Genesis 25
25
1-2Abraham married a second time; his new wife was named Keturah. She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3Jokshan had Sheba and Dedan.
Dedan’s descendants were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim.
4Midian had Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah—all from the line of Keturah.
5-6But Abraham gave everything he possessed to Isaac. While he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons he had by his concubines, but then sent them away to the country of the east, putting a good distance between them and his son Isaac.
7-11Abraham lived 175 years. Then he took his final breath. He died happy at a ripe old age, full of years, and was buried with his family. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, next to Mamre. It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried next to his wife Sarah. After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived at Beer Lahai Roi.
The Family Tree of Ishmael
12This is the family tree of Ishmael son of Abraham, the son that Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham.
13-16These are the names of Ishmael’s sons in the order of their births: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah—all the sons of Ishmael. Their settlements and encampments were named after them. Twelve princes with their twelve tribes.
17-18Ishmael lived 137 years. When he breathed his last and died he was buried with his family. His children settled down all the way from Havilah near Egypt eastward to Shur in the direction of Assyria. The Ishmaelites didn’t get along with any of their kin.
Jacob and Esau
19-20This is the family tree of Isaac son of Abraham: Abraham had Isaac. Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan Aram. She was the sister of Laban the Aramean.
21-23Isaac prayed hard to God for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said, “If this is the way it’s going to be, why go on living?” She went to God to find out what was going on. God told her,
Two nations are in your womb,
two peoples butting heads while still in your body.
One people will overpower the other,
and the older will serve the younger.
24-26When her time to give birth came, sure enough, there were twins in her womb. The first came out reddish, as if snugly wrapped in a hairy blanket; they named him Esau (Hairy). His brother followed, his fist clutched tight to Esau’s heel; they named him Jacob (Heel). Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.
27-28The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29-30One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, starved. Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stew—I’m starved!” That’s how he came to be called Edom (Red).
31Jacob said, “Make me a trade: my stew for your rights as the firstborn.”
32Esau said, “I’m starving! What good is a birthright if I’m dead?”
33-34Jacob said, “First, swear to me.” And he did it. On oath Esau traded away his rights as the firstborn. Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils. He ate and drank, got up and left. That’s how Esau shrugged off his rights as the firstborn.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Genesis 25
25
Abraham and Keturah’s children
1Abraham married another wife, named Keturah. 2The children she bore him were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s sons were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s sons. 5Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac. 6To the sons of Abraham’s secondary wives, Abraham gave gifts and, while he was still living, sent them away from his son Isaac to land in the east.
Abraham’s death
7Abraham lived to the age of 175. 8Abraham took his last breath and died after a good long life, a content old man, and he was placed with his ancestors. 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave in Machpelah, which is in the field of Zohar’s son Ephron the Hittite, near Mamre. 10Thus Abraham and his wife Sarah were both buried in the field Abraham had purchased from the Hittites. 11After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac lived in Beer-lahai-roi.
Ishmael’s descendants
12These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore for Abraham. 13These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names and according to their birth order: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s oldest son; Kedar; Adbeel; Mibsam; 14Mishma; Dumah; Massa; 15Hadad; Tema; Jetur; Naphish; and Kedemah. 16These are Ishmael’s sons. These are their names by their villages and their settlements: twelve tribal leaders according to their tribes. 17Ishmael lived to the age of 137. He took his last breath and died, and was placed with his ancestors. 18He established camps#25.18 LXX; MT they established camps from Havilah to Shur, which is near Egypt on the road to Assyria. He died#25.18 Or He fell among all of his brothers.
Jacob and Esau are born
19These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean and the sister of Laban the Aramean, from Paddan-aram. 21Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, since she was unable to have children. The LORD was moved by his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22But the boys pushed against each other inside of her, and she said, “If this is what it’s like, why did it happen to me?”#25.22 Heb uncertain
So she went to ask the LORD. 23And the LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb;
two different peoples will emerge from your body.
One people will be stronger than the other;
the older will serve the younger.”
24When she reached the end of her pregnancy, she discovered that she had twins. 25The first came out red all over, clothed with hair, and she named him Esau. 26Immediately afterward, his brother came out gripping Esau’s heel, and she named him Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.
Jacob acquires the oldest son’s rights
27When the young men grew up, Esau became an outdoorsman who knew how to hunt, and Jacob became a quiet man who stayed at home. 28Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29Once when Jacob was boiling stew, Esau came in from the field hungry 30and said to Jacob, “I’m starving! Let me devour some of this red stuff.” That’s why his name is Edom.#25.30 Or red
31Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright#25.31 Or oldest son’s rights today.”
32Esau said, “Since I’m going to die anyway, what good is my birthright to me?”
33Jacob said, “Give me your word today.” And he did. He sold his birthright to Jacob. 34So Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate, drank, got up, and left, showing just how little he thought of his birthright.
2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.