This chapter ends the Abraham arc and begins the arc which leads to the enslavement of the Hebrews in Egypt. I’m happy with the success I have had so far; I suspect the rest of Genesis will be much easier now that I have established a rather quick editing method for phase one of the MVP.
After this there are now 30 chapters left to go over in Genesis. This then marks the halfway point, a significant milestone not just in progress but also in conviction. A finished book of Genesis has never been closer!
“The Death of Abraham”
1 And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
2 And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4 And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
6 But to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, a hundred and seventy-five years.
8 And Abraham passed away, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
9 And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;
10 the field which Abraham purchased of the children of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son; and Isaac dwelt by Beer-lahai-roi.
12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bore unto Abraham:
13 and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the first-born of Ishmael, Nebaioth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
14 and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,
15 Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
16 these are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their nations.
17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty-seven years: and he passed away and died, and was gathered unto his people.
18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt, as one goes toward Assyria: he [a]abode over against all his brethren.
19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:
20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the [b]Syrian, to be his wife.
21 And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD heard him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is like this, [c]why do I live? And she prayed to the LORD.
23 And the LORD said unto her, “Two nations are in thy womb, And two peoples shall be separated from your birth; And the one people shall be stronger than the other people; And the elder shall serve the younger.”
24 And when her day had come, there were found twins in her womb.
25 And the first came forth [d]red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
26 And after that came forth his brother, and his hand grasped Esau’s heel; and his name was called [e]Jacob: and Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a [f]quiet man, dwelling in tents.
28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; and Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 And Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came in from the field, and he was faint:
30 and Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me, I pray thee, with [g]that same red pottage; for I am faint;” therefore was his name called [h]Edom.
31 And Jacob said, “Sell me [i]first your birthright.”
32 And Esau said, “Look, if I die from hunger, what is the point of my birthright, then?”
33 And Jacob said, “Swear to me first;” and he swore it to him; and so he sold his birthright to Jacob.
34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. And in this manner Esau despised his birthright.
[18] Or, settled. Hebrew fell
[20] Hebrew Aramean.
[22] Or, wherefore am I thus?
[25] Or, ruddy
[26] That is, One that takes by the heel or supplants.
[27] Or, harmless. Hebrew perfect.
[30] Hebrew the red pottage, this red pottage.
[30] That is, Red.
[31] Hebrew to-day.