Genesis Chapters 24, 25, 26, 27 Commentary by Mark Dunagan

Genesis Chapters 24-27

Chapter 24 Even in old age, when Isaac was 40 and Abraham 140 (25:20), Abraham’s faith continued to make demands upon him. It is time for a wife to be found for Isaac, but the daughters among the locals will not do (24:3) Kidner notes, “With old age and wealth to anchor him to the past or present, he now looked on steadfastly to the next stage of the promise and acted with decision….At this distance from the event, we can see how decisively the courageous obedience of a few individuals over a family matter was to shape the course of history” (p.

146). “Romance, intrigue, conflict, and hatred are all part of the narratives which lie before us. The description of Abraham…He is still a sensitive man, not overwhelmed by his own interests and very committed to the good of others.

The selection of a bride for Isaac was no burdensome chore but a welcomed opportunity to insure a godly progeny (offspring)….The question immediately arises, what will become of Abraham’s descendants and how will their unique covenant relationship with the Lord fare? The chosen line is at this point but a thin thread threatened by innumerable forces from both within and without” (Davis p. 225).

24:1 Abraham is 140 at this time, seeing that he was 100 when Isaac was born (5), and Isaac is presently 40 years of age (25:20). “It is significant, also, that even though Isaac was forty years old, he firmly trusted his father’s judgment in such an important decision as that of his wife-to-be” (Morris p. 392).

24:2 The servant is not named here, but many believe this is the same servant who is named Eliezer (el ih EE zur) in 15:2. Chapter 15 was some 60 years from chapter 24, thus we might be looking at a man who had served Abraham for at

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least 80 years. This servant is one of the most attractive ‘minor characters’ in the Bible. His good sense, trust in God, devotion to his master, firmness in seeing a matter through, and if this is Eliezer, then he is faithfully serving the interests of the heir who had displaced him. God always needs people who are willing to play “second or third violin”. Like John the Baptist, the attitude of those who have the supportive roles in life---is often crucial to God’s work being furthered or hindered (John 3:29-30).

The association with an oath and touching the thigh is also found in Genesis 47:29. Similar ceremonies have been discovered among some Arabian tribes and even among some of the native people of Australia. “The privacy of the thigh and its association with begetting made the oath particularly solemn” (Kidner p.

147). “Was a solemn sign that if the oath were not carried out, the children who would be born to Abraham would avenge the servant’s unfaithfulness” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 67).

24:3 Abraham knew the character of his neighbors! He was very sensitive to the idolatry and immorality that characterized the religious life of the people who surrounded him. Although the worship of God had been compromised among his relatives (31:19,30; 35:2), “When compared with the depravity of the Canaanites, it had maintained far greater faithfulness to the true God” (Aalders p.

61). Abraham makes it clear that the God he serves is not a tribal or regional deity, but rather, the one true God. 24:5 The servant anticipates a problem. What if the girl wouldn’t want to make the long trip back to Canaan? Should the servant then take Isaac to meet his future bride?

24:6-9 Abraham is empathic, in view of God’s promise, under no circumstances is Isaac return to his relatives. Even though Abraham cannot foretell the future, he places his faith in what God has said. Abraham is confident that God will see that the mission is successful (24:7), seeing that Isaac is the promised seed and the daughters in the land are so immoral. It is the attitude that if God wants something done, then we need to quit worrying and simply do our part.

Abraham wanted to completely obey God. Thus he is concerned with both who (a godly wife for Isaac) and where (remaining in the Promised Land).

24:10 This was a journey of some 450 miles. The city of Nahor is apparently the same as the city of Haran (Genesis 27:43; 28:10; 29:4); and the expression probably means the city in which Nahor, the brother of Abraham lived. “Ten 2

camels are still a proper number for such a caravan, the camels bear him and his attendants as well as the necessary presents and will serve to convey the expected wife and her attendants as well” (Genesis, Leupold, p. 663).

24:11-14 Observe that the first thing that the servant does is go to God in prayer!

