Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau

32 ^[a]Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God^(A) met him. ² When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”^(B) So he named that place Mahanaim.^[b](C)

³ Jacob sent messengers^(D) ahead of him to his brother Esau^(E) in the land of Seir,^(F) the country of Edom.^{(G) 4} He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord^(H) Esau: ‘Your servant^(I) Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban^(J) and have remained there till now. ⁵ I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, male and female servants.^(K) Now I am sending this message to my lord,^(L) that I may find favor in your eyes.^(M)’”

⁶ When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”^(N)

⁷ In great fear^(O) and distress^(P) Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,^[c](Q) and the flocks and herds and camels as well. ⁸ He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,^[d] the group^[e] that is left may escape.”

⁹ Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham,^(R) God of my father Isaac,^(S) Lord, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’^{(T) 10} I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness^(U) you have shown your servant. I had only my staff^(V) when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.^{(W) 11} Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid^(X) he will come and attack me,^(Y) and also the mothers with their children.^{(Z) 12} But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand^(AA) of the sea, which cannot be counted.^(AB)’”

¹³ He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift^(AC) for his brother Esau: ¹⁴ two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,^{(AD) 15} thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.^{(AE) 16} He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.”^(AF)

¹⁷ He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘Who do you belong to, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ ¹⁸ then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant^(AG) Jacob. They are a gift^(AH) sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’”

¹⁹ He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ²⁰ And be sure to say, ‘Your servant^(AI) Jacob is coming behind us.’” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts^(AJ) I am sending on ahead;^(AK) later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.”^{(AL) 21} So Jacob’s gifts^(AM) went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles With God

²² That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons^(AN) and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.^{(AO) 23} After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.^{(AP) 24} So Jacob was left alone,^(AQ) and a man^(AR) wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip^(AS) so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”^(AT)

²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,”^(AU) he answered.

²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name^(AV) will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[f](AW) because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”^(AX)

²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”^(AY)

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?”^(AZ) Then he blessed^(BA) him there.

³⁰ So Jacob called the place Peniel,^[g] saying, “It is because I saw God face to face,^(BB) and yet my life was spared.”

³¹ The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel,^[h](BC) and he was limping because of his hip. ³² Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip,^(BD) because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested^(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”^(B) he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son^(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.^(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering^(E) on a mountain I will show you.^(F)”

³ Early the next morning^(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.^(H)”

⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,^(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.^(J) As the two of them went on together, ⁷ Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb^(K) for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^(L) the lamb^(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about,^(N) Abraham built an altar^(O) there and arranged the wood^(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,^(Q) on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife^(R) to slay his son.^{(S) 11} But the angel of the Lord^(T) called out to him from heaven,^(U) “Abraham! Abraham!”^(V)

“Here I am,”^(W) he replied.

¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,^(X) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.^(Y)”

¹³ Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^[a] caught by its horns.^(Z) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.^{(AA) 14} So Abraham called^(AB) that place The Lord^(AC) Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.^(AD)”

¹⁵ The angel of the Lord^(AE) called to Abraham from heaven^(AF) a second time ¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself,^(AG) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,^{(AH) 17} I will surely bless you^(AI) and make your descendants^(AJ) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(AK) and as the sand on the seashore.^(AL) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,^{(AM) 18} and through your offspring^[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,^[c](AN) because you have obeyed me.”^(AO)

¹⁹ Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba.^(AP) And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Nahor’s Sons

²⁰ Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor:^{(AQ) 21} Uz^(AR) the firstborn, Buz^(AS) his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), ²² Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.^(AT)” ²³ Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.^(AU) Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor.^{(AV) 24} His concubine,^(AW) whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.

The Death of Sarah

23 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. ² She died at Kiriath Arba^(AX) (that is, Hebron)^(AY) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.^(AZ)

³ Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.^[d](BA) He said, ⁴ “I am a foreigner and stranger^(BB) among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.^(BC)”

⁵ The Hittites replied to Abraham, ⁶ “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince^(BD) among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

⁷ Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. ⁸ He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar^(BE) on my behalf ⁹ so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah,^(BF) which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

¹⁰ Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites^(BG) who had come to the gate^(BH) of his city. ¹¹ “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give^[e](BI) you the field, and I give^[f] you the cave that is in it. I give^[g] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

¹² Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land ¹³ and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

¹⁴ Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵ “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels^[h] of silver,^(BJ) but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

¹⁶ Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,^(BK) according to the weight current among the merchants.^(BL)

