THE BIRTH OF JACOB AND ESAU

19 These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac.m 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took as his wife Rebekahn daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aramo and sister of Laban the Aramean.p 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless.q The Lord was receptive to his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.r 22 But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?”K So she went to inquire of the Lord.s 23 And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb;

two peoples will come from you and be separated.

One people will be stronger than the other,t

and the older will serve the younger.u