Genesis

Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

1Abraham got married again. His new wife was named Keturah.

2And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

2She gave birth to six sons for Abraham. They were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.

3And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

3Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. Dedan's sons began the Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim families.

4And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

4Midian's sons were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abidah, and Eldaah. All these people came from Keturah's family.

5And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

5Abraham left everything he owned to his son Isaac.

6But 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.

6Abraham also had sons by his other wives, who held a lower place in the family. While he was still alive, he gave those sons gifts. Then he sent them east, away from his son Isaac.

7And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.

7Abraham lived 175 years in all.

8Then 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.

8Then Abraham died. He was very old and had lived a long, full life. He was buried with his family who had died before him.

Note"Gave up the ghost" is just an old way of saying he died. "Gathered to his people" means he was buried with his family.

9And 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;

9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave called Machpelah. It was in the field of Ephron, son of Zohar the Hittite, near Mamre.

10The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

10Abraham had bought that field from the Hittite people. He was buried there, next to his wife Sarah.

11And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

11After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived near a well called Beer-lahai-roi.

12Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:

12This is the family story of Ishmael, Abraham's son. His mother was Hagar, an Egyptian woman who served Sarah.

13And 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,

13Here are Ishmael's sons, in the order they were born. The oldest was Nebajoth. Then came Kedar, Adbeel, and Mibsam.

14And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

14After them came Mishma, Dumah, and Massa.

15Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

15Then came Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

16These were Ishmael's twelve sons. Each one led his own people, with his own villages and camps.

17And 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.

17Ishmael lived 137 years. Then he died and was buried with his family who had died before him.

18And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

18His family lived in the land from Havilah to Shur, near Egypt, on the way toward Assyria. They settled right beside all their relatives.

NoteThe KJV says "he died in the presence of all his brethren." The old Hebrew words are hard to be sure about. They can mean his family settled beside their relatives, or that they did not get along with them.

19And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:

19This is the family story of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham was Isaac's father.

20And 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.

20Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, a man from Paddan-aram. Her brother was named Laban.

21And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

21Rebekah could not have babies. So Isaac begged the LORD to help her. The LORD listened, and Rebekah became pregnant.

22And 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.

22The two babies inside her pushed and shoved each other. She said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to ask the LORD about it.

23And 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.

23The LORD told her, "There are two nations inside you. Your two sons will start two different peoples. One people will be stronger than the other. The older son will serve the younger one."

24And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

24When the time came for her to give birth, there really were twins.

25And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

25The first baby came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat. They named him Esau.

26And 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.

26Then his brother came out, holding on to Esau's heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

27And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

27The boys grew up. Esau became a very good hunter who loved being outdoors. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed near the tents.

NoteIn 1611, "cunning" meant skillful, not sneaky. "A plain man" meant a quiet, settled man, not a simple one.

28And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

28Isaac loved to eat the wild meat Esau hunted, so he loved Esau. But Rebekah loved Jacob.

29And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

29One day Jacob was cooking a pot of stew. Esau came in from the fields, weak and very hungry.

Note"Pottage" is an old word for thick soup or stew. "Sod" means boiled.

30And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

30Esau said, "Please let me eat some of that red stew. I feel so weak." That is why he was also called Edom, which means red.

31And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

31Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright, the special rights you have as the older son."

32And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

32Esau said, "Look, I feel like I am about to die. What good is a birthright to me?"

33And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

33Jacob said, "Then promise me right now." So Esau made the promise and sold his birthright to Jacob.

34Then 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.

34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank, then got up and walked away. He had treated his birthright as if it were worth nothing.