Genesis Chapter 25 : Easy-to-Read Version  | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

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Abraham’s Family

25 Abraham married again. His new wife was named Keturah. 2Keturah gave birth to Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The people of Asshur,* Leum, and Letush were descendants of Dedan. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these sons came from the marriage of Abraham and Keturah. 5–6Before Abraham died, he gave some gifts to the sons of his women servants* and sent those sons to the East.* He sent them away from Isaac. Then Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac. 7Abraham lived to be 175 years old. 8Then Abraham grew weak and died. He had lived a long and satisfying life. He died and was gathered to his people. 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah. This cave is in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar. It was east of Mamre. 10This is the same cave that Abraham bought from the Hittite people. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah. 11After Abraham died, God blessed Isaac. And Isaac continued to live at Beer Lahai Roi. 12This is the list of Ishmael’s family. Ishmael was Abraham and Hagar’s son. (Hagar was Sarah’s Egyptian maid.) 13These are the names of Ishmael’s sons: The first son was Nebaioth, then Kedar was born, then Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16Those were the names of Ishmael’s sons. Each son had his own camp that became a small town. The twelve sons were like twelve princes with their own people. 17Ishmael lived to be 137 years old. Then he died and was gathered to his ancestors.* 18Ishmael’s descendants* camped throughout the desert area. This area went from Havilah to Shur, near Egypt. And it went from Shur all the way to Assyria. Ishmael’s descendants often attacked his brothers’ people.*

Isaac’s Family

19This is the story of Isaac. Abraham had a son named Isaac. 20When Isaac was 40 years old he married Rebekah. Rebekah was from Paddan Aram. She was Bethuel’s daughter and the sister of Laban the Aramean. 21Isaac’s wife could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife. The Lord heard Isaac’s prayer. And the Lord allowed Rebekah to become pregnant. 22While Rebekah was pregnant, she had much trouble with the babies inside her. Rebekah prayed to the Lord and said, “Why is this happening to me?” 23The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your body. The rulers of two families will be born from you. And they will be divided. One son will be stronger than the other. The older son will serve the younger.” 24And when the right time came, Rebekah gave birth to twins. 25The first baby was red. His skin was like a hairy robe. So he was named Esau.* 26When the second baby was born, he was holding tightly to Esau’s heel. So that baby was named Jacob.* Isaac was 60 years old when Jacob and Esau were born. 27The boys grew up. Esau became a skilled hunter. He loved to be out in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet man. He stayed in his tent. 28Isaac loved Esau. He liked to eat the animals Esau killed. But Rebekah loved Jacob. 29One time Esau came back from hunting. He was tired and weak from hunger. Jacob was boiling a pot of beans. 30So Esau said to Jacob, “I am weak with hunger. Let me have some of those red beans.” (That is why people call him Edom.*) 31But Jacob said, “You must sell me your rights as the firstborn son* today.” 32Esau said, “I am almost dead with hunger. If I die, all of my father’s wealth will not help me. So I will give you my share.” 33But Jacob said, “First, promise me that you will give it to me.” So Esau made a promise to Jacob. Esau sold his part of their father’s wealth to Jacob. 34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and food. Esau ate and drank and then left. So Esau showed that he did not care about his rights as the firstborn son.*

Asshur Or, “Assyria.” woman servant Or, “concubine,” a slave woman who was like a wife to a man. East This usually means the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers as far east as the Persian Gulf. gathered to his ancestors This often means a person was buried in the same tomb or grave as his ancestors. descendants A person’s children and their future families. attacked his brothers’ people See Genesis 16:12. Esau This name is like the word meaning “hairy.” Jacob This name is like the Hebrew word meaning “heel.” It also means “the one who follows” or “tricky.” Edom This name means “red.” rights as the firstborn son Usually, after the father died, the firstborn son got half of the father’s property and became the new head of the family.

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