Genesis 25

New Life Version

The Death of Abraham

25 Abraham took another wife whose name was Keturah. ² She gave birth to his sons, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. ³ Jokshan became the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. ⁴ The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

⁵ Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. ⁶ But while he was still living, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the women he kept who acted as his wives. And he sent them to the land of the East, away from his son Isaac. ⁷ Abraham lived 175 years. ⁸ Then Abraham breathed his last and died, after living a long and full life of many good years, and was buried with his people. ⁹ His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the grave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre. ¹⁰ This was the field that Abraham bought from the sons of Heth. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After the death of Abraham, God brought good to his son Isaac. And Isaac lived at Beerlahairoi.

¹² These are the children and their children’s children of Abraham’s son Ishmael, who was born to Abraham and Hagar, who was Sarah’s woman servant. ¹³ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, the names of the first-born to the last: Nebaioth, Ishmael’s first-born, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their towns and by their groups of tents, twelve rulers and their families.

¹⁷ Ishmael lived 137 years. Then he breathed his last and died, and was buried with his people. ¹⁸ His people lived from Havilah as far as Shur, east of Egypt on the way toward Assyria. He lived away from all his brothers.

The Birth of Esau and Jacob

¹⁹ These are the children and their children’s children of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham was the father of Isaac. ²⁰ Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan-aram, and the sister of Laban the Syrian. ²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she could not give birth and the Lord answered him. Rebekah was able to give birth. ²² But the babies within her fought together. And she said, “If this is so, why am I like this?” She went to ask the Lord why. ²³ The Lord said to her, “Two nations are within you. Two peoples will be divided from your body. One will be stronger than the other. And the older will serve the younger.”

²⁴ When the day came for her to give birth, there were two babies to be born. ²⁵ The first to come out was red and he had hair all over his body. They gave him the name of Esau. ²⁶ Then the brother was born. His hand was holding Esau’s heel. So he was given the name of Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.

Esau Sells His Birth-Right

²⁷ When the boys grew older, Esau became a good hunter, a man of the field. But Jacob was a man of peace, living in tents. ²⁸ Isaac showed favor to Esau, because he liked to eat the meat of the animals Esau killed. But Rebekah showed favor to Jacob.

²⁹ As Jacob was getting food ready one day, Esau came in from the field and was very hungry. ³⁰ Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red meat, for I am very hungry.” That is why his name was called Edom. ³¹ But Jacob said, “First, sell me your birth-right.” ³² Esau said, “See, I am about to die. So what good is my birth-right to me?” ³³ Jacob said, “First give me your promise.” So Esau promised, and sold his birth-right to Jacob. ³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau bread and vegetables, and Esau ate and drank. Then Esau stood up and went on his way. So Esau hated his birth-right.