²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and ^(A)the Lord ^[a]answered him, and his wife Rebekah ^(B)conceived. ²² But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why am I in this condition?” So she went to ^(C)inquire of the Lord. ²³ And the Lord said to her,

² “I have ^(A)loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I ^(B)have loved Jacob; ³ but I have hated Esau, and I have ^(C)made his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.”

^10 (A)And not only that, but there was also ^(B)Rebekah, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; ¹¹ for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that ^(C)God’s purpose according to His choice would ^[a]stand, not ^[b]because of works but ^[c]because of Him who calls, ¹² it was said to her, “^(D)The older will serve the younger.” ¹³ Just as it is written: “^(E)Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “^(A)For this very reason I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed ^[a]throughout the earth.” ¹⁸ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He ^(B)hardens whom He desires.