Isaac & Rebecca Have Twins, Keeping Up with Knowledge & Information Changes

 We know that knowledge is foretold to increase, and we see knowledge increasing all around us.  Not just secular knowledge but biblical knowledge as well. I happen to be a little detailed about my bible studying which is simply a learned trait as I have not been detailed my whole life, but for me this comes from working in finance.  But combined with sorting out details we also have to understand that scientific knowledge changes and increases as well, sometimes changing so much that we have to do our homework in re-learning.  For example if your knowledge of radiocarbon dating is thirty years old, it’s time to relearn that subject.  If your knowledge of archaeology is fifty years old, it is time to re-learn that subject.  Once we become resistant to re-education, we get stuck in our own out dated world and the knowledge we think is important has become irrelevant. It doesn't matter how much we argue our ideas, they simply are wrong because new knowledge changes our foundation for our ideas. People can claim to be scientists but if they don’t keep up with knowledge, their degree becomes irrelevant as well.  Suppose you go to the Doctor who was educated in 1920 and has never kept up with new knowledge.  If you were diabetic you would probably die as insulin wasn't even identified until 1922.  If you had an infection you could very well die as penicillin was not invented until 1928.  Your Doctor never would have heard of cancer treatments and you would be out of luck there as well.  If we expect top knowledge from our Medical Professionals, shouldn't we expect that from everyone, including Christians?  The fundamental problem Christians have is that because the bible is established; we tend to think we don’t have to grow in our knowledge.  But we do.  

 In a conversation with my Daughter last week, she asked if I heard about Stonehenge.  I said “No, what?”  She said “they found that the stones were quarried about 100 miles away from Stonehenge.” I laughed, “that’s not new I read about that a year ago.” “But it was just on Yahoo news this week”, she stated. At least our knowledge is more up to date than some people’s knowledge.  Some people may still think a bunch of slaves dug up 25 ton rocks with their bare hands, hoisted them on to logs and rolled them one hundred to two hundred miles, and then they lifted them upright.  We humans couldn’t do that today, what makes us think that was even feasible so many years ago.  There has to be another explanation. The Stonehenge builders had to have had better, more modern and sophisticated machinery then we have today, since engineers say we can’t duplicate that today. 

Isaac had two sons, one was a hunter and one was interested in learning. They were at war with each other from the womb.  In the end the one who was interested in the knowledge of God was the one who became one of the fathers of our faith.  Abraham, ever the teacher, taught Jacob about God, as we will see next week. 

Jasher 26:1And in the fifty-ninth year of the life of Isaac the son of Abraham, Rebecca his wife was still barren in those days.2And Rebecca said unto Isaac, Truly I have heard, my lord, that thy mother Sarah was barren in her days until my Lord Abraham, thy father, prayed for her and she conceived by him.3Now therefore stand up, pray thou also to God and he will hear thy prayer and remember us through his mercies.4And Isaac answered his wife Rebecca, saying, Abraham has already prayed for me to God to multiply his seed, now therefore this barrenness must proceed to us from thee.5And Rebecca said unto him, But arise now thou also and pray, that the Lord may hear thy prayer and grant me children, and Isaac hearkened to the words of his wife, and Isaac and his wife rose up and went to the land of Moriah to pray there and to seek the Lord, and when they had reached that place Isaac stood up and prayed to the Lord on account of his wife because she was barren.6And Isaac said, O Lord God of heaven and earth, whose goodness and mercies fill the earth, thou who didst take my father from his father's house and from his birthplace, and didst bring him unto this land, and didst say unto him, To thy seed will I give the land, and thou didst promise him and didst declare unto him, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the sea, now may thy words be verified which thou didst speak unto my father.7For thou art the Lord our God, our eyes are toward thee to give us seed of men, as thou didst promise us, for thou art the Lord our God and our eyes are directed toward thee only.8And the Lord heard the prayer of Isaac the son of Abraham, and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebecca his wife conceived.

Isaac tells Rebecca that Abraham already prayed for him so the reason they don’t have children is her fault.  Rebecca asks him to pray for her, so they journey to Moriah to pray. There is significance for praying at Moriah, the very place Isaac himself was offered, they may have used the altar that Abraham built for Isaac as they prayed.  Moriah has a lot of historical importance as the place Abraham called Jehovah-jireh.  Let’s review.

MORIAH [moh RYE uh] (Jehovah provides) - the name of two sites in the Old Testament:1. A land to which God commanded Abraham to take his only son Isaac and to offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains. The mountains of this land were a three-day journey from Beersheba and were visible from a great distance (Gen 22:2,4).2. The hill at Jerusalem where Solomon built "the house of the Lord," the Temple. Originally this was the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (2 Chron 3:1), also called Araunah the Jebusite (2 Sam 24:16-24), where God appeared to David. David purchased the threshing floor from Ornan (1 Chron 21:15-22:1), and built an altar on the site. It was left to David's son (Solomon) to build the Temple. The Jews believe the altar of burnt offering in the Temple at Jerusalem was situated on the exact site of the altar on which Abraham intended to sacrifice Isaac. To them the two Mount Moriahs mentioned in the Bible are identical. The Muslim mosque, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, presently is situated on this site.(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.KJV

Moriah was known as the place Jehovah sees, or the place Jehovah provides, this is why Isaac and Rebecca would go there to pray.  It is also why others found significance in that place. Today the Muslims control that area and there are no churches or Christian prayers allowed, as a few of my fellow tourists found out in 1999.  The rock itself is large, and the dome built around it is ornate, and the large, tall wooden fence around the rock keeps people from touching it, except in one spot where they built the fencing to accommodate touching the rock.  You can tour underneath the rock as well, where tourists are filed through around the area in a circle, and Muslim men put out their prayer rugs to pray. 

Jasher 26:9And in about seven months after the children struggled together within her, and it pained her greatly that she was wearied on account of them, and she said to all the women who were then in the land, Did such a thing happen to you as it has to me? and they said unto her, No.10And she said unto them, Why am I alone in this amongst all the women that were upon earth? and she went to the land of Moriah to seek the Lord on account of this; and she went to Shem and Eber his son to make inquiries of them in this matter, and that they should seek the Lord in this thing respecting her.11And she also asked Abraham to seek and inquire of the Lord about all that had befallen her.12And they all inquired of the Lord concerning this matter, and they brought her word from the Lord and told her, Two children are in thy womb, and two nations shall rise from them; and one nation shall be stronger than the other, and the greater shall serve the younger.

Rebecca returns to Moriah to ask the Lord about what was going on inside of her. Figuring that was a three day trip, she then travels 40 miles to see Shem and Eber to ask them to find out from God what was happening inside her.  That was a big commitment to travel that much at seven months pregnant.  Then she visits with Abraham asking for his intercession on the matter.  They inquired of the Lord for her, and without ultrasound, they found out from God that she was carrying twins.

