The Birth of Esau and Jacob

19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: (A)Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, (B)the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of (C)Paddan-aram, (D)the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And (E)the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”[a] So she went (F)to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

(G)“Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples from within you[b] shall be divided;
(H)the one shall be stronger than the other,
    (I)the older shall serve the younger.”

24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, (J)all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with (K)his hand holding Esau's heel, so (L)his name was called Jacob.[c] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:22 Or why do I live?
  2. Genesis 25:23 Or from birth
  3. Genesis 25:26 Jacob means He takes by the heel, or He cheats

Israel's Only Savior

43 But now thus says the Lord,
(A)he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
(B)“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    (C)I have called you by name, you are mine.
(D)When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
(E)when you walk through fire (F)you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
For (G)I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
(H)I give Egypt as your ransom,
    Cush and (I)Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my eyes,
    and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
    peoples in exchange for your life.
(J)Fear not, for I am with you;
    (K)I will bring your offspring from the east,
    and from the west I will gather you.
I will say to the north, Give up,
    and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring (L)my sons from afar
    and (M)my daughters from the end of the earth,
everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.”

Bring out (N)the people who are blind, yet have eyes,
    who are deaf, yet have ears!
(O)All the nations gather together,
    and the peoples assemble.
Who among them can declare this,
    and show us the former things?
Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right,
    and let them hear and say, It is true.
10 (P)“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and (Q)my servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
(R)Before me no god was formed,
    nor shall there be any after me.
11 (S)I, I am the Lord,
    and besides me there is no savior.
12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,
    when there was no strange god among you;
    and (T)you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God.
13 Also (U)henceforth I am he;
    there is none who can deliver from my hand;
    I work, and who can turn it back?”

14 Thus says the Lord,
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
(V)“For your sake I send to Babylon
    and (W)bring them all down as fugitives,
    (X)even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice.
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
    the Creator of Israel, your King.”

16 Thus says the Lord,
    (Y)who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
17 who (Z)brings forth chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    (AA)they are extinguished, (AB)quenched like a wick:
18 (AC)“Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
19 (AD)Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
(AE)I will make a way in the wilderness
    (AF)and rivers in the desert.

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