1Abraham had married another woman. Her name was Keturah. 2She had Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah by Abraham. 3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The children of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All of them were members of Keturah’s family line.

5Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines. Then he sent them away from his son Isaac. He sent them to the land of the east.

7Abraham lived a total of 175 years. 8He took his last breath and died when he was very old. He had lived a very long time. Then he joined the members of his family who had already died. 9Abraham’s sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. They put his body in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre. It was in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite. 10Abraham had bought the field from the Hittites. He was buried there with his wife Sarah. 11After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac. At that time Isaac was living near Beer Lahai Roi.

The Sons of Ishmael

12Here is the story of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael by Abraham. Hagar was Sarah’s slave from Egypt.

13Here are the names of the sons of Ishmael. They are listed in the order they were born.

Nebaioth was Ishmael’s oldest son.

Then came Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

15Hadad, Tema, Jetur,

Naphish and Kedemah.

16All of them were Ishmael’s sons. They were rulers of 12 tribes. They all lived in their own settlements and camps.

17Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. Then he took his last breath and died. He joined the members of his family who had already died. 18His children settled in the area between Havilah and Shur. It was near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. Ishmael’s children weren’t friendly toward any of the tribes related to them.

Jacob and Esau

19Here is the story of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham was the father of Isaac. 20Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean from Paddan Aram. She was also the sister of Laban, the Aramean.

21Rebekah couldn’t have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. And the Lord answered his prayer. His wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22The babies struggled with each other inside her. She said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to ask the Lord what she should do.

23The Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your body.

Two tribes that are now inside you will be separated.

One nation will be stronger than the other.

The older son will serve the younger one.”

24The time came for Rebekah to have her babies. There were twin boys in her body. 25The first one to come out was red. His whole body was covered with hair. So they named him Esau. 26Then his brother came out. His hand was holding onto Esau’s heel. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah had them.

27The boys grew up. Esau became a skillful hunter. He liked the open country. But Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28Isaac liked the meat of wild animals. So Esau was his favorite son. But Rebekah’s favorite was Jacob.

29One day Jacob was cooking some stew. Esau came in from the open country. He was very hungry. 30He said to Jacob, “Quick! I’m very hungry! Let me have some of that red stew!” That’s why he was also named Edom.

31Jacob replied, “First sell me the rights that belong to you as the oldest son in the family.”

32“Look, I’m dying of hunger,” Esau said. “What good are those rights to me?”

33But Jacob said, “First promise to sell me your rights.” So Esau promised to do it. He sold Jacob all the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.

34Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. Esau ate and drank. Then he got up and left.

So Esau didn’t value the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son.

Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®

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Genesis 25

Abraham and Keturah

(1 Chronicles 1:32–33)

1Now Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah, 2and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.

4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.

All these were descendants of Keturah.

5Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 6But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

The Death of Abraham

7Abraham lived a total of 175 years. 8And at a ripe old age he breathed his last and died, old and contented, and was gathered to his people.

9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. 10This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.

11After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.

The Descendants of Ishmael

(1 Chronicles 1:28–31)

12This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments—twelve princes of their tribes. 17Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. Then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.

18Ishmael’s descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is near the border of Egypt as you go toward Asshur.#25:18 Or Assyria And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

Jacob and Esau

(Malachi 1:1–5; Romans 9:6–29)

19This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram #25:20 That is, northwest Mesopotamia and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

21Later, Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.

22But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the Lord, 23and He declared to her:

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you will be separated;

one people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”#25:23 Cited in Romans 9:12

24When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau.#25:25 Esau sounds like a Hebrew term that means hairy. 26After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.#25:26 Jacob means he grasps the heel or he deceives. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

27When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home. 28Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

29One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished. 30He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.#25:30 Edom means red.)

31“First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied.

32“Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

33“Swear to me first,” Jacob said.

So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright. 34Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

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Genesis 25

Genesis 25