Genesis Chapter 25
Showing all 34 verses for Genesis Chapter 25.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. "
"After Sarah died, Abraham married again — this time to a woman named Keturah."
Abraham continues to live fully, marrying again and building family even in his later years. Let life and love remain open possibilities at every stage; God's blessing on you doesn't have an expiry date attached to a particular season.
"And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. "
"Keturah gave birth to six sons for Abraham: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah."
Abraham's family grows further through Keturah, extending his legacy widely. God's goodness in your life can ripple out in ways broader than the one path you're most focused on; be glad for blessing wherever it appears, not only where you expected it.
"And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. "
"Jokshan had two sons, Sheba and Dedan. Dedan's descendants were the Asshurites, Letushites and Leummites."
The family tree branches out further through Jokshan's descendants. Even the parts of your story that feel like footnotes to someone else can become the root of something significant in their own right.
"And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. "
"Midian's sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah and Eldaah. All of these were descendants of Keturah."
Keturah's children are named and counted with the same care as any other part of the family record. Every member of a family deserves to be seen and named with dignity, not treated as secondary simply because their story unfolds differently.
"And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. "
"Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac."
Abraham gives everything he has to Isaac, confirming him as the primary heir of the covenant promise. Some things are meant to be passed on with real clarity and intention; don't leave ambiguous what genuinely needs to be made plain to those who come after you.
"But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. "
"But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away eastward, away from his son Isaac, while he was still alive."
Abraham still provides generously for his other sons before sending them elsewhere. Even when one path is clearly the priority, you can still act with real generosity and care towards everyone else affected by that decision.
"And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. "
"Abraham lived a total of 175 years."
Abraham's long life is recorded plainly, a full 175 years lived out. A long, full life lived faithfully is itself something worth honouring and giving thanks for, however it eventually comes to an end.
"Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. "
"Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life, and he was gathered to his people."
Abraham dies in peace, 'full of years,' gathered to his people. Let this be your hope too: a life lived out fully, at peace, having genuinely known and trusted God through it all, right to the very end.
"And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; "
"His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, near Mamre."
Isaac and Ishmael come together to bury their father, setting aside whatever distance had grown between them. Loss can be an occasion for real reconciliation between people who've drifted apart; let grief soften old divisions rather than deepen them.
"The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. "
"This was the field Abraham had bought from the sons of Heth — Abraham was buried there, along with his wife Sarah."
Abraham is laid to rest beside Sarah, in the very land he had rightfully purchased. There is something fitting about being laid finally to rest among the people and places that shaped a life of real faith and love.
"And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac by the well Lahairoi. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac, who was living near the well Lahairoi."
God's blessing passes immediately and visibly to Isaac after his father's death. Trust that God's faithfulness to you doesn't depend on any one person's presence in your life; His promises carry forward even through loss and generational change.
"Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham: "
"These are the family records of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham."
Ishmael's family line is recorded honestly and fully, even though he wasn't the covenant heir. Everyone's story deserves to be told honestly and given its due weight, even when it isn't the central storyline; God sees and values every branch of the family.
"And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, "
"These are the names of Ishmael's sons, listed by birth order: his firstborn Nebajoth, then Kedar, Adbeel and Mibsam."
Ishmael's twelve sons are named individually, each one significant in his own right. Recognise the individual dignity of each person in a larger group; a name matters, not just a category.
"And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, "
"And Mishma, Dumah and Massa."
The list of names continues, each one representing a real life and a real future. Faithfully continuing to record and honour every detail of someone's story, even in a long list, reflects real respect for the people involved.
"Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: "
"Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah."
The final names complete Ishmael's family record. Completing something thoroughly, even a task as unglamorous as a list of names, is its own quiet form of honouring the people it represents.
"These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. "
"These were the sons of Ishmael, and these were their names, according to their settlements and encampments — twelve tribal leaders, each heading their own people."
Ishmael's sons each become leaders of their own tribes, fulfilling God's promise to him. Trust that God's promises to you are genuinely His own, not lesser copies of someone else's; He is fully faithful to every person He has made a promise to.
"And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. "
"Ishmael lived 137 years, then he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people."
Ishmael, too, lives a long life and dies in peace among his people. God's care and blessing were real for Ishmael even outside the main covenant line; let that widen your sense of how generously God's goodness reaches beyond any one narrow path.
"And they from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Ishmael's descendants settled in the region stretching from Havilah to Shur, near the border of Egypt, towards Assyria; and he died within sight of all his brothers."
Ishmael's descendants settle a wide territory, and he dies among his relatives. However far your own path has taken you from the one you once expected, real life, family, and belonging are still possible there.