Jasher 26:13And when her days to be delivered were completed, she knelt down, and behold there were twins in her womb, as the Lord had spoken to her.14And the first came out red all over like a hairy garment, and all the people of the land called his name Esau, saying, That this one was made complete from the womb.15And after that came his brother, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, therefore they called his name Jacob.16And Isaac, the son of Abraham, was sixty years old when he begat them.17And the boys grew up to their fifteenth year, and they came amongst the society of men. Esau was a designing and deceitful man, and an expert hunter in the field, and Jacob was a man perfect and wise, dwelling in tents, feeding flocks and learning the instructions of the Lord and the commands of his father and mother.18And Isaac and the children of his household dwelt with his father Abraham in the land of Canaan, as God had commanded them.

Isaac was sixty years old when his sons were born, which means he and Rebecca had been married twenty years before having children. 

Jubilees 19:13. And in the sixth week, in the second year thereof, Rebecca bare to Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob was a smooth and upright  man, and Esau was fierce, a man of the field, and hairy, and Jacob dwelt in tents. 14. And the youths grew, and Jacob learned to write; but Esau did not learn, for he was a man of the field and a hunter, and he learnt war, and all his deeds were fierce.15. And Abraham loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau. 16. And Abraham saw the deeds of Esau, and he knew that in Jacob should his name and seed be called; and he called Rebecca and gave commandment regarding Jacob, for he knew that she (too) loved Jacob much more than Esau. 17. And he said unto her: "My daughter, watch over my son Jacob, For he shall be in my stead on the earth, And for a blessing in the midst of the children of men, And for the glory of the whole seed of Shem.18. For I know that the Lord will choose him to be a people for possession unto Himself, above all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.  19. And behold, Isaac my son loveth Esau more than Jacob, but I see that thou truly lovest Jacob.20. Add still further to thy kindness to him, And let thine eyes be upon him in love; For he will be a blessing unto us on the earth from henceforth unto all generations of the earth.21. Let thy hands be strong And let thy heart rejoice in thy son Jacob; For I have loved him far beyond all my sons. He will be blessed for ever, And his seed will fill the whole earth.22. If a man can number the sand of the earth, His seed also will be numbered.23. And all the blessings wherewith the Lord hath blessed me and my seed shall belong to Jacob and his seed alway. 24. And in his seed shall my name be blessed, and the name of my fathers, Shem, and Noah, and Enoch, and Mahalalel, and Enos, and Seth, and Adam.  25. And these shall serve To lay the foundations of the heaven, And to strengthen the earth, And to renew all the luminaries which are in the firmament."26. And he called Jacob before the eyes of Rebecca his mother, and kissed him, and blessed him, and said: 27. "Jacob, my beloved son, whom my soul loveth, may God bless thee from above the firmament, and may He give thee all the blessings wherewith He blessed Adam, and Enoch, and Noah, and Shem; and all the things of which He told me, and all the things which He promised to give me, may He cause to cleave to thee and to thy seed for ever, according to the days of heaven above the earth.  28. And the spirits of Mastêmâ shall not rule over thee or over thy seed to turn thee from the Lord, who is thy God from henceforth for ever. 29. And may the Lord God be a father to thee and thou the first-born son, and to the people alway. Go in peace, my son." 30. And they both went forth together from Abraham. 31. And Rebecca loved Jacob, with all her heart and with all her soul, very much more than Esau; but Isaac loved Esau much more than Jacob.

Abraham prophesied that Jacob would be a glory to the whole seed of Shem, who is Melchizedek.  Remembering that the Levitical Law had not been given yet, the relationship that people had with God was a personal bonding, rather than religious service. Jacob was to be a blessing on the earth and his seed would be for a possession to the Lord.  Jacob along with his forefathers of Shem, Noah, Enoch Mahalalel, Enos, Seth and Adam would serve to lay the foundation of heaven, and to strengthen the earth.  They would also renew all the luminaries in the firmament.  That is a big prophecy. 

Firstly the forefathers from Adam would lay the foundation of heaven.  What could that mean?  Considering that there were no humans in heaven until Abel died, there was probably not a place for the dead who were in service and faithful to God, as well as a place for those humans who died who were not in God.  As we explored the book of Nicodemus we saw that there was a place where the faithful in God, from Adam to the time of Jesus visiting hell and bringing all the faithful out to paradise.  This was what happened when the graves opened and the dead came out walking around.  See Nicodemus Ch 12-ff, and Matt 27:52. Therefore there was a standard that was established in heaven by the faithful in God and the faithful from the line of Adam, Seth, Enos, Mahalalel, Enoch, Noah, Shem and Abraham, and the seed of Jacob.

Secondly they would strengthen the earth.  What kind of strengthening could be done in the earth? Possibly, among the people on earth, the forefathers plus the seed of Jacob would teach the world about God.  When the Levitical Law was given, it was to teach moral conduct, service to God, and personal cleanliness and hygiene. The Israelites were to teach the world about God. Today we have great technology to track every people group on earth and we know which people groups to evangelize.  By teaching the entire world about God, the earth is strengthened. Regardless of whether people reject God or not, the bible has been and is still our standard of morality.

Thirdly the forefathers and Jacob’s seed would renew the luminaries in the firmament.  Renew the lights or stars? The word Luminaries is also another name for Angels.  To renew the Angels may be in regard to what took place before humanity was created when satan caused a mutiny as well as at the time of Noah when some Angels left their first estate.  See the book of Enoch.  It may be that the job given to Angels, to serve humans, redeems them.  Remember Paul tells us we will judge Angels.  If Angels had no job to do, or nothing to be responsible for, they wouldn’t need to be judged.  However if they are to minister to us, there would be something for us to judge them for.  If they do a good job in what they’ve been assigned by God to do, they can be renewed.  Remember Elisha’s words were that there were more with us than those that be with them and when the servants eyes were opened, he saw the armies of Angels. 2 Kings 6:16-17 Comparing that to one third of the Angels being cast down to earth with the devil in the future, it would seem that their assignment is ongoing and at some point some will defect, being cast down to earth.  Right now we know that satan has not been cast down to earth, he still has access to accuse us before God, but at some point he will no longer have access to the throne of God and he and one third of the angels will be cast down to earth.  So, to renew the luminaries, many people needing to be ministered to gives the angels something to prove themselves before God.  Remember, there was a story going on before Adam was created, we are not the center of this story, just a portion of this story. 

Abraham then prays for the young Jacob and prays that the spirits of Mastema, the devil, would not rule over them or his seed.   We see the resistance in those who follow Judaism to be subject to the devil. But somewhere along the way people forgot there was a devil. When Jesus came, he exposed the devil and his works to everyone.  He made a show, triumphing over them.  While the Jews became engrossed in doing works, they forgot about the deceptive ways of the devil, yet Jesus spoiled principalities and powers, showing us the spirits hiding in the shadows.

