Genesis 25:20 kjv
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
Genesis 25:20 nkjv
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 25:20 niv
and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.
Genesis 25:20 esv
and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.
Genesis 25:20 nlt
When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.
Genesis 25 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:5 | Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. | Isaac's birth relative to Abraham's age. |
| Gen 24:3-4 | You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites... but go to my country and to my kindred... | Abraham's directive for Isaac's marriage. |
| Gen 24:10 | The servant took ten of his master’s camels... and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor. | Locating Paddan Aram/Rebekah's origin. |
| Gen 24:15 | Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor... | Confirming Rebekah's direct lineage. |
| Gen 24:29 | Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man at the spring. | Introduction of Laban and his character. |
| Gen 24:62-67 | Isaac had just come from Beer-lahai-roi... Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah... loved her... | Context of Isaac's reception and love for Rebekah. |
| Gen 17:17 | Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed... Sarah his wife, who is ninety years old, will bear a child? | The miraculous nature of Isaac's birth. |
| Gen 12:2-3 | I will make you a great nation... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. | Covenant promise demanding specific lineage. |
| Gen 13:15 | All the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. | Promise of land tied to Abraham's seed. |
| Gen 22:17-18 | I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring... and in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed... | Emphasis on offspring and worldwide blessing. |
| Gen 29:4-5 | He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well... | Jacob's later interaction with Laban. |
| Gen 28:2 | Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take for yourself a wife from among the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. | Isaac's command to Jacob, repeating lineage tradition. |
| Gen 31:20, 24 | And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Aramean... God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night... | Laban explicitly identified as an Aramean. |
| Deut 26:5 | You shall make a statement before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my father..." | Jacob's descendants identifying with their Aramean roots. |
| Rom 9:10-13 | And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac... | Rebekah as mother of Jacob and Esau, key in election. |
| Gal 3:16 | Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. | Ultimate fulfillment of the seed promise through Christ. |
| Acts 7:8 | And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac of Jacob... | Confirmation of the patriarchal lineage. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | By faith Abraham obeyed... For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. | Isaac and Jacob as heirs of the promise by faith. |
| Heb 11:11-12 | By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age... from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants... | Divine provision for the continuation of the line through Isaac. |
| Matt 1:2 | Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers... | Jesus's genealogy traced through Isaac. |
| Luke 3:34 | ...the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah... | Jesus's genealogy through Isaac. |
| Isa 51:1-2 | Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness... Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you... | Remembering the humble origins of God's chosen line. |
Genesis 25 verses
Genesis 25 20 Meaning
This verse concisely describes Isaac's marriage to Rebekah at the age of forty. It identifies Rebekah as the daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban, specifically noting their origin as Arameans from Paddan Aram. It marks the foundational moment for the next generation in the patriarchal lineage, establishing the family through whom God's covenant promises to Abraham would continue.
Genesis 25 20 Context
Genesis 25:20 occurs within the post-Abrahamic narrative, specifically following Abraham's death and burial in the previous verses (Gen 25:7-11). This verse marks a crucial transition, focusing the narrative squarely on Isaac, the designated heir of the covenant promises. It connects directly to the extensive account in Genesis 24, which detailed Abraham's precise instructions for finding Isaac a wife from his own kindred in Mesopotamia, not from the Canaanites. This careful selection underscores the importance of preserving the distinct lineage through which God's promises of a great nation and land would be realized. The immediate verses after Gen 25:20 introduce Rebekah's barrenness and Isaac's prayer for her, leading to the birth of Esau and Jacob, thus setting the stage for the next phase of patriarchal history.
Genesis 25 20 Word analysis
- Isaac (יִצְחָק, Yitṣḥāq): Meaning "he laughs." This name reflects the miraculous nature of his birth. He is the divinely appointed son of promise, the conduit of the Abrahamic covenant after Abraham himself.
- was forty (בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, ben arbā‘îm shānāh): Literally "son of forty years." This indicates Isaac's mature age at the time of marriage, suitable for head of a patriarchal family, emphasizing a distinct period for beginning his own family.
- old (שָׁנָה, shānāh): "Year." Signifies a full chronological period.
- when he took (בְּקַחְתּוֹ, beqaḥtōw): Literally "in his taking." Implies a decisive action and formal consummation of marriage, aligning with the ancient practice of a man 'taking' a wife into his home.