He may have learned this from observing the example of Abraham. How will this servant know which girl is the right girl for Isaac? It is one thing to pick out a wife for yourself, it is quite another to select one for someone else. But this servant isn’t asking God for something spectacular, but rather simple clues which will reveal the character of the girl. “The sign that the servant included in his prayer was not wholly meaningless in itself (or subjective). Watering camels was no small task since these animals are known to consume vast quantities of water after a day traveling across the desert. Any young woman who would volunteer such a demanding service would be demonstrating a spirit of genuine friendliness and willingness to serve” (Aalders p. 63). “The hospitality of the day required women at the well to offer water to weary travelers, but not to the animals. The servant was simply asking God to show him a woman with an attitude of service---someone who would go beyond the expected” (Life Application Study Bible, p. 44). In addition, the well was an ideal place to start, seeing that wells were frequently used as meeting places by townsfolk, shepherds, travelers and the women in the village.

The Servant’s Attitude 

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Unselfconscious humility of a man who is empty of himself and is all about his master’s business. Such unknown men are well known in heaven (2 Corinthians 6:9).

The confidence that God hears and will answer. It does not seem to enter his mind that he will be left dangling, or put to shame.

Creativity. He is not trying to exploit God, rather he is presenting a reasonable and fair request.

24:15 “Before he had finished speaking”. God can answer our prayers even before we are done praying! (Daniel 9:23; Acts 12:5-19). Davis notes, “Recall how soon Peter’s spectacular release from prison followed the prayers of the church….so soon that the praying saints were totally unprepared for Peter’s arrival in their midst” (p. 230). Here we learn that Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah and Nahor. Hence Isaac will be marrying his cousin’s daughter. See also Genesis 11:29.

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Note the detail, “with her jar on her shoulder”. To this day in Mesopotamia, such jars are carried on the shoulder, while in Egypt, they are borne upon the head. In addition, offering to water the camels was no small task. The pots were not light and a thirsty camel can drink up to 25 gallons of water after a week’s travel.

24:21 Even though it looks as if his prayer has been answered, this servant is cautious and refuses to act presumptuously. Finally, the servant finds out that not only is this girl of fine character, but she is one of Abraham’s relatives! (24:27) At this point he is confident that God has answered his prayer. Observe that the emotions of this servant are determined by the facts, and not the other way around. “Success, which inflates the natural man, humbles the man of God. This servant’s first though is for the Lord, his second for his employer (27b)” (Kidner p. 147).

24:29-30 In future chapters, Jacob will marry the daughters of Laban. And in view of how Laban will treat Jacob, the fact that Laban noticed the jewelry given to Rebekah should not pass unnoticed.

24:31 Apparently Abraham’s brother and his family also believed in God, and yet we will find that they also had their household idols (31:30).

24:33 Business before pleasure! Even though the servant was probably very hungry, he felt a greater loyalty to Abraham than his own immediate needs.

24:34-61 The servant is straightforward and up front. He is very conscientious and is not here to merely socialize and enjoy good food (24:49). The reason that Laban’s name is so prominent in this account is probably due to the fact that the full brother of a younger sister had definite obligations and responsibilities to watch for the welfare of his sister. In addition, Bethuel was probably quite old, and Laban was the next-in-charge. Note the attitude concerning something that God has said, “we cannot speak to you bad or good” (24:50). “When his will is made known it is not for us to say Yes or No” (Knox). The attitude seems to be that when God says something my positive or negative response can’t change anything. I cannot add to the truthfulness of what God says and neither can I detract from anything God has said. The decision to leave immediately was a wise choice (24:55-56) (especially in light of how Laban would string Jacob along for some 20 years), seeing that time and indecision often give people the opportunity to compromise or rationalize a failure to obey. “Delay would only give opportunity for the flesh to find reasons for rethinking the decision, and 4

possibly changing it….Rebekah’s mother and brother would really be no more ready for her to leave ten days hence than they were at that moment” (Morris pp.

403-404). Rebekah’s obedience is prompt! (24:58) And what a decision this was.

To leave everything and everyone she had known since birth (except her nurse and servants) and to journey with strangers to a strange land—and then marry a total stranger! Rebekah’s nurse, was the woman who had cared for her since birth. “This was customary among the wealthy and elite of that day and is still practiced in some Arabian countries” (Aalders p. 69). In addition, she seems to have been given other servants as well (24:61).

