Genesis 25

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXV. Ver. 1. Took a sees Eee was 137 years of age when Sarah died; and nearly forty years before that event, his age had rendered it very improbable he should have children; yet we find he had six sons by Keturah, whom he sent away in his life time; on these grounds, as also on the literal language of the original, “‘And Abraham added and took a wife,” it has been supposed that Abraham married this wife long before, while Sarah was alive; and that the passage may be rendered in the pluperfect tense, “*And Abraham had added, and had taken a wife." ]— Bagster. Ver. 6. East country.—[i Deserta, which was eastward of Beor-sheba, where Abraham dwelt.]—Bagster. Ver. 8. Abraham gave up the ghost—“Means no more,” says Scott, “than expired, or ceased to breathe.”

See (Acts 5:10). Full of years.—The word years is not in the original, (as may be seen by its being printed in italics) and instead of it the word days (as in (Genesis 35:29).) is found in many Hebrew MSS., in the Samaritan text, the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Chaldee. “On these authorities it might safely be admitted into the text.”—Dr. Clarke. Ver. 13. Nebajoth.—[From Nebajoth sprang the Nabatheans, who inhabited Arabia Petrea; from Kedra, the Cedreans, who dwelt near the Nabatheans; and from Jetur, the Itureans, who inhabited a small tract of country east of Jordan, which afterwards belonged to Manasseh.]— Bagster. Ver. 15. Hadar—[Or, Hadad. More than 300 MSS. and printed editions read Hadad, as in (Genesis 1:30).]—Bagster. Ver. 16. Castles.—[The word tiroth rendered “castles” is supposed by some to denote here “towers,” fortified rocks, or mountain-tops, and fastnesses of various kinds in woods and hilly countries; but it rather means, probably, “shepherds’ cots,” surrounded by sufficient enclosures to prevent the cattle from straying, as the cognate Syriac word teyaro, and Arabic tawar, signify “a sheep-fold.”]—Bagster. Ver. 18. He died in the presence of all his brethren.—It was predicted of Ishmael, (Genesis 16:12). that he should “dwell in the presence of all his brethren,” and here we find this continued till his death; for he died also in their presence. But the word here rendered died, is not the usual term, but seems to imply a sudden or accidental death.

“He fell,” says the margin, and the term is the same used of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, (Genesis 14:10). It should not be omitted, however, that there is some doubt as to the correctness of this translation. The word fell is applied to a lot, (Joshua 23:4), (Psalms 78:55). Dr. Boothroyd, therefore, taking Nepal for a participle, connects it with Ishmael’s situation, thus: “And he dwelt from Havilah, as one goeth toward Assyria, unto Shur, which is on the borders of Egypt, lying near to all his brethren.” Dr. Clarke contends for the same sense, which is also approved by Ainsworth. Ver. 22. And the children struggled together.—Margin, “Jostled one against another, bruising and hurting” each other. Ver. 25. They called his name Esau.—[The word Esau has been generally considered to imply made, formed, or perfected; or perfect, robust, &c. But it appears to be a dialectical variation of the Arabic atha, to be covered with hair; whence athat, hairy, as no doubt the word Esau imports, in allusion to a circumstance of his being covered with red hair or down at his birth.] — Bagster. Dr. Clarke says, “It is difficult to assign the proper meaning of the original of (this name) Esau.” He seems to prefer the idea of Ainsworth, “perfected.” Dr. Boothroyd renders it “covered.” But if Ash (or Gnash) means a species of mothworm, or caterpillar, as in (Isaiah 51:8). and elsewhere, may not the meaning be, he was hairy as a mothworm or caterpillar, and therefore he was called (taking the va as a pronoun) “his caterpillar?” i.e. his father’s: but this is offered only as a conjecture. Ver. 26 Took hold on Esau’s heel. Hence he was called Jacob, a supplanter, or more literally, a keeler; and it is remarkable, in some of the representations of the wrestlers in the ancient games, they are represented as seizing on one another by the heel, much as Jacob did Esau. See Potter’s Antiq. Ver. 28. He did eat of his venison.—Margin, “Venison was in his mouth;” Esau was continually eating it, when it could be procured; he was fond of it. Ver. 30. That same red pottage.—The inhabitants of Barbary still make use of lentils, boiled and stewed with oil and garlic, a pottage of a chocolate colour; this was the red pottage for which Esau, from thence called Edom (red), sold his birthright.—Dr. Shaw’s Travels.