What Does Genesis 25:1 Mean in the King James?

Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

Genesis 25:1 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The verse’s “again” carries the sense of adding, and Keturah’s name evokes incense: Abraham’s continuation is named as fragrance rising.

THE MEANING

Abraham takes a wife again, and the verse gives her a name linked to incense. Keturah is connected to the root qatar, “to burn incense, to send up smoke,” so this new bond enters the text under the image of fragrance rising from fire. The word translated “again” also comes from a root meaning “add,” so continuation appears as an addition.

THE ROOT

קְטוּרָה

Qeturah

GROWS FROM

קטר

q-ṭ-r

Burn incense; emit smoke.

Keturah is commonly linked to qatar, the root for burning incense and sending up smoke; qetoret, “incense,” shares its consonants. Her name carries the image of fragrance rising from a fire, so the verse’s new marriage arrives under a name with an action inside it.

ALSO GROWS

qetoret: Incense.

קְטֹרֶת

This noun shares the root consonants and makes the image carried by Keturah’s name concrete.

hiqṭîr: To burn or offer incense.

הִקְטִיר

This verb shows the action beneath the name: burning that sends smoke upward.

וַיֹּסֶף

vayyosef

GROWS FROM

יסף

y-s-f

Add, increase, continue.

The word translated “again” comes from yasaf, “to add.” The verse presents continuation as addition: Abraham’s life includes another marriage without the word itself meaning a mere repetition.

ALSO GROWS

Yosef: May he add.

יוֹסֵף

Joseph’s name comes from the same root, letting “again” echo as a name for addition.

yôsîp: He will add.

יוֹסִיף

This verb form makes the root’s sense of increase explicit.

THE PATTERN

A scriptural name can carry the action or quality the text associates with its bearer.

And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

Genesis 30:24 · KJVJoseph’s name echoes the root for “add,” just as Keturah’s name carries the image of incense.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21 · KJVThe verse links Yeshua’s name with deliverance, showing a name carrying the work associated with its bearer.

THE THREAD

And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.

Exodus 30:1 · KJV

Keturah is commonly connected to ⁨קטר⁩ (qatar), the same root behind “burn incense” here. The shared root lets her name carry the image of fragrance rising from what burns, revealing an action beneath what might look like a bare label.

Read the SDV Bible.

Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.

Get Selah Verse

The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.

Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us