Gen 25:19-24 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord.23 And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.KJV

JOSEPHUS CHAPTER 18.CONCERNING THE SONS OF ISAAC, ESAU AND JACOB; OF THEIR NATIVITY AND EDUCATION. 1. NOW Isaac's wife proved with child, after the death of Abraham; and when her belly was greatly burdened, Isaac was very anxious, and inquired of God; who answered, that Rebeka should bear twins; and that two nations should take the names of those sons; and that he who appeared the second should excel the elder. Accordingly she, in a little time, as God had foretold, bare twins; the elder of whom, from his head to his feet, was very rough and hairy; but the younger took hold of his heel as they were in the birth. Now the father loved the elder, who was called Esau, a name agreeable to his roughness, for the Hebrews call such a hairy roughness [Esau, or] Seir; but Jacob the younger was best beloved by his mother.

Josephus puts the death of Abraham before the birth of Esau and Jacob, but we can see that the death of Abraham came after the boys were fifteen years old. Abraham was 175 when he died, 100 when Isaac was born.  Abraham was 160 when Esau and Jacob were born, as Isaac was 60 years old, married to Rebecca for 20 years, from 40 to 60.  The boys were born when Abraham was 160, and Abraham died at 175, so the boys were 15 when Abraham died.  Therefore Josephus is incorrect in his stating Rebecca was pregnant after Abraham died.

Understanding that Jacob was the child chosen by God and Abraham for his seed to be a possession to God, we have a better understanding of the attacks on the lives of the Israelites.  If the devil can cloud our understanding of our origin we will not fulfill our destiny.  Who are we and why are we here are questions we ask in the quiet hours, but rarely have the answers just fell onto our lap.  Pursuing God, His word, history, and studying human history, can give us the answers we are looking for.  Jacob was favored because he followed a personal relationship with God, after being instructed by Abraham. Learning and relearning is not bad, we should never be satisfied, and we should never stop learning.

End Notes

The Gospel of Nicodemus

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/lbob/lbob10.htm

The Book of Enoch

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/index.htm

Stonehenge

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/12/111222-stonehenge-bluestones-wales-match-glacier-ixer-ancient-science/

Abraham’s Other Six Sons, Yes, Abraham Had Eight Sons, Where Did They Go?

Abraham lived for thirty-eight years after taking Isaac up Mount Moriah.  At some point, we are not sure exactly when, Abraham took another wife, Keturah.  I recognize these kinds of details are painfully boring and dry but there is a point to it all, mostly in correcting our understanding of biblical history.  Keturah was a Canaanite.  Sarah and Hagar had died and I suppose Abraham was lonely.  Josephus puts the information of Abraham taking Keturah as a wife before Isaac married Rebekah.  But the bible and the book of Jasher don’t mention Keturah until after Rebekah comes from Haran.  Yet there were three years between the Mount Moriah incident and Isaac marrying Rebekah, making it possible for Abraham to marry Keturah at that time.  Remember Abraham left Isaac with Shem and Eber for three years.  Now this certainly mixes things up.  I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a church service on Abraham and Keturah’s children.  In fact most people argue with me because they don’t believe this story is in their bible. It is, but it is just not preached.  What is more interesting is that now Abraham’s seed is mixed with the Canaanites.  So the descendents of the Nephilim are now mixed with Abraham.  While Isaac married from Abraham’s line, Abraham himself married an Egyptian and a Canaanite as well as his brother Harans’ daughter Sarah.

I would say that it is God’s plan not to worry about the mixing of families or nationalities.  This again seems to be a theme of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Today if people want to point out how pure their lineage is to a particular nationality or race, one might mention that that is not necessarily the plan of God. I think what we misunderstand is the Levitical laws. Then there are some that don’t recognize the age of the Holy Spirit, where anyone can receive and be saved, they believe there are rules and laws and that one would have to be born a certain nationality to qualify as sons and daughters of God. 

Jubilees 19:11. And Abraham took to himself a third wife, and her name was Keturah, from among the daughters of his household servants, for Hagar had died before Sarah. 12. And she bare him six sons, Zimram, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah, in the two weeks of years.

Josehpus 15.HOW THE NATION OF THE TROGLODYTES WERE DERIVED FROM ABRAHAM BY KETURAH

Josephus 15:1 Abraham after this married Keturah, by whom six sons were born to him, men of courage, and of sagacious minds: Zambran, and Jazar, and Madan, and Madian, and Josabak, and Sous. Now the sons of Sous were Sabathan and Dadan. The sons of Dadan were Latusim, and Assur, and Luom. The sons of Madiau were Ephas, and Ophren, and Anoch, and Ebidas, and Eldas. Now, for all these sons and grandsons, Abraham contrived to settle them in colonies; and they took possession of Troglodytis, and the country of Arabia the Happy, as far as it reaches to the Red Sea. It is related of this Ophren, that he made war against Libya, and took it, and that his grandchildren, when they inhabited it, called it (from his name) Africa. And indeed Alexander Polyhistor gives his attestation to what I here say; who speaks thus: "Cleodemus the prophet, who was also called Malchus, who wrote a History of the Jews, in agreement with the History of Moses, their legislator, relates, that there were many sons born to Abraham by Keturah: nay, he names three of them, Apher, and Surim, and Japhran. That from Surim was the land of Assyria denominated; and that from the other two (Apher and Japbran) the country of Africa took its name, because these men were auxiliaries to Hercules, when he fought against Libya and Antaeus; and that Hercules married Aphra's daughter, and of her he begat a son, Diodorus; and that Sophon was his son, from whom that barbarous people called Sophacians were denominated."

Abraham’s sons colonized what we know today as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, southern parts of Egypt, parts of eastern Africa such as Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and then eventually Libya. They also settled in Syria, Jordan, and western Assyria as well. The Troglodytes were known as cave dwellers who mixed with the Greeks and Romans in later times in the region of the African Deserts, along the African side of the Red Sea.  Troglodyate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troglodytae

Jasher 25:1And it was at that time that Abraham again took a wife in his old age, and her name was Keturah, from the land of Canaan.2And she bare unto him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuach, being six sons. And the children of Zimran were Abihen, Molich and Narim.3And the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of Medan were Amida, Joab, Gochi, Elisha and Nothach; and the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Chanoch, Abida and Eldaah.4And the sons of Ishbak were Makiro, Beyodua and Tator.5And the sons of Shuach were Bildad, Mamdad, Munan and Meban; all these are the families of the children of Keturah the Canaanitish woman which she bare unto Abraham the Hebrew.6And Abraham sent all these away, and he gave them gifts, and they went away from his son Isaac to dwell wherever they should find a place.

