Genesis 25 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.

She gave him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. Dedan's descendants were the Asshurim, the Letushim, and the Leummim.

Midian's sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah's descendants.

Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac.

But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts while he was still alive and sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the lands of the east.

Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.

Then Abraham took his last breath and died at a good old age, full of years, and was gathered to his people.

His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre --

the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there, next to his wife Sarah.

After Abraham died, God provided for his son Isaac. Isaac settled near Beer-lahai-roi.

These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian -- Sarah's servant -- bore to Abraham.

These are the names of Ishmael's sons, listed by their birth order: Nebaioth, Ishmael's firstborn, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

These were Ishmael's sons, and these were their names by their settlements and camps -- twelve tribal leaders of their peoples.

Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He took his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people.

His descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt on the way toward Assyria. They lived in tension with all their relatives.

This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac. Abraham fathered Isaac.

Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.

Isaac prayed to Yahweh on behalf of his wife, because she couldn't have children. Yahweh answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

But the children struggled violently inside her, and she said, "If this is how it's going to be, why go on living?" So she went to ask Yahweh about it.

Yahweh told her: "Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be divided from the moment they leave your body. One will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

When the time came for her to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb.

The first one came out reddish, his whole body like a hairy cloak. They named him Esau.

After that, his brother came out with his hand gripping Esau's heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

The boys grew up. Esau became a skilled hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed close to the tents.

Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

One day Jacob was cooking a stew when Esau came in from the open country, completely exhausted.

Esau said to Jacob, "Quick, let me gulp down some of that red stuff -- that red stuff there! I'm dying here!" That's why he was also called Edom.

Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."

Esau said, "Look, I'm about to die. What good is a birthright to me?"

Jacob said, "Swear it to me right now." So Esau swore an oath and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. Esau ate, drank, got up, and left. That's how little Esau cared about his birthright.