Jacob and Esau

19 Now these are the generations[fn] of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 And Isaac was forty years old[fn] when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-Aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, as his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to Yahweh on behalf of his wife, for she was barren. And Yahweh responded to his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 And the children in her womb jostled each other, and she said, “If it is going to be like this, why be pregnant?”[fn] And she went to inquire of Yahweh. 23 And Yahweh said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from birth[fn] shall be divided. Andone people shall be stronger than the other.[fn] Andthe elder shall serve the younger.” 24 And when her days to give birth were completed,[fn] then—behold—twinswere in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all his body[fn]was like a hairy coat, so they called his name Esau. 26 And afterward his brother came out, and his hand grasped the heel of Esau, so his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old[fn] at their birth. 27 And the boys grew up. And Esau was a skilled[fn] hunter, a man of the field, but Jacobwas a peaceful man, living in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he could eat of his game,[fn] but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 Once[fn] Jacob cooked a thick stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stuff[fn] to gulp down, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom). 31 Then Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright first.”[fn] 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am going to die; now what is this birthright to me?” 33 Then Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”[fn] And he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread, and thick lentil stew, and he ate and drank. Then he got up and went away. So Esau despised his birthright.