Genesis 25:19-26:11

New International Version

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,

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.

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

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

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.^(AD)”

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

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

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

So Esau despised his birthright.

Isaac and Abimelek^(AH)

26 Now there was a famine in the land^(AI)—besides the previous famine in Abraham’s time—and Isaac went to Abimelek king of the Philistines^(AJ) in Gerar.^{(AK) 2} The Lord appeared^(AL) to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt;^(AM) live in the land where I tell you to live.^{(AN) 3} Stay in this land for a while,^(AO) and I will be with you^(AP) and will bless you.^(AQ) For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands^(AR) and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.^{(AS) 4} I will make your descendants^(AT) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(AU) and will give them all these lands,^(AV) and through your offspring^[e] all nations on earth will be blessed,^{[f](AW) 5} because Abraham obeyed me^(AX) and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees^(AY) and my instructions.^(AZ)” ⁶ So Isaac stayed in Gerar.^(BA)

⁷ When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,^(BB)” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”

⁸ When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines^(BC) looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. ⁹ So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?^(BD)”

Isaac answered him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.”

¹⁰ Then Abimelek said, “What is this you have done to us?^(BE) One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

¹¹ So Abimelek gave orders to all the people: “Anyone who harms^(BF) this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”^(BG)