¹⁷ So Ephron’s field in Machpelah^(BM) near Mamre^(BN)—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded ¹⁸ to Abraham as his property^(BO) in the presence of all the Hittites^(BP) who had come to the gate^(BQ) of the city. ¹⁹ Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah^(BR) near Mamre (which is at Hebron^(BS)) in the land of Canaan.^{(BT) 20} So the field and the cave in it were deeded^(BU) to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.^(BV)

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,^(BW) and the Lord had blessed^(BX) him in every way.^{(BY) 2} He said to the senior servant^(BZ) in his household, the one in charge of all that he had,^(CA) “Put your hand under my thigh.^{(CB) 3} I want you to swear^(CC) by the Lord, the God of heaven^(CD) and the God of earth,^(CE) that you will not get a wife for my son^(CF) from the daughters of the Canaanites,^(CG) among whom I am living,^{(CH) 4} but will go to my country and my own relatives^(CI) and get a wife for my son Isaac.^(CJ)”

⁵ The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?^(CK) Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?^(CL)”

⁶ “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”^(CM) Abraham said. ⁷ “The Lord, the God of heaven,^(CN) who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land^(CO) and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring^[i](CP) I will give this land’^(CQ)—he will send his angel before you^(CR) so that you can get a wife for my son from there. ⁸ If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath^(CS) of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”^{(CT) 9} So the servant put his hand under the thigh^(CU) of his master^(CV) Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰ Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels^(CW) loaded with all kinds of good things^(CX) from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim^[j](CY) and made his way to the town of Nahor.^{(CZ) 11} He had the camels kneel down near the well^(DA) outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.^(DB)

¹² Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham,^(DC) make me successful^(DD) today, and show kindness^(DE) to my master Abraham. ¹³ See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.^{(DF) 14} May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink,^(DG) and I’ll water your camels too’^(DH)—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.^(DI) By this I will know^(DJ) that you have shown kindness to my master.”

¹⁵ Before he had finished praying,^(DK) Rebekah^(DL) came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel^(DM) son of Milkah,^(DN) who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.^{(DO) 16} The woman was very beautiful,^(DP) a virgin;^(DQ) no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

¹⁷ The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”^(DR)

¹⁸ “Drink,^(DS) my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

¹⁹ After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels^(DT) too,^(DU) until they have had enough to drink.” ²⁰ So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.^{(DV) 21} Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.^(DW)

²² When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring^(DX) weighing a beka^[k] and two gold bracelets^(DY) weighing ten shekels.^{[l] 23} Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?^(DZ) Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?^(EA)”

²⁴ She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.^(EB)” ²⁵ And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder,^(EC) as well as room for you to spend the night.”

²⁶ Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,^{(ED) 27} saying, “Praise be to the Lord,^(EE) the God of my master Abraham,^(EF) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness^(EG) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey^(EH) to the house of my master’s relatives.”^(EI)

²⁸ The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.^{(EJ) 29} Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,^(EK) and he hurried out to the man at the spring. ³⁰ As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms,^(EL) and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. ³¹ “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,”^(EM) he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

³² So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder^(EN) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.^{(EO) 33} Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”

“Then tell us,” Laban said.

³⁴ So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.^{(EP) 35} The Lord has blessed^(EQ) my master abundantly,^(ER) and he has become wealthy.^(ES) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.^{(ET) 36} My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,^(EU) and he has given him everything he owns.^{(EV) 37} And my master made me swear an oath,^(EW) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,^{(EX) 38} but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’^(EY)

³⁹ “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’^(EZ)

⁴⁰ “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,^(FA) will send his angel with you^(FB) and make your journey a success,^(FC) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.^{(FD) 41} You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’^(FE)

⁴² “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success^(FF) to the journey on which I have come. ⁴³ See, I am standing beside this spring.^(FG) If a young woman^(FH) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”^{(FI) 44} and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’^(FJ)

⁴⁵ “Before I finished praying in my heart,^(FK) Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder.^(FL) She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’^(FM)

⁴⁶ “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’^(FN) So I drank, and she watered the camels also.^(FO)

⁴⁷ “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’^(FP)

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel^(FQ) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’^(FR)

“Then I put the ring in her nose^(FS) and the bracelets on her arms,^{(FT) 48} and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord.^(FU) I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,^(FV) who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.^{(FW) 49} Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness^(FX) to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

⁵⁰ Laban and Bethuel^(FY) answered, “This is from the Lord;^(FZ) we can say nothing to you one way or the other.^{(GA) 51} Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.^(GB)”

⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.^{(GC) 53} Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing^(GD) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts^(GE) to her brother and to her mother. ⁵⁴ Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way^(GF) to my master.”

