Genesis 25 Hagar’s Prophecy
Dear Ones, our discussion begins with a declaration. Abraham AGAIN took Hagar as his wife. Why is this significant? In Genesis 21.10, Abraham and Hagar did not divorce. Remember, [Sarah said], to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave and her son; for the son of this slave shall not be heir with my son, with Isaac.’ Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. However, Hagar could not remarry. She was not divorced from Abraham. How did it feel to Hagar and Ishmael to learn that the daughter of an Egyptian princess’, i.e., Hagar and her son, would not inherit Avraham’s great wealth and power? It was challenging to be taken from the palace in Egypt and given to a wealthy nomad’s wife to serve as her slave.
Genesis 25.1
Then again, Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
Hagar was a princess of Mitzriam. She was given by her father, Pharaoh, as a gift to Sarah. She was thrust from her position of being served. Now, she was a slave who served. She could no longer enjoy the hot oil baths and the cheese and wine luncheons of the palace. As a nomad wife’s slave, she missed many pleasures. Hagar may have felt like nothing more than a discarded piece of property.
Yet, she had a Prophecy from The Lord dating back to Genesis 16.11 -12.
Genesis 16.11 – 12
And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael; because the Lord has heard your affliction. 12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall live in the presence of all his brothers.
Before the birth of Ishmael. The message was, ‘Ishmael shall live in the presence of all his brothers.’ Holy Scripture uses The Word אֶחָ֖יו Aw Chawv, meaning — ‘Brothers’. Ishmael had only one half-brother, Isaac, who was not born from his mother, Hagar. Another 15 years. God Promised Sarah one son, Genesis 18.10; 21.10. The point is that the brothers had to come from Hagar. The promise in Genesis 16.11 – 12. was not fulfilled until after Sarah’s death. It was then Keturah’s (Hagar’s) was united with Abraham. It was then that they began to have sons. Keturah begins giving birth to Abraham’s sons.
For a while, Hagar lost her way, (many of us do) but Keturah quickly found it. As a wife to Avraham, she remained isolated from other men. She learned The Torah. She Observed The Mitzvot of The Torah. Later, she sent Yishmael back to Avraham, where he learned Torah and became an honorable attendant in Avraham’s home.
During all this time of waiting, Hagar remained faithful to Abraham during those difficult years. They were married in 2033 F.C. From Creation. A year later, when Abraham was 86 years old, Ishmael was born. Thirteen years later, Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised. The following year Isaac was born. Thirty-seven years later, Sarah dies at the age of 127 years of age. It is now 2085 F.C. 52 years have passed since The Lord Said to Hagar, ‘[Ishmael] shall live in the presence of all his brothers. How many years did it take for Keturah to give birth to ‘All Ishmael’s brothers?’ I don’t know.
וַיֹּ֧סֶף אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה וּשְׁמָ֥הּ קְטוּרָֽה: ס
Genesis 25.1
And again וַיֹּ֧סֶף Vah Yoh Sehf – Abraham took [Hagar back] as his wife, and her name thither was Keturah.
Abraham practiced polygamy. Polygamy is not a sin. However, polygamy is against American Law. Abraham was married to two women at the same time. He had physical relationships with Sarah and with Hagar on a limited basis during his marriage to both. So was Abraham a soulmate to both Sarah and Hagar? The answer is yes!
For a time, Abraham was married but living solo. After Sarah’s death, Abraham was married to Hagar, but he was living alone. Abraham and Hagar were separated until Sarah passed from this life into the next life. Isaac was 37 when he and his father went to Mount Moriah. Three years later, Isaac and Rebecca were married by agreement, Genesis 25.20. It was after Isaac and Rivkah were married that Abraham retook Keturah. Abraham was 140 when he and Keturah began living together as husband and wife again. They lived together 35 years before Abraham’s passing. Holy Scripture does not focus on how Abraham and Keturah lived together, other than to say they had six sons, seven grandsons, and two great-grandsons. The second time they lived together was from 2088 F.C. to 2123 F.C
We know that Hagar / Keturah was not Abraham’s only servant wife. Holy Scripture States Abraham had concubines, Genesis 25.6. Abraham chose to be married rather than be single.
Genesis 2.18
And the Lord God Said, It is not good that the man/woman should be alone; I will make him help to match him/her.
It is not a sin to be alone; it is just not good to be alone. It’s not the way life was intended to be lived. One is supposed to search for their soulmate. Each of us has a soulmate. Some of us have two or three soulmates in this life. I encourage individuals who are widowed or divorced to seek their soulmate. Living in a relationship is the best way of perfecting one’s self. Our soulmates will draw out our imperfections.
Abraham and Sarah’s
SON: Isaac
GRANDSONS: Esau and Jacob
Abraham and Hagar’s
SON: Yishmael
GRANDSONS: Ishmael, Nebaioth; Kedar, Adbeel, and Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
Abraham and Keturah’s
SONS: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
GRANDSONS:
Jokshan fathered:
Sheba and Dedan
Midian fathered:
Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah
GREAT GRANDSONS:
Dedan fathered:
Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.
The goal of a good relationship is to be a blessing for both parties. Both should grow, develop, and improve. Sometimes this requires a little pain. Sometimes we may develop in opposite directions. The individual we deeply love has changed. Hopefully, the change does not result in divorce. However, divorce exists for a reason. One should always feel safe, protected, and loved in their relationships. God should be an essential part of each relationship. Still, relationships should help smooth rough places. Keturah remained patient and loving in her relationship with Abraham. Even though they were separated for years, they stayed close. Ishmael and Isaac grew up together. Chapter 25 records that they buried their father in unity.
Genesis 25.8 – 10
Abraham expired and died in a good old age, an older man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; The field which Abraham purchased from the Hittites; there was Abraham buried, and Sarah, his wife.
The Torah reveals unity and cooperation between the two brothers. Relationships need unity and teamwork even though there will be differences. Our goal is to grow together.
In the back of our home was a persimmon tree and a cedar tree. The squirrels knocked the persimmons onto our deck, making a big mess. That drew honey bees. We decided it would be in our best interests to have the persimmon tree removed. It was around that time we noticed something peculiar. Over the years, branches from the cedar tree had grown around the persimmon tree. The branches from the Cedar tree were embracing the Persimmon tree. If two trees can unite and grow together, we should be able to do so as well.
Dear Ones, may this coming Sabbath and every Sabbath be a blessed Day.
Good Sabbath!
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
