Genesis 25:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What implications arise from the fact that Abraham took Keturah as his wife following Sarah's death? We should not hastily conclude that this action reflects a lack of self-control, particularly given his advanced age and profound faith. Was it truly necessary for him to father more children when Isaac, whose faith had been thoroughly tested, was already destined to have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the shore (see Genesis 22:17)? The apostle indicates that Hagar and Ishmael represent the fleshly individuals of the Old Covenant (see Galatians 4:24, 29); therefore, could it not also be the case that Keturah and her offspring symbolize those fleshly individuals who mistakenly believe they are part of the New Covenant?

Before the command regarding virginity and purity was established to ensure that desire would not tarnish the spirit of a righteous individual, and considering that God assured Abraham of his lineage producing kings and nations, affirming His understanding that Abraham would instruct his descendants to uphold His commandments, Abraham chose to take a concubine following Sarah's passing. This decision aimed to ensure that his many sons, dispersed across the various nations of the earth, would propagate both the reverence and knowledge of the one true God through their devotion. Indeed, Abraham fathered children with Keturah, and after giving them gifts, he sent them eastward. He lived to be one hundred seventy-five years old and was laid to rest alongside his wife Sarah.

Hittura translates to ‘bound’ or ‘joined’ in Hebrew. Therefore, the Jewish interpretation suggests that Hittura refers to the same Hagar who changed her name. After the passing of Sarah, she transitioned from being a concubine to a wife. The advanced age of the elderly Abraham may diminish the suspicion that, following the death of his aged spouse, he would seek companionship through a new marriage. However, setting aside uncertainties, it is noted in Jewish historical writings that the sons of Abraham, born of Hittite lineage, established settlements in Τρωγλοδύτην and Arabia, now known as Εὐδαίμων, reaching as far as the confines of the Red Sea.

Israel celebrated the fact that their true wealth lay not in earthly riches, but in the teachings of virtue. These are the legacies we will claim for ourselves, just as St. Abraham conferred these virtues upon his son Isaac, ensuring that a wise and righteous husband would be the rightful heir to all his endeavors, leaving no inheritance to maidservants or their children, aside from gifts. Only the complete virtues can claim the full inheritance of glory, whereas ordinary virtues receive merely trivial portions. Thus, Hagar, whose name signifies 'foreigner' and 'neighbor,' and Hittura, meaning 'fragrant,' were not granted inheritance: those who engage in basic, average learning may be acquainted with wisdom, yet do not abide in it.

Following Sarah's passing, Abraham took a new wife named Hittura. The Almighty, wishing to bless His servant with an increase in descendants, miraculously revitalized Abraham's capacity for fatherhood, despite his advanced years. He fathered children with Hittura. When they grew up, he granted them gifts and sent them away to avoid their inheritance of Isaac. Abraham eventually passed away at a ripe old age of 175 years, and his sons Isaac and Ishmael laid him to rest in a cave, where the righteous Sarah was also interred. Some consider Hittura, Abraham's wife after Sarah's death, to be Hagar, whom he had previously taken as a concubine and sent away with her son Ishmael while Sarah was still alive. However, upon Sarah's death, it seemed that he welcomed Hagar back and took her as his legitimate wife, thus naming her Hittura. Yet, the Holy Scriptures do not explicitly account for this.

Moses concludes the narrative of Abraham with accounts that not only bring closure to his story but also pave the way for the account of Isaac, drawing the reader's focus toward him. He recounts the numerous sons of Abraham, carefully portraying Isaac as the foremost among them and his sole heir. While the significance of Ishmael is acknowledged, notably his involvement with Isaac in the sacred act of laying their parents to rest and his role as progenitor of twelve tribes, it is emphasized that the divine blessing uniquely rested upon Isaac, who remained without children for twenty years after his marriage.