Genesis 25
25
1Then again Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] took a wife, and her name [was] K’turah (Incense).
2And she bore him Zimran (musician), and Yokshan (One Who Sets A Snare, or Fowler), and Medan, and Midyan [Strife] (Strife; Place Of Judgment), and Yishbak, and Shuach.
3And Yokshan (One Who Sets A Snare, or Fowler) begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Sh’va (oath; seven; splinters), and D’dan. And the sons of D’dan were Ashurim (level plain; over the flames), and L’tushim (Sharp or Sharpened), and L’umim (Peoples).
4And the sons of Midyan [Strife] (Strife; Place Of Judgment); ‘Eifah (means both: Volant [having the power of flight] and Dark One), and ‘Efer (Young Deer), and Hanokh (Dedicated), and Avida (The Father Knows; my father knows), and Elda’ah ([EL] God has known; God Has Called; Knowledge Of God; God is Knowledge). All these [were] the children of K’turah (Incense).
5And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] gave all that he had unto Yitz’chak [Laughter].
6But unto the sons of the concubines, which Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] had, Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] gave gifts, and sent them away from Yitz’chak [Laughter] his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
7And these [are] the days of the years of Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.
8Then Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full [of years]; and was gathered to his people.
9And his sons Yitz’chak [Laughter] and Yishma’el (He Will Hear God; God hears [EL]) buried him in the cave of Makhpelah (portion; double cave), in the field of ‘Efron (fawn-like) the son of Tzochar (shining oil; brightness) the Hitti (terrorists), which [is] before Mamre (firmness; fatling (fat cattle) offering);
10The field which Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] purchased of the sons of Het (terror): there was Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] buried, and Sarah [Princess] his wife.
11And it came to pass after the death of Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], that God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) his son Yitz’chak [Laughter]; and Yitz’chak [Laughter] dwelt by the well Be’er-Lachai-Ro’I (the well of the living One who sees).
12Now these [are] the generations of Yishma’el (He Will Hear God; God hears [EL]), Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] son, whom Hagar (Flight) the Mitzrayimot (People of the Black Land) [the Egyptian] Sarah’s [Princess] female servant, bore unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will]:
13And these [are] the names of the sons of Yishma’el, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Yishma’el, N’vayot; and Kedar [dark] (dark), and Adbe’el (chastened of God [EL]), and Mivsam (sweet odour),
14And Mishma (a hearing), and Dumah [Silence] (silence), and Massa (burden),
15Hadad [mighty] (honour), and Teima (desert), Y’tur (enclosed), Nafish (refreshment), and Kedmah (original):
16These [are] the sons of Yishma’el (He Will Hear God; God hears [EL]), and these [are] their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.
17And these [are] the years of the life of Yishma’el (He Will Hear God; God hears [EL]), an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.
18And they dwelt from Havilah (circle, Stretch of Sand) unto Shur [wall] (wall), that [is] before Mitzrayim [Egypt] (Double Distress or Double Stronghold, Black Land), as youi go toward Ashur [the level plain] [the land of the sons of Shem (name, renown (great reputation; being well-known))]: [and] he died in the presence of all his brethren.
19And these [are] the generations of Yitz’chak [Laughter], Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] son: Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] begat (to be father of; be ancestor of) Yitz’chak [Laughter]:
20And Yitz’chak [Laughter] was forty years old when he took Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) to wife, the daughter of B’tu’el the Arami [Arami [exalted]] (level plain) of Paddan-aram (a place of height; field; plain), the sister to Lavan (to be white; white guy) the Arami [Arami [exalted]] (level plain).
21And Yitz’chak [Laughter] entreated the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) for his wife, because she [was] barren: and the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) was entreated of him, and Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) his wife conceived.
22And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I in this way? And she went to enquire of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).
23And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto her, Two nations [are] in youri womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from youri bowels (inward parts; affections); and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
24And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, [there were] twins in her womb.
25And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name ‘Esav (hairy).
26And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on ‘Esav’s (hairy) heel; and his name was called Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of): and Yitz’chak [Laughter] [was] threescore years old when she bore them.
