Genesis 25
25
The death of Abraham
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 one hundred and seventy-five. 9-10His 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.#Gn 23.3-16. 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 one hundred and thirty-seven when he died.
Isaac and his family
The birth of Esau and Jacob
19Isaac was the son of Abraham, 20and he was forty 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 twenty 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, 23and he told her:#Ro 9.12.
“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 elder 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 his brother's heel, so they named him Jacob.#25.26 Jacob: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “heel”. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.
Esau sells his rights as the firstborn son
27As Jacob and Esau grew older, Esau liked the outdoors and became a good hunter, while Jacob settled down and became a shepherd. 28Esau would take the meat of wild animals to his father Isaac, and so Isaac loved him more, but Jacob was his mother's favourite son.
29One day, Jacob was cooking some stew, when Esau came home hungry 30and said, “I'm starving to death! Give me some of that red stew at once!” 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 firstborn son.”#25.31 rights…son: The firstborn 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?”
33But Jacob said, “Promise me your birthrights, here and now!” And that's what Esau did.#He 12.16. 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 firstborn.
© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Genesis 25
25
1 In truth, Abraham took another wife, named Keturah.
2 And she bore to him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 Likewise, Jokshan conceived Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4 And truly, from Midian was born Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.
5 And Abraham gave everything that he possessed to Isaac.
6 But to the sons of the concubines he gave generous gifts, and he separated them from his son Isaac, while he still lived, toward the eastern region.
7 Now the days of Abraham's life were one hundred and seventy-five years.
8 And declining, he died in a good old age, and at an advanced stage of life, and full of days. And he was gathered to his people.
9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the double cave, which was situated in the field of Ephron, of the son of Zohar the Hittite, across from the region of Mamre,
10 which he had bought from the sons of Heth. There he was buried, with his wife Sarah.
11 And after his passing, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near the well named 'of the One who lives and who sees.'
12 These are the generations of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to him.
13 And these are the names of his sons according to their language and generations. The firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
14 likewise Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,
15 Hadad, and Tema, and Jetur, and Naphish, and Kedemah.
16 These are the sons of Ishmael. And these are their names throughout their fortresses and towns: the twelve princes of their tribes.
17 And the years of the life of Ishmael that passed were one hundred and thirty-seven. And declining, he died and was placed with his people.
18 Now he had lived from Havilah as far as Shur, which overlooks Egypt as it approaches the Assyrians. He passed away in the sight of all his brothers.
19 Likewise, these are the generations of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Abraham conceived Isaac,
20 who, when he was forty years old, took Rebekah, the sister of Laban, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian from Mesopotamia, as a wife.
21 And Isaac beseeched the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And he heard him, and he gave conception to Rebekah.
22 But the little ones struggled in her womb. So she said, "If it was to be so with me, what need was there to conceive?" And she went to consult the Lord.
23 And responding, he said, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be divided out of your womb, and one people will overcome the other people, and the elder will serve the younger."
24 Now the time had arrived to give birth, and behold, twins were discovered in her womb.
25 He who departed first was red, and entirely hairy like a pelt; and his name was called Esau. At once the other departed and he held his brother's foot in his hand; and because of this he was called Jacob.
26 Isaac was sixty years old when the little ones were born to him.
27 And as adults, Esau became a knowledgeable hunter and a man of agriculture, but Jacob, a simple man, dwelt in tents.
28 Isaac was fond of Esau, because he was fed from his hunting; and Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Then Jacob boiled a small meal. Esau, when he had arrived weary from the field,
30 said to him, "Give me this red stew, for I am very tired." For this reason, his name was called Edom.
31 Jacob said to him, "Sell me your right of the firstborn."
32 He answered, "Lo, I am dying, what will the right of the firstborn provide for me?"
33 Jacob said, "So then, swear to me." Esau swore to him, and he sold his right of the firstborn.
34 And so, taking bread and the food of lentils, he ate, and he drank, and he went away, giving little weight to having sold the right of the firstborn.