Keturah
Encyclopedia
According to the Hebrew Bible
, Keturah or Ketura was the woman whom Abraham
, the patriarch
of the Israelites, married after the death of his wife, Sarah
. Keturah bore Abraham six sons, Zimran
, Jokshan
, Medan
, Midian
, Ishbak
, and Shuah
.
Keturah is referred to as "Abraham's concubine" in the Bible. While Abraham left everything to Isaac, he made grants to his sons by his concubine during his lifetime, and sent them east away from Isaac.He died at the age of 175. Keturah's six sons represent Arabian tribes south and east of Canaan.
Some, but not all, Jewish philosophers identify Keturah with Hagar
, stating that Abraham sought her out after Sarah's death. This interpretation is set forth in the Midrash
and is supported by Rashi
, Gur Aryeh, Keli Yakar, and Obadiah of Bertinoro. The contrary view (that Keturah was someone other than Hagar) is advocated by Rashbam
, Abraham ibn Ezra
, Radak, and Ramban
. In the genealogy of 1 Chronicles, Keturah and Hagar are listed as two different people:
"These were [Abraham and Hagar]'s descendants: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
"The sons born to Keturah, Abraham's concubine: Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were decendents of Keturah." (New International Version)
Adherents of the Bahá'í faith
believe their founder, Bahá'u'lláh
, to have been a descendant of both Keturah and Sarah.
In the eighteenth century, some writers believed that Keturah was the ancestor of African peoples, thereby explaining the similarities between some African and Jewish customs. Olaudah Equiano
cites John Gill
's claim to this effect in his Interesting Narrative
.
Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain states (as part of Donmeh West
teaching) that the children of Keturah moved Eastwards and were ancestors to the religions of Hinduism
, Buddhism
and Shinto
, which then should be counted as Abrahamic religions
.
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
, Keturah or Ketura was the woman whom Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
, the patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Israelites, married after the death of his wife, Sarah
Sarah
Sarah or Sara was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. Her name was originally Sarai...
. Keturah bore Abraham six sons, Zimran
Zimran
Zimran , also known as Zambran. was according to the Hebrew Bible the first son of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, and Keturah whom he wed after the death of Sarah...
, Jokshan
Jokshan
Jokshan ; most probably Josephus' Jazar. According to the Bible he was the second son of Abraham and his concubine Keturah, whom he wed after the death of Sarah...
, Medan
Medan (son of Abraham)
According to the Bible, Medan ; also spelt Madan was the third son of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, and Keturah whom he wed after the death of Sarah...
, Midian
Midian (son of Abraham)
According to the Hebrew Bible, Midian is the fourth son of Abraham by Keturah, the woman Abraham married after Sarah's death. His brothers are Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Ishbak and Shuah....
, Ishbak
Ishbak
Ishbak , also spelt Jisbak and Josabak. According to the Bible he was the fifth son of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, and Keturah whom he wed after the death of Sarah...
, and Shuah
Shuah
Shuah , also known as Sous, was, according to the Bible, the sixth son of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, and Keturah whom he wed after the death of Sarah...
.
Keturah is referred to as "Abraham's concubine" in the Bible. While Abraham left everything to Isaac, he made grants to his sons by his concubine during his lifetime, and sent them east away from Isaac.He died at the age of 175. Keturah's six sons represent Arabian tribes south and east of Canaan.
Some, but not all, Jewish philosophers identify Keturah with Hagar
Hagar (Bible)
Hagar , according to the Abrahamic faiths, was the second wife of Abraham, and the mother of his first son, Ishmael. Her story is recorded in the Book of Genesis, mentioned in Hadith, and alluded to in the Qur'an...
, stating that Abraham sought her out after Sarah's death. This interpretation is set forth in the Midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
and is supported by Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
, Gur Aryeh, Keli Yakar, and Obadiah of Bertinoro. The contrary view (that Keturah was someone other than Hagar) is advocated by Rashbam
Rashbam
Samuel ben Meir after his death known as "Rashbam", a Hebrew acronym for: RAbbi SHmuel Ben Meir, was a leading French Tosafist and grandson of Shlomo Yitzhaki, "Rashi."-Biography:...
, Abraham ibn Ezra
Abraham ibn Ezra
Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn Ezra was born at Tudela, Navarre in 1089, and died c. 1167, apparently in Calahorra....
, Radak, and Ramban
Nahmanides
Nahmanides, also known as Rabbi Moses ben Naḥman Girondi, Bonastruc ça Porta and by his acronym Ramban, , was a leading medieval Jewish scholar, Catalan rabbi, philosopher, physician, kabbalist, and biblical commentator.-Name:"Nahmanides" is a Greek-influenced formation meaning "son of Naḥman"...
. In the genealogy of 1 Chronicles, Keturah and Hagar are listed as two different people:
"These were [Abraham and Hagar]'s descendants: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.
"The sons born to Keturah, Abraham's concubine: Zimram, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were decendents of Keturah." (New International Version)
Adherents of the Bahá'í faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
believe their founder, Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
, to have been a descendant of both Keturah and Sarah.
In the eighteenth century, some writers believed that Keturah was the ancestor of African peoples, thereby explaining the similarities between some African and Jewish customs. Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano also known as Gustavus Vassa, was a prominent African involved in the British movement towards the abolition of the slave trade. His autobiography depicted the horrors of slavery and helped influence British lawmakers to abolish the slave trade through the Slave Trade Act of 1807...
cites John Gill
John Gill (theologian)
John Gill was an English Baptist pastor, biblical scholar, and theologian who held to a firm Calvinistic soteriology. Born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, he attended Kettering Grammar School where he mastered the Latin classics and learned Greek by age 11...
's claim to this effect in his Interesting Narrative
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African, first published in 1789, is the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano.-Plot introduction:...
.
Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain states (as part of Donmeh West
Donmeh West
Dönmeh West is a non-sectarian, international organization which promotes an original reformulation of Sabbatean and Frankist kabbalah by its founder and leader, Reb Yakov Leib HaKohain...
teaching) that the children of Keturah moved Eastwards and were ancestors to the religions of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
, which then should be counted as Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him...
.
External links
- "Keturah" in Easton's Bible Dictionary
- "Keturah" in the International Standard Bible EncyclopediaInternational Standard Bible EncyclopediaThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia is a public domain Biblical encyclopedia. This encyclopedia was published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co...
- Descendants of Abraham, Part IV: Sons of Keturah at Christian Churches of God, No. 212D