Jacob and Esau

19 This is the account(A) of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old(B) when he married Rebekah(C) daughter of Bethuel(D) the Aramean from Paddan Aram[a](E) and sister of Laban(F) the Aramean.(G)

21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.(H) The Lord answered his prayer,(I) and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.(J)

23 The Lord said to her,

“Two nations(K) are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
    and the older will serve the younger.(L)

24 When the time came for her to give birth,(M) there were twin boys in her womb.(N) 25 The first to come out was red,(O) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;(P) so they named him Esau.[b](Q) 26 After this, his brother came out,(R) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;(S) so he was named Jacob.[c](T) Isaac was sixty years old(U) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:20 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  2. Genesis 25:25 Esau may mean hairy.
  3. Genesis 25:26 Jacob means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for he deceives.

19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

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

23 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.

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

26 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.

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19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,(A) and you will call him Isaac.[a](B) I will establish my covenant with him(C) as an everlasting covenant(D) for his descendants after him.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.

19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

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22 Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;(A)
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.(B)

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22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

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I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.(A)

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I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.

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71 It was good for me to be afflicted(A)
    so that I might learn your decrees.

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71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

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“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(A)

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Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

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27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter,(A) a man of the open country,(B) while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,(C) loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.(D)

29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew,(E) Esau came in from the open country,(F) famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!(G) I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[a])(H)

31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.(I)

32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

33 But Jacob said, “Swear(J) to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright(K) to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.(L) He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:30 Edom means red.

27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

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11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace(A) for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.(B) 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[a](C) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.(D)

Warning and Encouragement

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone(E) and to be holy;(F) without holiness no one will see the Lord.(G) 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God(H) and that no bitter root(I) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral,(J) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.(K) 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,(L) he could not change what he had done.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

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29 May nations serve you
    and peoples bow down to you.(A)
Be lord over your brothers,
    and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.(B)
May those who curse you be cursed
    and those who bless you be blessed.(C)

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29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

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17 He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double(A) share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength.(B) The right of the firstborn belongs to him.(C)

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17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

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the people of Israel.(A) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;(B) theirs the divine glory,(C) the covenants,(D) the receiving of the law,(E) the temple worship(F) and the promises.(G) Theirs are the patriarchs,(H) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,(I) who is God over all,(J) forever praised![a](K) Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:5 Or Messiah, who is over all. God be forever praised! Or Messiah. God who is over all be forever praised!

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

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