These are the descendants of Isaac, son of Abraham; Abraham begot Isaac.

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

Isaac entreated the Lord on behalf of his wife, since she was sterile. The Lord heard his entreaty, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

But the children jostled each other in the womb so much that she exclaimed, “If it is like this, why go on living!” She went to consult the Lord, and the Lord answered her:Two nations are in your womb, two peoples are separating while still within you; But one will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.

When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb.

The first to emerge was reddish, and his whole body was like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau.

Next his brother came out, gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country; whereas Jacob was a simple man, who stayed among the tents.

Isaac preferred Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah preferred Jacob.

Once, when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.

He said to Jacob, “Let me gulp down some of that red stuff; I am famished.” That is why he was called Edom.

But Jacob replied, “First sell me your right as firstborn.”

“Look,” said Esau, “I am on the point of dying. What good is the right as firstborn to me?”

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first!” So he sold Jacob his right as firstborn under oath.

Jacob then gave him some bread and the lentil stew; and Esau ate, drank, got up, and went his way. So Esau treated his right as firstborn with disdain.