for the first time. And GOD gives him some travel advice, warning him to stay out of Egypt. Then GOD confirms that the promise He made to Abraham carries through to him and his descendants.
      Of course we see the end of verse four as the Promise of the Messiah....
            ...and it appears to be exactly that.
      GOD goes on to say that this is all because Abraham kept HIS "mishmereth" (obligation / service / duty / etc), and HIS "mitsvah" (commands / precepts) and HIS "chuqqah" (statutes / ordinances / decrees) and HIS "torah" (instructions / laws)

      The 'obligation' comes up a lot in Exodus and Leviticus as part of the Law. See Exodus 12 : 6 and 16 : 23 and 32 - 34, and so on.
      The 'commands' we see both as the Law, see Exodus 20 : 6, and the words of Christ in John 14 : 15 and restated in 1 John 5.
      The primary 'ordinance' we are familiar with is the Passover, see Exodus 20, which was kept by Christ as the Last Supper, and so it has remained in the Church.
      The 'law' is the Law of Moses, not the laws put onto the people by the Pharisees, as pointed out by Christ.

      It is interesting to note what ISN'T in the text right here. Other than when Isaac prayed for Rebekah to have kids, we see no particular devotion from Isaac. He's not built any altars, we don't know if he circumcised the twins, and so on. This is all implied, but it is never directly stated.
      Which makes the next scene all the more curious. Isaac tells the same stupid fib that his father told, to either the same guy or his son. In this case, it is a straight up lie because she is not his half-sister, she is some sort of distant cousin.
      But this edition of the King of the Philistines apparently learned his lesson because of what happened previously, and passed the word to stay away from her. See verse 11.

      Beginning in verse 12 we see Isaac 'sowing and reaping' and YHWH blesses him in spite of his fib to the king. We see the word 'prosper' several times in different forms. And then there is a list of all that.
      In fifteen we see where the locals, jealous over Isaac's wealth, sabotage the wells that Abraham had dug, and the king tells him to exit stage left.
      He doesn't get far, and digs new wells, and gets into another row with the locals over those new wells. And, repeat scene. And again, and so on. Until he ends up back in Beersheba.

      GOD appears to Isaac and restates the promise.
      Now, Isaac proves that he did pay attention when Abe built an altar, and does so for the first time that we know of in verse 25. Where he calls on the name of YHWH. And they dig another well.

      The current King Abimelech comes a calling with his staff, and Isaac asks the obvious question in verse 27. And the word there is "sane" (hate / detest / have hostility toward).
      The king's answer is just short of their saying that it is in their own best interest to 'kiss and make up' with him. And they gloss over the bit about their people filling in Isaac's wells.
      So Isaac makes a covenant of peace with them. They have a party, and take an oath and the king's party leaves happy.
      Then we see the news that Isaac's servants have busy digging another well. They come and tell him they found water, so Isaac names the city, which has been called Beersheba since chapter 21, Beersheba.

      And now we check up on Esau.
      He marries a couple of Hittite women, and they were "morah" (bitterness / trouble) of "ruach" (spirit / mind) to his parents.

-end 26-

References and links: Outside links will open in new tab/window.
The Interlinear: Hebrew - English https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/22.htm

The Living Bible https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2025&version=tlb

"Tel Be’er Sheva, the area in which the forefathers of the Jewish nation (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) lived and worked, is an important biblical tel – one of three from the days of the Bible that UNESCO has included in its list of world heritage sites."

The Genesis Study Index Page

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

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