Selected Commentary Resources

Keturah’s Wish is fiction, but it has a basis in the centuries-old debate about this curious woman who is part of the Abraham story. Those interested in scholarly commentary on Keturah can find resources here. These commentaries relate to the three critical issues that have long been debated: 1) Keturah’s identity; 2) her status as either a wife or a concubine; and 3) her place in the Abraham timeline.

The sources are identified with letters that indicate if these are Jewish (J), Christian (C), or Interfaith (I) sources. The accompanying number places the sources in chronological order in the subsequent citations.

Who is Keturah?
There has long been a question of whether Keturah was a Canaanite woman (e.g., Nachmanides J-10) or she was not (e.g., Luther C-6). But a more profound question is whether she is none other than the Egyptian Hagar returning to Abraham with a new name after Sarah’s death.

In Genesis Rabbah J-5—which is a 5th century CE Jewish commentary (Midrash)—Rabbi Judah identifies Keturah as Hagar. Rabbi Nehemiah’s counterclaim is that these must be different women because the biblical text says “concubines” plural (Gen 25:6), and if one is Hagar the other is Keturah. Rabbi Judah’s rebuttal is that “concubines” is written as a contraction, missing the Hebrew letter yod typically present in a plural construction. Therefore, the rebuttal argument is that the word reads plural but should be understood as singular. Carol Bakhos I-2 explains the Hebrew wordplay involved in this debate, and notes that the singularity argument may be rooted in a concern for Abraham to have only one concubine.

This rabbinic opinion that Keturah and Hagar are the same woman has an origin that predates Genesis Rabbah. It appears in Targum Pseudo-Jonathan J-4 and Targum Jerusalem which are Hebrew to Aramaic translations of Genesis with commentary. Targum Pseudo-Jonathan traces this thought to the rabbinic sages (Tannaim) of the 1st or 2nd century CE.

At odds with the singularity opinion is the Book of Jubilees J-1 which is a 1st century BCE Jewish apocryphal retelling of the Book of Genesis. In Jubilees, Keturah is the daughter of a household servant. Here she is not portrayed as Hagar, and Jubilees has Hagar die before Sarah—which precludes Hagar’s later return. In addition, the early 1st century CE Jewish philosopher Philo J-2 wrote that Keturah and Hagar are different women.

In the Middle Ages, the debate about Keturah’s identity continued. Both Pirkei de-Eliezer J-6 and Rashi J-7 reiterated that Keturah and Hagar were one and the same. However, Rashbam J-8 and Nachmanides J-10 refuted this position, and Ibn Ezra J-9 — one of the most distinguished biblical philosophers of the time — also argued that Keturah should not be identified as Hagar. His reasoning, like the other scholarly refutation, was the plain reading of the Hebrew scripture.

Christian commentary exists from Antiquity and the Middle Ages that identifies Keturah as Hagar (e.g., Jerome C-3; Lyra C-5). In the Modern Era, however, Martin Luther C-6 rejected this idea. In some Jewish and Christian circles, the opinion persists today that Keturah is Hagar. But in commentary published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now known as the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ), W. Gunther Plaut J-13 notes there is no biblical textural evidence for the classical rabbinic opinion that these are the same woman.

Was Keturah a Wife or a Concubine?
The question of Keturah’s status in the family as either wife or concubine has many different opinions. The term “wife” in the biblical text could be used simply to designate an exclusive sexual partner without regard to status and inheritance. Hagar is called a “wife” (Gen. 16:3) but she maintains her slave-woman, maidservant, and concubine status in the Abraham narrative (Gen. 16:1-2; 21:10, 12). In contrast, there is scriptural ambiguity for Keturah’s status (i.e., Gen. 25:1 vs. 25:6 and 1 Chron. 1:32).

Every Jewish and Christian commentary on Keturah addresses the wife/concubine issue to some degree, simply by choosing to call her either Abraham’s wife or concubine. Overall, the commentary falls into four major camps. One position is that Keturah was indeed a wife (e.g., Book of Jubilees J-1; Origen C-1; Tollington C-13; Worthington I-1). The opposite opinion is that she was never a wife and always a concubine (e.g., Ephrem C-2; Rashi J-7). There are the two hybrid arguments that Keturah was initially a concubine and subsequently elevated to wife status after Sarah’s death (e.g., Josephus J-3; Jerome C-3), or that she was indeed a wife but is referred to as a concubine because she did not bear the son of promise and never was an equal to Sarah (e.g., Nachmanides J-10; Augustine C-4; Archer C-12).

What is Keturah’s Place in Time?
The majority of commentary has not questioned the biblical implication that Keturah’s time is after Sarah’s death.  However, there has long been a body of commentary arguing this is only inference based on an assumed chronological order.

The 1st century CE Jewish-Roman historian Flavius Josephus J-3 indicates an earlier time for Keturah by noting her six sons were grown men and moved away from Canaan by the time Isaac married Rebekah. Josephus thus documents that an earlier time for Keturah is an idea that existed in some Jewish thought as early and the 1st century CE.