Abraham valued his sons enough to give them gifts, before sending them away. Not mentioned was that Abraham taught all his sons the ways of the Lord as we can see people who were not of Isaac but knew the Lord in later times, such as Jethro.

Jasher 25:7And all these went to the mountain at the east, and they built themselves six cities in which they dwelt unto this day.8But the children of Sheba and Dedan, children of Jokshan, with their children, did not dwell with their brethren in their cities, and they journeyed and encamped in the countries and wildernesses unto this day.9And the children of Midian, son of Abraham, went to the east of the land of Cush, and they there found a large valley in the eastern country, and they remained there and built a city, and they dwelt therein, that is the land of Midian unto this day.

We may remember that Moses went to Midian, became a ruler there and took a wife from Midian while he was in exile from Egypt. Jethro, his father-in-law, was a priest unto God.

Jasher 25:10And Midian dwelt in the city which he built, he and his five sons and all belonging to him.11And these are the names of the sons of Midian according to their names in their cities, Ephah, Epher, Chanoch, Abida and Eldaah.12And the sons of Ephah were Methach, Meshar, Avi and Tzanua, and the sons of Epher were Ephron, Zur, Alirun and Medin, and the sons of Chanoch were Reuel, Rekem, Azi, Alyoshub and Alad.13And the sons of Abida were Chur, Melud, Kerury, Molchi; and the sons of Eldaah were Miker, and Reba, and Malchiyah and Gabol; these are the names of the Midianites according to their families; and afterward the families of Midian spread throughout the land of Midian.

JETHRO (his excellence) was priest or prince of Midian. Moses married his daughter Zipporah. ( B.C. 1530.) On account if his local knowledge he was entreated to remain with the Israelites throughout their journey to Canaan. Num 10:31,33. (He is called REUEL in Ex 2:18. And RAGUEL in Num 10:29, The same word in the original for both). Reuel is probably his proper name, and Jethro his official title. — ED.)(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Jethro was also known as Reuel, son of Chanoch, son of Midian, three generations from Abraham. I am sure if one took the time to research all these people in their native lands and tongues, we would find many historical treasures about Abraham’s family. 

Jasher 25:14And these are the generations of Ishmael the son Abraham, whom Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham.15And Ishmael took a wife from the land of Egypt, and her name was Ribah, the same is Meribah.16And Ribah bare unto Ishmael Nebayoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam and their sister Bosmath.17And Ishmael cast away his wife Ribah, and she went from him and returned to Egypt to the house of her father, and she dwelt there, for she had been very bad in the sight of Ishmael, and in the sight of his father Abraham.18And Ishmael afterward took a wife from the land of Canaan, and her name was Malchuth, and she bare unto him Nishma, Dumah, Masa, Chadad, Tema, Yetur, Naphish and Kedma.19These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, being twelve princes according to their nations; and the families of Ishmael afterward spread forth, and Ishmael took his children and all the property that he had gained, together with the souls of his household and all belonging to him, and they went to dwell where they should find a place.20And they went and dwelt near the wilderness of Paran, and their dwelling was from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt as thou comest toward Assyria.

Paran: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paran

Jasher 25:21And Ishmael and his sons dwelt in the land, and they had children born to them, and they were fruitful and increased abundantly.22And these are the names of the sons of Nebayoth the first born of Ishmael; Mend, Send, Mayon; and the sons of Kedar were Alyon, Kezem, Chamad and Eli.23And the sons of Adbeel were Chamad and Jabin; and the sons of Mibsam were Obadiah, Ebedmelech and Yeush; these are the families of the children of Ribah the wife of Ishmael.24And the sons of Mishma the son of Ishmael were Shamua, Zecaryon and Obed; and the sons of Dumah were Kezed, Eli, Machmad and Amed.25And the sons of Masa were Melon, Mula and Ebidadon; and the sons of Chadad were Azur, Minzar and Ebedmelech; and the sons of Tema were Seir, Sadon and Yakol.26And the sons of Yetur were Merith, Yaish, Alyo, and Pachoth; and the sons of Naphish were Ebed-Tamed, Abiyasaph and Mir; and the sons of Kedma were Calip, Tachti, and Omir; these were the children of Malchuth the wife of Ishmael according to their families.27All these are the families of Ishmael according to their generations, and they dwelt in those lands wherein they had built themselves cities unto this day.

These people were all multiplying and moving around while Rebecca was barren; therefore the sons of Abraham and Keturah were older than Isaac’s children when Esau and Jacob finally came along even though Isaac was about forty when they were all born.  Ishmael’s children were all almost as old as Isaac and they all had children before Jacob and Esau were born.

Jasher 25:28And Rebecca the daughter of Bethuel, the wife of Abraham's son Isaac, was barren in those days, she had no offspring; and Isaac dwelt with his father in the land of Canaan; and the Lord was with Isaac; and Arpachshad the son of Shem the son of Noah died in those days, in the forty-eighth year of the life of Isaac, and all the days that Arpachshad lived were four hundred and thirty-eight years, and he died.

Arpachshad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arpachshad

Arphaxad son of Shem, born the year after the Deluge. He died at the age of 438 years (Gen 11:10-13; 1 Chron 1:17,18; Luke 3:36). He dwelt in Mesopotamia, and became, according to the Jewish historian Josephus, the progenitor of the Chaldeans. The tendency is to recognize in the word the name of the country nearest the ancient domain of the Chaldeans. Some regard the word as an Egypticized form of the territorial name of Ur Kasdim, or Ur of the Chaldees. (from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gen 25:1-12 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.6 But 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.7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.9 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;10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham:KJV

It is easy to see how integrated people groups are, there are no pure peoples and since the flood people moved and lived in many different places. The son’s of Abraham from Keturah have their names spelled differently in various `texts; here is the breakdown of what we can find in the biblical research of these men. 

