Abraham’s Other Wife and Sons

25 Abraham had taken[a] another wife, whose name was Keturah,(A) and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s sons were the Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. And Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were sons of Keturah. Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac.(B) But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, and while he was still alive he sent them eastward, away from his son Isaac, to the land of the East.(C)

Abraham’s Death

This is the length of Abraham’s life:[b] 175 years. He took his last breath and died at a good old age,(D) old and contented,[c] and he was gathered to his people.(E) His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah(F) near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hethite. 10 This was the field that Abraham bought from the Hethites.(G) Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.(H)

Ishmael’s Family Records

12 These are the family records(I) of Abraham’s son Ishmael,(J) whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons; their names according to the family records are Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are Ishmael’s sons, and these are their names by their settlements and encampments: twelve leaders[d](K) of their clans.[e] 17 This is the length[f] of Ishmael’s life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 And they[g] settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur.[h] He[i] stayed near[j] all his relatives.(L)

The Birth of Jacob and Esau

19 These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac.(M) 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took as his wife Rebekah(N) daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram(O) and sister of Laban the Aramean.(P) 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless.(Q) The Lord was receptive to his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.(R) 22 But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” [k] So she went to inquire of the Lord.(S) 23 And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb;
two peoples will come from you and be separated.
One people will be stronger than the other,(T)
and the older will serve the younger.(U)

24 When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25 The first one came out red-looking,[l] covered with hair[m] like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.(V) 26 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand.(W) So he was named Jacob.[n](X) Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Birthright

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman,[o] but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.[p] 28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.(Y)

29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. 30 He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom.[q]

31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

32 “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. 34 Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.(Z)

Footnotes

  1. 25:1 Or Abraham took
  2. 25:7 Lit And these are the days of the years of the life of Abraham that he lived
  3. 25:8 Sam, LXX, Syr read full of days
  4. 25:16 Or chieftains
  5. 25:16 Or peoples
  6. 25:17 Lit And these are the years
  7. 25:18 LXX, Vg read he
  8. 25:18 Or Assyria
  9. 25:18 = Ishmael and his descendants
  10. 25:18 Or He settled down alongside of
  11. 25:22 Lit said, “If thus, why this I?”
  12. 25:25 In Hb, red-looking sounds like “Edom”; Gn 32:3.
  13. 25:25 In Hb, hair sounds like “Seir”; Gn 32:3.
  14. 25:26 = He Grasps the Heel
  15. 25:27 Lit a man of the field
  16. 25:27 Lit man living in tents
  17. 25:30 = Red

Abraham Marries Keturah

25 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.(A) Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. Abraham gave all he had to Isaac.(B) But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, while he was still living, and he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.

The Death of Abraham

This is the length of Abraham’s life, one hundred seventy-five years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, old and full of years, and was gathered to his people.(C) His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah.(D) 11 After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.(E)

Ishmael’s Descendants

12 These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham.(F) 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,(G) 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.(H) 17 (This is the length of the life of Ishmael, one hundred thirty-seven years; he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people.) 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria; he settled down[a] alongside[b] all his people.(I)

The Birth and Youth of Esau and Jacob

19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean.(J) 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife because she was barren, and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.(K) 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?”[c] So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
    and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other;
    the elder shall serve the younger.”(L)

24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle, so they named him Esau.(M) 26 Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob.[d] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.(N)

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.(O) 28 Isaac loved Esau because he was fond of game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.[e]) 31 Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.(P) 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Footnotes

  1. 25.18 Heb he fell
  2. 25.18 Or down in opposition to
  3. 25.22 Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 25.26 That is, he takes by the heel or he supplants
  5. 25.30 That is, red