The Sons of Abraham (1-10)

After the death of Sarah, it seems Abraham thought he was also going to die. In chapter 24, we watch Eliezer being called to go fetch a wife for Isaac. The sense of the chapter is that Abraham was too old and feeble to go himself, and the covenant is thought to have been made while Abraham was lying down. Eliezer’s desire to hurry back home indicates a concern for Abraham not feeling well during the bereavement season.

All of that seems to change. Maybe while Eliezer is away, maybe later, but at some point, Abraham was rejuvenated as he found a wife, Keturah, who gave him six more sons. Abraham made it clear that Isaac was the inheritor of God's promises and covenant, so he left the inheritance to Isaac and gave gifts to his other sons, paying them to move eastward and settle on the other side of the Jordan and become great nations (1-6).

At 175 years of age, Abraham died, a man satisfied with life, and joined his loved ones some 50 years after Sarah’s death. He was then buried by two of his eight sons, Ishmael and Isaac (7-8). They buried Abraham in the same spot Abraham had buried Sarah, the only spot of land Abraham ever owned in the land God had given him (9-10).

Isaac Settled at Beer-lahai-roi (11)

Isaac settled in the land of Beer-lahai-roi and was blessed by God (11). Isaac was 75 when his father died and 123 when his older brother Ishmael died, meaning 48 years of Isaac's life were lived without Biblical comment.

Ishmael’s Sons (12-18)

The last time the phrase “the generations of” was used was back in Genesis 11:27. In 11:27, Moses was referring to Terah, Abraham's father; here in chapter 25 verse 12, he is referring to Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn son (12). The phrase “generations of” will soon be deployed again to speak of Isaac (19), Abraham’s son of promise.

This section of scripture reveals the fulfillment of the three prophecies made concerning Ishmael:

• He settled east of Egypt and north toward Assyria (16:12).

• He settled but lived in hostility toward Isaac's offspring (16:12).

• Twelve rulers came from him (17:20).

Ishmael fathered twelve sons. It is clear that Ishmael raised his sons with resentment toward Isaac and his offspring for being favored by Abraham. It developed an animosity that never healed.

At 137, Ishmael died. It was said of him that he was gathered to his people, but it does not say, as it did of Abraham (25:8) and Isaac (35:29), that he was satisfied with life (“old and full of days”). Ishmael’s descendants settled apart from Isaac’s lineage (13-18).

The above is a more Jewish perspective of the lineage of the sons of Abraham in its ultimate conclusion. 

The Birth of the Twins (19-26)

Isaac was 40 when he married Rebekah. For 20 years (26), he endured what his father had endured—the barrenness of his wife. The condition drove him to his knees, knowing the covenant and promise with Yahweh demanded they have offspring. It’s interesting to note here that God had promised Isaac a son, but the son came as an answer to a faith-prayer (19-21).

Rebekah had a difficult pregnancy, as the boys within her were often in a scuffle. Sensing their brawling within her was an ominous sign of future trouble, she sought Yahweh as to the reason (22).

Yahweh responded prophetically to Rebekah:

• Two nations were growing in her womb.

• The two nations would develop and be divided from each other.

• One of those nations would exceed the other in strength.

• The younger would be the stronger and the chosen (23).

This prophecy would direct Rebekah and every decision she would make concerning her sons from that moment onward.

During birth, Esau came out first, all red and hairy. Jacob came next, holding his brother’s foot as if to restrain him from being born or being born first. Many believe Jacob’s name meant “heel-grabber” (24-25).

Stealing the Birthright (27-34)

The two boys could not have been more different—Esau loved to hunt game and was an outdoorsman, while Jacob loved the tent and hanging around the women and servants. For this reason, Isaac loved Esau the most, and Rebekah loved Jacob the most (27-28).

During their growing-up years and with the help of Rebekah, Jacob began to covet Esau’s firstborn status. This meant Jacob wanted:

• Esau’s double portion of the birthright

• The headship of the family

• The blessing of Yahweh's covenant from Abraham

Honoring the birthright and the blessing was certainly an attribute to be praised, but coveting it and being unprincipled in seeking to attain it demonstrated low character in Jacob.

Jacob was home cooking stew when Esau came in from the field, exhausted and famished. He asked his brother for some of his stew, which Jacob would have generously given to a stranger in an act of hospitality. Esau was a different matter—he asked Esau to sell him his birthright. Esau despised Isaac’s birthright, likely because Isaac had lost much of Abraham’s wealth and owned no property. It was not large enough for Esau to care about in relation to his hungry belly. Esau made an oath that day with his brother and sold his double share to Jacob, eating the bread and soup to seal the deal (29-34).