Genesis 25

1-2Abraham married a second time; his new wife was named Keturah. She gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3Jokshan had Sheba and Dedan.

Dedan’s descendants were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim.

4Midian had Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah—all from the line of Keturah.

5-6But Abraham gave everything he possessed to Isaac. While he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons he had by his concubines, but then sent them away to the country of the east, putting a good distance between them and his son Isaac.

7-11Abraham lived 175 years. Then he took his final breath. He died happy at a ripe old age, full of years, and was buried with his family. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, next to Mamre. It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried next to his wife Sarah. After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived at Beer Lahai Roi.

The Family Tree of Ishmael

12This is the family tree of Ishmael son of Abraham, the son that Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham.

13-16These are the names of Ishmael’s sons in the order of their births: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah—all the sons of Ishmael. Their settlements and encampments were named after them. Twelve princes with their twelve tribes.

17-18Ishmael lived 137 years. When he breathed his last and died he was buried with his family. His children settled down all the way from Havilah near Egypt eastward to Shur in the direction of Assyria. The Ishmaelites didn’t get along with any of their kin.

Jacob and Esau

19-20This is the family tree of Isaac son of Abraham: Abraham had Isaac. Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan Aram. She was the sister of Laban the Aramean.

21-23Isaac prayed hard to God for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said, “If this is the way it’s going to be, why go on living?” She went to God to find out what was going on. God told her,

Two nations are in your womb,

two peoples butting heads while still in your body.

One people will overpower the other,

and the older will serve the younger.

24-26When her time to give birth came, sure enough, there were twins in her womb. The first came out reddish, as if snugly wrapped in a hairy blanket; they named him Esau (Hairy). His brother followed, his fist clutched tight to Esau’s heel; they named him Jacob (Heel). Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

27-28The boys grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob was a quiet man preferring life indoors among the tents. Isaac loved Esau because he loved his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29-30One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, starved. Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stew—I’m starved!” That’s how he came to be called Edom (Red).

31Jacob said, “Make me a trade: my stew for your rights as the firstborn.”

32Esau said, “I’m starving! What good is a birthright if I’m dead?”

33-34Jacob said, “First, swear to me.” And he did it. On oath Esau traded away his rights as the firstborn. Jacob gave him bread and the stew of lentils. He ate and drank, got up and left. That’s how Esau shrugged off 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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The Message

Genesis 25

Genesis 25