²⁴When the time came for her to give birth,^x there were twin boys in her womb.^y ²⁵The first to come out was red,^z and his whole body was like a hairy garment;^a so they named him Esau.^d^b ²⁶After this, his brother came out,^c with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;^d so he was named Jacob.^e^e Isaac was sixty years old^f when Rebekah gave birth to them.

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Footnotes

dEsau may mean hairy.
eJacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.

Cross references

u Ex 18:15; 28:30; 33:7; Lev 24:12; Nu 9:6–8; 27:5, 21; Dt 17:9; Jdg 18:5; 1 Sa 9:9; 10:22; 14:36; 22:10; 1 Ki 22:8; 2 Ki 3:11; 22:13; Isa 30:2; Jer 21:2; 37:7, 17; Eze 14:7; 20:1, 3
vSee Ge 17:4
wSee Ge 9:25; 48:14, 19; Ro 9:11–12*
x Lk 1:57; 2:6
y Ge 38:27
z 1 Sa 16:12
a Ge 27:11
b Ge 27:1, 15
c Ge 38:29
d Hos 12:3
e Ge 27:36; 32:27; Dt 23:7; Jos 24:4; Ob 1:10, 12
fSee ver 7, See 20

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other,

the older shall serve the younger.”

When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 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,

and the older will serve the younger.

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

NLTNew Living Translation

But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.

And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

And when the time came to give birth, Rebekah discovered that she did indeed have twins! The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau. Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And the children in her womb jostled each other, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, why be pregnant?” And she went to inquire of Yahweh. And Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from birth shall be divided. And one people shall be stronger than the other. And the elder shall serve the younger.” And when her days to give birth were completed, then—behold—twins were in her womb. And the first came out red, all his body was like a hairy coat, so they called his name Esau. And afterward his brother came out, and his hand grasped the heel of Esau, so his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old at their birth.

KJV 1900King James Version

And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her,

Two nations are in thy womb,

And two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;

And the one people shall be stronger than the other people;

And the elder shall serve the younger.

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

Public Domain