Daily Bread

The Death of Abraham^(A)

25 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. ² She bore him Zimran,^(B) Jokshan, Medan, Midian,^(C) Ishbak and Shuah.^{(D) 3} Jokshan was the father of Sheba^(E) and Dedan;^(F) the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. ⁴ The sons of Midian were Ephah,^(G) Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

⁵ Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.^{(H) 6} But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines^(I) and sent them away from his son Isaac^(J) to the land of the east.^(K)

⁷ Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.^{(L) 8} Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age,^(M) an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.^{(N) 9} His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him^(O) in the cave of Machpelah^(P) near Mamre,^(Q) in the field of Ephron^(R) son of Zohar the Hittite,^{(S) 10} the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites.^[a](T) There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac,^(U) who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.^(V)

Ishmael’s Sons^(W)

¹² This is the account^(X) of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar^(Y) the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.^(Z)

¹³ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth^(AA) the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar,^(AB) Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah,^(AC) Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema,^(AD) Jetur,^(AE) Naphish and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers^(AF) according to their settlements and camps.^{(AG) 17} Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.^{(AH) 18} His descendants^(AI) settled in the area from Havilah to Shur,^(AJ) near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward^[b] all the tribes related to them.^(AK)

Jacob and Esau

¹⁹ This is the account^(AL) of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, ²⁰ and Isaac was forty years old^(AM) when he married Rebekah^(AN) daughter of Bethuel^(AO) the Aramean from Paddan Aram^[c](AP) and sister of Laban^(AQ) the Aramean.^(AR)

²¹ Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless.^(AS) The Lord answered his prayer,^(AT) and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.^(AU)

²³ The Lord said to her,

²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth,^(AX) there were twin boys in her womb.^{(AY) 25} The first to come out was red,^(AZ) and his whole body was like a hairy garment;^(BA) so they named him Esau.^{[d](BB) 26} After this, his brother came out,^(BC) with his hand grasping Esau’s heel;^(BD) so he was named Jacob.^[e](BE) Isaac was sixty years old^(BF) when Rebekah gave birth to them.

²⁷ The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter,^(BG) a man of the open country,^(BH) while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. ²⁸ Isaac, who had a taste for wild game,^(BI) loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.^(BJ)

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking some stew,^(BK) Esau came in from the open country,^(BL) famished. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew!^(BM) I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.^[f])^(BN)

³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.^(BO)”

³² “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”

³³ But Jacob said, “Swear^(BP) to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright^(BQ) to Jacob.

³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.^(BR) He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.