Abraham's Death



Genesis 25:1-11
1Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.
6But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
7These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years.
8Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
9Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre,
10the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife.
11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
12These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.
13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
14Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
16These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.
17(These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.)
18They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.

Isaac and his big brother, Ishmael now face the death of their father, Abraham. From the tenor of the text, it would appear that they get along fairly well and have numerous other half siblings. God begins to follow through with the massive size of Abraham’s lineage right after the birth of Isaac.

We know that Isaac’s grandchildren become the The 12 Tribes of Israel. This is foundation of God’s people and from them the Savior is born. I find it interesting that God is very true to His promise to Hagar, to make of her son with Abraham a mighty nation as well. Ishmael has 12 sons, just as Jacob has. Sadly, as history begins to play itself out, the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Jacob soon learn to hate one another and we are seeing the fallout from that hatred still today. But for the moment, Isaac and Ishmael come together long enough to bury their father. It is interesting that as Abraham has more sons, he gives them the resources to get started in life and sends them off to populate other areas, away from the Promised Land. That belongs to Isaac. Isaac lives for another 110 years (to the age of 180) after the death of Abraham; Ishmael lives to the age of 137.

As we bid farewell to Abraham, we must admit that his legacy continues on in us even today. In the New Testament, those who believe are called the descendants of Abraham – that’s us! While his life was certainly not perfect, he was faithful to God and lived to serve Him as best he could. Abraham’s death marks the half-way point in the book of Genesis and we have laid for us the foundation of God’s plan of salvation. He promised a Savior to Adam and Eve and is working out that plan through the children of Abraham. God’s plan is always perfect and God’s plan is always complete. As we stop and pick up the little pieces of that story for examination, we can but marvel.

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