Genesis 25:2 kjv

And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 25:2 nkjv

And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 25:2 niv

She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.

Genesis 25:2 esv

She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 25:2 nlt

She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis 25 verses

Genesis 25 2 Meaning

Genesis 25:2 describes the six sons Keturah bore to Abraham after Sarah's death. This verse signifies the continued fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding numerous descendants, extending beyond Isaac to establish further lines and peoples. It highlights God's ongoing blessing on Abraham, even in his old age, enabling the expansion of his family into various branches and future tribes.

Genesis 25 2 Context

Genesis 25:2 fits into the narrative following the death of Sarah (Gen 23) and Abraham's advanced age. It immediately precedes Abraham's death (Gen 25:7-8), marking the final details of his life before the narrative transitions fully to Isaac and his descendants. This verse explains the origin of several non-Israelite tribes that descended from Abraham, broadening the scope of his patriarchal blessing beyond the single covenant line that continued through Isaac. Culturally, large families and numerous male descendants were a sign of great blessing, strength, and continuation of the lineage, fulfilling the ancient Near Eastern cultural value of dynastic longevity. This verse solidifies Abraham's legacy not only as the father of Israel but also as the progenitor of multiple peoples in the region.

Genesis 25 2 Word analysis

• And she bare him (וַתֵּלֶד לוֹ, watteled lo):

  • watteled: The Hiphil perfect consecutive verb "to bear, give birth" indicates the culmination of Keturah's fertility.
  • lo: The dative suffix "to him" emphasizes that these children belong to Abraham, reinforcing his paternal role and the expansion of his direct lineage.
  • Significance: Highlights Abraham's continued virility despite his advanced age, signifying God's continued blessing and ability to make Abraham fruitful, echoing the miraculous circumstances of Isaac's birth. This demonstrates divine empowerment rather than mere human ability.

• Zimran (זִמְרָן, Zimrān):

  • Meaning: Possibly related to "wild sheep" or "song."
  • Significance: This is the first son mentioned. Little is known of this tribe later in Scripture, indicating their lesser direct interaction with the covenant people of Israel compared to others.

• Jokshan (יׇקְשָׁן, Yoqšān):

  • Meaning: "Fowler" or "one who lays snares."
  • Significance: His two sons, Sheba and Dedan (mentioned in the following verse, Gen 25:3), become significant trading tribes, known for incense and wealth, linking Abraham's broader lineage to regional commerce and culture.

• Medan (מְדָן, Meḏān):

  • Meaning: "Contention" or "judgment."
  • Significance: Similar to Zimran, this tribal line does not play a prominent role in later biblical narratives, distinguishing them from the covenant people.

• Midian (מִדְיָן, Miḏyān):

  • Meaning: "Strife" or "contention."
  • Significance: The most prominent of Keturah's sons. The Midianites become a significant force in biblical history, often adversaries of Israel (e.g., in the time of Moses and Gideon), but also providing figures like Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, a priest of Midian, demonstrating complex interactions between God's chosen people and Abraham's wider kin.

• Ishbak (יִשְׁבָּק, Yišbāq):

  • Meaning: "He will leave" or "he will set free."
  • Significance: No distinct tribe or significant individual named Ishbak or his direct descendants prominently features in later biblical history, again contrasting with the special attention given to the Israelite line.

• Shuah (שׁוּחַ, Šūaḥ):

  • Meaning: "Ditch," "depression," or "to sink."
  • Significance: Potentially linked to Bildad the Shuhite, one of Job's friends (Job 2:11), which could suggest a connection of this line to the wisdom tradition, geographically associated with the East.

• Words-group analysis: "Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah."

  • The repetitive "and" (waw-conjunctive) before each name in Hebrew emphasizes each distinct individual and, by extension, each distinct tribal line emerging from Abraham.
  • The list signifies the branching out of Abraham's family tree. While Isaac represents the chosen line for the covenant, these names confirm the fulfillment of God's broader promise of countless descendants from Abraham (Gen 12:2, 15:5) and the diversification of peoples in the ancient Near East, establishing various entities with which Israel would later interact, sometimes in conflict, sometimes in peaceful co-existence. The very mention of their names serves a historical and ethnographic purpose within the biblical narrative.

Genesis 25 2 Bonus section

• The naming of Abraham's other descendants from Keturah serves a theological purpose by demonstrating that God's blessing, though covenantally focused on Isaac's line, extended to Abraham's broader family. This broader blessing contrasts with pagan belief systems where fertility was often attributed to specific rituals or deities, reinforcing the biblical view of all fruitfulness stemming from the one sovereign God.
• These genealogies were vital in ancient cultures for defining tribal identity, land claims, and understanding historical relationships between peoples. Their inclusion is not mere trivia but foundational for later interactions described in the Torah and beyond.
• The subsequent sending away of these sons with gifts (Gen 25:6) underscores the deliberate establishment of distinct family lines and geographical separations from the covenant line of Isaac. This act prevented disputes over Abraham's inheritance, preserving the unique status and purpose of the promised line that would lead to Israel.

Genesis 25 2 Commentary

Genesis 25:2 presents a list of Abraham's six additional sons through Keturah, extending his legacy beyond Isaac. This verse, though brief, is profoundly significant as it underscores God's persistent and expansive blessing upon Abraham, making him "the father of many nations" (Gen 17:5). Even in old age, long after Isaac's birth and Sarah's death, Abraham's miraculous fertility continues, a testament to God's enduring power and faithfulness to His promises. The detailed naming of each son points to the establishment of new tribal lines, acknowledging their distinct identities and foreshadowing their eventual role in the geopolitical landscape surrounding Israel. The presence of the Midianites, who later become key players in Israel's history, highlights the intertwining destinies of various peoples descended from a common patriarch, all part of God's overarching plan for humanity. This expansion also clarifies that while many would spring from Abraham, one specific lineage, that of Isaac, would carry the covenant promises for the salvation of all nations.