1Abraham married another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s descendants were the Asshurites, Letushites, and Leummites. 4Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These were all descendants of Abraham through Keturah.

5Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. 6But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to a land in the east, away from Isaac.

7Abraham lived for 175 years, 8and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. 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 Abraham had purchased from the Hittites and where he had buried his wife Sarah. 11After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who settled near Beer-lahai-roi in the Negev.

Ishmael’s Descendants

12This is the account of the family of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian servant. 13Here is a list, by their names and clans, of Ishmael’s descendants: The oldest was Nebaioth, followed by Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped. 17Ishmael lived for 137 years. Then he breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. 18Ishmael’s descendants occupied the region from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur. There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives.#25:18 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

The Births of Esau and Jacob

19This is the account of the family of Isaac, the son of Abraham. 20When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

21Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. 22But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.

23And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

24And when the time came to give birth, Rebekah discovered that she did indeed have twins! 25The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau.#25:25 Esau sounds like a Hebrew term that means “hair.” 26Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. So they named him Jacob.#25:26 Jacob sounds like the Hebrew words for “heel” and “deceiver.” Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

Esau Sells His Birthright

27As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. 28Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. 30Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”)

31“All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.”

32“Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?”

33But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.

34Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.

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Genesis 25

Abraham’s Death and His Descendants

1Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2#1 Chr. 1:32, 33She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5#ch. 24:36Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he #ch. 21:14 sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward #[Judg. 6:3]to the east country.

7These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. 8Abraham #ver. 17; ch. 35:29; 49:33 breathed his last and #ch. 15:15died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9Isaac and Ishmael #ch. 35:29his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10the field #ch. 23:16; 50:13 that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. #ch. 49:30, 31There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at #ch. 16:14; 24:62Beer-lahai-roi.

12These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, #ch. 16:15whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. 13#1 Chr. 1:29-31 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: #Isa. 60:7Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and #Isa. 60:7Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, #Job 6:19; Isa. 21:14 Tema, #1 Chr. 5:19Jetur, #1 Chr. 5:19Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, #ch. 17:20twelve princes according to their tribes. 17(These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He #ver. 8breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18#1 Sam. 15:7 They settled from Havilah to #ch. 16:7; 20:1; Ex. 15:22Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled#25:18 Hebrew fell over against all his kinsmen.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: #Matt. 1:2Abraham fathered Isaac, 20and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, #ch. 22:23 the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of #See ch. 28:2 Paddan-aram, #ch. 24:29the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And #2 Sam. 21:14; 24:25; 1 Chr. 5:20; 2 Chr. 33:13; Ezra 8:23the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”#25:22 Or why do I live? So she went #[1 Sam. 9:9]to inquire of the Lord. 23And the Lord said to her,

# ch. 17:16; 24:60 “Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you#25:23 Or from birth shall be divided;

# [2 Sam. 8:14]; See Obad. 18-21 the one shall be stronger than the other,

# ch. 27:29, 40; Cited Rom. 9:12 the older shall serve the younger.”

24When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25The first came out red, #ch. 27:11, 16, 23all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26Afterward his brother came out with #Hos. 12:3 his hand holding Esau’s heel, so #ch. 27:36his name was called Jacob.#25:26 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27When the boys grew up, Esau was #ch. 27:3, 5 a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, #Heb. 11:9dwelling in tents. 28Isaac loved Esau because #ch. 27:4, 7, 9he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

29Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.#25:30 Edom sounds like the Hebrew for red) 31Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and #Heb. 12:16sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

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Genesis 25

Genesis 25