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

The Death of Abraham

1Ch 1:32–33

1Then Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2#1Ch 1:32–33And she bore to him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

5#Ge 24:36Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6#Ge 21:14; Jdg 6:3But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living, he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward to the east country.

7#Ge 12:4These are the years of Abraham’s life that he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. 8#Ge 49:33; 15:15; 25:17Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9#Ge 35:29; 50:13His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10#Ge 23:16; 49:31the field that Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11#Ge 16:14; 24:62After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived at Beer Lahai Roi.

Sons of Ishmael

1Ch 1:29–31

12These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

13#1Ch 1:29–31; Isa 60:7These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15#1Ch 5:19Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16#Ge 17:20These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names, by their towns and their settlements, twelve princes according to their peoples. 17These were the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died; and he was gathered to his people. 18#Ge 16:12; 20:1They lived from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He died in the presence of all his relatives.

The Births of Jacob and Esau

19#Mt 1:2These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son.

Abraham was the father of Isaac. 20#Ge 24:29; 22:23; 24:67Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as his wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

21#1Ch 5:20; 2Ch 33:13Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22#1Sa 9:9; 10:22But the children struggled together within her, and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.

23#Ge 27:29; 27:40Then the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples will be separated from your body;

one people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”

24Now when the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. 25#Ge 27:11; 27:16The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment, and they called his name Esau. 26#Ge 27:36; Hos 12:3After that his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27#Heb 11:9So the boys grew. Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a calm man, living in tents. 28#Ge 27:19; 27:4Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

29Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field and he was famished. 30So Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

31Then Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.”

32Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; of what use is the birthright to me?”

33#Heb 12:16; Ge 27:36Then Jacob said, “Swear to me this day.” So he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.

34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. Then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way.

Thus Esau despised his birthright.

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Genesis 25

Genesis 25