1Abraham married Keturah, 2and they had six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Later, Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan, and when Dedan grew up, he had three sons: Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4Midian also had five sons: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.

5-6While Abraham was still alive, he gave gifts to the sons of Hagar and Keturah. He also sent their sons to live in the east far from his son Isaac, and when Abraham died, he left everything to Isaac.

The Death of Abraham

7-8Abraham died at the ripe old age of 175. 9-10#Gn 23.3-18. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him east of Hebron#25.9,10 Hebron: See the note at 23.16-18. in Machpelah Cave that was part of the field Abraham had bought from Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. Abraham was buried there beside his wife Sarah. 11God blessed Isaac after this, and Isaac moved to a place called “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.”#25.11 The Well … Sees Me: Or “Beer-Lahai-Roi,” (see 16.14).

Ishmael's Descendants

12Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar, the slave woman of Sarah. 13Ishmael had twelve sons, in this order: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16Each of Ishmael's sons was a tribal chief, and a village was named after each of them.

17-18Ishmael had settled in the land east of his brothers, and his sons#25.17,18 sons: Or “descendants.” settled everywhere from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt on the way to Asshur.#25.17,18 Havilah to Shur … Asshur: The exact location of these places is not known. Ishmael was 137 when he died.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19Isaac was the son of Abraham, 20and he was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel. She was also the sister of Laban, the Aramean from northern Syria.#25.20 northern Syria: See the note at 24.10.

Almost 20 years later, 21Rebekah still had no children. So Isaac asked the Lord to let her have a child, and the Lord answered his prayer.

22Before Rebekah gave birth, she knew she was going to have twins, because she could feel them inside her, fighting each other. She thought, “Why is this happening to me?” Finally, she asked the Lord why her twins were fighting, 23#Ro 9.11,12. and he told her:

“Your two sons will become

two separate nations.#25.23 two separate nations: Or “two nations always in conflict.”

The younger of the two

will be stronger,

and the older son

will be his servant.”

24When Rebekah gave birth, 25the first baby was covered with red hair, so he was named Esau.#25.25 Esau: In Hebrew “Esau” sounds like “hairy.” 26The second baby grabbed on to his brother's heel, so they named him Jacob.#25.26 Jacob: In Hebrew “Jacob” sounds like “heel.” Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Rights as the First-Born Son

27As Jacob and Esau grew older, Esau liked the outdoors and became a good hunter, while Jacob lived the quiet life of a shepherd.#25.27 of a shepherd: Hebrew “in tents.” 28Esau would take the meat of wild animals to his father Isaac, so Isaac loved him more, but Jacob was his mother's favorite son.

29One day, when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came home hungry 30and said, “I'm starving to death! Here and now give me some of that red stew!” That's how Esau got the name “Edom.”#25.30 Edom: In Hebrew “Edom” sounds like “red.”

31Jacob replied, “Sell me your rights as the first-born son.”#25.31 rights … son: The first-born son inherited the largest amount of property, as well as the leadership of the family.

32“I'm about to die,” Esau answered. “What good will those rights do me?”

33 # He 12.16. But Jacob said, “Promise me your birthrights, here and now!” And that's what Esau did. 34Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left, showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)

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Genesis 25

1¶ Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

2And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3And Jokshan begat Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

4And the sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

5And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

6But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

7And these were the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, one hundred seventy-five years.

8Then Abraham expired and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

9And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is in front of Mamre;

10the field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth, there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

11¶ And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi. {Heb. the Living One who sees me}

12Now these are the generations of Ishmael, son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, gave birth unto Abraham:

13And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their lineages: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

15Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns and by their palaces; twelve princes according to their families.

17And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, one hundred thirty-seven years; and Ishmael expired and died and was gathered unto his people.

18And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria; and he fell in the presence of all his brethren.

19¶ And these are the generations of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac;

20and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel, the Aramean of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Aramean.

21And Isaac prayed unto the Lord for his wife because she was barren; and the Lord accepted him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22And the sons struggled together within her; and she said, If this is so, why should I live? And she went to enquire of the Lord.

23And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of peoples shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

24And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26And afterwards his brother came out with Esau’s heel grasped in his hand; and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

27And the boys grew, and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was an upright man, remaining in the tents.

28And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his venison; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29¶ And Jacob boiled pottage; and Esau came from the field, and he was faint;

30and Esau said to Jacob, Give me to eat, I pray thee, of that red pottage; for I am faint. Therefore was his name called Edom.

31And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore unto him and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34Then Jacob gave Esau of the bread and of the pottage of lentils; and he ate and drank, and rose up, and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International

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Genesis 25

Genesis 25