Keturah:Wife or Concubine?

I am intigued by a minor discrepancy in the Scriptures. Was Keturah a concubine? Or was she Abraham's second wife? Genesis says that she was Abraham's second wife. Chronicles says that she was a concubine. How can this discrepancy be resolved?


Let's start with the only two passages in the Scriptures that mention Keturah by name:

Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

1 Chronicles 1:32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.
33 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.

These two passages are almost identical. They both agree on the names of Keturah's sons and grandsons. The main point of difference is that Genesis calls Keturah a wife and Chronicles calls her a concubine. Which was she? What say you? What do you make of this discrepancy? The really interesting question is WHY does this discrepancy exist.

I shall give you my answer in a future blog.