Genesis 25:21–30

²¹And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. ²²The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is thus, why do I live?”^q 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 days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. ²⁵The first came forth red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they called his name Esau. ²⁶Afterward his brother came forth, and his hand had taken hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob.^r Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

²⁷When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. ²⁸Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

²⁹Once when Jacob was boiling pottage, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. ³⁰And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red pottage, for I am famished!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.^s)