19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: ^eAbraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, ^fthe daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of ^gPaddan-aram, ^hthe sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And ⁱthe Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?”¹ So she went ^jto inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, ⁿall his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with ^ohis hand holding Esau’s heel, so ^phis name was called Jacob.³ Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was ^qa skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, ^rdwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau because ^she ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.⁴) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and ^tsold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

1 Now there was a famine in the land, besides ^uthe former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to ^vAbimelech king of the ^wPhilistines. 2 And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell ^xin the land of which I shall tell you. 3 ^ySojourn in this land, and ^zI will be with you and will bless you, for ^ato you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish ^bthe oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 ^cI will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And ^din your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because ^eAbraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”