How does Genesis 25 move from Abraham’s death to the dispute over Esau’s first birthright?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The chapter records Abraham’s other children, his gifts and burial, Ismael’s family and death, and the birth of Isaac’s twins. It ends with Esau selling his first birthright to Jacob for food and giving little thought to the sale.

Chapter breakdown

Abraham marries another wife, Cetura. She bears Zamram, Jecsan, Madan, Madian, Jesboc and Sue. Jecsan fathers Saba and Dadan. Dadan’s children are Assurim, Latusim and Loomim. Madian’s children are Epha, Opher, Henoch, Abida and Eldaa. The account identifies this family as Cetura’s children.

Abraham gives all his possessions to Isaac. He gives gifts to the children of the concubines and, while he is still alive, separates them from Isaac by sending them to the east country. Challoner’s note explains that Agar and Cetura are called concubines here even though they were lawful wives and are called wives elsewhere. The note says the term refers to their lower rank. The narrative states the gifts and separation without giving Abraham’s private reason for them.

Abraham lives 175 years. He declines and dies in a good old age after a long life, full of days, and is gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ismael bury him in the double cave in the field of Ephron, son of Seor the Hethite, facing Mambre. Abraham had bought the field from the children of Heth. He is buried there with Sara, his wife. After Abraham’s death, God blesses Isaac, who lives by the well named Of the living and seeing.

The account next names the family of Ismael, Abraham’s son by Agar the Egyptian, Sara’s servant. Ismael’s firstborn is Nabajoth. His other sons are Cedar, Adbeel, Mabsam, Masma, Duma, Massa, Hadar, Thema, Jethur, Naphis and Cedma. Their names are listed by their castles and towns; they are twelve princes of their tribes. Ismael lives 137 years, then declines and dies and is gathered to his people. He lives from Hevila to Sur, which faces Egypt on the way towards the Assyrians. He dies in the presence of all his brethren.

The account turns to Isaac, the son of Abraham. At forty, Isaac marries Rebecca, the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia and the sister of Laban. Because Rebecca cannot conceive, Isaac asks the Lord for her. The Lord hears him and makes her conceive. The children struggle in her womb. Rebecca asks why she needed to conceive if things were to be this way, and she goes to consult the Lord. He answers that two nations are in her womb and two peoples will come from it. One people will overcome the other, and the elder will serve the younger.

When Rebecca gives birth, she has twins. The first is red and hairy like a skin and is named Esau. The other comes immediately after him, holding his brother’s foot in his hand, and is therefore named Jacob. Isaac is sixty when they are born. As they grow, Esau becomes a skilled hunter and a husbandman, or farmer. Jacob, described as a plain man, lives in tents. Isaac loves Esau because he eats what Esau hunts, while Rebecca loves Jacob.

Jacob is boiling pottage, a cooked dish, when Esau comes from the field feeling faint. Esau asks for some of the red pottage because he is extremely faint; the account connects this with his being called Edom. Jacob asks him to sell his first birthright. Esau says he is dying and asks what use the birthright is to him. Jacob tells him to swear. Esau swears and sells his first birthright. He then takes bread and the lentil pottage, eats and drinks, and goes on his way, giving little thought to having sold his birthright.

The story inside

Genesis 25 contains several linked family accounts rather than only the birthright sale. Abraham gives his possessions to Isaac and gifts to the children of the concubines before his death. Isaac and Ismael both bury him. Ismael’s twelve sons and his own death are recorded before the narrative returns to Isaac. The Lord answers Isaac’s request for Rebecca and tells her that the two children represent two peoples, with the elder serving the younger. The last episode shows an actual exchange: Esau wants food because he is faint, Jacob asks for the birthright, and an oath completes the sale. The closing judgement is precise: Esau makes little account of having sold it. The chapter does not explain all the rights involved or describe a later result of this exchange.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The family lists carry specific information. Cetura’s children and grandchildren are named, Ismael’s twelve sons are identified as tribal princes, and both Isaac and Ismael bury Abraham. Keeping those people, relationships and ages allows the transition from Abraham’s life to the next family account to remain clear.
2
The Lord’s answer to Rebecca includes both division and reversed order. Two peoples will come from her womb, one will overcome the other, and the elder will serve the younger. The birth account then identifies Esau as the firstborn and Jacob as the second. The chapter gives this connection without describing the peoples’ later history.
3
Esau’s immediate need leads to a sale, not simply a shared meal. He asks for food, Jacob requests the first birthright and then an oath, and Esau agrees before eating. The narrator’s final words draw attention to Esau’s little concern about the completed sale; they do not define the birthright’s full contents or tell us Jacob’s hidden motives.

