²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth,^(A) there were twin boys in her womb.^{(B) 25} The first to come out was red,^(C) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;^(D) so they named him Esau.^{[a](E) 26} After this, his brother came out,^(F) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;^(G) so he was named Jacob.^[b](H) Isaac was sixty years old^(I) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

So Esau despised his birthright.

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.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

¹⁰ Jacob left Beersheba^(A) and set out for Harran.^{(B) 11} When he reached a certain place,^(C) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head^(D) and lay down to sleep. ¹² He had a dream^(E) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.^{(F) 13} There above it^[a] stood the Lord,^(G) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.^(H) I will give you and your descendants the land^(I) on which you are lying.^{(J) 14} Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you^(K) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.^(L) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.^{[b](M) 15} I am with you^(N) and will watch over you^(O) wherever you go,^(P) and I will bring you back to this land.^(Q) I will not leave you^(R) until I have done what I have promised you.^(S)”^(T)

¹⁶ When Jacob awoke from his sleep,^(U) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” ¹⁷ He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!^(V) This is none other than the house of God;^(W) this is the gate of heaven.”

¹⁸ Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head^(X) and set it up as a pillar^(Y) and poured oil on top of it.^{(Z) 19} He called that place Bethel,^[c](AA) though the city used to be called Luz.^(AB)

²⁰ Then Jacob made a vow,^(AC) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me^(AD) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear^{(AE) 21} so that I return safely^(AF) to my father’s household,^(AG) then the Lord^[d] will be my God^{(AH) 22} and^[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar^(AI) will be God’s house,^(AJ) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.^(AK)”