UNROLL
A clay pot of thick red lentil stew simmering over a small fire of sticks outside a black goat-hair tent at dusk, a round flatbread on a stone beside it.

The Book of

Genesis 25

Abraham dies full of years, and the promise passes to Isaac. Then twins are born, and one of them sells his birthright for a bowl of stew.

34 verses≈ 5 min5 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–11BeginningsCreation, fall, flood, Babel
  2. 12–24AbrahamThe call and the promise
  3. 25–36Isaac and JacobThe promise passed onChapter 25
  4. 37–50JosephGod meant it for good

Abraham and Keturah

Family line

The sons of Keturah

  1. Abraham

    Married Keturah

    • Zimran
    • Jokshan
    • Medan
    • Midian
    • Ishbak
    • Shuah

    Now Abraham had taken another wife, named Keturah, and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

  2. Jokshan
    • Sheba
    • Dedan

    Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan.

  3. Dedan
    • the Asshurites
    • the Letushites
    • the Leummites

    And the sons of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.

  4. Midian
    • Ephah
    • Epher
    • Hanoch
    • Abida
    • Eldaah

    The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.

  5. Keturah’s descendants

    All these were descendants of Keturah.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. 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.

The Death of Abraham

Abraham lived a total of 175 years. And at a ripe old age he breathed his last and died, old and contented, and was gathered to his people.

His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.

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

Abraham’s years

LeavesHaran: 75God’s call(12:4)Ishmaelborn: 86Hagar’s son(16:16)A newname: 99Abram becomesAbraham (17:1,5)Isaacborn: 100the promisedson (21:5)Sarahdiesat 127;Abraham is 137(23:1)Twinsborn: 160Isaac is 60(25:26)Dies at 175old and contented(25:7–8)

Whiteboard

Abraham left Haran at 75 on the strength of God’s promise. He waited 25 years for Isaac, buried Sarah, and lived to see Jacob and Esau, his grandsons, grow to fifteen. A hundred years after he left Haran, he died “at a ripe old age,” still a stranger in the land, still trusting the promise.

The Descendants of Ishmael

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

Family line

Twelve princes

    • Nebaioth
    • Kedar
    • Adbeel
    • Mibsam
    • Mishma
    • Dumah
    • Massa
    • Hadad
    • Tema
    • Jetur
    • Naphish
    • Kedemah

    In order of birth

    These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

  2. By villages and encampments

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

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

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.

Jacob and Esau

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

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.

Genesis 25:21

Pray

He prayed, and the LORD heard

Rebekah was barren, and Isaac didn’t take matters into his own hands. He “prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife,” and “the LORD heard his prayer.” Genesis lets us count: twenty years passed between the wedding and the twins. Bring God the thing you have waited longest for, and pray for someone you love who is waiting too.

A young woman, heavily pregnant, seen from behind kneeling in prayer on a hilltop at dusk, her mantle around her, the first stars above.

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, 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.”

0:20

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob

Genesis 25:28

Question

Quick question

Before the twins were born, God told Rebekah how their story would run.

What did the LORD tell Rebekah about her sons?

Esau Sells His Birthright

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

Esau

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

Jacob

“First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied.

Esau

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

Jacob

“Swear to me first,” Jacob said.

So Esau swore to Jacob and sold him the birthright.

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.

Genesis 25:34

Reflect

For a single meal

Esau was hungry and tired, and the stew was right there. “I am about to die,” he said, “so what good is a birthright to me?” In a few minutes it was gone. He “ate and drank and then got up and went away,” as if nothing much had happened. What lasting thing are you tempted to trade for something that feels urgent right now? Write it down, and ask God for a heart that values what He values.

You’ve experienced

Genesis 25

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A verse to carry with you

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.

Genesis 25:21

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