Genesis 25:21–30

²¹Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife because she was barren, and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.^{* 22}The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?”^z So she went to inquire of the Lord. ²³And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples born of you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other;

the elder shall serve the younger.”^*

²⁴When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. ²⁵The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle, so they named him Esau.^{* 26}Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob.^a Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.^*

²⁷When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.^{* 28}Isaac loved Esau because he was fond of game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

²⁹Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. ³⁰Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.^b)