Genesis 25:19-27

EasyEnglish Bible

Jacob and Esau

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

Abraham became the father of Isaac. ²⁰ When 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. ²¹ Rebekah 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. ²² The babies inside her were fighting with each other. Rebekah said, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ So Rebekah went to ask the Lord. ²³ The 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.’^[a]

²⁴ The time came for Rebekah to give birth. There were two babies inside her. ²⁵ The first baby to come out had a red body. Hair covered the whole of his body. They called him Esau. ²⁶ After 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.

²⁷ Time 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.