21. Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife because she was childless. The Lord heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
22. But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me? ” So she went to inquire of the Lord.
23. And the Lord said to her:Two nations are in your womb;two people will come from you and be separated.One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.
24. When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb.
25. The first one came out red-looking, covered with hair like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.
26. After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel with his hand. So he was named Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when they were born.
27. When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.
28. Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for wild game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29. Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field exhausted.
30. He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, because I’m exhausted.” That is why he was also named Edom.
31. Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32. “Look,” said Esau, “I’m about to die, so what good is a birthright to me? ”