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

24 When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25 The first one came out red-looking,* covered with hair* like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.v 26 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand.w So he was named Jacob.N,x Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

ESAU SELLS HIS BIRTHRIGHT

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman,O but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.P 28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.y