Gen 25:19-34 · Read 10 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, Isaac married Rebekah, and “He loved her” (Gen 24:67).
Later, Isaac’s father Abraham died too: “Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people” (Gen 25:8). “Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah” (Gen 25:9). The passage goes on: “After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi” (Gen 25:11).
This lesson reads about Isaac’s own family.
19This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac.
20Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife.
21Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. The LORD was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
22The children struggled together within her. She said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” She went to inquire of the LORD.
23The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.”
24When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau.
26After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
27The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
28Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.
29Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.
30Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
31Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”
32Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”
33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.
34Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.
The generations of Isaac. The section opens: “This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac” (v. 19). The passage first gives an age: “Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah … to be his wife” (v. 20).
For his wife. “Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. The LORD was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived” (v. 21). The passage does not record the words of Isaac’s prayer; it records only that he prayed for his wife, and that the LORD answered.
She went to inquire of the LORD. “The children struggled together within her,” and Rebekah said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” (v. 22). The passage goes on: “She went to inquire of the LORD” (v. 22). The LORD answered her: “Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger” (v. 23).
Twins. “When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb” (v. 24). The first “came out red all over, like a hairy garment,” and was named Esau (v. 25); the second came out, “and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel,” and was named Jacob (v. 26). The passage gives a second age: “Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them” (v. 26).
Each loved one. “The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents” (v. 27). The passage goes on: “Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob” (v. 28).
A bowl of red stew. One day “Esau came in from the field, and he was famished,” and asked Jacob for some of the red stew (vv. 29–30). Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright” (v. 31). Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?” (v. 32). He swore, and “He sold his birthright to Jacob” (v. 33). “He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way” (v. 34). The chapter’s last words are: “So Esau despised his birthright” (v. 34).
Esau said, “Please feed me with some of that red stew,” and the passage goes on: “Therefore his name was called Edom” (v. 30). The family records later say: “Now this is the history of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom)” (Gen 36:1).
Readers can see this: Edom was the name of a people. The LORD had told Rebekah, “Two nations are in your womb” (v. 23); the story of these two boys is also the beginning of two peoples.
Perhaps you, too, are praying for something and have not yet seen an answer. Perhaps, like Rebekah, you carry a question that goes as deep as ‘why do I live?’
This lesson does not say that if you pray, God will grant what you ask. What it shows you is this: Isaac prayed for his wife, and Rebekah went herself to inquire of the LORD; both of them brought what was in their hearts to God. A psalm says: “I waited patiently for the LORD. He turned to me, and heard my cry” (Ps 40:1).
This week: Think of someone near you who is waiting — perhaps for a child, a job, healing, or an answer. This week, pray for them once, specifically; if it is appropriate, let them know you are praying for them.
Scripture: World English Bible.