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1Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. 2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, 6but Abraham gave gifts to the sons of Abraham’s concubines. While he still lived, he sent them away from Isaac his son, eastward, to the east country. 7These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years. 8Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is near Mamre, 10the field which Abraham purchased from the children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife. 11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.

12Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham. 13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations. 17These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up his spirit and died, and was gathered to his people. 18They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.

19This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Abraham became the father of Isaac. 20Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife. 21Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22The children struggled together within her. She said, “If it is like this, why do I live?” She went to inquire of Yahweh. 23Yahweh said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb.

Two peoples will be separated from your body.

The one people will be stronger than the other people.

The elder will serve the younger.”

24When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. 26After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob. 29Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.

31Jacob said, “First, sell me your birthright.”

32Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?”

33Jacob said, “Swear to me first.”

He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. 34Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

The Second Account of Creation (2:1)

The Second Account of Creation (2:1)

Topical Study | Gen 2:1 | William Barrick

In Gen 1:1—2:3, “God” occurs as the divine name, but starting with Gen 2:4 “Yahweh God” (“LORD God”) becomes the dominant title. Some interpreters believe that the difference indicates two different authors or two different accounts of creation. However, “God” appropriately identifies the Creator as the supreme Deity in Gen 1. Since Scripture employs “Yahweh” in contexts speaking of covenant relationships (e.g., Gen 12:1; 15:18) as well as personal worship (e.g., Gen 4:26), “Yahweh God” reflects the personal relationship of the Creator to humanity that dominates the content of Gen 2. The author produces a general account of creation in Gen 1, then develops a more detailed examination of the most significant event, the creation of man and woman. Gen 2 cannot provide a stand-alone creation account, because it is too focused and lacks the broader scope of Gen 1. The two chapters together present a unified account. Without the detailed description of the making of the woman, readers would be unable to understand how the “female” came into existence in Gen 1:27 and why the plural “them” occurs in Gen 1:28. The phrase “These are the generations [toledoth] of” in Gen 2:4 serves as the first of eleven such introductions to key narratives in the book of Genesis (see, also, 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; and 37:2). Each occurrence of this formula develops the early history of mankind in preparation for introducing the descendants of Jacob. Gen 1:1–2:3 stands outside that structure as the introduction to that history.