1Abraham then married another woman. Her name was Keturah. 2She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. 3Jokshan later became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. 4Midian had sons who were called Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All those were descendants of Abraham's wife, Keturah. 5When Abraham died, he left everything that belonged to him to Isaac. 6But while he was still alive, he gave gifts to the sons of his slave wives. He sent these sons away to the land of the east. He wanted to keep them far away from Isaac.

7Abraham lived for 175 years. 8He died after a good and long life, when he was very old. He joined his ancestors who had died before him. 9His sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried his body in the cave of Machpelah. That was near Mamre. The cave is in the field that belonged to Zohar's son, Ephron. He was a Hittite. 10Abraham had bought the field from the Hittites.

So they buried Abraham there. It was in the cave where his wife, Sarah, had also been buried.

11After Abraham's death, God blessed his son, Isaac. Isaac was living near Beer Lahai Roi.

Ishmael's family

12This is the report about Abraham's son, Ishmael, and his family.

Sarah's female servant gave birth to Ishmael. Her name was Hagar. She was from Egypt. 13These are the names of Ishmael's sons. The list starts from the firstborn son and ends with the last son. Nebaioth was the first son of Ishmael. Then there were Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 16These were all Ishmael's sons. Their names became the names of 12 groups of people. They separated and lived in their own lands. Ishmael's sons ruled over the 12 groups of people. 17Ishmael lived for 137 years then he died. He joined his ancestors who had died before him. 18Ishmael's descendants lived in the lands from Havilah to Shur. These are near Egypt, towards Asshur. They were always at war with each other. #25:18 The Lord had told Hagar about this in Genesis 16:12.

Jacob and Esau

19This is the report about Abraham's son, Isaac, and his family.

Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20When Isaac was 40 years old, he married Rebekah. Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel. Bethuel was an Aramean from Paddan Aram. She was the sister of Laban the Aramean. 21Rebekah could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for Rebekah. The Lord did as Isaac asked. And Isaac's wife, Rebekah, became pregnant. 22The babies inside her were fighting with each other. Rebekah said, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ So Rebekah went to ask the Lord. 23The Lord said to Rebekah, ‘The two children who are in your body will become two separate nations of people. One group will be stronger than the other. The older son will become a servant to the younger son.’ #25:23 At that time, the youngest son would always be a servant to the oldest son. But this time, God chose the youngest son to be master over the oldest son.

24The time came for Rebekah to give birth. There were two babies inside her. 25The first baby to come out had a red body. Hair covered the whole of his body. They called him Esau. 26After this, his brother came out. His hand was holding the back of Esau's foot. They called him Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

27Time passed and the boys grew. Esau became a good hunter, out in the fields. Jacob was a quiet man. He stayed near to the tents. 28Isaac liked to eat the meat from the animals that Esau killed. So he loved Esau. But Rebekah loved Jacob.

29One day, Jacob was cooking a meal. Esau came back from the country. He was very hungry. 30He said to Jacob ‘Quick, let me have some of that red food! I am very hungry.’ (That is why he was also called Edom.) #25:30 Edom means red. 31Jacob said, ‘You must first sell me your birthright.’ #25:31 In the Old Testament, the oldest son had the birthright. This means that he would be the leader of his family when his father died. And he would get two parts of the things that had belonged to his father.

32Esau said, ‘Look, I am so hungry that I will die. Then my birthright will not help me at all!’

33Jacob said, ‘First, make a serious promise to me.’ So Esau promised to sell his birthright to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and the soup made from grains. Esau ate the food and he drank. Then he got up and he left.

In that way, Esau showed that he did not think that his birthright was important. #25:34 Now Jacob had the birthright. Jacob was the younger son. Jacob would receive God's promise that he had made with Abraham. This promise was also for Isaac. When Isaac died, it would pass to Jacob. This is what God had told Rebekah. See verse 23.

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Genesis 25

Abraham’s Other Wife and Sons

1Now Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah, # 1Ch 1:32-33 2and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s sons were the Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4And Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were sons of Keturah. 5Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac. # Gn 24:35-36 6And Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, but while he was still alive he sent them eastward, away from his son Isaac, to the land of the East. # Gn 21:14

Abraham’s Death

7This is the length of Abraham’s life: # Lit And these are the days of the years of the lives of Abraham that he lived 175 years. 8He took his last breath and died at a ripe old age, # Gn 15:15; 47:8-9 old and contented, # Sam, LXX, Syr read full of days and he was gathered to his people. # Gn 25:17; 35:29; 49:29,33 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah # Gn 23:17-18; 49:29-30; 50:13 near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. 10This was the field that Abraham bought from the Hittites. # Gn 23:16; 50:13 Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah. 11After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi. # Gn 16:14; 24:62

Ishmael’s Family Records

12These are the family records # Gn 2:4; 25:19 of Abraham’s son Ishmael, # 1Ch 1:29-31 whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of Ishmael’s sons; their names according to the family records are: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are Ishmael’s sons, and these are their names by their villages and encampments: 12 leaders # Or chieftains # Gn 17:20 of their clans. # Or peoples 17This is the length # Lit And these are the years of Ishmael’s life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people. 18And they # LXX, Vg read he settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur. He # = Ishmael and his descendants lived in opposition to # Or He settled down alongside of all his brothers. # Gn 16:12

The Birth of Jacob and Esau

19These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac. # Mt 1:2 20Isaac was 40 years old when he took as his wife Rebekah # Gn 24:15,29,67 daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram # Gn 22:23 and sister of Laban the Aramean. # Gn 24:29 21Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. # Gn 11:30; 29:31; Ex 23:26; Jdg 13:2-3; 1Sm 2:5; Jb 24:21; Is 54:1; Lk 1:36; 23:29; Gl 4:27; Heb 11:11 The Lord heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. # 1Sm 1:17; 1Ch 5:20; 2Ch 33:13; Ezr 8:23; Ps 127:3; Rm 9:10 22But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me? ” # Lit If thus, why this I So she went to inquire of the Lord. # 1Sm 9:9; 10:22 23And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb;

two people will come from you and be separated.

One people will be stronger than the other, # 2Sm 8:14; Ob 18-21

and the older will serve the younger. # Gn 27:29; Mal 1:2-3; Rm 9:12

24When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25The first one came out red-looking, # In Hb, the word red-looking sounds like “Edom”; Gn 32:3. covered with hair # In Hb, the word hair sounds like “Seir”; Gn 32:3. like a fur coat, and they named him Esau. # Gn 27:11,16,23 26After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand. # Hs 12:3 So he was named Jacob. # = He Grasps the Heel # Gn 27:36 Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Birthright

27When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman, # Lit a man of the field but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home. # Lit man living in tents 28Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. # Gn 27:4-9

29Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. 30He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom. # = Red

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

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

33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. 34Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright. # Heb 12:16-17

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Genesis 25

Genesis 25