Genesis 25:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

NIV: Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

NASB: Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.

CSB: He took his last breath and died at a good old age, old and contented, and he was gathered to his people.

NLT: and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

As the previous verse revealed, Abraham was 175 years old when he breathed his last. His life was marked by the blessing of God. That includes an extraordinarily long life span for his era (Genesis 6:3). We're told he was an old man and, poetically, that he was "full of years."

It's important to note that Abraham is one of the key figures in all of history. As this chapter alone makes clear, he was the primary ancestor for many Middle Eastern tribes and nations, including Israel. Three of the most influential religions in human history—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—all claim Abraham as a spiritual patriarch. The life of Abraham marks the beginning of God's plan to create a people that were His very own and, eventually, to bring from that people the Messiah who would bring salvation to all nations.

Still, for such an important and consequential figure, Abraham led the life of a nomad. He was blessed and wealthy, but he lived out his days in the Promised Land in tents, frequently on the move. In spite of God's promises to give to his people the land of Canaan, Abraham died owning land which consisted only of a well, a field, and the cave in which he would be buried, as described in the following verse.

He did however apparently live to see the birth of his twin grandsons, an encouraging sign that God was keeping his promises to the next generation. Genesis 25:26 tells us that Isaac was 60 when Jacob and Esau were born. Thus, Abraham would have been 160 or so (Genesis 21:5), with the opportunity to watch the boys grow out of childhood before he died.

Genesis 25:1–18 adds details before describing the deaths of Abraham and then Ishmael. Abraham has taken another wife, other than Sarah, and has six sons with her. He gives them gifts but sends them all away to the east. Isaac will be his sole true heir. Still, when Abraham dies and is buried at the age of 175, Ishmael joins Isaac for the funeral. Ishmael's 12 sons are listed, along with a description of the region their tribes settled in. Finally, Ishmael dies, as well, at the age of 137.

Genesis 25 is packed with information. Abraham marries another wife, most likely before Sarah died, and has six sons with her. Abraham dies at the age of 175 and is buried by both Isaac and Ishmael at the family-owned cave where Sarah was buried. Ishmael's 12 sons are listed, along with the region their tribes settled in, to the east of what would later become Israel. And, finally, God grants Isaac's prayer for Rebekah to become pregnant by giving the couple twins: the feuding Jacob and Esau.

The previous chapter tells the story of how Abraham's servant found a wife for Isaac from among Abraham's people. This chapter rushes to fill in the details of the end of Abraham's life before beginning the story of Isaac's years as patriarch. Abraham marries another woman and has six sons with her, eventually sending them all away from Isaac. Abraham dies and is buried with Sarah. Ishmael's 12 sons are listed, and then his death is recorded, as well. Finally, Isaac's twin boys are born in response to his prayer to the Lord.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.