"And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: "
"These are the family records of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham was Isaac's father."
The narrative turns to Isaac, marking a clear new chapter in the family's story. Notice and honour the natural transitions in your own life; not every new chapter needs a dramatic beginning to be genuinely significant.
"And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. "
"Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Padan-aram, and sister of Laban the Aramean."
Isaac marries Rebekah at forty, from his own extended family as his father had intended. Patience in choosing who you build your closest relationships with is worth far more than rushing towards whatever is nearest or easiest.
"And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. "
"Isaac prayed earnestly to the LORD on his wife's behalf because she couldn't have children, and the LORD answered him — Rebekah became pregnant."
Isaac prays earnestly for Rebekah through years of infertility, and God answers him. Let persistent, patient prayer be your response to the parts of life that remain painfully unresolved; God hears prayers that are prayed again and again, not just once.
"And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. "
"The two children struggled against each other inside her, and she said, "If this is how it's going to be, why is this happening to me?" So she went to ask the LORD about it."
Rebekah, distressed by a difficult pregnancy, takes her confusion directly to God rather than guessing at answers alone. When something in your life feels confusing or overwhelming, bring your honest questions straight to God rather than carrying the uncertainty alone.
"And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. "
"The LORD told her, "Two nations are inside you, and two peoples will come from your body and go their separate ways. One will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.""
God reveals that the older will serve the younger, an outcome that defies human expectation. Don't assume you already know how God's plans will unfold based on convention or birth order; His choices often surprise the expectations we bring into a situation.
"And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. "
"When the time came for her to give birth, it turned out there were twins."
The birth of twins confirms exactly what God had already spoken to Rebekah. Trust that what God tells you in a private, uncertain moment will hold true when it finally becomes visible to everyone else.
"And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. "
"The first one came out reddish, covered all over like a hairy garment, and they named him Esau."
Esau is born and named for his distinctive appearance. Even the smallest physical details of a person's story can become part of a much bigger narrative later; nothing about how someone begins is wasted or without meaning.
"And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. "
"Then his brother came out, gripping Esau's heel with his hand, and he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born."
Jacob is born gripping his brother's heel, foreshadowing the striving that will mark his life. However your own story or character seems to begin, know that God is still fully able to shape and redeem it over time.
"And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. "
"The boys grew up. Esau became a skilled hunter, a man who lived out in open country, while Jacob was a quieter man who stayed close to the tents."
The brothers grow into very different people, one an outdoorsman, one more settled and domestic. Different temperaments and interests within the same family are not a problem to fix; there is real room within God's purposes for very different kinds of people.
"And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. "
"Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob."
Isaac and Rebekah each favour a different son, sowing division within the family. Be wary of letting your own preferences create clear favourites among people who should be equally loved; even natural affection needs to be held with real fairness.
"And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: "
"Jacob was cooking a stew, and Esau came in from the field, absolutely exhausted."
Esau returns from the field exhausted, and Jacob happens to be cooking. Ordinary moments, someone's hunger, someone else's pot of stew, can turn out to carry far more weight than they first appear to.
"And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. "
"Esau said to Jacob, "Please, let me have some of that red stew — I'm starving." (This is why he was also called Edom, meaning "red".)"
Esau's desperate hunger overwhelms his ability to think beyond the immediate moment. Be wary of letting a strong, immediate craving, whatever form it takes, override your sense of what actually matters most in the long run.
"And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. "
"Jacob replied, "First, sell me your birthright.""
Jacob spots an opportunity and presses his advantage rather than simply helping his brother. There's a real difference between shrewdness and genuine integrity; consider whether you're using someone else's vulnerable moment to your own advantage, or genuinely helping them through it.
"And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? "
"Esau said, "Look, I'm about to die of hunger — what good is a birthright to me?""
Esau dismisses his birthright entirely, valuing an immediate need over a lasting inheritance. Be careful not to trade something of real, lasting value for the relief of an immediate craving; the cost of that trade is often much greater than it feels in the moment.
"And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. "
"Jacob said, "Swear to me right now." So Esau swore an oath to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob."
Esau formally swears away his birthright without any real reflection. Big decisions deserve real reflection, not impulsive agreement made under momentary pressure; give yourself room to think before locking in something you can't easily undo.
"Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. "
"Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank, got up, and went on his way. So Esau treated his birthright with contempt."
Esau eats, gets up, and walks away, 'despising' the very thing he'd just given up. Guard against a casual attitude towards the genuinely valuable things in your life; how lightly you treat something reveals how much you actually understand its worth.