Genesis 25:19-34

Isaac's Sons

19 Now these are the records of ¹the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham became the father of Isaac;

20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took ²Rebekah, the ³daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the ⁴sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.

21 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and ⁵the LORD answered him and Rebekah his wife ⁶conceived.

22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If it is so, why then am I this way?" So she went to ⁷inquire of the LORD.

23 The LORD said to her, "⁸Two nations are in your womb; ⁹And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And ¹⁰the older shall serve the younger."

24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 Now the first came forth red, ¹¹all over like a hairy garment; and they named * him Esau.

26 Afterward his brother came forth with ¹²his hand holding on to Esau's heel, so ¹³his name was called Jacob; and Isaac was ¹⁴sixty years old when she gave birth to them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, ¹⁵living in tents.

28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he had ¹⁶a taste for game, ¹⁷but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 When Jacob had cooked ¹⁸stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished;

30 and Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished." Therefore * his name was called Edom.

31 But Jacob said, "First sell me your ¹⁹birthright."

32 Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?"

33 And Jacob said, "First swear to me"; so he swore to him, and ²⁰sold his birthright to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Read Chapter Compare

Genesis 25:19-34 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 20

1. Matthew 1:2
2. Gen 24:15, 29, 67
3. Genesis 22:23
4. Genesis 24:29
5. 1 Samuel 1:17; 1 Chronicles 5:20; 2 Chronicles 33:13; Ezra 8:23; Psalms 127:3
6. Romans 9:10
7. 1 Samuel 9:9; 1 Samuel 10:22
8. Gen 17:4-6, 16; Numbers 20:14; Deuteronomy 2:4, 8
9. Genesis 27:29
10. Genesis 27:40; Malachi 1:2, 3; Romans 9:12
11. Genesis 27:11
12. Hosea 12:3
13. Genesis 27:36
14. Genesis 25:20
15. Hebrews 11:9
16. Genesis 27:19
17. Genesis 27:6-10
18. 2 Kings 4:38
19. Deuteronomy 21:16, 17; 1 Chronicles 5:1, 2
20. Hebrews 12:16

Footnotes 14

[a]. Lit "begot"
[b]. I.e. Syrian
[c]. I.e. Syrian
[d]. Lit "was entreated of him"
[e]. I.e. one who takes by the heel or supplants
[f]. Lit "complete"
[g]. Lit "dwelling"
[h]. Lit "game was in his mouth"
[i]. Lit "weary"
[j]. Lit "the red, this red"
[k]. Lit "weary"
[l]. I.e. red
[m]. Lit "Today"
[n]. Lit "Today"