Abraham’s Other Wife and Sons

1Abraham had takenA another wife, whose name was Keturah,a 2and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. Dedan’s sons were the Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4And Midian’s sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were sons of Keturah. 5Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac.a 6But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines, and while he was still alive he sent them eastward, away from his son Isaac, to the land of the East.a

Abraham’s Death

7This is the length of Abraham’s life:A 175 years. 8He took his last breath and died at a good old age,a old and contented,A and he was gathered to his people.b 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelaha near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hethite. 10This was the field that Abraham bought from the Hethites.a Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah. 11After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near Beer-lahai-roi.a

Ishmael’s Family Records

12These are the family recordsa of Abraham’s son Ishmael,b whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of Ishmael’s sons; their names according to the family records are Nebaioth, Ishmael’s firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are Ishmael’s sons, and these are their names by their settlements and encampments: twelve leadersa a of their clans.B 17This is the lengthA of Ishmael’s life: 137 years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people. 18And theyA settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Asshur.B HeC stayed nearD all his relatives.a

The Birth of Jacob and Esau

19These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac.a 20Isaac was forty years old when he took as his wife Rebekaha daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aramb and sister of Laban the Aramean.c 21Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless.a The Lord was receptive to his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.b 22But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me? ”A So she went to inquire of the Lord.a 23And the Lord said to her:

Two nations are in your womb;

two peoples will come from you and be separated.

One people will be stronger than the other,a

and the older will serve the younger.b

24When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. 25The first one came out red-looking,A covered with hairB like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.a 26After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand.a So he was named Jacob.a b Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Esau Sells His Birthright

27When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman,A but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.B 28Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.a

29Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted. 30He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom.A

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

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

33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to Jacob and sold his birthright to him. 34Then Jacob gave bread and lentil stew to Esau; he ate, drank, got up, and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.a