Genesis 25:23

23 And Yahweh said to her, "Two nations [are] in your womb, and two peoples {from birth} shall be divided. And {one people shall be stronger than the other}. And [the] elder shall serve [the] younger."

Genesis 25:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 25:23

And the Lord said unto her
Either by one or other of the above persons she acquainted with this affair, and entreated to seek the Lord for her; or by an impulse upon her own mind: two nations [are] in thy womb;
or two persons, from whom two nations will spring, the Edomites and Israelites, the one from Esau, the other from Jacob: and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels;
different in their bodies, complexions, manner of life, religion, as well as place of abode: and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people:
the Edomites, the posterity of Esau, were a very potent people, and had a succession of dukes and kings, before the Israelites, the posterity of Jacob, made any figure in the world, and while they were slaves in Egypt, see ( Genesis 36:1-43 ) ; though in later times the Israelites became the stronger: and the elder,
or "greater", shall serve the younger,
or "lesser": the offspring of Esau, the eldest, should become tributary to the posterity of Jacob, the younger; which was verified in the times of David, when the Edomites were subdued by him, ( 2 Samuel 8:14 ) ; and still more in the times of Hyrcanus, when the Edomites or Idumeans became one people with the Jews, and embraced their religion F5, rather than to be dispossessed of their country; and will have a further accomplishment in the latter day, when the prophecies in ( Obadiah 1:18-21 ) shall be fulfilled. Of the use which the Apostle Paul makes of this passage, (See Gill on Romans 9:11), (See Gill on Romans 9:12).


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Joseph. Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1.

Genesis 25:23 In-Context

21 And Isaac prayed to Yahweh on behalf of his wife, for she [was] barren. And Yahweh responded to his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22 And the children in her womb jostled each other, and she said, "{If it is going to be like this, why be pregnant}?" And she went to inquire of Yahweh.
23 And Yahweh said to her, "Two nations [are] in your womb, and two peoples {from birth} shall be divided. And {one people shall be stronger than the other}. And [the] elder shall serve [the] younger."
24 And when her days to give birth were completed, then--behold--twins [were] in her womb.
25 And the first came out red, all {his body} [was] like a hairy coat, so they called his name Esau.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Literally "from your bowels"
  • [b]. Literally "people than people shall be stronger"
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