Jacob and Esau

25:19 This is the account of Isaac,25 the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac. 25:20 When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah,26 the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.27

25:21 Isaac prayed to28 the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 25:22 But the children struggled29 inside her, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, I’m not so sure I want to be pregnant!”30 So she asked the Lord,31 25:23 and the Lord said to her,

“Two nations32 are in your womb,

and two peoples will be separated from within you.

One people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”

25:24 When the time came for Rebekah to give birth,33 there were34 twins in her womb. 25:25 The first came out reddish35 all over,36 like a hairy37 garment, so they named him Esau.38 25:26 When his brother came out with39 his hand clutching Esau’s heel, they named him Jacob.40 Isaac was sixty years old41 when they were born.

25:27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled42 hunter, a man of the open fields, but Jacob was an even-tempered man, living in tents.43 25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game,44 but Rebekah loved45 Jacob.

25:29 Now Jacob cooked some stew,46 and when Esau came in from the open fields, he was famished. 25:30 So Esau said to Jacob, “Feed47 me some of the red stuff—yes, this red stuff—because I’m starving!” (That is why he was also called48 Edom.)49

25:31 But Jacob replied, “First50 sell me your birthright.” 25:32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die! What use is the birthright to me?”51 25:33 But Jacob said, “Swear an oath to me now.”52 So Esau53 swore an oath to him and sold his birthright54 to Jacob.

25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew; Esau ate and drank, then got up and went out.55 So Esau despised his birthright.56