Genesis 25:21

21 And Isaac prayed the Lord concerning Rebecca his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord heard him, and his wife Rebecca conceived in her womb.

Genesis 25:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 25:21

And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife
Was very earnest and constant in his supplications for her, as the word signifies, as is observed by Jarchi; or, "before his wife" F1, she being present, and joining with him in his prayers: the reason was, because she [was] barren;
which appeared by the length of time they had been married, which was near twenty years, see ( Genesis 25:26 ) . The Jewish writers F2 say, that, after twenty years, Isaac took her and went with her to Mount Moriah, to the place where he was bound, and prayed that she might conceive; putting the Lord in mind of the promise he there made of the multiplication of Abraham's seed, ( Genesis 22:17 Genesis 22:18 ) : and the Lord was entreated of him;
he granted him his request; for, though God has purposed and promised to do many things for his people, yet he will be sought unto by them to do them for them: and Rebekah his wife conceived;
two sons at once, as it follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (wtva xknl) "praesente uxore sua", Munster, Fagins.
F2 Pirke Eliezer, c. 32. Targum. Jon. in loc. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 3. 1.

Genesis 25:21 In-Context

19 And these the generations of Isaac the son of Abraam.
20 Abraam begot Isaac. And Isaac was forty years old when he took to wife Rebecca, daughter of Bathuel the Syrian, out of Syrian Mesopotamia, sister of Laban the Syrian.
21 And Isaac prayed the Lord concerning Rebecca his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord heard him, and his wife Rebecca conceived in her womb.
22 And the babes leaped within her; and she said, If it will be so with me, why is this to me? And she went to enquire of the Lord.
23 And the Lord said to her, There are two nations in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy belly, and one people shall excel the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.