וַיֹּ֧סֶף אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה וּשְׁמָ֥הּ קְטוּרָֽה׃

Following the banishment of Ishmael to the desert with Hagar, the death of Sarah, and the marriage of Isaac, Abraham, who was left alone, took another wife, and her name was Ketura.

וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֗וֹ אֶת־זִמְרָן֙ וְאֶת־יָקְשָׁ֔ן וְאֶת־מְדָ֖ן וְאֶת־מִדְיָ֑ן וְאֶת־יִשְׁבָּ֖ק וְאֶת־שֽׁוּחַ׃

She bore him Zimran, and Yokshan, and Medan, and Midyan, and Yishbak, and Shuah.

וְיָקְשָׁ֣ן יָלַ֔ד אֶת־שְׁבָ֖א וְאֶת־דְּדָ֑ן וּבְנֵ֣י דְדָ֔ן הָי֛וּ אַשּׁוּרִ֥ם וּלְטוּשִׁ֖ים וּלְאֻמִּֽים׃

And Yokshan begot Sheva and Dedan. These tribes possibly lived in the southern Arabian peninsula. Sheva and Dedan also appear in the list of the sons of Raama, son of Kush, son of Ham (see 10:7). And the sons of Dedan were Ashurim, and Letushim, and Le’umim. These are either simply the names of the tribes, or descriptions of their character traits, which mean, respectively: Those who dwell in encampments, those who are swift, and those who form nation-units.

וּבְנֵ֣י מִדְיָ֗ן עֵיפָ֤ה וָעֵ֙פֶר֙ וַחֲנֹ֔ךְ וַאֲבִידָ֖ע וְאֶלְדָּעָ֑ה כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י קְטוּרָֽה׃

And the sons of Midyan, who is listed here among the sons of Abraham, were: Ephah, and Efer, and Hanokh, and Avida, and Eldaa. All these were the children of Ketura. Since Abraham was very old and had been infertile until the births of Ishmael and Isaac, some commentaries suggest that these were the sons of Ketura alone, and were not Abraham’s, although he raised them in his house. However, this explanation is not particularly convincing. It seems more likely that whereas Abraham considered himself elderly and advanced in age, he was still quite capable of procreation and he himself fathered a number of children from Ketura. It can also be inferred from here and from the story of the birth of Ishmael that it was Sarah who was infertile.

וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֖וֹ לְיִצְחָֽק׃

Although these additional offspring were born to him, Abraham gave all that was his to Isaac.

וְלִבְנֵ֤י הַפִּֽילַגְשִׁים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם נָתַ֥ן אַבְרָהָ֖ם מַתָּנֹ֑ת וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֞ם מֵעַ֨ל יִצְחָ֤ק בְּנוֹ֙ בְּעוֹדֶ֣נּוּ חַ֔י קֵ֖דְמָה אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ קֶֽדֶם׃

And to the sons of the concubines of Abraham, Hagar and Ketura, Abraham gave gifts. Since he did not deem them his inheritors, he instead gave them presents, in the form of money or valuables, but not property. And he sent them away from Isaac his son, while he was still alive, so that they should not contest Isaac’s inheritance. They traveled eastward, to the east country. The nations that have been identified from this list indeed lived on the eastern side of the Jordan River, and reached as far as the southern portion of the Negev, perhaps even to the Arabian Peninsula. These nations were sent eastward, and dwelled together with the descendants of Ishmael, and do not feature in the main narrative of the Torah.

וְאֵ֗לֶּה יְמֵ֛י שְׁנֵֽי־חַיֵּ֥י אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־חָ֑י מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וְשִׁבְעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְחָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃

These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life that he lived, one hundred and seventy-five years. Abraham lived for many years after his wife Sarah passed away.

וַיִּגְוַ֨ע וַיָּ֧מָת אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָ֖ה זָקֵ֣ן וְשָׂבֵ֑עַ וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃

Abraham expired and died at a good old age. His later years were pleasant, without battles, struggles, or tension in his family. He was aged in years and content with his life. And he was gathered to his people, his soul returned to its source. This expression is used by the Bible only in reference to the passing of righteous individuals.

וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ יִצְחָ֤ק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ בָּנָ֔יו אֶל־מְעָרַ֖ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה אֶל־שְׂדֵ֞ה עֶפְרֹ֤ן בֶּן־צֹ֙חַר֙ הַֽחִתִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵֽא׃

Isaac and Ishmael, his eldest sons, buried him in the Cave of Makhpela, in the field of Efron son of Tzohar the Hitite, that is located before Mamre. They knew that Abraham had purchased this land for a burial plot and that he had buried Sarah there.

הַשָּׂדֶ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־קָנָ֥ה אַבְרָהָ֖ם מֵאֵ֣ת בְּנֵי־חֵ֑ת שָׁ֛מָּה קֻבַּ֥ר אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְשָׂרָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

The field that Abraham purchased from the children of Het; there Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. Their descendants would later be buried there as well.

וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ מ֣וֹת אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב יִצְחָ֔ק עִם־בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִֽי׃ (ס)

It was after the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son; and Isaac lived beside Be’er Lahai Roi in the Negev, where he was engaged primarily in shepherding sheep. The Torah will later relate that he also worked in agriculture (26:12).

וְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּלְדֹ֥ת יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָלְדָ֜ה הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרָ֖ה לְאַבְרָהָֽם׃

Following the completion of the story of Abraham’s life, the Torah deals briefly with his secondary offspring, thereby rounding out the picture with regard to his children. These are the descendants of Ishmael son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמוֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל בִּשְׁמֹתָ֖ם לְתוֹלְדֹתָ֑ם בְּכֹ֤ר יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ נְבָיֹ֔ת וְקֵדָ֥ר וְאַדְבְּאֵ֖ל וּמִבְשָֽׂם׃

And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their birth: The firstborn of Ishmael was Nevayot. And the other sons of Ishmael, some of whom became heads of families, tribes, or small nations, are: Kedar, Adbe’el, Mivsam,

וּמִשְׁמָ֥ע וְדוּמָ֖ה וּמַשָּֽׂא׃

Mishma, Duma, Masa,

חֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ וָקֵֽדְמָה׃

Hadad, Temah, Yetur, Nafish, and Kedem.

אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֞ם בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ וְאֵ֣לֶּה שְׁמֹתָ֔ם בְּחַצְרֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְטִֽירֹתָ֑ם שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר נְשִׂיאִ֖ם לְאֻמֹּתָֽם׃

These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names. The sons of Ishmael typically did not construct permanent settlements. Rather, they dwelled in their enclosures, which were considered semi-permanent living places, and in their fortifications, structures that were capable of shielding them when necessary. The sum total of the sons of Ishmael was twelve princes of their nations. Each one of them was the prince of a small nation.

וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֛ה וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּגְוַ֣ע וַיָּ֔מָת וַיֵּאָ֖סֶף אֶל־עַמָּֽיו׃

These are the years of the life of Ishmael: He lived for one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he expired and died; and he was gathered to his people.

וַיִּשְׁכְּנ֨וּ מֵֽחֲוִילָ֜ה עַד־שׁ֗וּר אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה אַשּׁ֑וּרָה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו נָפָֽל׃ (פ)

They, the sons of Ishmael, dwelled from Havila , until Shur that is adjacent to Egypt, all the way to Ashur: He resided [ nafal ] adjacent to all his brethren. Alternatively: His portion was ultimately adjacent to his brethren . The term nafal here possibly means conquest, so that the tribes of Ishmael ruled over their brethren, the children of Ketura.

וְאֵ֛לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֥ת יִצְחָ֖ק בֶּן־אַבְרָהָ֑ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־יִצְחָֽק׃

And this is the legacy, the events in the life, of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac.

וַיְהִ֤י יִצְחָק֙ בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּקַחְתּ֣וֹ אֶת־רִבְקָ֗ה בַּת־בְּתוּאֵל֙ הָֽאֲרַמִּ֔י מִפַּדַּ֖ן אֲרָ֑ם אֲח֛וֹת לָבָ֥ן הָאֲרַמִּ֖י ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebecca, daughter of Betuel the Aramean, from Padan Aram, who was the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. Padan means field; there is a similar word in Arabic.

וַיֶּעְתַּ֨ר יִצְחָ֤ק לַֽיהוָה֙ לְנֹ֣כַח אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ יְהוָ֔ה וַתַּ֖הַר רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃

Isaac entreated and prayed fervently to the Lord on behalf of his wife while standing opposite her, because he understood from the fact that she had not given birth in the many years since they were married (see verse 26) that she was barren. The Lord acceded to his entreaty, and Rebecca his wife conceived.

וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצ֤וּ הַבָּנִים֙ בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִם־כֵּ֔ן לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה אָנֹ֑כִי וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ לִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃

During her pregnancy the children were agitated within her. It will soon become clear that she was bearing fraternal twins. Sensing that something was abnormal and cause for concern, she said: If so, if the pregnancy is so difficult, why am I like this, why do I want it? Alternatively, this means: If my suffering is so great, what is the point of living? And she went to inquire of the Lord. At the time, there were distinguished individuals who accepted the faith of Abraham and his family, such as Malkitzedek king of Shalem (see 14:18–20). Rebecca sought prophetic instruction from such a man.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י גיים [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃

The Lord said to her: Two peoples, or national leaders (see, e.g., 17:16), are in your womb, and two nations shall be separated from your innards. From the moment they are born it will be clear that they are very different from one another. One nation will prevail over the other nation, as the struggle between them, which you sense within your womb, will continue after they are born. And the elder shall serve the younger. Even in the case of twins, one is born before the other and is the elder.

וַיִּמְלְא֥וּ יָמֶ֖יהָ לָלֶ֑דֶת וְהִנֵּ֥ה תוֹמִ֖ם בְּבִטְנָֽהּ׃

Her days to give birth were complete, and behold, there were twins in her womb.

וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃

The first emerged with red skin, redder than that of an average person. And he was covered, all of him like a cloak of hair, as he was very hairy. And they called his name Esau, perhaps due to his hair [ se’ar ], or because he appeared mature, like an object that is fully fashioned [ asui ].

וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְיִצְחָ֛ק בֶּן־שִׁשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּלֶ֥דֶת אֹתָֽם׃

And thereafter his brother emerged. Their birth, like her pregnancy, was unusual, as his hand was grasping Esau’s heel [ akev ]; and he called his name Jacob [ Ya’akov ]. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. Since he married Rebecca at the age of forty, evidently they had lived twenty years as a childless couple.

וַֽיִּגְדְּלוּ֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וַיְהִ֣י עֵשָׂ֗ו אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ צַ֖יִד אִ֣ישׁ שָׂדֶ֑ה וְיַעֲקֹב֙ אִ֣ישׁ תָּ֔ם יֹשֵׁ֖ב אֹהָלִֽים׃

The lads grew, and the prophecy that they would follow different paths indeed came to pass. Alongside their joint family obligations in housekeeping and agriculture, their diverse natures began to show: Esau was a man who knew hunting, an adventurer who was dissatisfied with domestic tasks and ventured out to hunt animals, a man of the large field, of the open plains. And Jacob was a guileless man, uninterested in the ruses of hunting, in ambushes and setting traps. He led a sedentary lifestyle, living in tents. Alternatively, the verse could mean that he was a shepherd, expert in tending flocks, as can be seen from later events in his life.

וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב יִצְחָ֛ק אֶת־עֵשָׂ֖ו כִּי־צַ֣יִד בְּפִ֑יו וְרִבְקָ֖ה אֹהֶ֥בֶת אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב׃

And Isaac loved Esau because of the game in his mouth, and Rebecca loved Jacob. It is possible that Rebecca’s preference for Jacob was due to the fact that he lived at home, in close proximity to her.

וַיָּ֥זֶד יַעֲקֹ֖ב נָזִ֑יד וַיָּבֹ֥א עֵשָׂ֛ו מִן־הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וְה֥וּא עָיֵֽף׃

One day Jacob, who was home much of the time, stewed a stew. Esau came from the field, probably after an unsuccessful hunting expedition, and he was weary, exhausted and thirsty.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר עֵשָׂ֜ו אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֗ב הַלְעִיטֵ֤נִי נָא֙ מִן־הָאָדֹ֤ם הָאָדֹם֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י עָיֵ֖ף אָנֹ֑כִי עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱדֽוֹם׃

Esau said to Jacob: Feed me please from that red, red [ adom ha’adom ] dish. Esau did not know what red food was in the pot. He said: Please feed me, as I am so weary that it is too hard for me to bring a spoon to my own mouth. In this connection the verse notes: Therefore his name is called Edom. This incident, in which Esau connected himself to a red [ adom ] dish, stuck to him for the rest of his life and to his descendants for many later generations, to the point that Edom became his alternate designation.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֑ב מִכְרָ֥ה כַיּ֛וֹם אֶת־בְּכֹֽרָתְךָ֖ לִֽי׃

Jacob said: Just as you have a request from me, I too have something to ask of you. Sell me your birthright this day, meaning now.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו הִנֵּ֛ה אָנֹכִ֥י הוֹלֵ֖ךְ לָמ֑וּת וְלָמָּה־זֶּ֥ה לִ֖י בְּכֹרָֽה׃

And Esau said: Behold, I am going to die; I am so tired that I feel that I am about to collapse. For what do I need a birthright? Even if some sort of financial benefit will accrue from the birthright, it will be actualized only in the distant future, and Esau the hunter is not a calculating individual who makes long-term plans.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֗ב הִשָּׁ֤בְעָה לִּי֙ כַּיּ֔וֹם וַיִּשָּׁבַ֖ע ל֑וֹ וַיִּמְכֹּ֥ר אֶת־בְּכֹרָת֖וֹ לְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

Jacob said: I am not satisfied with a simple declaration that you don’t care about the birthright. Rather, take an oath to me this day that you are transferring it to me. He took an oath to him that the birthright would belong to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. It is possible that the stew was given in payment for the birthright. However, it can be argued that as part of the family meal, the stew was not Jacob’s to sell to his brother. If so, perhaps Esau sold the birthright for a substantial sum, which Jacob handed over immediately or promised to give at a later time.

וְיַעֲקֹ֞ב נָתַ֣ן לְעֵשָׂ֗ו לֶ֚חֶם וּנְזִ֣יד עֲדָשִׁ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיֵּ֔שְׁתְּ וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּלַ֑ךְ וַיִּ֥בֶז עֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־הַבְּכֹרָֽה׃ (ס)

And Jacob gave Esau bread and a stew of lentils. Jacob fed Esau, in accordance with the custom to eat a meal at the conclusion of an acquisition. By serving a meal, Jacob exhibited the seriousness of the purchase of the birthright for him. He, Esau, ate and he drank, and after he recovered and realized that he was not going to die, he arose, and he went, and Esau scorned the birthright. He remembered the sale, but he considered the entire incident ridiculous, pointless, and meaningless.