The Profile of a True Servant             

Accepted the challenge: 24:3,9 Examined the alternatives: 24:5 Promised to follow instructions: 24:9 Made a plan: 24:24:12-14 Submitted the plan to God: 24:12-14 Prayed for guidance: 24:12-14 Devised a plan with room for God to operate: 24:12-14 Waited: 24:21 Watched closely: 24:21 Accepted the answer thankfully: 24:26 Explained the situation to concerned parties: 24:34-49 Refused unnecessary delay: 24:56 Followed through with the entire plan: 24:66

24:62-67 “Beer-lahai-roi”: This was the well between Kadesh and Bered at which God had meet the friendless Hagar (16:14). The name means, “Thou art a God who sees”. The Negev is a term that means “South Country” and is a desert region which stretches from Hebron to Kadesh. “Isaac probably was restless as he awaited the return of his father’s servant, so he spent some time by himself quietly contemplating what the future might hold for him” (Aalders p. 70). In keeping with the custom of the day, Rebekah veiled herself, since the man was not to see the face of the bride until after they were married. Isaac is then given all the details, which let him know that this marriage was arranged by the Providence of God. It was also an Eastern custom to bring the new bride into the tent of his mother (24:67). “Isaac shows great honor to Rebekah here by at once assigning to her the vacant tent of Sarah” (Leupold p. 686). Sarah was ninety, when Isaac was born (17:17), she died at the age of 127 (23:1). Hence 5

Isaac was 37 when she died and Sarah had been dead for 3 years before Isaac met Rebekah. Observe that ancient people did fall in love! Man has not changed (James 5:17). Obviously, Isaac and his mother had been very close and her death had greatly affected him. We also find here an example of people falling in love after being married. In our modern society we want to believe that love has nothing to do with our own choice, we want love to overrule all our responsibilities, we want it to be a overwhelming feeling and emotion that removes from us any need to ‘work’ at loving someone. But love is work (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Chapter 25 25:1-4 “Keturah” is pronounced (keh TUR uh), is a name which means “fragrance”. Apparently, the rejuvenation given Abraham prior to the birth of Isaac continued and Abraham now around 140 (he was ten years older than Sarah), had other children. He appears to have enjoyed physical and mental strength until the day he died. Again we see that the great heroes in Scripture were real people. Abraham was apparently lonely after the death of Sarah. The offspring of Abraham and Keturah were various Arabian tribes, the most well known being the Midianites (25:4). Some suggest that Keturah had been a concubine or secondary wife of Abraham even before Sarah died. Yet the verb ‘took’ and the adjective ‘another’ suggest it was after Sarah’s death that he had married her. Morris notes, “Some commentators argue that Keturah was a concubine (as she is called in 1 Chron. 1:32) whom Abraham had taken long before Sarah died. This seems very unlikely, however, not only because of the very wording of this verse, but also because Abraham loved Sarah alone, consenting to go in even to Hagar only very reluctantly” (p. 407). Hence Keturah, appears to have been a servant girl in Abraham’s extended family, whom he had married after Sarah died.

25:5-6 In spite of this second marriage, Isaac was still the true heir and received the bulk of the inheritance. Abraham did not ignore his other children, rather he gave them gifts, that is, money and or livestock to so they could have a reasonable start in life. Before he died, he sent all these sons to the east. Again, I’m impressed that Abraham demonstrated love towards all his children.

25:7 Thirty eight years after the death of Sarah, Abraham dies. Isaac would have been 75 at the time, hence 35 years after his marriage to Rebekah.

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25:8 The expression “satisfied with life” means that Abraham died a happy and content man.

25:9-11 Ishmael and Isaac both presided over their father’s burial. Apparently, the rift between them had been healed over the years. In addition, though being excluded from the family, Ishmael appears to have had great affection for his father.

