Genesis 25:19-26

The Birth of Jacob and Esau

19 These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac.

20 Isaac was 40 years old when he took as his wife Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram, and sister of Laban the Aramean.

21 Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was barren. The Lord heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.

22 But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?"^[a] So she went to inquire of the Lord.

23 And the Lord said to her: Two nations are in your womb; two people will [come] from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.^[b]

24 When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb.

25 The first one came out reddish,^[c] covered with hair^[d] like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.

26 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau's heel with his hand. So he was named Jacob.^{[e] [f]} Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.

Genesis 25:19-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 25

This chapter contains an account of Abraham's marriage with another woman, and of the children he had by her and of their posterity Ge 25:1-4; of Abraham's disposal of his substance; and his sons, Ge 25:5,6; of the years of his life, his death and burial, Ge 25:7-11; of the children of Ishmael, and of the years of his life, and of his death, Ge 25:12-18; and of the sons of Isaac the fruit of prayer, and of the oracle concerning them before they were born, and of their temper and disposition, conduct and behaviour, Ge 25:19-34.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit If thus, why this I
• [b]. Gn 27:29; Mal 1:2-3
• [c]. The Hb word for reddish sounds like the Hb word "Edom" (Gn 32:3).
• [d]. The Hb word for hair sounds like the Hb word "Seir" (Gn 32:3).
• [e]. He Grasps the Heel
• [f]. Gn 27:36