Genesis 25:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau.

NIV: The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.

NASB: Now the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau.

CSB: The first one came out red-looking, covered with hair like a fur coat, and they named him Esau.

NLT: The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau.

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

NKJV: And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called his name Esau.

Rebekah sought out an answer from God, concerned about her unusually difficult pregnancy (Genesis 25:22). The "struggle" she felt was not normal, and she almost certainly did not know she was bearing twins. Her answer came in the form of a prophetic poem, indicating that there were two "nations" in her womb (Genesis 25:23). In verses 25 and 26, the meaning of this statement will become clearer to Isaac and Rebekah.

The first of Isaac's and Rebekah's twin boys emerges both red and hairy. It's unclear if the "redness" refers to a ruddy complexion or to his hair color, or possibly both. Red was often associated with "ruggedness," or manliness, and this child will grow into a stereotypically masculine figure (Genesis 25:27). His hairiness, at least at birth, is so remarkable as to establish the name given to him: Esau. The Hebrew root se'ar refers to hair or hairiness. The name E'sav, then, suggests a hairy fellow.

Esau's younger brother is born in the next verse. Jacob's unique birth also gives him his name and predicts his character. Jacob will be a quiet, indoor man, and also known for trickery: he's both literally and figuratively a "leg puller."

Genesis 25:19–28 describes the birth of Isaac and Rebekah's twin boys. After marrying when Isaac is 40, Rebekah does not become pregnant for 20 years, and only in response to Isaac's prayer to the Lord. Her pregnancy is so difficult that she approaches the Lord to ask why. His response is a prophecy about the divided nations that will come from her. That makes more sense when two children are born, one red and hairy, the other grabbing his brother's heel. The first is named Esau, who becomes a hunter loved by his father. The second is Jacob, a quiet, stay-at-home man favored by his mother.

Genesis 25 is packed with information. Abraham marries another wife, most likely before Sarah died, and has six sons with her. Abraham dies at the age of 175 and is buried by both Isaac and Ishmael at the family-owned cave where Sarah was buried. Ishmael's 12 sons are listed, along with the region their tribes settled in, to the east of what would later become Israel. And, finally, God grants Isaac's prayer for Rebekah to become pregnant by giving the couple twins: the feuding Jacob and Esau.

The previous chapter tells the story of how Abraham's servant found a wife for Isaac from among Abraham's people. This chapter rushes to fill in the details of the end of Abraham's life before beginning the story of Isaac's years as patriarch. Abraham marries another woman and has six sons with her, eventually sending them all away from Isaac. Abraham dies and is buried with Sarah. Ishmael's 12 sons are listed, and then his death is recorded, as well. Finally, Isaac's twin boys are born in response to his prayer to the Lord.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.