Test your recall

How does Esau’s request for food become a sale of his first birthright?

Show answer

Esau returns faint from the field and asks for the red pottage. Jacob asks for the birthright, Esau questions its usefulness while he feels he is dying, and Jacob requires an oath. Esau swears, sells it, eats the bread and lentils, and leaves giving little thought to what he has sold.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 2685–2699
Genesis Chapter 25 Abraham’s children by Cetura; his death and that of Ismael. Isaac hath Esau and Jacob twins. Esau selleth his first birthright to Jacob. 25:1. And Abraham married another wife named Cetura: 25:2. Who bore him Zamram, and Jecsan, and Madan, and Madian, and Jesboc, and Sue. 25:3. Jecsan also begot Saba, and Dadan. The children of Dadan were Assurim, and Latusim, and Loomim. 25:4. But of Madian was born Epha, and Opher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaa: all these were the children of Cetura.
Lines 2700–2710
25:5. And Abraham gave all his possessions to Isaac: 25:6. And to the children of the concubines he gave gifts, and separated them from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, to the east country. Concubines.... Agar and Cetura are here called concubines, (though they were lawful wives, and in other places are so called,) because they were of an inferior degree, and such in scripture are usually called concubines.
Lines 2711–2726
25:7. And the days of Abraham’s life were a hundred and seventy-five years. 25:8. And decaying he died in a good old age, and having lived a long time, and being full of days: and was gathered to his people. 25:9. And Isaac and Ismael his sons buried him in the double cave, which was situated in the field of Ephron the son of Seor the Hethite, over against Mambre, 25:10. Which he had bought of the children of Heth: there was he buried, and Sara his wife. 25:11. And after his death, God blessed Isaac his son, who dwelt by the well named Of the living and seeing.
Lines 2727–2747
25:12. These are the generations of Ismael the son of Abraham, whom Agar the Egyptian, Sara’s servant, bore unto him: 25:13. And these are the names of his children according to their calling and generations. The firstborn of Ismael was Nabajoth, then Cedar, and Adbeel, and Mabsam, 25:14. And Masma, and Duma, and Massa, 25:15. Hadar, and Thema, and Jethur, and Naphis, and Cedma. 25:16. These are the sons of Ismael: and these are their names by their castles and towns, twelve princes of their tribes. 25:17. And the years of Ismael’s life were a hundred and thirty-seven, and decaying he died, and was gathered unto his people. 25:18. And he dwelt from Hevila as far as Sur, which looketh towards Egypt, to them that go towards the Assyrians. He died in the presence of all his brethren.
Lines 2748–2765
25:19. These also are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac: 25:20. Who when he was forty years old, took to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, sister to Laban. 25:21. And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive. 25:22. But the children struggled in her womb, and she said: If it were to be so with me, what need was there to conceive? And she went to consult the Lord. 25:23. And he answering, said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.
Lines 2766–2780
25:24. And when her time was come to be delivered, behold twins were found in her womb. 25:25. He that came forth first was red, and hairy like a skin: and his name was called Esau. Immediately the other coming forth, held his brother’s foot in his hand: and therefore he was called Jacob. 25:26. Isaac was threescore years old when the children were born unto him. 25:27. And when they were grown up, Esau became a skilful hunter, and a husbandman: but Jacob, a plain man, dwelt in tents. 25:28. Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his hunting: and Rebecca loved Jacob.
Lines 2781–2799
25:29. And Jacob boiled pottage: to whom Esau, coming faint out of the field, 25:30. Said: Give me of this red pottage, for I am exceeding faint. For which reason his name was called Edom. 25:31. And Jacob said to him: Sell me thy first birthright. 25:32. He answered: Lo I die, what will the first birthright avail me? 25:33. Jacob said: Swear therefore to me. Esau swore to him, and sold his first birthright. 25:34. And so taking bread and the pottage of lentils, he ate, and drank, and went on his way; making little account of having sold his first birthright.