Genesis 25:1-6 Meaning: Abraham’s Later Family and God’s Faithful Plan
1Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3Jokshan became the father of 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 that he had to Isaac,
6but Abraham gave gifts to the sons of Abraham’s concubines. While he still lived, he sent them away from Isaac his son, eastward, to the east country.
1Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
2And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
6But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
1And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.
2And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
5And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
6But unto 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.
1And Abraham addeth and taketh a wife, and her name is Keturah;
2and she beareth to him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3And Jokshan hath begotten Sheba and Dedan; and the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim;
4and the sons of Midian are Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah: all these are sons of Keturah.
5And Abraham giveth all that he hath to Isaac;
6and to the sons of the concubines whom Abraham hath, Abraham hath given gifts, and sendeth them away from Isaac his son (in his being yet alive) eastward, unto the east country.
1And Abraham took another wife named Keturah.
2And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan; and the sons of Dedan were the Asshurim, and the Letushim, and the Leummim.
4And the sons of Midian were Ephah, and Epher, and Enoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were sons of Keturah.
5And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.
6And to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and, while he yet lived, sent them away from Isaac his son, eastward to the east country.
Meaning in one sentence
Did Abraham marry Keturah before or after Sarah’s death? Was she a wife or concubine? And how does this family tree show God keeping His promises?
Context
These verses bring Abraham’s story to a close. He is an old man, full of years, and the writer sets down the final details of his family. Abraham takes a woman named Keturah, and she bears him six sons. Their names, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah, become the heads of tribes and peoples who will populate Arabia and the East. The passage then records Abraham’s final will. He gives everything he owns to Isaac, the son of the promise. To the sons of his concubines, which include both Hagar and Keturah, he gives gifts and sends them away while he still lives. The chapter ends with Abraham’s death and burial. The whole unit shows God fulfilling His promise to make Abraham a father of many nations, while carefully protecting the covenant line through Isaac.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb that opens the passage is vayyōsef, from yāsaph, ‘to add, to continue, to do again.’ It carries the sense of an ongoing story. Abraham was not done. Even in his old age, God was still adding to his family. The word reminds us that God’s work in a life rarely ends when we expect it to.
A second key word is mattānōt (gifts) in verse 6. These were not the inheritance, but substantial presents, cattle, seed, tools for a new start. The same root appears in the word for ‘gift’ in Proverbs. Abraham gave generously, but he gave with discernment.
Finally, the word pīlagšīm (concubines) appears in the plural. Keturah is called a wife in verse 1, but here she is grouped with Hagar. The term describes a secondary wife, one with legal standing but not the full status of a primary wife. This distinction matters because it shows how carefully the biblical writer separates Isaac’s unique role from the other sons.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this passage in different ways. The oldest Jewish tradition, echoed by many Protestant commentators like Calvin and Matthew Henry, holds that Abraham married Keturah after Sarah’s death. They point out that Sarah was 127 when she died, and Abraham lived 35 more years. It seems natural that he would take another wife.
Other interpreters, including some Reformed scholars like Keil, note that the Hebrew grammar does not force a later date. They suggest Abraham may have taken Keturah while Sarah was still alive, as a second wife. They argue that this explains how Abraham could father six sons at his advanced age, God had renewed his strength for the miracle of Isaac, and that strength continued.
Both views see the hand of God. Whether before or after Sarah’s death, the passage shows God multiplying Abraham’s descendants just as He promised. Isaac remains the heir of the covenant, and the other sons become nations too. The Church has always read this as evidence of God’s generosity and His careful preservation of the line of promise.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This passage asks you to trust God’s timing and His particular care. Abraham did not hold onto everything until death. While he was still alive, he gave gifts to his other sons and sent them away toward the east. He provided for them, but he also released them. He honored God’s plan for Isaac without neglecting the others.
You may be in a season where you need to let go, of a child, a dream, a role you have held. Abraham’s example is not cold or careless. He gave generously, then he let them go. Trust that God has a place for each one. And trust that His promises to you are secure, even when the shape of your life changes.
Main takeaway: God kept His promise to Abraham, multiplying his descendants and securing the covenant through Isaac, showing His faithfulness across generations.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God gave Abraham a very big family. Abraham had many children, but God had a special plan for Isaac. Abraham gave gifts to the other children and sent them to live far away. God took care of all of them.
For ages 9, 12
Abraham’s life shows that God always keeps His promises. Even when Abraham was very old, God gave him more children. But Abraham made sure Isaac received the main inheritance because God had chosen Isaac to carry on the covenant. At the same time, Abraham gave generous gifts to his other sons and sent them away to start their own lives. This teaches us that God has a unique plan for each person, and He is faithful to every promise He makes.
Questions People Ask
Did Abraham marry Keturah before or after Sarah’s death?
The Bible does not say for certain. Many scholars throughout history have understood the marriage to take place after Sarah died, because the account appears after her burial and because Abraham was 137 years old at that point. Others point out that the Hebrew wording does not require a specific time and that Abraham may have taken Keturah while Sarah was still alive, especially since Keturah is sometimes called a concubine. Both views respect the text. The key point is that God was fulfilling His promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants.
Why does the Bible call Keturah both a wife and a concubine?
In verse 1, Keturah is called Abraham’s wife. In verse 6, she is grouped with the concubines, and 1 Chronicles 1:32 calls her Abraham’s concubine. In the ancient world, a concubine was a secondary wife. She had legal standing and her children were legitimate, but she did not have the same status as a primary wife like Sarah. The language reflects a distinction in social role, not necessarily a moral judgment. The important thing for the biblical writer is that Isaac, Sarah’s son, is the sole heir of the covenant.
Why did Abraham send away the children of Keturah?
Abraham sent them away while he was still alive to prevent future conflict over the inheritance. Because God had given the land of Canaan and the covenant promises to Isaac alone, Abraham needed to settle his other sons elsewhere. He provided them with generous gifts, probably flocks, herds, and supplies, and sent them eastward, to the region that would become Arabia. This was a responsible and loving act that honored God’s plan and protected Isaac’s role.
How does this genealogy connect to the Midianites?
Midian is one of the sons of Abraham and Keturah (verse 2). The Midianites become a significant people group in the rest of the Old Testament. For example, Joseph is sold to Midianite traders (Genesis 37:28), and later Moses marries a Midianite woman and lives among them (Exodus 2). The genealogy shows that these nations are distant relatives of Israel, part of the broader family that descended from Abraham. Their later conflicts with Israel are a family story, not the story of unrelated strangers.
What does this passage teach about God’s promise to Abraham?
God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4-6). This genealogy is a concrete fulfillment of that promise. Abraham had children through Sarah (Isaac), through Hagar (Ishmael), and through Keturah (six sons who become tribes). God kept His word. At the same time, the passage carefully preserves the distinction: Isaac alone receives the inheritance of the covenant. God’s faithfulness includes both His broad generosity and His specific, focused plan of salvation through Isaac’s line.
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