21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.(A) The Lord answered his prayer,(B) and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.(C)

23 The Lord said to her,

“Two nations(D) 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.(E)

24 When the time came for her to give birth,(F) there were twin boys in her womb.(G) 25 The first to come out was red,(H) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;(I) so they named him Esau.[a](J) 26 After this, his brother came out,(K) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;(L) so he was named Jacob.[b](M) Isaac was sixty years old(N) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter,(O) a man of the open country,(P) while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,(Q) loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.(R)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:25 Esau may mean hairy.
  2. Genesis 25:26 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.

Bible Gateway Recommends