Jubilees:           Zimram,  Jokshan, Medan, Midian,  Ishbak,  Shuah

Josephus:         Zambran, Jazar,  Madan,  Madian,  Josabak,  Sous

Jasher:              Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian,    Ishbak   Shuach

Genesis:           Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian,   Ishbak,   Shuah

Zimran (celebrated), the eldest son of Keturah. Gen 25:2; 1 Chron 1:32. His descendants are not mentioned, nor is any hint given that he was the founder of a tribe. ( B.C. 1855.)(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) MRAN

Zimran — vine-dressers; celebrated, one of the sons of Abraham by Keturah (Gen 25:2).(from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Jokshan (fowler), a son of Abraham and Keturah, Gen 25:2,3; 1 Chron 1:32, whose sons were Sheba and Dedan.(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Medan (contention), a son of Abraham and Keturah. Gen 23:5; 1 Chron 1:42.(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Midian (strife), a son of Abraham and Keturah, Gen 25:2; 1 Chron 1:32, progenitor of the Midianites, or Arabians dwelling principally in the desert north of the peninsula of Arabia. Southward they extended along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Eyleh (Sinus Aelaniticus); and northward they stretched along the eastern frontier of Palestine. The "land of Midian," the place to which Moses fled after having killed the Egyptian, Ex 2:15,21, or the portion of it specially referred to, was probably the peninsula of Sinai. The influence of the Midianties on the Israelites was clearly most evil, and directly tended to lead them from the injunctions of Moses. The events at Shittim occasioned the injunction to vex Midian and smite them. After a lapse of some years, the Midianites appear again as the enemies of the Israelites, oppressing them for seven years, but are finally defeated with great slaughter by Gideon. [GIDEON] The Midianites are described as true Arabs, and possessed cattle and flocks and camels as the sand of the seashore for multitude. The spoil taken in the war of both Moses and of Gideon is remarkable. Num 31:22; Judg 8:21,24-26. We have here a wealthy Arab nation, living by plunder, delighting in finery; and, where forays were impossible, carrying ont he traffic southward into Arabia, the land of gold — if not naturally, by trade — and across to Chaldea, or into the rich plains of Egypt.(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Midian [MID ee un] — the name of a man and a territory in the Old Testament:1. A son of Abraham by his concubine Keturah (Gen 25:1-6). Midian had four sons (1 Chron 1:33). No other information about him is recorded in the Bible.2. The land inhabited by the descendants of Midian. Situated east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, the land stretched southward through the Arabian desert as far as the southern and eastern parts of the peninsula of Sinai.(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Ishbak(left behind), a son of Abraham and Keturah, Gen 25:2; 1 Chron 1:32, and the progenitor of a tribe of northern Arabia. ( B.C. after 1856.)(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ishbak [ISH bak] (free) - a son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen 25:2). Ishbak was probably the ancestor of a northern Arabian tribe.(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Shuah (wealth).1. Son of Abraham by Keturah. Gen 25:2; 1 Chron 1:32.) ( B.C. before 1820.)2. Properly Shuchah brother of Chelub. 1 Chron 4:11.3. The father of Judah's wife, Gen 38:2,12, called also Shua in the Authorized Version. ( B.C. before 1725.)(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Shuah — prostration; a pit. (1.) One of Abraham's sons by Keturah (Gen 25:2; 1 Chron 1:32). (2.) 1 Chron 4:11.(from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

These are the meanings of the names of Abraham’s sons as from above they are quite descriptive as to what we see today of the people from those areas.

Zimran celebrated, vinedresser

Jokshan fowler

Medan contention

Midian strife

Ishbak free, left behind

Shuah wealth, prostration

Now let’s look at the definitions of Abraham’s sons’ names as per Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary. If names are prophetic, as we looked at in Genesis Chapter 5, then these are the prophetic characteristics of these people. 

Zimran song, singer, vine

Jokshan an offence, hardness, knocking

Medan judgment, process

Midian judgment, covering, habit

Ishbak who is empty or exhausted

Shuah ditch, swimming, humiliation

(from Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Here is a bit more information on Jokshans’ sons.

Sheba one of the towns of the allotment of Simeon, Josh 19:2, probably the same as Shema. Josh 15:26.(seven, or all oath).1. A son of Raamah son of Cush. Gen 10:7; 1 Chron 1:9.2. A soil of Joktan. Gen 10:28; 1 Chron 1:22.3. A son of Jokshan son of Keturah. Gen 25:3; 1 Chron 1:32. We shall consider, first, the history of the Joktanite Sheba; and secondly, the Cushite Sheba and the Keturahite Sheba together.I. The Joktanites were among the early colonists of southern Arabia, and the kingdom which they there founded was for many centuries called the kingdom of Sheba, after one of the sons of Joktan. The visit of the queen of Sheba to King Solomon. 1 Kings 10:1, is one of the familiar Bible incidents. The kingdom of Sheba embraced the greater part of the Yemen, or Arabia Felix. It bordered on the Red Sea, and was one of the most fertile districts of Arabia. Its chief cities, and probably successive capitals, were Seba, San'a (Uzal), and Zafar (Sephar). Seba was probably the name of the city, and generally of the country and nation.II. Sheba, son of Raamah son of Cush settled somewhere on the shores of the Persian Gulf. It was this Sheba that carried on the great Indian traffic with Palestine, in conjunction with, as we hold, the other Sheba, son of Jokshan son of Keturah, who like Dedan appears to have formed, with the Cushite of the same name, one tribe.(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dedan, [DEE dun] (low) - the name of two men and a geographical region in the Bible:1. A descendant of Cush (Gen 10:7; 1 Chron 1:9).2. A son of Jokshan and a grandson of Abraham and Keturah (Gen 25:3; 1 Chron 1:32).3. A district near Edom and the Dead Sea (Jer 25:23; Ezek 25:13; 27:15).(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Dedan — low ground. (1.) A son of Raamah (Gen 10:7). His descendants are mentioned in Isa 21:13, and Ezek 27:15. They probably settled among the sons of Cush, on the north-west coast of the Persian Gulf.(2.) A son of Jokshan, Abraham's son by Keturah (1 Chron 1:32). His descendants settled on the Syrian borders about the territory of Edom. They probably led a pastoral life.(from Easton's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Now let’s put this all together.  Abraham had eight sons in total that moved and lived in the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Egypt, North, South and East of Israel. That is a lot of people and a lot of territory.  Who was living in the land Abraham’s son’s moved into? Mostly the Hamites, as well as Shemites, that was the land allotted to them by Noah.

What did these people look like?  The Hamites were dark skinned dark, smooth haired people.  According to Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, (“Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary”, Merrill C Tenney, General Editor, Copyright1963,1964,1967, by Zondervan All rights reserved.)

Ham1. The youngest son of Noah, born probably a out 96 years before the Flood; and the one of the eight persons to live through the Flood.  He became the progenitor of the dark races; not the Negroes, but the Egyptians, Ethiopians, Libyans and Canaanites (Gen10:6-20). His indecency, when his father lay drunken, brought a curse upon Canaan (Gen9:20-27). 

2.A City of the Zuzim, E of the Jordan (Gen 14:5). This is not the same word as the son of Noah.

3The descendents of the original Ham (Ps 78:51;105:23;106:22). In these passages “Ham” is used as another mane for Egypt as representing Ham’s principal descendants. 

We see that distinctive physical characteristics of the Hamites. Now let’s look at Shem from Zondervans’. (“Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary”, Merrill C Tenney, General Editor, Copyright1963,1964,1967, by Zondervan All rights reserved.)