- Rebekah (רִבְקָה, Rivqāh): A name possibly meaning "to tie firmly" or "snare." She is previously introduced in Gen 24 as the chosen wife, indicating God's providence in finding a suitable partner for Isaac.
- as his wife (אֶת־רִבְקָה לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה, ‘eṯ-rivqāh lô lə’ishāh): "Rebekah to him for a wife." The phrase emphasizes her becoming his wife, completing the marital union according to God's plan.
- daughter of Bethuel (בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל, baṯ-Betū’ēl): Identifies Rebekah's father. Bethuel was the son of Nahor (Abraham's brother), making Rebekah Isaac's first cousin once removed, emphasizing the intent of keeping the lineage pure from Canaanite influence.
- the Aramean (הָאֲרַמִּי, hā’Ǎrammî): Referring to an inhabitant of Aram (Syria). This ethnic designation is key, differentiating Abraham's extended family from the indigenous Canaanites. It implies a shared cultural and linguistic background.
- of Paddan Aram (מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם, mippaddan ’Ărāṁ): "From the field of Aram." A specific region in Mesopotamia, likely around Haran. It confirms the geographical location from which Abraham's servant fetched Rebekah.
- the sister of Laban (אֲחוֹת לָבָן, ’ăḥōwṯ Lāvān): Further identifies Rebekah through her prominent brother, who will later play a significant role in Jacob's life. This mention foreshadows future interactions.
- Laban the Aramean (לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, Lāvān hā’Ǎrammî): Reinforces Laban's identity, underscoring the ethnic origin of Rebekah's family and implicitly preparing the reader for future encounters with him where his "Aramean" characteristics might be highlighted.
- Words-group analysis:
- "Isaac was forty years old": This specific age is noteworthy, occurring later than expected for first marriages for male heirs, emphasizing a purposeful establishment of the next generation rather than impulsive youth. It underlines his maturity as he stepped into the role of patriarch.
- "took Rebekah as his wife": This phrase captures the culmination of the elaborate, divinely guided journey detailed in Gen 24. It signifies not merely a casual union but a formalized marriage, solidifying Isaac's role in the covenant succession.
- "daughter of Bethuel...the sister of Laban...the Aramean of Paddan Aram": This detailed familial and geographical identification stresses the deliberate effort to maintain ethnic and spiritual separation from the Canaanites, reflecting Abraham's command. The repeated "Aramean" underscores their specific non-Canaanite relation to Abraham, vital for God's chosen lineage.
Genesis 25 20 Bonus section
The naming of Rebekah's father and brother, coupled with their identification as Arameans from Paddan Aram, anticipates future narrative developments crucial to the life of Jacob. This seemingly incidental detail creates a literary and historical anchor for Jacob's flight to Laban's household for his own wives (Gen 28:2), completing a cycle of seeking spouses from this distant yet related family branch. It also sets up the backdrop for the patriarchal lineage's identity in Jacob's future declaration, "A wandering Aramean was my father" (Deut 26:5), acknowledging his direct genealogical roots in this very region and people group despite living in Canaan. This continuous thread emphasizes that the divine plan unfolds through generations, maintaining a distinct heritage for the people of promise, even through extended family connections.
Genesis 25 20 Commentary
Genesis 25:20 provides a succinct summary of a pivotal moment in the Abrahamic narrative: Isaac's marriage to Rebekah. This verse, though concise, is laden with significant details that affirm God's covenant faithfulness and the careful lineage of the patriarchs. The specific mention of Isaac's age (40) highlights a deliberate maturity and readiness for leadership, indicating that his marriage was not an impetuous choice but a mature and prayerful union following a divinely guided quest for a wife. The meticulous identification of Rebekah’s family (daughter of Bethuel, sister of Laban) and their geographic and ethnic origin ("the Aramean of Paddan Aram") emphasizes the sacred duty of avoiding intermarriage with the pagan Canaanites. This lineage purity was critical for the preservation of the unique covenant identity of God's chosen people. This selection, far from being a mundane family event, was an essential step in the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, ensuring the continuation of the "seed" through whom all nations would be blessed. It sets the stage for the next generation's story of Jacob and Esau, linking the foundational choices of the patriarchs to the future of Israel.