Year of the Bible
Genesis 25
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Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Chapter 25:
Abraham’s life wraps up with a recollection of Abraham’s other wives and children, yet reminds us Isaac inherited everything. Isaac and Ishmael meet to bury their father, and a quick genealogy of Ishmael reveals that God blessed him as promised (21:13, 18). Our narrative’s focus turns to Isaac, the son through whom God will work. His wife, Rebekah, is barren, and God hears Isaac’s prayers and gives Rebekah twins. The Lord tells her that, contrary to cultural norms, her first-born shall serve the second-born. We begin to discover the sons’ personalities when we fast forward to when they are older. As the elder son, Esau has a birthright that allows him to inherit a greater portion of the family assets. He has little regard for this benefit, however, for he is willing to give it up when he is hungry. Jacob is able to take advantage of this to secure the birthright for himself.
The Book of Genesis, Chapter 25:
Abraham Marries Keturah
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Le-ummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.
The Death of Abraham
7 These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Mach-pelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10 the field which Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11 After the death of Abraham God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac dwelt at Beer-lahai-roi.
The Descendants of Ishmael
12 These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 (These are the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty-seven years; he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his kindred.) 18 They dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria; he settled over against all his people.
The Birth of Esau and Jacob
19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took to wife Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is thus, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.”
24 When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came forth red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came forth, and his hand had taken hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
Esau Sells His Birthright
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was boiling pottage, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red pottage, for I am famished!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils, and he ate and drank, and rose and
went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
No matter what our age or stage is in life, God can use us to advance his kingdom of love and mercy. How is God calling you today to do acts of love, big or small? Take a moment to listen in prayer, and then act.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
Abrahán volvió a tomar otra mujer,
llamada Queturá, 2 que le dio a
Zimrán, a Yocsán, a Medán, a Madián, a Yisbac
y a Súaj. 3 Yocsán engendró a Sebá y a
Dedán; y los hijos de Dedán fueron los asirios,
latusitas y leumitas. 4 Los hijos de Madián
fueron: Efá, Éfer, Henoc, Abidá y Eldaá.
Todos ellos hijos de Queturá.
5 Abrahán dio todo cuanto poseía a
Isaac; 6 y a los hijos de las concubinas
que había tenido, les proporcionó recursos,
y, viviendo él todavía, los mandó
lejos de su hijo Isaac, hacia el levante,
al país de oriente.
7 Los años de vida que alcanzó Abrahán
fueron ciento setenta y cinco.
8 Abrahán expiró y murió tras una vejez
feliz, anciano y colmado de años, y
fue a reunirse con su pueblo. 9 Sus hijos
Isaac e Ismael lo sepultaron en la cueva
de Macpelá, en el campo de Efrón,
hijo de Sójar, el hitita, frente a Mambré,
10 el campo que Abrahán había comprado
allí a los hijos de Set. Allí fueron sepultados
Abrahán y su esposa Sara.
11 Después de la muerte de Abrahán,
Dios bendijo a su hijo Isaac, e Isaac se
estableció junto al pozo de Lajay–Roy.
12 Éstos son los descendientes de Ismael,
hijo de Abrahán, el que le dio
Agar, la esclava egipcia de Sara:
13 Los nombres de los hijos de Ismael,
según el orden de nacimiento
son: el primogénito de Ismael fue Nebayot,
después Quedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,
14 Mismá, Dumá, Masá, 15 Jadad, Temá,
Yetur, Nafís y Quedmá. 16 Así quedan dichos
los hijos de Ismael y sus nombres
según sus poblados y campamentos:
son los doce príncipes de sus respectivos
pueblos.
17 Los años de vida de Ismael fueron
ciento treinta y siete años, luego expiró,
murió, y fue a reunirse con su pueblo.
18 Sus hijos se establecieron desde Javilá
hasta Sur, que está frente a Egipto en dirección
a Asiria. Se situaron frente a todos
sus hermanos.
19 Éstos son los descendientes de
Isaac, hijo de Abrahán:
Abrahán había engendrado a Isaac;
20 y tenía Isaac cuarenta años cuando
tomó por esposa a Rebeca, hija de Betuel,
el arameo de Padán–Aram, y hermana
de Labán, el arameo. 21 Isaac imploró
al Señor en favor de su esposa, pues era estéril. El Señor le escuchó y
Rebeca, su mujer, concibió. 22 Y como los
hijos se hostigasen en su seno, exclamó:
–Si esto es así, ¿qué va a ser de mí?
Y fue a consultar al Señor. 23 El Señor
le respondió:
–Dos pueblos hay en tu vientre;
se separarán dos naciones surgidas
de ti. Una nación superará a la otra,
y la mayor servirá a la menor.
24 Se le cumplieron los días de dar
a luz y resultó que tenía mellizos en su
seno. 25 El primero que salió era de tez
rojiza, todo peludo como una zamarra
de piel, y le pusieron de nombre Esaú.
26 Después salió su hermano, agarrando
con la mano el talón de Esaú, y le pusieron
de nombre Jacob. Cuando nacieron,
Isaac tenía sesenta años.
27 Los muchachos crecieron, y Esaú
se convirtió en un experto cazador, en
un hombre montaraz, mientras que Jacob
era un hombre tranquilo que habitaba
en tiendas. 28 Isaac prefería a Esaú
porque le traía caza; en cambio Rebeca
prefería a Jacob.
29 Un día Jacob había preparado un
guiso, cuando Esaú volvió agotado del
campo. 30 Y Esaú dijo a Jacob:
–Déjame comer, por favor, de eso
rojo, pues estoy agotado. (Por eso precisamente
se llama Edom).
31 Jacob respondió:
–Véndeme ahora mismo tu primogenitura.
32 Y dijo Esaú:
–Estoy a punto de morir ¿para qué
me sirve mi primogenitura?
33 Repuso Jacob:
–Júramelo ahora mismo.
Y él se lo juró, y vendió su primogenitura
a Jacob. 34 Jacob le dio pan y el
guiso de lentejas a Esaú, quien comió,
bebió, se levantó y se fue. Así malvendió
Esaú la primogenitura.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).