In Sefer HaYashar, Perek 25, it lists the grandsons of Avraham and Keturah. However, in Tanakh (Chayei Sarah and Divrei HaYamim), it specifically choses to only tell us the names of Yokshan and Midian's children. Why does the Torah only choose the children of Yokshan and Midian if any of Keturah's grandchildren? To clarify, I am looking for reasons as to why Yokshan and Midian are so special that their sons are mentioned by the Torah as apposed to the others.
asked Dec 18, 2016 at 14:26
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Maybe those's are all who was born then?– Double AA ♦Commented Dec 18, 2016 at 14:37
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1To clarify, the question is on the controversial medieval Sefer HaYashar; not on God's Torah.– mevaqeshCommented Dec 18, 2016 at 17:13
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3Is there any reason this is more difficult than the entire genre of Midrash that adds various details to the Torah?– mevaqeshCommented Dec 18, 2016 at 17:13
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1@mevaqesh My question is not on Sefer HaYashar; it is on G-d's Torah. Also why do you call Sefer HaYashar controversial and medieval? I was under the impression that it was written by Rabbi Akiva.– Joshua PearlCommented Nov 8, 2017 at 21:08
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@mevaqesh That is very interesting. However, you seem to have misunderstood my question. What I was asking was why Yokshan, Midion, and Dedon are so special that their children should be mentioned as opposed to others.– Joshua PearlCommented Nov 9, 2017 at 22:39
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2 Answers
Radak to 25:3 says that the others may not have had sons, or that they died afterwards:
אפשר שלא היו להם או היו להם ומתו
answered Feb 5, 2018 at 23:04
I found an answer in מדרש תנחומא חיי שרה סימן ו:
R. Levi said: He is the one concerning whom the Holy One, blessed be He, said: All the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him (Gen. 18:18). During the generation of the separation, the sea inundated the world and the descendants of Ham were scattered (as thirty families), as it is said: The Lord scattered them abroad (Gen. 11:8). But now, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will cause them to descend from you, as it is said: All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. He begot the (thirty) families, and these are they: the twelve princes that descended from Ishmael (ibid. 25:12—16), the sixteen offspring from his wife Keturah (ibid., vv. 1—4), and the two nations in the womb of Rebecca (ibid., v. 23). Hence Scripture says: All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.
Therefore, the Torah mentioned those particular people who founded nations so that we can see that 30 nations came out of Avrohom.
answered Nov 7, 2017 at 21:05
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I think this needs some clarification as to how it answers the question. Commented Feb 5, 2018 at 22:59
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