25:12-18 Even though Ishmael was not the promised son, God does not forget him on the other hand. Ishmael lived to be 137 and died 58 years before Isaac died. In verse 18 is appears that he was somewhat of a loner, which is a fulfillment of Genesis 16:12 25:19 With Abraham gone, Isaac at this point is the lone survivor of the Messianic line.

25:21 We find that Isaac was a man of prayer. In addition, Rebekah not only believed in the true God, but she also sought answers from Him (25:22). There are good reasons why God does not immediately answer some of our prayers.

First, delay often deepens our insight into what we really need. Second, it broadens our appreciation when the prayer is answered. And it finally allows us to mature so we can use God’s gifts wisely.

Esau and Jacob 25:22-26 Rebekah became anxious as the twins struggled in her womb, which was more than the typical baby-kicking. Such a situation flies in the face of the claims of pro-abortion advocates, that the fetus is not really a person until after the birth. “He revealed to her that in her womb were two sons, and they would be the progenitors (forefathers) of two nations. The struggle within the womb was typical of the great struggle between the two peoples in years to follow” (Davis p. 232). Contrary to Eastern custom, the elder would serve the younger.

Carefully note that God always has a reason for His choices and purposes. In selecting Jacob as the son through whom the Messiah would come, God was not inherently excluding Esau from salvation. In fact such a choice had nothing to do with the personal salvation of Esau or Jacob. “He knew the younger would be (as Abraham was) qualified spiritually and morally to transmit the seed and

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covenant promises, whereas the older would not be so qualified” (Morris p. 413).

Esau was a hairy little baby, Aadler notes, “In medical terminology this is called hypertrichosis, and this gave him a reddish brown color” (p. 80). The name Jacob means “one who takes by the heel or supplants”. It was an existing name in the Near East, “may he be at the heels”. Kidner notes, “But it also lends itself to a hostile sense, of dogging another’s steps, or overreaching…Through his own action Jacob devalued the named into a synonym for treachery…” (pp. 151-152).

25:27-28 “The two characters are utter opposites, as the two nations will eventually be. Plain or (RSV) quiet (peaceful man NASV) represents the Hebrew…which has a suggestion of ‘sound’ or ‘solid’, the level-headed quality that made Jacob, at his best, toughly dependable, and at his worst a formidably cool opponent” (Kidner p. 152). On the surface it looked like Esau was the stronger of the two, and yet God had chosen Jacob. “Jacob was tenaciously ‘following on his heels’, and would one day overtake and replace him” (Morris p.

414).

There is a great lesson here about favoritism and raising children. “Esau was a rugged individualist and he regularly supplied his father with venison, which he loved. The conflict and tragedy which follow in the family provide a practical warning to parents who give one child preferential treatment over another” (Davis p. 233). While we might also be fond of Esau, because he loved the outdoors, he seems to have been gone too often. Esau was a skillful hunter, but the family of Isaac, with their extensive flocks and herds really wasn’t in need of more meat. Evidently, Jacob stayed at home and took care of the flocks (the real work that needed to be done).

25:29-34 Esau might have been a skillful hunter, but his skills had a limit. 1. If Jacob is ruthless here, Esau is fickle, careless and in New Testament language, “immoral and godless” (Hebrews 12:16). 2. All he is concerned about is his momentary hunger: “Let me gulp some of the red stuff, this red stuff…

Embracing the present and the tangible at any cost, going through with the choice, and walking away unconcerned” (Kidner p. 152). 3. For Esau, everything has a price, even spiritual and moral qualities and blessings. His physical needs took priority over everything else. And even worse, there was no remorse after he was full! “It might be noted that red lentils are still a favorite food in Palestine. They are generally prepared with onions, garlic, rice, and olive oil, and are served with lamb or other meat” (Davis p. 233). 4. It might be fair to say, since we always want to believe the best about people, that Jacob might have 8

never made such an offer to Esau, if Jacob felt that Esau really cared and valued his birthright. Obviously, Esau exaggerated his hunger. Yet his words demonstrate a careless and indifferent attitude toward life as a whole, living only for the moment, and purely on a material plane. “Esau is portrayed as emotional: he was fainting and gasping (famished), gulping and then despising…” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 70). In contrast, we find men like Moses, who gave up the king of wealth that only belongs to Kings (and not merely some stew) to serve God (Hebrews 11:24-26). Yet so many people are like Esau, not only do they sell their soul, but they sell it for next to nothing!

