Many Sons

Father Abraham had many sons. So goes the song. And of course the lyrics are a metaphor such as the New Testament uses: that all those who come to God by faith are sons of Abraham. How many literal sons did Abraham have? God promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations. Both physically and metaphorically that promise has come true. Isaac was the father of Edom and Israel. Ishmael is commonly known as the ancestor of the Arabs. Two sons doesn’t sound like many. Three nations isn’t many either. But…

Abraham had more sons. Yes. Right there, plainly stated in between exciting patriarch chronicles. After the death of Sarah, and after the marriage of Isaac, in Genesis 25 Abraham marries a woman named Keturah. At this point Abraham is old. But he fathers six more sons, which each father a nation, including Midian (where Moses got his *first* wife), Sheba, and Dedan. These nations show up again later in the Bible, and some join Ishmael in comprising the Arab people.

To God be all glory.