Two 16th century (early Reformation) opinions for an earlier timing are the commentary of Martin Luther C-6 and John Calvin C-7. Both Protestant Reformers question the notion of an advanced centenarian having six children with a woman in prime childbearing age. In addition, the Geneva Bible (1560) C-8 has an annotation specifically noting that Keturah became a “wife” while Sarah was still alive (see “About Keturah’s Wish.”)  Today the NIV Study Bible notes the option for this chronological understanding for Genesis 25:1.

The 17th century commentary of Bishop Robert Clayton C-9 is notable, as he suggests Keturah could have been a concubine possibly twenty years or so after Abram married Sarai when the two accepted that Sarai was barren. Clayton says the sons of Keturah were potentially born while the household was still in Haran, and at his death Abraham could have already had great grandsons from Keturah.

In 19th century commentary, Carl Keil and Franz Delitzsch C-10 note that it is only inference to assume Keturah’s marriage occurred after Sarah’s death. Likewise, Robert Jamieson C-11 and coauthors state that the marriage is not in chronological order, but is placed for the proper completion of the patriarch’s history.

Modern Jewish thought also includes an earlier time for Keturah. Rabbi Benno Jacob J-11 (early 20th century) suggests Keturah’s place was perhaps before Abram’s rescue of Lot (Gen. 14). Furthermore, in commentary published in 1989 by the Jewish Publication Society (JPS), Nahum Sarna J-12 writes that the Genesis mention of Keturah does not relate to after Sarah’s death and Isaac’s marriage, but to many years before. This 20th century Jewish commentary essentially aligns with the thoughts of Luther and Calvin from the early Reformation.
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The above sampling of sources is not comprehensive. This is a starting point selected to illustrate the thoughts on Keturah by scholars and faith leaders. There is a wide range of commentary, and the varied opinions and debate will continue.

Note on Resource Citations
The following citations are arranged in chronological order and grouped by commentary of Antiquity, Middle Ages, and Modern Era. Letters distinguish the sources as Jewish (J), Christian (C), or Interfaith (I), and each distinction has sequential numbering in chronological order. The citations include years for the life of the author or a composition/publication time.

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Antiquity  /  Before 500 CE

J-1 The Book of Jubilees (1st or 2nd century BCE)
Translated and edited by R. H. Charles (London: Adam and Charles Black,1902), 126.
https://archive.org/details/CHARLESBookOfJubilees/page/126/mode/2up?view=theater

J-2 Philo of Alexandria (15/10 BCE – 45/50 CE)
Supplement 1, Questions and Answers on Genesis, translated from the ancient Aramaic version of the original Greek by Ralph Marcus (London: Harvard University Press, William Heinemann, 1953), 428-432.
https://archive.org/details/questionsanswers00philuoft/page/428/mode/2up
 
J-3 Josephus, Flavius (c. 37 – c. 100 CE)
Antiquities of the Jews. Version: translated by William Whiston (New York: Wm. Borrdadaile, 1824), Book 1, ch. 15:1 and 16:3.
https://www.sefaria.org/The_Antiquities_of_the_Jews.1.15.1?lang=bi

https://www.sefaria.org/The_Antiquities_of_the_Jews.1.16.3?lang=bi

J-4 Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (c. 150 – c. 250 CE)
Version: Translation by John Wesley Etheridge (London: 1862), Gen. 25:1.
https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jonathan_on_Genesis.25?lang=bi
Also see: Targum Jerusalem
https://www.sefaria.org/Targum_Jerusalem%2C_Genesis.25?lang=bi
    
C-1 Origen of Alexandria (c.185 – c. 253 CE)
“Homily XI, On the fact that Abraham took Cetura as a wife and that Isaac dwelt at the well of vision,” in Origen Homilies on Genesis and Exodus, The Fathers of the Church, A New Translation, v. 71, translated by Ronald E. Heine (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1982), 168-175.
https://archive.org/details/the-fathers-of-the-church-a-new-translation-147-volumes (v.71)

C-2 Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306 – 373 CE)
“St. Ephrem the Syrian, Selected Prose Works, Commentary on Genesis,” in The Fathers of the Church, A New Translation, v. 91, translated by Edward G Mathews, Jr. and Joseph P. Amar, edited by Kathleen McVey (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1994), 170-171.
https://archive.org/details/the-fathers-of-the-church-a-new-translation-147-volumes (v.91)

C-3 Jerome of Stridon (350 – 420 CE)
Jerome’s Hebrew Questions on Genesis, Translated with Introduction and Commentary, by C.T.R. Hayward (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995), 59-60.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23966213

C-4 Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 CE)
“The meaning of Abraham’s marriage to Keturah,” in Concerning the City of God Against the Pagans, translated by Henry Bettenson (London: Penguin Books, 1972), Book XVI, ch. 34, 696-697.
https://archive.org/details/st.-augustine-the-city-of-god/page/33/mode/2up