Behind the scenes, Rebekah had probably informed Jacob concerning what God had told her, “the older will serve the younger”, and that Jacob was God’s selection as the firstborn. The “birth-right” not only included a double-portion of the inheritance, it also came with the privilege of becoming the leader in the family in the future.

It is easy to act like Esau, claiming that the pressure in the moment justifies irresponsible behavior. “We might feel such great pressure in one area that nothing else seems to matter and we lose our perspective. Getting through that short, pressure-filled moment is often the most difficult part of overcoming a temptation” (Life Application Bible, p. 48).

Chapter 26 26:1-6 Another famine hits the land and Isaac moves to Gerar, an area which the Philistines controlled. (GEE rar) is located in southern Palestine, between Kadesh Barnea and Shur. It was a wealthy city and it probably controlled an important caravan route between Egypt and Palestine. Abimelech is probably a royal or family name like Pharaoh. 97 years had passed since Abraham had made a treaty with a man named Abimelech (Genesis 21:8).

26:7-11 Like his father, Isaac, after being blessed by God fell prey to fear (1 Cor. 10:12). Verse 8 reveals that these ancient people were real people, with feelings and needs just like the rest of us. I am impressed by the morality of Abimelech, he appears to have on this occasion a greater moral sensitivity than Isaac! There is a lesson here for us. Often we don’t spread the gospel as we should, because we are afraid. We would rather remain silent or talk about something else than subject ourselves to the scrutiny and disdain of others. Yet, by remaining quiet, we are doing a great disservice to others, people are facing eternal destruction!

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Instead of thinking about, “What would this do to me”, ask yourself, “What would my silence do to them!” (Philippians 2:3-4).

26:12-14 God blessed Isaac abundantly, “This was the more remarkable because this area was not known for its fertility” (Aalders p. 86). Yet wealth brings its own problems (14). “Abimelech’s statement that Isaac was ‘much mightier than we’ probably confirms that the Philistines of the patriarchal period were limited in number and power. They were peaceful Minoan settlers and not the later warriors of Egyptian records” (Davis p. 234). Or, that we find in the time of Saul and David. “He must remain a pilgrim, and wealth must therefore be allowed to bring it’s own irritants….The wells now dominate the story to the end, for Isaac’s living riches, far from cushioning him against reality, threw him back on his basic resources all the harder” (Kidner pp. 153-154).

26:15-22 By closing various wells the Philistines hoped to deter Isaac from living too close to them. “Driven away by the Philistines, Isaac encamped in the Valley of Gerar, and continued his search for water. He faced opposition there too; the Gerarites claimed that the water from two of the three wells Isaac dug was theirs.

The names he gave the three wells reflect not only his struggle but also his triumph: Esek (“dispute”) and Sitnah (“opposition”) reflect the conflict over two wells, and Rehoboth (“room”) represents the room provided by the Lord. Isaac refused to fight back. He continued to relinquish one well after another until the Philistines in frustration let him alone” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 71).

26:23-25 God appeared to Isaac in Beersheba, and confirmed the covenant given to Abraham with him. The ancient city of Beersheba (well of the seven) is situated about two miles east of the modern city.

26:26-33 Abimelech was clearly afraid of Isaac and his resources, in addition he knew that his own people had made life difficult for Isaac. Hence, with his commander in chief, he comes and seeks to make peace with Isaac. Carefully note that these Philistines knew that God was with Isaac.

The Marriages of Esau 26:34-35 These marriages demonstrates how unfit Esau was to carry on the Messianic line. Esau demonstrates here that he is indifferent to the religious convictions of his parents and grandfather. Abraham had secured a wife for Isaac 450 miles away from these cultures. Esau married at age 40, which means

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that Isaac was 100 when these marriages transpired. While the women are Hittite in race, their names are Semitic, which probably indicates that their families had dwelt in Canaan for a considerable period of time and that they had adopted the language of the Canaanites. “There is more in this notice than meets the eye, for it underlines Isaac’s folly in still favoring Esau for the family headship” (Kidner p. 155).

