B'resheet (Gen) 25

1(vi) Avraham took another wife, whose name was K’turah. 2She bore him Zimran, Yokshan, Medan, Midyan, Yishbak; and Shuach. 3Yokshan fathered Sh’va and D’dan. The sons of D’dan were Ashurim, L’tushim and L’umim. 4The sons of Midyan were ‘Eifah, ‘Efer, Hanokh, Avida and Elda‘ah. All these were descendants of K’turah.

5Avraham gave everything he owned to Yitz’chak. 6But to the sons of the concubines he made grants while he was still living and sent them off to the east, to the land of Kedem, away from Yitz’chak his son.

7This is how long Avraham lived: 175 years. 8Then Avraham breathed his last, dying at a ripe old age, an old man full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9Yitz’chak and Yishma‘el his sons buried him in the cave of Makhpelah, in the field of ‘Efron the son of Tzochar the Hitti, by Mamre, 10the field which Avraham purchased from the sons of Het. Avraham was buried there with Sarah his wife.

11After Avraham died, God blessed Yitz’chak his son, and Yitz’chak lived near Be’er-Lachai-Ro’i.

(vii) 12Here is the genealogy of Yishma‘el, Avraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian woman bore to Avraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Yishma‘el, listed in the order of their birth. The firstborn of Yishma‘el was N’vayot; followed by Kedar, Adbe’el, Mivsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Teima, Y’tur, Nafish and Kedmah. (Maftir) 16These are the sons of Yishma‘el, and these are their names, according to their settlements and camps, twelve tribal rulers.

17This is how long Yishma‘el lived: 137 years. Then he breathed his last, died and was gathered to his people.

18Yishma‘el’s sons lived between Havilah and Shur, near Egypt as you go toward Ashur; he settled near all his kinsmen.

Haftarah Hayyei-Sarah: M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 1:1–31

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Hayyei-Sarah: Mattityahu (Matthew) 8:19–22; 27:3–10; Luke 9:57–62

Parashah 6: Tol’dot (History) 25:19–28:9

19Here is the history of Yitz’chak, Avraham’s son. Avraham fathered Yitz’chak. 20Yitz’chak was forty years old when he took Rivkah, the daughter of B’tu’el the Arami from Paddan-Aram and sister of Lavan the Arami, to be his wife. 21Yitz’chak prayed to Adonai on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. Adonai heeded his prayer, and Rivkah became pregnant. 22The children fought with each other inside her so much that she said, “If it’s going to be like this, why go on living?” So she went to inquire of Adonai, 23who answered her, “There are two nations in your womb. From birth they will be two rival peoples. One of these peoples will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

24When the time for her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. 25The first to come out was reddish and covered all over with hair, like a coat; so they named him ‘Esav [completely formed, that is, having hair already]. 26Then his brother emerged, with his hand holding ‘Esav’s heel, so he was called Ya‘akov [he catches by the heel, he supplants]. Yitz’chak was sixty years old when she bore them.

27The boys grew; and ‘Esav became a skillful hunter, an outdoorsman; while Ya‘akov was a quiet man who stayed in the tents. 28Yitz’chak favored ‘Esav, because he had a taste for game; Rivkah favored Ya‘akov.

29One day when Ya‘akov had cooked some stew, ‘Esav came in from the open country, exhausted, 30and said to Ya‘akov, “Please! Let me gulp down some of that red stuff — that red stuff! I’m exhausted!” (This is why he was called Edom [red].) 31Ya‘akov answered, “First sell me your rights as the firstborn.” 32“Look, I’m about to die!” said ‘Esav. “What use to me are my rights as the firstborn?” 33Ya‘akov said, “First, swear to me!” So he swore to him, thus selling his birthright to Ya‘akov. 34Then Ya‘akov gave him bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, got up and went on his way. Thus ‘Esav showed how little he valued his birthright.

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Genesis 25

Other Descendants of Abraham

(1 Chronicles 1.32,33)

1Abraham married another woman, whose name was Keturah. 2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan, and the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were Keturah's descendants.

5Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac; 6but while he was still alive, he gave presents to the sons his other wives had borne him. Then he sent these sons to the land of the East, away from his son Isaac.

The Death and Burial of Abraham

7-8Abraham died at the ripe old age of 175. 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in Machpelah Cave, in the field east of Mamre that had belonged to Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. 10#Gn 23.3-16 It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites; both Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there. 11After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.”

The Descendants of Ishmael

(1 Chronicles 1.28-31)

12Ishmael, whom Hagar, the Egyptian slave of Sarah, bore to Abraham, 13had the following sons, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16They were the ancestors of twelve tribes, and their names were given to their villages and camping places. 17Ishmael was 137 years old when he died. 18The descendants of Ishmael lived in the territory between Havilah and Shur, to the east of Egypt on the way to Assyria. They lived apart from the other descendants of Abraham.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19This is the story of Abraham's son Isaac. 20Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel (an Aramean from Mesopotamia) and sister of Laban. 21Because Rebecca had no children, Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. The Lord answered his prayer, and Rebecca became pregnant. 22She was going to have twins, and before they were born, they struggled against each other in her womb. She said, “Why should something like this happen to me?” So she went to ask the Lord for an answer.

23 # Ro 9.12 The Lord said to her,

“Two nations are within you;

You will give birth to two rival peoples.

One will be stronger than the other;

The older will serve the younger.”

24The time came for her to give birth, and she had twin sons. 25The first one was reddish, and his skin was like a hairy robe, so he was named Esau.#25.25: Esau: This name is taken to refer to Seir, the territory later inhabited by Esau's descendants; Seir sounds like the Hebrew for “hairy.” 26The second one was born holding on tightly to the heel of Esau, so he was named Jacob.#25.26: Jacob: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “heel.” Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Rights as the First-Born Son

27The boys grew up, and Esau became a skilled hunter, a man who loved the outdoors, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home. 28Isaac preferred Esau, because he enjoyed eating the animals Esau killed, but Rebecca preferred Jacob.

29One day while Jacob was cooking some bean soup, Esau came in from hunting. He was hungry 30and said to Jacob, “I'm starving; give me some of that red stuff.” (That is why he was named Edom.#25.30: Edom: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “red.”)

31Jacob answered, “I will give it to you if you give me your rights as the first-born son.”

32Esau said, “All right! I am about to die; what good will my rights do me?”

33 # He 12.16 Jacob answered, “First make a vow that you will give me your rights.”

Esau made the vow and gave his rights to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave him some bread and some of the soup. He ate and drank and then got up and left. That was all Esau cared about his rights as the first-born son.

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