The Death of Abraham^(A)

25 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. ² She bore him Zimran,^(B) Jokshan, Medan, Midian,^(C) Ishbak and Shuah.^{(D) 3} Jokshan was the father of Sheba^(E) and Dedan;^(F) the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. ⁴ The sons of Midian were Ephah,^(G) Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

⁵ Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.^{(H) 6} But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines^(I) and sent them away from his son Isaac^(J) to the land of the east.^(K)

⁷ Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.^{(L) 8} Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age,^(M) an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.^{(N) 9} His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him^(O) in the cave of Machpelah^(P) near Mamre,^(Q) in the field of Ephron^(R) son of Zohar the Hittite,^{(S) 10} the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites.^[a](T) There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac,^(U) who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.^(V)

Ishmael’s Sons^(W)

¹² This is the account^(X) of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar^(Y) the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.^(Z)

¹³ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth^(AA) the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar,^(AB) Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah,^(AC) Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema,^(AD) Jetur,^(AE) Naphish and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers^(AF) according to their settlements and camps.^{(AG) 17} Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.^{(AH) 18} His descendants^(AI) settled in the area from Havilah to Shur,^(AJ) near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward^[b] all the tribes related to them.^(AK)

Jacob and Esau

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

Abraham became the father of Isaac, ²⁰ and Isaac was forty years old^(AM) when he married Rebekah^(AN) daughter of Bethuel^(AO) the Aramean from Paddan Aram^[c](AP) and sister of Laban^(AQ) the Aramean.^(AR)

²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.^(AS) The Lord answered his prayer,^(AT) 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.^(AU)

²³ The Lord said to her,

²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth,^(AX) there were twin boys in her womb.^{(AY) 25} The first to come out was red,^(AZ) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;^(BA) so they named him Esau.^{[d](BB) 26} After this, his brother came out,^(BC) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;^(BD) so he was named Jacob.^[e](BE) Isaac was sixty years old^(BF) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

So Esau despised his birthright.

Queen Vashti Deposed

1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,^[a](A) the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces^(B) stretching from India to Cush^[b]:^{(C) 2} At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,^{(D) 3} and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet^(E) for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

⁴ For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. ⁵ When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days,^(F) in the enclosed garden^(G) of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. ⁶ The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches^(H) of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. ⁷ Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.^{(I) 8} By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a banquet^(J) for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits^(K) from wine,^(L) he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,^(M) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— ¹¹ to bring^(N) before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty^(O) to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. ¹² But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.^(P)

¹³ Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times^{(Q) 14} and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles^(R) of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

¹⁵ “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

¹⁶ Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. ¹⁷ For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ ¹⁸ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.^(S)

¹⁹ “Therefore, if it pleases the king,^(T) let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed,^(U) that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. ²⁰ Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

²¹ The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. ²² He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language,^(V) proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.