Add parallel Print Page Options

Isaac’s Family

19 ·This is the family history [L These are the generations; 2:4] of Isaac. Abraham ·had a son named [or was the father of] Isaac. 20 When Isaac was forty years old, he ·married [L took as a wife] Rebekah [ch. 24], ·who came from northwestern Mesopotamia [L the Aramean from Paddan-aram]. She was Bethuel’s daughter and the sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac’s wife ·could not have children [was barren], so Isaac ·prayed to [entreated; interceded with] the Lord for her. The Lord heard Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah ·became pregnant [conceived].

22 While she was pregnant, the ·babies [L children] struggled inside her. She asked, “·Why is this happening to me [L If thus, why this, I—; C the Hebrew is uncertain]?” Then she went to ·get an answer from [L seek; inquire of] the Lord.

23 The Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your ·body [L womb],
    and two groups of people ·will be taken from you [L are being divided within your body].
One group will be stronger than the other,
    and the older will serve the younger [Rom. 9:10–13].”

24 When the time came, ·Rebekah gave birth to twins [L there were twins in her womb]. 25 The first baby ·was born [L came out] red. Since his skin was like a hairy robe, he was named Esau [C sounds like “hairy” in Hebrew]. 26 When ·the second baby [L his brother] ·was born [L came out], ·he [L his hand] was ·holding on to [gripping; grabbing] Esau’s heel, so that baby was named Jacob [C sounds like Hebrew for “heel”; grabbing a heel is a Hebrew idiom for tricking someone]. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Read full chapter

Isaac’s Sons

19 Now these are the records of (A)the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac; 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took (B)Rebekah, the (C)daughter of Bethuel the [a]Aramean of Paddan-aram, the (D)sister of Laban the [b]Aramean, to be his wife. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children; and (E)the Lord [c]answered him, and his wife Rebekah (F)conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why am I in this condition?” So she went to (G)inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

(H)Two nations are in your womb;
(I)And two peoples will be separated from your body;
And one people will be stronger than the other;
And (J)the older will serve the younger.”

24 When her days leading to the delivery were at an end, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 Now the first came out red, (K)all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with (L)his hand holding on to Esau’s heel, so (M)he was named [d]Jacob; and Isaac was (N)sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:20 I.e., Syrian
  2. Genesis 25:20 I.e., Syrian
  3. Genesis 25:21 Lit was entreated of him
  4. Genesis 25:26 I.e., one who takes by the heel or supplants