Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

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Genesis 25

What should I learn from this chapter?

• A fundamental and far reaching understanding of the Hebrew root meanings of the following words:
  • red
  • hairy
  • stew
• The ancient hatred that is carried throughout the generations.
• Timeline: See BC Timeline Notable Events
• Abraham and Keturah

Abraham and Keturah

Genesis 25:¹ Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

 Genesis 25:² And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

• Wasn’t Abraham too old to have children when the miracle of Isaac occurred with his barren wife Sarah? However; when God adds a Hebrew letter “H” to both Abram and Sara’s name, they both become fertile! The letter “H” in Hebrew means “BEHOLD! (Something Supernatural)”.

Genesis 25:³ Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

Genesis 25:⁴ And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

Genesis 25:⁵ And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

• Likewise, God gives all He has to His Son.

Genesis 25:⁶ But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east.

Abraham’s Death and Burial

Genesis 25:⁷ This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years.

Genesis 25:⁸ Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 25:⁹ And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite,

Genesis 25:¹⁰ the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.

Genesis 25:¹¹ And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God (‘ĕlōhîm) blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.

The Families of Ishmael and Isaac

Genesis 25:¹² Now this is the genealogy of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

Genesis 25:¹³ And these were the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Genesis 25:¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

Genesis 25:¹⁵ Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

Genesis 25:¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their nations.

Genesis 25:¹⁷ These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 25:¹⁸ (They dwelt from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt as you go toward Assyria.) He died in the presence of all his brethren.

Genesis 25:¹⁹ This is the genealogy of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham begot Isaac.

Genesis 25:²⁰ Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian.

Genesis 25:²¹ Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

• Rebekah being barren is symbolic of the Jews who will be barren and not produce the fruit God expects. However; in the latter years they will produce much fruit.

Genesis 25:²² But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ).

• Even before they are born they are fighting in the womb. Scripture calls this an “ancient hatred”.
  Ezekiel 35:5
  “Because you (Esau’s descendants) have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end,
  This prophecy will be carried out to its ultimate end at Armageddon.

Genesis 25:²³ And the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ) said to her:

“Two nations (the Arabs and the Jews) are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older (Esau, the Arabs) shall serve the younger (Jacob, the Jews).”

Genesis 25:²⁴ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb.

• Esau and Jacob were born complete opposites – in opposition. Being “Unlike”, they also didn’t like each other.

• What is about to follow is symbolic, spiritual, prophetic, and worthy of an intensive study because the theme is carried throughout scripture beginning in Genesis with Jacob and Esau and ending in Revelation with the Jews and the Arabs. This is the beginning of an ancient hatred.

Genesis 25:²⁵ And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.

• The two words “red” and “hairy” are significant.
• Note: See Genesis 25:29-30: Esau’s name is called “Edom” because of his redness. (From the name “Adam” who was made from the red earth)
• The word “hairy” is the definition of demons, terror, or something demonic.
  

• A hairy Esau settled on Mount Seir meaning horror, storms, and whirlwinds.

• The meaning of Seir:
  
  
  Adam’s name was derived by adding an “A” to the Hebrew word “dam” meaning red blood. Adam was formed from the red earth. Likewise, Esau was red and so they named him Edom (like Adam). From here on out red clay, and miry clay, will be associated with the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, or Arabs. In the book of Daniel the red clay will not adhere to the iron in the feet of iron and clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great statue. The feet are the end of days.
  
  The color red is symbolic of sin and redemption, the story of God’s plan for man, ie the Gospel. From the blood of Abel by Cain’s murderous heart to the blood of Jesus in order to redeem man from sin. From the red dragon, Satan, to the slain Lamb, Jesus.

Genesis 25:²⁶ Afterward his brother (Jacob) came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob (supplanter). Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

Genesis 25:²⁷ So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.

• Esau is a man of the field. Throughout scripture the field is symbolic of “the world”, “worldly” or “worldliness” in its temporal nature.
  
  • James 1:10
    But the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
    
  • 1 John 2:17
    And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Genesis 25:²⁸ And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

Genesis 25:²⁹ Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field (hunting), and he was weary.

Genesis 25:³⁰ And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom (literally, red).

Genesis 25:³¹ But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”

Genesis 25:³² And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”

• Note: Esau was exaggerating. Words are powerful. We create our thoughts by the words we use. God created the heavens and earth with His spoken Word.
  
  • Hebrews 11:3
    By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Genesis 25:³³ Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.”

So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Genesis 25:³⁴ And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of (red) lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way (he didn’t give it a second thought). Thus Esau despised his birthright.

• The root meaning of “Stew” is “pride”.
  
  • Stew h5138 nāzîḏ
    
    
    
• Personal Application: From pride man seethes, stews, frets, and worries while the sea monster in the sea of people, Satan, stirs up the waters and causes men to boil.