Genesis 25:21-28

English Standard Version

²¹And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And ^(A)the 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?”^[a] So she went ^(B)to inquire of the Lord. ²³And the Lord said to her,

^(C)“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you^[b] shall be divided;
^(D)the one shall be stronger than the other,
^(E)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, ^(F)all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. ²⁶Afterward his brother came out with ^(G)his hand holding Esau's heel, so ^(H)his name was called Jacob.^[c] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

²⁷When the boys grew up, Esau was ^(I)a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, ^(J)dwelling in tents. ²⁸Isaac loved Esau because ^(K)he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

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