Genesis 25

1 Now Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah,

Abraham married another wife; her name was Keturah.

2 and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

She had the following sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.

Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.

4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. These were all descendants of Keturah.

5 Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.

Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.

6 But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

But while he was still alive, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them to live in the east, well away from Isaac.

7 Abraham lived a total of 175 years.

Abraham lived to be 175

8 And at a ripe old age he breathed his last and died, old and contented, and was gathered to his people.

when he breathed his last and died at a good old age. He had lived a full life, and now he joined his forefathers in death.

9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite.

His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field that had belonged to Ephron, son of Zohar, the Hittite.

10 This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.

This was the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.

11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.

After Abraham's death, God blessed his son Isaac, who was living near Beer-lahai-roi.

12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

This is the genealogy of Abraham's son Ishmael. His mother Hagar was Sarah's Egyptian slave.

13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

These were the names of the sons of Ishmael according to their family genealogy: Nebaioth (firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16 These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names by their villages and encampments—twelve princes of their tribes.

These were the sons of Ishmael, and these became the names of the places where they lived and camped—the twelve family rulers of their tribes.

17 Ishmael lived a total of 137 years. Then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.

Ishmael lived to be 137. Then he breathed his last and died, and joined his forefathers in death.

18 Ishmael’s descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is near the border of Egypt as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

Ishmael's descendants inhabited the region from Havilah to Shur, near the border of Egypt in the direction of Asshur. They were forever fighting with one other.

19 This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac,

The following is the genealogy of Abraham's son Isaac. Abraham was the father of Isaac.

20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

When Isaac was 40 he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

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

Isaac prayed to the Lord for help on behalf of his wife because she couldn't have children. The Lord answered his prayer and she became pregnant.

22 But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD,

The twin babies inside her struggled with each other. So she asked the Lord, “Why is this happening to me?”

23 and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

“You have two nations inside you,” the Lord replied. “You're going to give birth to two peoples who will compete against each other. One will be stronger than the other; the older one will be the servant of the younger one.”

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

When the time came she gave birth to twins.

25 The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau.

The first baby to be born was red, and covered with hair like a coat. So they named him Esau.

26 After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

Then his twin brother was born, holding on to Esau's heel. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 when they were born.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.

The boys grew up and Esau became a skilled hunter, at home in the countryside. Jacob was quiet and liked to stay at home in the tents.

28 Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Isaac loved Esau because he brought him tasty wild game to eat, while Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished.

One day Jacob was cooking some stew when Esau got back from the countryside, tired out and starving hungry.

30 He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.)

“Give me some of that red stew,” Esau told Jacob. “I'm absolutely starving!” (That's how Esau got his other name, “Edom,” meaning “red.”)

31 “First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied.

“First sell me your rights as the firstborn son,” Jacob replied.

32 “Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

“Look! I'm dying here! What use are the rights of the firstborn to me?” Esau declared.

33 “Swear to me first,” Jacob said. So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright.

“First you have to swear to me,” Jacob demanded. So Esau swore an oath selling his rights of the firstborn to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave some bread and lentil stew to Esau, who ate and drank and then got up and went away. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then he got up and left. By doing this Esau showed how little he cared for his rights as the firstborn son.