⁵⁵ But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so;^(GG) then you^[m] may go.”

⁵⁶ But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success^(GH) to my journey. Send me on my way^(GI) so I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷ Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.”^{(GJ) 58} So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,”^(GK) she said.

⁵⁹ So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way,^(GL) along with her nurse^(GM) and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰ And they blessed^(GN) Rebekah and said to her,

⁶¹ Then Rebekah and her attendants^(GQ) got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

⁶² Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi,^(GR) for he was living in the Negev.^{(GS) 63} He went out to the field one evening to meditate,^[n](GT) and as he looked up,^(GU) he saw camels approaching. ⁶⁴ Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel^{(GV) 65} and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil^(GW) and covered herself.

⁶⁶ Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. ⁶⁷ Isaac brought her into the tent^(GX) of his mother Sarah,^(GY) and he married Rebekah.^(GZ) So she became his wife, and he loved her;^(HA) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.^(HB)

The Death of Abraham^(HC)

25 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. ² She bore him Zimran,^(HD) Jokshan, Medan, Midian,^(HE) Ishbak and Shuah.^{(HF) 3} Jokshan was the father of Sheba^(HG) and Dedan;^(HH) the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. ⁴ The sons of Midian were Ephah,^(HI) Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

⁵ Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.^{(HJ) 6} But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines^(HK) and sent them away from his son Isaac^(HL) to the land of the east.^(HM)

⁷ Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.^{(HN) 8} Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age,^(HO) an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.^{(HP) 9} His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him^(HQ) in the cave of Machpelah^(HR) near Mamre,^(HS) in the field of Ephron^(HT) son of Zohar the Hittite,^{(HU) 10} the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites.^[o](HV) There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac,^(HW) who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.^(HX)

Ishmael’s Sons^(HY)

¹² This is the account^(HZ) of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar^(IA) the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.^(IB)

¹³ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth^(IC) the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar,^(ID) Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah,^(IE) Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema,^(IF) Jetur,^(IG) Naphish and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers^(IH) according to their settlements and camps.^{(II) 17} Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.^{(IJ) 18} His descendants^(IK) settled in the area from Havilah to Shur,^(IL) near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward^[p] all the tribes related to them.^(IM)

Jacob and Esau

¹⁹ This is the account^(IN) of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, ²⁰ and Isaac was forty years old^(IO) when he married Rebekah^(IP) daughter of Bethuel^(IQ) the Aramean from Paddan Aram^[q](IR) and sister of Laban^(IS) the Aramean.^(IT)

²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.^(IU) The Lord answered his prayer,^(IV) 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.^(IW)

²³ The Lord said to her,

²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth,^(IZ) there were twin boys in her womb.^{(JA) 25} The first to come out was red,^(JB) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;^(JC) so they named him Esau.^{[r](JD) 26} After this, his brother came out,^(JE) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;^(JF) so he was named Jacob.^[s](JG) Isaac was sixty years old^(JH) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

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

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking some stew,^(JM) Esau came in from the open country,^(JN) famished. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!^(JO) I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.^[t])^(JP)

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.^(JQ)”

³² “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

³³ But Jacob said, “Swear^(JR) to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright^(JS) to Jacob.

³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.^(JT) He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

Isaac and Abimelek^(JU)

26 Now there was a famine in the land^(JV)—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines^(JW) in Gerar.^{(JX) 2} The Lord appeared^(JY) to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt;^(JZ) live in the land where I tell you to live.^{(KA) 3} Stay in this land for a while,^(KB) and I will be with you^(KC) and will bless you.^(KD) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands^(KE) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.^{(KF) 4} I will make your descendants^(KG) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(KH) and will give them all these lands,^(KI) and through your offspring^[u] all nations on earth will be blessed,^{[v](KJ) 5} because Abraham obeyed me^(KK) and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees^(KL) and my instructions.^(KM)” ⁶ So Isaac stayed in Gerar.^(KN)

⁷ When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,^(KO)” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”

⁸ When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines^(KP) looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. ⁹ So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?^(KQ)”

Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”

¹⁰ Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us?^(KR) One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

¹¹ So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms^(KS) this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”^(KT)

¹² Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold,^(KU) because the Lord blessed him.^{(KV) 13} The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.^{(KW) 14} He had so many flocks and herds and servants^(KX) that the Philistines envied him.^{(KY) 15} So all the wells^(KZ) that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up,^(LA) filling them with earth.

¹⁶ Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us;^(LB) you have become too powerful for us.^(LC)”

¹⁷ So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar,^(LD) where he settled. ¹⁸ Isaac reopened the wells^(LE) that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.

