Genesis 25:5 Commentary and Bible Study

These additional children did not in any way change the status of Isaac. Sarah had said, ‘Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac’ (Genesis 21:10). Abraham understood the unique position of Isaac in contrast to all his other children, and indeed he loved him with a unique love. Isaac was the son of his beloved wife, Sarah, and Abraham had taken special care to provide a wife of Isaac so that the promise would be fulfilled. Through Isaac the promises made to Abraham that he would be a father of many nations would be fulfilled. God would renew the covenant with Isaac and with Jacob in turn, just as he had made it with Abraham. Therefore though the inheritance that Isaac would receive was to be a spiritual inheritance, it was appropriate that Isaac should receive the entirety of Abraham’s earthly possessions and should be the sole legitimate heir of his estate. At first Abraham had been unwilling to exclude his other natural child, Ishmael, from his family circle and from his love and care, but he was now ready even in the absence of Sarah’s prompting to act consistently with the will of God in this matter. His former disinclination had arisen not because he loved Isaac the less, but because he was a naturally affectionate father to Ishmael as well. However the matter was more than a natural one. These things had spiritual significance. He now overcame his former reluctance and complied fully with the plan of God, recognizing that Isaac would be his sole heir.