Shem second son of Noah, and progenitor of the Semitic race, was born 98 years before the Flood (Gen 11:10) and lived six hundred years, out living his descendants for nine generation excepting Eber and Abraham.  In the racial prophecy Noah made after the event of his drunkenness (Gen 9:25-27), he mentions “Jehovah, God of Shem.” The three great monotheistic religions, Judaism Christianity, and Islam, all had Semitic origins, and Noah added concerning Japheth that his descendants would “dwell in the tents of Shem,” indicating that the Aryan peoples to a large extent have derived their civilization form the Semites. In the “Table of Nations”(Gen 10) Shem is given five sons, of whom Arpachshad (KJV ”Arphaxad”) was clearly an individual and the others are peoples of progenitors of peoples: e.g. “Lud” refers to the Lydians in Asia Minor, “Elam” points to the Elamites who lived E of the Tigris river; “Aram” means the Aramaeans of Syrians who lived in Syria and Mesopotamia nsd “Asshur” is Assyria.  Scoffer pointed out a century ago that “Asshur” is mentioned also in the Hamite list (10:11), but Semitic ruins of Assyrian cities. Shem, Ham and Japeth probably differed only as brothers do, but their descendants are quite distinct. 

Now let’s look at Japheth according to Zondervans. (“Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary”, Merrill C Tenney, General Editor, Copyright1963,1964,1967, by Zondervan All rights reserved.)

Japheth a son of Noah. He was older than Shem (Gen 10:21), but comes third in some lists of the three sons (Gen 6:10;9:18). Shem, however is usually named first (Gen 5;32; 11:10).  Japheth and his wife were saved in the ark (Gen 7:7); he aided Shem in covering the naked body of their drunken father (Gen 9:20-27). He si the progenitor of the more remote northern peoples of southeastern Europe. That he was to occupy the tents of Shem is thought to refer to conquests of the Greeks who were descendants of Japheth.  This he did during the days of Assyrian power. He had seven sons whose descendants occupied the isles of the Gentiles, Hellenes, of Greeks (Gen 10:5), an area including Asia Minor and upper Greece.

What we see is from Shem’s definition of Japheth is that his races were Aryan looking.  We have seen that so far in our historical timeline of Abraham, he and his people mixed with the Hamites, the Canaanites, the Egyptians, and the Philistines’.  Many years later at the time of the Greek conquests, the Japhethites moved south into Shem and Ham mixed territory.  It is most likely that the blond haired blue eyed Jews we see today are Japhethites, not that any people group is pure.  We see from Thomas Jefferson’s children, whom he fathered with his black maid, that it took three generations for a dark skinned person to become light.  A mixed marriage that produces a child who married a light skinned person that produces a child, who then marries a light skin person, will have children that are light skinned.  In Ethiopian history, people who lived there were mixed skin colors, light, medium and dark. But this brings up one other point that I will close with. 

Moses many years later prophesied regarding the children of Jacob/Israel.  He declared blessings and curses dependent of their obedience to God.  It is almost frightening to read these and because we have the benefit of hindsight, we can see that yes Israel was scattered, and yes the people were sent everywhere, all over the earth.  But there is something we may not realize, let’s explore.

Deut 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Deut 28:62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord thy God.

Deut 28:64 And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

Deut 28:68 And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

Deut 28:68 'And Jehovah hath brought thee back to Egypt with ships, by a way of which I said to thee, Thou dost not add any more to see it, and ye have sold yourselves there to thine enemies, for men-servants and for maid-servants, and there is no buyer.'YLT

We know the Israelites were scattered, but here Moses says they will be sent away to the land of bondage, on ships, as slaves and servants and no one would buy them.  No one got payment for the selling of the Israelites as slaves. As taught in schools I attended in the United States, tribal people in Africa sold their own slaves to traders for the slave trade in America. Where did these tribal people get the slaves to sell? Furthermore, when the African slaves came to Northern America, they all sang spiritual songs.  They did not go to church, they were slaves, yet the slaves had songs about God, and Canaan Land and many had Hebraic traditions.  Is it possible that some of the slaves sold in the Americas’ were descendants of Abraham? Mixed as slaves among the other sons of Abraham and sons of Ham? I am not saying that all black people are true Israelites; however I would say that there are many who are.

Moses was ridiculed for taking a Midian wife, who was dark skinned. Yet Jethro, his father-in-law was a priest of God, a third generation descendant of Abraham. And as we see Abraham taught all his sons the ways of the Lord our God, and for three generations at least, the Midianites adhered to those ways.  Hopefully we now have a clearer picture of the muddy waters of biblical integrated races.  If we look at the Israelites today we also have to factor in modern history of the Khazar and the Ashkenazi tribes which converted to Judaism, both tribes are descendants of Japheth, now dwelling in the tents of Shem, in the land of Shem.  What we have to remember is that there was nothing wrong with being a Jew by conversion until the Romans made that an unpopular idea. Yet even after the first century, conversion to Judaism was widely accepted until modern times, when the argument of whose land Israel belongs to hinges on the very question of family lineage.  

At the time of the Exodus, many in the tribe of Dan left and went to Greece, then later to Spain, and eventually some went to England. They were seafaring traders. Also at the time of Judges more people from the tribe of Dan left in ships, as well as cultural history that tells us some of the tribe of Issachar went to Spain. It is evident that the children of Israel were scattered all over the world as Moses prophesied. We have Native American tribes that have Jewish customs and traditions. Also a few years ago Fox News reported that the largest population of Jewish immigrants moving into Israel was from Iran. There is evidence of Jewish communities in England, Scotland, the Americas, Turkey, Iran Iraq, all throughout Africa, and some Islands. The land was given to Shem. He did not keep Levitical law, he was Melchizedek, a King Priest. Ham’s people moved in, and later Japheth’s people also moved in.  Abraham was also given the land and dwelt in it with all his sons.  It is easy to see why Jesus came to provide a better way. Today we look forward to a one world government called the millennial reign of Christ, where the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and Christ.  Jesus reconciled God and Man and He shall reign forever.

End Notes

THE ORIGIN OF RACE 
By Cooper P. Abrams, III
*All rights reserved.

http://bible-truth.org/race.htm

Zipporah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipporah

Khazars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khazars

Ashkenazi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashkenazi_Jews

Zimran

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimran

Jokshan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jokshan

Medan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medan_(son_of_Abraham)

Midian

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midian_(son_of_Abraham)

Ishbak

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishbak

Shuah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuah

Rebekah Marries Isaac

If it seems like life moved at a slow pace in Abraham’s time, it truly did.  Today our children go to college at 18, they get married at that age or shortly after college. Our children then have their own children in their twenties and thirties. By the time our children are in their forties their children are almost out of high school and ready to start the cycle of college and families on their own.  Yet Isaac went to school at 37 years old and doesn’t get married until he’s 40. Our pace of life today is so much faster.  We have to keep this in mind as we read our bible history otherwise we may assume that they lived from one story to the next quickly, not realizing how much time is between stories. Abimelech the King of Philistia, the son of Shem, is similar, as he lived to 193 years.  Here is a bigger surprise; his 12 year old son becomes king when he dies.  Are we to understand that at 181, King Abimelech fathered a child? People who lived at that time must have been very healthy in their old age.