27And the boys grew: and ‘Esav (hairy) was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
28And Yitz’chak [Laughter] loved ‘Esav (hairy), because he did eat of [his] venison: but Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) loved Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of).
29And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) coocked (boiled) pottage [stew]: and ‘Esav (hairy) came from the field, and he [was] faint:
30And ‘Esav (hairy) said to Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), Feed me, I pray youi, with that same red [pottage]; for I [am] faint: therefore was his name called Edom (red, ruddy (reddish hair or complexion)).
31And Ya’akov said, Sell me this day youri birthright.
32And ‘Esav (hairy) said, Behold, I [am] at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
33And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) said, Swear to me this day; and he swore unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Ya’akov.
34Then Ya’akov gave ‘Esav (hairy) bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: in this way ‘Esav despised [his] birthright.
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Genesis 25
25
Abraham Marries Keturah
1Abraham married Keturah, 2and they had six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Later, Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan, and when Dedan grew up, he had three sons: Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4Midian also had five sons: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
5-6While Abraham was still alive, he gave gifts to the sons of Hagar and Keturah. He also sent their sons to live in the east far from his son Isaac, and when Abraham died, he left everything to Isaac.
The Death of Abraham
7-8Abraham died at the ripe old age of 175. 9-10#Gn 23.3-18. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him east of Hebron#25.9,10 Hebron: See the note at 23.16-18. in Machpelah Cave that was part of the field Abraham had bought from Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. Abraham was buried there beside his wife Sarah. 11God blessed Isaac after this, and Isaac moved to a place called “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.”#25.11 The Well … Sees Me: Or “Beer-Lahai-Roi,” (see 16.14).
Ishmael's Descendants
12Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar, the slave woman of Sarah. 13Ishmael had twelve sons, in this order: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16Each of Ishmael's sons was a tribal chief, and a village was named after each of them.
17-18Ishmael had settled in the land east of his brothers, and his sons#25.17,18 sons: Or “descendants.” settled everywhere from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt on the way to Asshur.#25.17,18 Havilah to Shur … Asshur: The exact location of these places is not known. Ishmael was 137 when he died.
The Birth of Esau and Jacob
19Isaac was the son of Abraham, 20and he was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel. She was also the sister of Laban, the Aramean from northern Syria.#25.20 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10.
Almost 20 years later, 21Rebekah still had no children. So Isaac asked the Lord to let her have a child, and the Lord answered his prayer.
22Before Rebekah gave birth, she knew she was going to have twins, because she could feel them inside her, fighting each other. She thought, “Why is this happening to me?” Finally, she asked the Lord why her twins were fighting, 23#Ro 9.11,12. and he told her:
“Your two sons will become
two separate nations.#25.23 two separate nations: Or “two nations always in conflict.”
The younger of the two
will be stronger,
and the older son
will be his servant.”
24When Rebekah gave birth, 25the first baby was covered with red hair, so he was named Esau.#25.25 Esau: In Hebrew “Esau” sounds like “hairy.” 26The second baby grabbed on to his brother's heel, so they named him Jacob.#25.26 Jacob: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “heel.” Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.
Esau Sells His Rights as the First-Born Son
27As Jacob and Esau grew older, Esau liked the outdoors and became a good hunter, while Jacob lived the quiet life of a shepherd.#25.27 of a shepherd: Hebrew “in tents.” 28Esau would take the meat of wild animals to his father Isaac, so Isaac loved him more, but Jacob was his mother's favorite son.
29One day, when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came home hungry 30and said, “I'm starving to death! Here and now give me some of that red stew!” That's how Esau got the name “Edom.”#25.30 Edom: In Hebrew “Edom” sounds like “red.”
31Jacob replied, “Sell me your rights as the first-born son.”#25.31 rights … son: The first-born son inherited the largest amount of property, as well as the leadership of the family.
32“I'm about to die,” Esau answered. “What good will those rights do me?”
33 #
He 12.16. But Jacob said, “Promise me your birthrights, here and now!” And that's what Esau did. 34Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left, showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born.
Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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