Knox Bible

1

Abraham, too, married again; his second wife’s name was Cetura,

2

and his children by her were Zamran, Jecsan, Madan, Madian, Jesboc and Suë.

3

Jecsan was the father of Saba and Dadan, and Dadan’s children were the Assurim, the Latusim and the Loömim.

4

From Madian came Epha, Opher, Henoch, Abida and Eldaa. All these were descended from Cetura.

5

Abraham left Isaac the heir to all he possessed

6

and made gifts to the children he had by his concubines. These children of his he bade journey eastwards, while he was still alive, to keep them apart from his son Isaac.

7

Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years;

8

then his strength failed him, and he died, content in late old age, his tale of years complete, and he became a part of his people.

9

His sons, Isaac and Ismael, buried him; buried him in the double cave, on the land opposite Mambre that had once belonged to Ephron, son of Seor, the Hethite.

10

Abraham himself had bought this land from the Hethites, and there he was buried, like his wife Sara before him.

11

And now that he was dead, God’s blessing passed to his son Isaac, who had made his home close to the well that is called, God lives and looks on me.

12

This was the lineage that came down from Ismael, Abraham’s son by Agar, the Egyptian, Sara’s waiting-woman;

13

these are the names of his sons, arranged by the order of their birth. Ismael’s eldest son was Nabaioth, then came Cedar, Adbeel, Mabsam,

14

Masma, Duma, Massa,

15

Hadar, Thema, Jethur, Naphis and Cedma.

16

These were Ismael’s sons, and these the names they left to their villages and towns; each of the twelve was chieftain of a tribe.

17

As for Ismael, he lived a hundred and thirty-seven years; then his strength failed and he died, and became a part of his people.

18

The country where he lived reaches from Hevila to Sur, at the gate of Egypt, where the way to Assur lies; and he died with all his kindred about him.✻

19

And this was how the race of Abraham’s son Isaac continued; Abraham was the father of Isaac,

20

and Isaac was forty years old when he married Laban’s sister Rebecca, daughter of Bathuel the Syrian, who lived in Mesopotamia.

21

At first she was barren, but he prayed to the Lord for her, and his prayer was answered; Rebecca conceived.

22

But the children fell to struggling in her womb; How am I the better for conceiving, she asked, if this is to befall me? And she went to ask counsel from the Lord.

23

The answer he gave was this: There are two nations in thy womb; in thy body the separation of two peoples has begun; here is a victory of people over people, and it is the elder that shall be subject to the younger.

24

And now the time came for her giving birth, and it was found that there had been twins in her womb.

25

The first to come was of a red complexion, and hairy all over as if he had worn a coat of skin; this one was called Esau. Then the second came, with his hand clutching his brother’s heel; and she called him, for that reason, Jacob, the Supplanter.

26

It was when Isaac was sixty years old that these sons were born to him.

27

When the twins grew up, Esau turned into a skilful huntsman, that loved the open plains; Jacob was a tent-dweller and a man of peace.

28

All Isaac’s love was for Esau, who brought him game to eat; Rebecca’s favourite was Jacob.

29

One day, when Esau was coming back tired from the chase, he found Jacob making broth,

30

and said to him, Let me have a mouthful, pray, of that red broth of thine; I am full weary. (That is why he came to be called Edom, the Red.)

31

First then, Jacob answered, make over to me thy birthright.

32

Why, surely, said he; I shall have little profit of my birthright, if I am to die of hunger as I stand here.

33

Give me thy oath, saith Jacob; and Esau gave his oath, and made over his birthright.

34

Then Jacob gave him bread, and some of the lentil broth, and he ate and drank and came away, as if the loss of his birthright were a thing of little moment.