Jasher 24:20And it was after the death of Abimelech that the people of Gerar took Benmalich his son, and he was only twelve years old, and they made him lying in the place of his father.21And they called his name Abimelech after the name of his father, for thus was it their custom to do in Gerar, and Abimelech reigned instead of Abimelech his father, and he sat upon his throne.22And Lot the son of Haran also died in those days, in the thirty-ninth year of the life of Isaac, and all the days that Lot lived were one hundred and forty years and he died.23And these are the children of Lot, that were born to him by his daughters, the name of the first born was Moab, and the name of the second was Benami.24And the two sons of Lot went and took themselves wives from the land of Canaan, and they bare children to them, and the children of Moab were Ed, Mayon, Tarsus, and Kanvil, four sons, these are fathers to the children of Moab unto this day.25And all the families of the children of Lot went to dwell wherever they should light upon, for they were fruitful and increased abundantly.26And they went and built themselves cities in the land where they dwelt, and they called the names of the cities which they built after their own names.

The children of Lot now lived in the land of Canaan, the land where Abraham was told to live, which would be his.  Now we have to realize that Lot’s descendants mix with the descendents of the Nephilim as well.  This history is a funny thing as we can see there wasn’t much exclusivity among people, except for Isaac and his family.  Many people mixed among each other but we see Abraham wanting a wife for Isaac from his family line. 

Gene 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.KJV

Abraham went back to Beersheba, south from Haran.  Jubilees tells us little about Rebecca.

Jubilees 19:10. And in the fourth year thereof he took a wife for his son Isaac and her name was Rebecca [the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham] 2 the sister of Laban and daughter of Bethuel; and Bethuel was the son of Mêlcâ, who was the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham.

Jasher tells us more about Eliezer and his mission to find Rebecca.

Jasher 24:27And Nahor the son of Terah, brother to Abraham, died in those days in the fortieth year of the life of Isaac, and all the days of Nahor were one hundred and seventy-two years and he died and was buried in Haran.28And when Abraham heard that his brother was dead he grieved sadly, and he mourned over his brother many days.29And Abraham called for Eliezer his head servant, to give him orders concerning his house, and he came and stood before him.30And Abraham said to him, Behold I am old, I do not know the day of my death; for I am advanced in days; now therefore rise up, go forth and do not take a wife for my son from this place and from this land, from the daughters of the Canaanites amongst whom we dwell.31But go to my land and to my birthplace, and take from thence a wife for my son, and the Lord God of Heaven and earth who took me from my father's house and brought me to this place, and said unto me, To thy seed will I give this land for an inheritance for ever, he will send his angel before thee and prosper thy way, that thou mayest obtain a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.32And the servant answered his master Abraham and said, Behold I go to thy birthplace and to thy father's house, and take a wife for thy son from there; but if the woman be not willing to follow me to this land, shall I take thy son back to the land of thy birthplace?33And Abraham said unto him, Take heed that thou bring not my son hither again, for the Lord before whom I have walked he will send his angel before thee and prosper thy way.

Abraham did not want a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites; he wanted someone from his family.  Remember, although they did not have mail service, or internet, or telephones, they did know their relatives’ and their families, and messengers or servants from the families would travel and communicate the news of the family.  This is how Abraham found out his brother died.  We can then recognize that the servant would then have communicated who had children, whose children were married, whose children moved away, and the like.  Therefore it was truly not a mystery that Eliezer was going to Abraham’s relatives and that they had women of marring age who were still single. Understanding how much time probably elapsed, some of the women of Nahors’ household could have then been married by the time Eliezer got there. Josephus mentions that travel was hard to Haran.

Josephus 16:1. Now when Abraham, the father of Isaac, had resolved to take Rebeka, who was grand-daughter to his brother Nahor, for a wife to his son Isaac, who was then about forty years old, he sent the ancientest of his servants to betroth her, after he had obliged him to give him the strongest assurances of his fidelity; which assurances were given after the manner following : - They put each other's hands under each other's thighs; then they called upon God as the witness of what was to be done. He also sent such presents to those that were there as were in esteem, on account that that they either rarely or never were seen in that country, The servant got thither not under a considerable time; for it requires much time to pass through Meopotamia, in which it is tedious traveling, both in the winter for the depth of the clay, and in summer for want of water; and, besides this, for the robberies there committed, which are not to be avoided by travelers but by caution beforehand. However, the servant came to Haran; and when he was in the suburbs, he met a considerable number of maidens going to the water; he therefore prayed to God that Rebeka might be found among them, or her whom Abraham sent him as his servant to espouse to his son, in case his will were that this marriage should be consummated, and that she might be made known to him by the sign, That while others denied him water to drink, she might give it him.

Back to Jasher.

Jasher 24:34And Eliezer did as Abraham ordered him, and Eliezer swore unto Abraham his master upon this matter; and Eliezer rose up and took ten camels of the camels of his master, and ten men from his master's servants with him, and they rose up and went to Haran, the city of Abraham and Nahor, in order to fetch a wife for Isaac the son of Abraham; and whilst they were gone Abraham sent to the house of Shem and Eber, and they brought from thence his son Isaac.35And Isaac came home to his father's house to Beersheba, whilst Eliezer and his men came to Haran; and they stopped in the city by the watering place, and he made his camels to kneel down by the water and they remained there.36And Eliezer, Abraham's servant, prayed and said, O God of Abraham my master; send me I pray thee good speed this day and show kindness unto my master, that thou shalt appoint this day a wife for my master's son from his family.37And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Eliezer, for the sake of his servant Abraham, and he happened to meet with the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, brother to Abraham, and Eliezer came to her house.38And Eliezer related to them all his concerns, and that he was Abraham's servant, and they greatly rejoiced at him.39And they all blessed the Lord who brought this thing about, and they gave him Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel, for a wife for Isaac.40And the young woman was of very comely appearance, she was a virgin, and Rebecca was ten years old in those days.41And Bethuel and Laban and his children made a feast on that night, and Eliezer and his men came and ate and drank and rejoiced there on that night.42And Eliezer rose up in the morning, he and the men that were with him, and he called to the whole household of Bethuel, saying, Send me away that I may go to my master; and they rose up and sent away Rebecca and her nurse Deborah, the daughter of Uz, and they gave her silver and gold, men servants and maid servants, and they blessed her.43And they sent Eliezer away with his men; and the servants took Rebecca, and he went and returned to his master to the land of Canaan.44And Isaac took Rebecca and she became his wife, and he brought her into the tent.45And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca, the daughter of his uncle Bethuel, for a wife.