Chapter 27 27:1-4 Isaac’s actions are truly inexcusable here. First of all, he completely ignores God’s choice. It seems logical that Rebekah must have told him what God had said before the birth of Esau and Jacob, that the older would serve the younger (25:23). Second, Esau was completely unfit to be the spiritual leader for the next generation. Yet like many parents since, Isaac was blinded by his own favoritism, and he wanted to think that Esau was really a better person that he was. He was not the last father that tried to shower blessings on an unworthy son, yet the lesson here would not be lost on Jacob! (Genesis 48:13-20) Isaac will live to be 180 (35:28), but he is around 137 at this time. We know that Isaac was 60 when these boys were born (25:26), and Jacob was 91 when Joseph was born (41:46-47; 45:6; 47:9), which was in the 14th year of Jacob’s stay with Laban (30:25; 29:20,27). Hence, Jacob was 77 when he leaves home. Therefore, 60 plus 77, equals 137, when Isaac tries to bless Esau.

There are some great lessons here. Isaac placed too much importance on his physical senses (27:4), and yet his senses were not that trustworthy! (27:27) (especially in light of the fact that this man who thinks he is dying, will live for another 43 years!) In fact, Isaac will eat domesticated meat and think it is his favorite dish (27:9). “Ironically, even the sense of taste on which Isaac prided himself gave him the wrong answer. Rebekah had not the slightest doubt that she could reproduce Esau’s gastronomic masterpiece---had she often smarted under this?---in a fraction of Esau’s time. Yet the real scandal is Isaac’s frivolity: his plate had long since governed his heart (25:28) and silenced his tongue (for he was powerless to rebuke the sin that was Esau’s downfall)” (Kidner p. 156). Yet in all of this, the will of God will prevail!

27:5-30 While God does not approve of lying or deception, God will allow Rebekah and Jacob to have success in their plot, because it will further His

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purpose. Yet, both Jacob and Rebekah will pay a price. Jacob, the home-body will be forced to leave home and it appears that Rebekah will never again see her son. Added to this, this deception created strife between him and his brother, he would end up deceived by his uncle, his family became torn by strife, Esau became the father of a nation that would be Israel’s enemy in the future, and he was exiled from his family for years.

27:33 “Yes, and he shall be blessed”: Here it appears that Isaac finally admits defeat, he finally accepts the fact that what God had said—is the truth.

27:38 Finally it dawns on Esau what he had forfeited—but it is too late (Hebrews 12:17). There are certain things that sorrow and remorse cannot reverse, there are times when repentance can’t change the circumstances. Many people on the judgment day will be like Esau, very remorseful—but to no avail.

27:41 Once again, Esau demonstrates his unfitness. Instead of mourning over his own foolishness, in his mind everything was Jacob’s fault.

27:42-46 Rebekah is one shrewd woman. On the one hand we must create enough alarm in home-lover Jacob to leave home, and yet she must also convince her husband to send Jacob off with the approval and blessings from the family.

“Rebekah’s quick grasp of situations and characters shows itself again, first in her recognition that she must lose Jacob to save him, and then in her persuasive handling of both son and father” (Kidner p. 157). Little did Rebekah know that the “few days” of 27:44 would be decades, for Isaac her husband would live another 43 years after this event. The statement in 27:45 “Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day”, reveals that Rebekah knew that if Esau killed Jacob, then Esau must die (Genesis 9:6). This might also be related to 27:41, that Esau intended to kill Jacob after Isaac died, and “both of you” might be Jacob and Isaac.

The last verse is a masterpiece. Rebekah doesn’t mention Esau’s death threat, probably because Isaac wouldn’t believe that his favorite son would ever do such a thing. Rather, she brings up the “sore spot”—i.e. what if Jacob marries someone like Esau had married! ”The prospect of a third Hittite daughter-inlaw and a distracted wife would have unmanned even an Abraham. Rebekah’s diplomatic victory was complete; but she would never see her son again” (Kidner p. 157).

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