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For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

The Death of Abraham 1 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah. 5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east. 7 Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10 the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi. Ishmael’s Sons 12 This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 16 These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. 17 Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. 18 His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.

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Whether or not this chapter follows chronologically from what has preceded, the picture of Abraham’s family in the first few verses is quite different from the earlier picture. Abraham has had one wife, Sarah, plus Hagar on the occasion Sarah gave her to him. He has had one son with each of those women, and there has been considerable angst associated with both. The previous chapter started with Abraham being very old2 and we expect to be coming to the end of his story and generation, especially as Isaac is now married. Instead, Abraham takes another wife (presumably after Sarah’s death), who bears him six sons, and he also has concubines, though these might refer to Hagar and Keturah. In one sense, these new sons detract from Isaac (and Ishmael), but in another, they barely get a mention.

As Abraham learned with Lot, people can become too numerous for the land, so Abraham prudently sends his younger sons away from Isaac. Giving gifts to these younger sons is also a wise move, helping to undermine any resentment they might have. Managing expectations in families is never easy and requires wisdom. Some cultures try to treat siblings equally, while in others, the eldest sibling or son has more benefits but more responsibilities. Wisdom is needed either way.

Another twist is that after Abraham’s death, Isaac and Ishmael are together with no apparent disharmony. The last we heard of Ishmael was when he was driven away after mocking the infant Isaac. Who knows how family rifts may end? Burying Abraham (in the cave with Sarah) brings Isaac and Ishmael into the foreground, despite the backdrop being the other sons. Finally, at verse 11, we have the ending that we might have expected earlier—God blesses Isaac as he blessed Abraham.

1Psalm 100:5 2Gen 24:1.

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