Keturah

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The Lineage of Keturah

TANAKH

Keturah's descendants play a significant role in the genealogical history of Abraham's lineage. The book of Genesis provides a detailed account of Keturah's children and grandchildren, highlighting the tribes that descended from them.

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim. The descendants of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

Genesis 25:1-4

Keturah's Name

COMMENTARY

Keturah, who is identified as Hagar, is portrayed as having deeds as pleasing to God as incense, highlighting her spiritual transformation. Rabbeinu Bachya, a medieval Jewish commentator, delves into the Midrashic interpretation of Keturah's identity and her significance in the Torah.

Bereshit Rabbah 61,4 which held that Keturah was none other than Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, Avraham’s other son, claims that the name Keturah reflects the concept of קטורת, incense, because her personal deeds were as pleasing to G’d as incense is to Him as a sacrificial offering. The approach reflected by this Midrash would account for the fact that this paragraph has been introduced with the words ויסף אברהם ויקח, “Avraham continued and married (remarried), etc.” After all, she had already been his servant before he had expelled her at the command of G’d and Sarah…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 25:6:3

Keturah or Hagar?

MIDRASH

The rabbis debated whether Keturah, Abraham’s later wife, was actually Hagar, his earlier concubine. The medieval midrash Tanchuma Buber explores this question by examining the connection to the location Beer-lahai-roi mentioned in both contexts.

What is written before this passage (Gen. 25:1)? (Gen. 24:62:) NOW ISAAC HAD COME BY WAY OF BEER-LAHAI-ROI. And afterwards < it is written > (in Gen. 25:1): THEN ABRAHAM TOOK A WIFE AGAIN. It is simply that when Isaac took Rebekah, Isaac said: Let us go and bring a wife to my father. Hagar and Keturah are the same person < according to > the words of Rabbi, but our masters say he took another wife. What is the logic of Rabbi? Hagar and Keturah are the same person because it is written (in Gen…

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Chayei Sara 9:1

The Mystery of Keturah

KABBALAH

The identity of Keturah, Abraham's wife, is shrouded in mystical and secretive interpretations. The Zohar, a foundational Kabbalistic text, delves into the hidden meanings behind biblical verses, including the enigmatic identity of Keturah.

Rabbi Yehuda said, Even if we came only for this secret, it would have sufficed. They said to him, Happy is your lot in the World to Come, for no secret is withheld from you. They said to him, We came before you, Master, to know the secret of the verse, "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah" (Gen. 25:1).

Zohar, Chayei Sara 19:196

Abraham's Remarriage

MIDRASH

Abraham did not remarry until after ensuring his son Isaac was betrothed, teaching a moral lesson about the proper sequence of remarriage following the death of a spouse. The Midrash Tanchuma, a collection of homiletic teachings, discusses Abraham's actions following Sarah's death, emphasizing family responsibilities and the timing of remarriage.

And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). What is written previously concerning this matter? And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent (Gen. 24:67). You learn from this that if a man’s wife should die, leaving him sons, he should not remarry until his sons are betrothed. Only then should he remarry. Abraham did so. After Sarah’s death, he first betrothed Isaac and then took a wife for himself. Where do we learn this? It is written: Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and after: Abraham took another wife…

Midrash Tanchuma, Chayei Sara 8:1

Hagar's Hidden Identity

COMMENTARY

Rashi identifies Keturah as Hagar, Abraham's concubine, and explains the distinction between wives and concubines based on the presence or absence of a marriage contract (Ketubah). Rashi, the renowned 11th-century French biblical commentator, offers a unique interpretation of Genesis 25:6:1, shedding light on Abraham's relationships.

הפילגשים THE CONCUBINES — The word is written deficient, (without י, but our texts have a י in both places) because he had only one concubine, Hagar, who is identical with Keturah. Wives are those whom a man marries with a marriage-contract (Ketubah): concubines have no marriage contract, as we explain in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 21a) in reference to David’s wives and concubines.

Rashi on Genesis 25:6:1

The Children of Keturah

TALMUD

The children of Keturah, though descendants of Abraham, are metaphorically used to denote a lower caliber of students compared to Isaac. The Talmudic tractate Chagigah uses this comparison to illustrate the varying levels of students, including a narrative involving Rabbi Tarfon and his nephews.

“The children of Keturah” (Genesis 25:4). Although Keturah’s children were children of Abraham, they were not of the same caliber as Isaac. Similarly, Rav Yosef was saying that his other students were not of the caliber of Abaye. Having mentioned this term, the Gemara relates: The sons of Rabbi Tarfon’s sister were sitting silently before Rabbi Tarfon. In an attempt to encourage them to say something, he began and said: The verse states: And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Yoḥani…

Zevachim 62b:1

Isaac: Abraham's Chosen Heir

SECOND TEMPLE

Abraham's allocation of his inheritance underscores Isaac's primary status, setting the stage for the future of the Jewish people. The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text, provides additional details on the division of Abraham's inheritance, emphasizing Isaac's role as the primary heir.

And he gave to Ishmael and to his sons, and to the sons of Keturah, gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, and he gave everything to Isaac his son.

Book of Jubilees 20:15

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Relatedראו גם

Parashat Chayei Sarah

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Midian

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Abraham

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