J-5 Genesis (Bereshit) Rabbah (5th century CE)
Version: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022), 61:4.
 https://www.sefaria.org/Bereshit_Rabbah.61.4?lang=en&with=all&lang2=en

Middle Ages  /  500 – 1500 CE

J-6 Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer (PRE)
(c. 630 - c. 1030 composition)
Version: Translation by Rabbi Gerald Friedlander (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, 1916), 30:7.
https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_DeRabbi_Eliezer.30.7?lang=en

J-7 Rashi: Rabbi Schlomo Yitzchaki (1040 – 1105)
Version: Pentateuch with Rashi’s Commentary Translated into English and Annotated, by Rev. M. Rosenbaum and Dr. A.M. Silbermann (London: Shapiro, Valentine, 1929-1934), Gen. 25:1.
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.25.1?lang=bi&with=Rashi&lang2=en

J-8 Rashbam: Rabbi Schmuel ben Meir
(c. 1080 - c. 1160)
Version: Hachut Hameshulash: Genesis, translated by Eliyahu Munk (New York: Lambda Publishers, 2003), Gen. 25:1.
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.25.1?lang=bi&with=Rashbam&lang2=en

J-9 Ibn Ezra: Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra
(c. 1155 – c. 1165 composed)
Version: Ibn Ezra’s Commentary on the Pentateuch: Genesis, translated and annotated by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver (New York: Menorah Publishing, 1988), Gen. 25:1.
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.25.1?lang=bi&with=Ibn%20Ezra&lang2=en

J-10 Nachmanides: Rabbi Moses ben Nahman (Ramban)    (1194 – 1270)
Version: Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides), translated and annot. by Rabbi Charles B. Chavel (New York: Shilo Publishing House, 1971-1976), Gen. 25:6.
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.25.6?lang=bi&with=Ramban&lang2=en

C-5 Nicolaus de Lyra (c. 1270 ¬– 1349)
Postillae super totam Bibliam, published by Johannes Mentelin (Strasbourg: 1472). Referenced in Luther’s Works C-6, 301.

Modern Era:  Since 1500 CE

C-6 Luther, Martin (1483 – 1546)
Luther’s Works, Volume 4, Lectures on Genesis Chapters 21-25, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan and translated by George V. Schick, 300-331. Saint Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House, 1964.

C-7 Calvin, John (1509 – 1564)
Commentaries on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis, Vol. 2. Translated by Rev. John King. Cambridge: 1847.
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Christian Classics Ethereal Library (Genesis 25:1-34).
https://ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom02/calcom02.iii.i.html
 
C-8 The Geneva Bible (1560 publication)
The Bible and Holy Scriptures Contetned in the Olde and Newe Testament. Gen. 25:1. Produced by William Whittingham with assistance/guidance from John Calvin, John Knox, Myles Cloverdale, John Foxe, and other Reformers. Geneva, 1st printing, 1st edition, 1560.
https://archive.org/details/TheGenevaBible1560/page/n26/mode/1up (27 of 1224)

C-9 Clayton, Robert (1695 – 1758)
The Chronology of the Hebrew Bible Vindicated. London: J. Brindley, 1747.
https://archive.org/details/chronologyofhebr00clay/page/82/mode/2up?view=theater
(83-86 of 493)

C-10 Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch (1864 publication)
Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, translated from the German. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1988.
https://www.stepbible.org/?q=version=KD|reference=Gen.25

C-11 Jamieson, Robert, et al. (1802 – 1880)
A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, by Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A.R. Fausset and Rev. David Brown, Volume 1, Old Testament, Gen. 25:1-6. Hartford: S.S. Scranton, 1871.
https://archive.org/details/commentarycritic1878jami1/page/28/mode/2up?view=theater

J-11 Jacob, Benno (1862 – 1945)
The First Book of the Bible, Genesis, his commentary abridged, edited and translated by Ernest I. Jacob and Walter Jacob, 164. New York: KTAV Publishing House, 1974.

C-12 Archer, Gleason Leonard Jr. (1916 – 2004)
Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, 98. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Regency Reference Library, Zondervan, 1982.

J-12 Sarna, Nahum M. (1923 – 2005)
The JPS Torah Commentary, Genesis: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation, 170-173. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1989.

J-13 Plaut, W. Gunther (1912 – 2012)
The Torah: A Modern Commentary, 166. New York: The Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1981.

C-13 Tollington, J.E. (2005 publication)
“Abraham and his Wives: Culture and Status,” in The Old Testament in Its World, Papers read at the Winter Meeting, January 2003, The Society for Old Testament Study, edited by R.P. Gordon and J.C. deMoor (Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill 2005), 183-199.   

I-1 Worthington, Francis (2011 publication)
Abraham: One God, Three Wives, Five Religions, 134. Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing, 2011.

I-2 Bakhos, Carol (2014 publication)
The Family of Abraham: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Interpretations, 116. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2014.