¹⁹ Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there. ²⁰ But the herders of Gerar quarreled^(LF) with those of Isaac and said, “The water is ours!”^(LG) So he named the well Esek,^[w] because they disputed with him. ²¹ Then they dug another well, but they quarreled^(LH) over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.^{[x] 22} He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth,^[y](LI) saying, “Now the Lord has given us room^(LJ) and we will flourish^(LK) in the land.”

²³ From there he went up to Beersheba.^{(LL) 24} That night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham.^(LM) Do not be afraid,^(LN) for I am with you;^(LO) I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants^(LP) for the sake of my servant Abraham.”^(LQ)

²⁵ Isaac built an altar^(LR) there and called on the name of the Lord.^(LS) There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.^(LT)

²⁶ Meanwhile, Abimelek had come to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his personal adviser and Phicol the commander of his forces.^{(LU) 27} Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me, since you were hostile to me and sent me away?^(LV)”

²⁸ They answered, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you;^(LW) so we said, ‘There ought to be a sworn agreement between us’—between us and you. Let us make a treaty^(LX) with you ²⁹ that you will do us no harm,^(LY) just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.”^(LZ)

³⁰ Isaac then made a feast^(MA) for them, and they ate and drank. ³¹ Early the next morning the men swore an oath^(MB) to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they went away peacefully.

³² That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well^(MC) they had dug. They said, “We’ve found water!” ³³ He called it Shibah,^[z] and to this day the name of the town has been Beersheba.^[aa](MD)

Jacob Takes Esau’s Blessing

³⁴ When Esau was forty years old,^(ME) he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.^{(MF) 35} They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.^(MG)

27 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see,^(MH) he called for Esau his older son^(MI) and said to him, “My son.”

“Here I am,” he answered.

² Isaac said, “I am now an old man and don’t know the day of my death.^{(MJ) 3} Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the open country^(MK) to hunt some wild game for me. ⁴ Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like^(ML) and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing^(MM) before I die.”^(MN)

⁵ Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau. When Esau left for the open country^(MO) to hunt game and bring it back, ⁶ Rebekah said to her son Jacob,^(MP) “Look, I overheard your father say to your brother Esau, ⁷ ‘Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.’^{(MQ) 8} Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:^{(MR) 9} Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young goats,^(MS) so I can prepare some tasty food for your father, just the way he likes it.^{(MT) 10} Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing^(MU) before he dies.”

¹¹ Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man^(MV) while I have smooth skin. ¹² What if my father touches me?^(MW) I would appear to be tricking him and would bring down a curse^(MX) on myself rather than a blessing.”

¹³ His mother said to him, “My son, let the curse fall on me.^(MY) Just do what I say;^(MZ) go and get them for me.”

¹⁴ So he went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the way his father liked it.^{(NA) 15} Then Rebekah took the best clothes^(NB) of Esau her older son,^(NC) which she had in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. ¹⁶ She also covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins.^{(ND) 17} Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

¹⁸ He went to his father and said, “My father.”

“Yes, my son,” he answered. “Who is it?”^(NE)

¹⁹ Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn.^(NF) I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game,^(NG) so that you may give me your blessing.”^(NH)

²⁰ Isaac asked his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?”

“The Lord your God gave me success,^(NI)” he replied.

²¹ Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near so I can touch you,^(NJ) my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.”

²² Jacob went close to his father Isaac,^(NK) who touched^(NL) him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” ²³ He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau;^(NM) so he proceeded to bless him. ²⁴ “Are you really my son Esau?” he asked.

“I am,” he replied.

²⁵ Then he said, “My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.”^(NN)

Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. ²⁶ Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.”

²⁷ So he went to him and kissed^(NO) him^(NP). When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes,^(NQ) he blessed him and said,

³⁰ After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting. ³¹ He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, “My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.”^(NZ)

³² His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”^(OA)

“I am your son,” he answered, “your firstborn, Esau.^(OB)”

³³ Isaac trembled violently and said, “Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me?^(OC) I ate it just before you came and I blessed him—and indeed he will be blessed!^(OD)”

³⁴ When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry^(OE) and said to his father, “Bless^(OF) me—me too, my father!”

³⁵ But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully^(OG) and took your blessing.”^(OH)

³⁶ Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob^[ab]?^(OI) This is the second time he has taken advantage of^(OJ) me: He took my birthright,^(OK) and now he’s taken my blessing!”^(OL) Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

³⁷ Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine.^(OM) So what can I possibly do for you, my son?”

³⁸ Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.^(ON)