DBG - January 9 - Genesis 25-26

In this chapter we will transition the narrative from Abraham to Isaac and his sons.

vs. 1 – Keturah, which means “incense”, was married to Abraham after the death of Sarah.

vs. 2-4 – Outside of Midian we know practically nothing about these sons of Abraham and their descendants.  The Midianites lived east and north of the Gulf of Aqaba and were usually the enemies of Israel.

vs. 5-6 – Abraham is generous to his other sons but clearly marks Isaac as the true heir.

vs. 7 -  Abraham dies at age 175.

vs. 8 – What a beautiful verse!  What a blessing it would be to have this said about us.

vs. 9 – The final appearance of Ishmael in the narrative is him faithfully attending to the funeral of his father.  We will see more about his descendants later in this chapter.

vs. 9-10 – Abraham is buried with Sarah at Machpelah, see chapter 23.

vs. 11 – Lahairoi is south of Beersheba in the Negev desert, 16:14, 24:62

vs. 13-18 – The descendants of Ishmael lived in the desert regions south and east of Canaan.  Many Arab tribes find their origin here.

vs. 20-21 – Isaac is 40 when he married, and Rebekah is probably around 20.  It is 19 years before they conceive their twin sons.

vs. 23 – In the ancient world the older son was considered greater than any younger children.  This is going to be subverted in this case. 

vs. 25 – Esau means “hairy”. 

vs. 26 – Jacob means “supplanter”.  Even in the womb he was trying to get the best of his brother.

vs. 27 – The twins could not be any more different.  Esau was a rugged outdoorsman, and Jacob was a gentle homebody.

vs. 28 – This unhealthy favoritism by the parents helped drive the brothers even further apart.  Esau as firstborn and favored by his father was in line to receive the birthright.  The birthright generally went to the eldest son, and with it came leadership in the family and a double portion of inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17).  The problem is that the spiritual character of Esau was lacking.

vs. 29 – John Gill writes concerning the meal Jacob was preparing: “this the Jewish writers say was the food of mourners; and so this circumstance furnishes out a reason for Jacob's boiling pottage of lentils at this time: and hence also they gather, that Jacob and Esau were now fifteen years of age; for Abraham was an hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Isaac was sixty at the birth of his sons; and Abraham lived to be one hundred and seventy five, and therefore Esau and Jacob must be fifteen years old when he died:”

vs. 29 – Quite the twist here as the hunter is empty handed but the homebody has food.

vs. 30 – Edom means “red”.  He could never outrun his mistake this day.

vs. 34 – Esau’s heart was only set on the carnal needs of the present.  The birthright was too sacred to be treated so flippantly.

This chapter tells of Isaac’s sojourn in the southern Promised Land.

vs. 1 – This was the first terrible famine in almost 120 years in 12:10.

vs. 2 – Isaac was moving toward Egypt and God stopped him from leaving the Promised Land.  He stays in the territory of the Philistines at Gerar.  This Abimelech is likely the son of the king Abraham interacted with in chapters 20 and 21.

vs. 3-5 – Clearly shows that God’s covenant with Abraham now goes through Isaac.

vs. 7 – Isaac repeats the same mistake as Abraham did in lying about his wife (12:12, 20:2).

vs. 8 – Isaac and Rebekah are found out when they are spotted flirting.  God did allow things to progress further as happened with Sarah.

vs. 12 – Isaac is branching out from livestock into farming.  A hundred-fold return is extraordinary.  A third of that return would celebrated.

vs. 14-16  – The Philistines are beginning to push back at the prosperity of Isaac, fearing he might overthrow them.

vs. 18 – To me, the digging and opening of wells by Isaac was proof of his desire to be in the Promised Land.  He was putting down roots for his family to be there permanently.  Of course this would face opposition by the Canaanites.

vs. 20 – Esek means “strife”

vs. 21 – Sitnah means “opposition”

vs. 22 – Rechoboth means “room”.  He had discovered just how much space was needed between the Philistines and himself.

vs. 24 – God again reaffirms the covenant with Abraham (12:1-3, etc.) to Isaac

vs. 26-31 – Isaac makes a peace treaty with the Philistines just as Abraham did in 21:22-34.

vs. 33 – Shebah means “seven” or “oath”, so Beersheba is “the well of the oath”.  The same place was so-named earlier by Abraham when he made his treaty with the Philistines in 21:31.  That meaning and treaty must have been forgotten and no longer effective requiring the new treaty to be made by Isaac.

vs. 34-35 – Esau makes two mistakes in his marriages.  First, he marries Canaanite women.  Second, he marries two wives.  All the care taken by Abraham and Isaac in finding their proper brides was ignored by Esau.

Issac is largely overshadowed in the account by his sons, mostly by the poor decisions of Esau.  As the story develops further we can understand why God intervened in the customary order of the day to have the birthright go through Jacob.  While Jacob has his faults (as we all do!), he is still a man of faith so unlike his brother.

The author of today’s hymn was not given when it was published in the 1791 hymnal named The Christian’s Duty.  It appeals to the example of Esau to warn us to not trade the priceless things of God for the trifles of this world.

Poor Esau repented too late,
That once he his birthright despised;
And sold, for a morsel of meat,
What could not too highly be prized:
How great was his anguish when told
The blessing he sought to obtain,
Was gone with the birthright he sold,
And none could recall it again!

He stands as a warning to all,
Wherever the gospel shall come:
O hasten and yield to the call,
While yet for repentance there's room!
Your season will quickly be past,
Then hear, and obey it today;
Lest when you seek mercy at last,
The Savior should frown you away.

What is it the world can propose?
A morsel of meat at the best!
For this are you willing to lose
A share in the joys of the blest?
Its pleasures will speedily end,
Its favor and praise are but breath:
And what can its profits befriend
Your soul in the moment of death?

If Jesus for these you despise,
And sin to the Savior prefer,
In vain your entreaties and cries,
When summoned to stand at his bar:
How will you his presence abide?
What anguish will torture your heart?
The saints all enthroned by his side,
And you be compelled to depart!

Too often, dear Savior, have I
Preferred some poor trifle to thee;
How is it thou dost not deny
The blessing and birthright to me?
No better than Esau I am,
Though pardon and heaven be mine;
To me belongs nothing but shame,
The praise and the glory be thine.