The Angel of the Lord prepared the way for Eliezer and he found Rebecca.  Josephus expounds.

Josephus 16:2. With this intention he went to the well, and desired the maidens to give him some water to drink: but while the others refused, on pretense that they wanted it all at home, and could spare none for him, one only of the company rebuked them for their peevish behavior towards the stranger; and said, What is there that you will ever communicate to anybody, who have not so much as given the man some water? She then offered him water in an obliging manner. And now he began to hope that his grand affair would succeed; but desiring still to know the truth, he commended her for her generosity and good nature, that she did not scruple to afford a sufficiency of water to those that wanted it, though it cost her some pains to draw it; and asked who were her parents, and wished them joy of such a daughter. "And mayst thou be espoused," said he, "to their satisfaction, into the family of an agreeable husband, and bring him legitimate children." Nor did she disdain to satisfy his inquiries, but told him her family. "They," says she, "call me Rebeka; my father was Bethuel, but he is dead; and Laban is my brother; and, together with my mother, takes care of all our family affairs, and is the guardian of my virginity." When the servant heard this, he was very glad at what had happened, and at what was told him, as perceiving that God had thus plainly directed his journey; and producing his bracelets, and some other ornaments which it was esteemed decent for virgins to wear, he gave them to the damsel, by way of acknowledgment, and as a reward for her kindness in giving him water to drink; saying, it was but just that she should have them, because she was so much more obliging than any of the rest. She desired also that he would come and lodge with them, since the approach of the night gave him not time to proceed farther. And producing his precious ornaments for women, he said he desired to trust them to none more safely than to such as she had shown herself to be; and that he believed he might guess at the humanity of her mother and brother, that they would not be displeased, from the virtue he found in her; for he would not be burdensome, but would pay the hire for his entertainment, and spend his own money. To which she replied, that he guessed right as to the humanity of her parents; but complained that he should think them so parsimonious as to take money, for that he should have all on free cost. But she said she would first inform her brother Laban, and, if he gave her leave, she would conduct him in.

Josephus16:3. As soon then as this was over, she introduced the stranger; and for the camels, the servants of Laban brought them in, and took care of them; and he was himself brought in to supper by Laban. And, after supper, he says to him, and to the mother of the damsel, addressing himself to her, "Abraham is the son of Terah, and a kinsman of yours; for Nahor, the grandfather of these children, was the brother of Abraham, by both father and mother; upon which account he hath sent me to you, being desirous to take this damsel for his son to wife. He is his legitimate son, and is brought up as his only heir. He could indeed have had the most happy of all the women in that country for him, but he would not have his son marry any of them; but, out of regard to his own relations, he desired him to match here, whose affection and inclination I would not have you despise; for it was by the good pleasure of God that other accidents fell out in my journey, and that thereby I lighted upon your daughter and your house; for when I was near to the city, I saw a great many maidens coming to a well, and I prayed that I might meet with this damsel, which has come to pass accordingly. Do you therefore confirm that marriage, whose espousals have been already made by a Divine appearance; and show the respect you have for Abraham, who hath sent me with so much solicitude, in giving your consent to the marriage of this damsel." Upon this they understood it to be the will of God, and greatly approved of the offer, and sent their daughter, as was desired. Accordingly Isaac married her, the inheritance being now come to him; for the children by Keturah were gone to their own remote habitations.

The Bible records it this way.

Gene 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee,thy hand under my thigh:3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.7 The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

Abraham says not to bring Isaac to Haran again.  This would imply that Isaac went to Haran at some point.  We don’t know when that was, but from the time his relatives visited at the time of his weaning, he was about five years old and the time of the sacrifice on Mount Moriah he was 37 years old, leaving 32 years for travel to visit family. 

Gen24:10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.12 And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.

Laban was very hospitable to Eliezer and the other servants with him. But Eliezer couldn’t rest and eat until he lets them know why he’s there.

Gen 24:33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go;43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master's son.45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.

Eliezer’s words about “before he was done speaking from his heart, Rebekah came forth with a pitcher” are fascinating, he wasn’t even done praying and his prayer was answered.  Isn’t it interesting how specific this is? Women went to the wells at specific times in the day, so that was common practice among the people, but Eliezer was asking for water for him and the camels.  Camels drink a lot of water.  I watered a camel once, I had a bucket of water and held it up and it sucked up the entire bucket of water in just a few seconds.  It didn’t lap like a dog; rather it used its mouth and nose as a straw and sucked.  To get water for ten camels is a lot of work. 

Gen 24: 46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken.52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

Laban knew this was from the Lord, which means Nahor and Terah taught all their people about God.  Eliezer was most respectful as he bowed before the Lord in thanksgiving.  They wanted Rebekah to hang around for ten days, but Eliezer was concerned to get back to Abraham, so they left the decision up to Rebekah.  They then left with her handmaid, or nurse. 

Gen 24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

Laban and family prayed for her and prayed that she would be the mother of millions and that her seed would possess the gates of their enemies.  Didn’t God tell Abraham that very thing? (Genesis 22:17) Isn’t it exciting that Laban and his family are praying what God has already promised Abraham? Looking back in time it is established conformation that the word God gave Abraham was a sure word.   Also it is interesting that Laban’s family is hearing from God, taught about God, and spiritually on track with God’s future plans. 

Gen24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country.63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.KJV

So we see that the name of Abraham’s servant is Eliezer, who was with him since Nimrod threw Abraham in the fire with his brother Haran. I’ve heard various teachings over the years that Abraham sent an unnamed servant riding one camel, bringing with him nine camels, corresponding to the nine gifts of the spirit, and that the unnamed servant brought back a bride for his master.  While the romanticism sounds so wonderful and heartwarming when we put ourselves in the position of the bride and the unnamed servant as the Holy Spirit, we love the idea of making that leap, yet it simply isn’t accurate. The truth is they knew Nahor had granddaughters.  We also know from Genesis and Jasher, that Eliezer had other people with him (ten men), it wasn’t just him and nine camels of gifts going to Haran, it was a whole gang of people.  If we remember what Josephus said, the travel was hard no matter the time of year, and there were robbers that had to be dealt with. Therefore, the trip was not quick and would never have been done by just one person.  On the way back Rebekah took her nurse, and damsels plural, so she had at least two other ladies with her. As for Eliezer, remember Eliezer was a young man around 100+ years old.  That is just a guess, but from the time Abraham was dealing with Nimrod, Eliezer must have been 20 or so years younger than Abraham, and at this time Abraham would have been 140 years old.

Digging into this story we see a plan from God for Abraham’s seed to posses the gates of their enemies’ but as we will see Abraham has more seed.