Genesis 25

Abraham’s Death

1Now Abraham took another wife, #25:1 Lit and her namewhose name was Keturah. 2She bore to him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were the sons of Keturah. 5Now Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac; 6but to the sons of #25:6 Lit concubines which belonged to Abrahamhis concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and sent them away from his son Isaac eastward, to the land of the east.

7These are #25:7 Lit the days ofall the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, 175 years. 8Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people. 9Then his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre, 10the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth; there Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11It came about after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac #25:11 Lit dweltlived by Beer-lahai-roi.

Descendants of Ishmael

12Now these are the records of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave woman, bore to Abraham; 13and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, #25:13 Lit in regard to their generationsin the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their #25:16 Or peoplestribes. 17These are the years of the life of Ishmael, 137 years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18They #25:18 Lit dweltsettled from Havilah to Shur which is #25:18 Lit beforeeast of Egypt #25:18 Lit as you gogoing toward Assyria; he #25:18 Lit fell over againstsettled in defiance of all his relatives.

Isaac’s Sons

19Now these are the records of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac; 20and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the #25:20 I.e., SyrianAramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the #25:20 I.e., SyrianAramean, to be his wife. 21Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and the Lord #25:21 Lit was entreated of himanswered him, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why am I in this condition?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb;

And two peoples will be separated from your body;

And one people will be stronger than the other;

And the older will serve the younger.”

24When her days leading to the delivery were at an end, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25Now the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. 26Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so he was named #25:26 I.e., one who takes by the heel or supplantsJacob; and Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

27When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a #25:27 Lit completecivilized man, living in tents. 28Now Isaac loved Esau because #25:28 Lit game was in his mouthhe had a taste for game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29When Jacob had cooked a stew one day, Esau came in from the field and he was exhausted; 30and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a mouthful of #25:30 Lit the red, this redthat red stuff there, for I am exhausted.” Therefore he was called #25:30 I.e., redEdom by name. 31But Jacob said, “#25:31 Lit TodayFirst sell me your birthright.” 32Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” 33And Jacob said, “#25:33 Lit TodayFirst swear to me”; so he swore an oath to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

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Genesis 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.

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