(19) This is the story of Isaac, son of Abraham. Abraham begot Isaac. (20) Isaac was forty years old when he took to wife Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. (21) Isaac pleaded with יהוה on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and יהוה responded to his plea, and his wife Rebekah conceived. (22) But the children struggled in her womb, and she said, “If so, why do I exist?” She went to inquire of יהוה,

(23) and יהוה answered her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
One people shall be mightier than the other,
And the older shall serve the younger.” (24) When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. (25) The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over; so they named him Esau. (26) Then his brother emerged, holding on to the heel of Esau; so they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

(27) When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob became a mild man, raising livestock. (28) Isaac favored Esau because he had a taste for game; but Rebekah favored Jacob. (29) Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open, famished. (30) And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me some of that red stuff to gulp down, for I am famished”—which is why he was named Edom. (31) Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” (32) And Esau said, “I am at the point of death, so of what use is my birthright to me?” (33) But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. (34) Jacob then gave Esau bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, and he rose and went away. Thus did Esau spurn the birthright.

(1) There was a famine in the land—aside from the previous famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham—and Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar. (2)יהוה had appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land which I point out to you. (3) Reside in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; I will assign all these lands to you and to your heirs, fulfilling the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. (4) I will make your heirs as numerous as the stars of heaven, and assign to your heirs all these lands, so that all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your heirs— (5) inasmuch as Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws, and My teachings.”

(6) So Isaac stayed in Gerar. (7) When the local leaders asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say “my wife,” thinking, “The local leaders might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she is beautiful.” (8) When some time had passed, Abimelech king of the Philistines, looking out of the window, saw Isaac fondling his wife Rebekah. (9) Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is your wife! Why then did you say: ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her.” (10) Abimelech said, “What have you done to us! One of the men might have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” (11) Abimelech then charged all the people, saying, “Anyone who molests this man or his wife shall be put to death.” (12) Isaac sowed in that land and reaped a hundredfold the same year. יהוה blessed him,

(13) and the man grew richer and richer until he was very wealthy: (14) he acquired flocks and herds, and a large household, so that the Philistines envied him. (15) And the Philistines stopped up all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, filling them with earth. (16) And Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you have become far too big for us.”

(17) So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the wadi of Gerar, where he settled. (18) Isaac dug anew the wells which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham’s death; and he gave them the same names that his father had given them. (19) But when Isaac’s servants, digging in the wadi, found there a well of spring water, (20) the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He named that well Esek, because they contended with him. (21) And when they dug another well, they disputed over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. (22) He moved from there and dug yet another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying, “Now at last יהוה has granted us ample space to increase in the land.”

(19) But when Isaac’s servants, digging in the wadi, found there a well of spring water, (20) the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” He named that well Esek, because they contended with him. (21) And when they dug another well, they disputed over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. (22) He moved from there and dug yet another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying, “Now at last יהוה has granted us ample space to increase in the land.”

(1) A pronouncement: The word of GOD to Israel through Malachi. (2) I have shown you love, said GOD. But you ask, “How have You shown us love?” After all—declares GOD—Esau is Jacob’s brother; yet I have accepted Jacob (3) and have rejected Esau. I have made his hills a desolation, his territory a home for beasts of the desert. (4) If Edom thinks, “Though crushed, we can build the ruins again,” thus said GOD of Hosts: They may build, but I will tear down. And so they shall be known as the region of wickedness, the people damned forever of GOD. (5) Your eyes shall behold it, and you shall declare, “Great is GOD beyond the borders of Israel!” (6) A son should honor his father, and a slave his master. Now if I were a father, where would be the honor due Me? And if I were a master, where would be the reverence due Me?—said GOD of Hosts to you, O priests who scorn My name. But you ask, “How have we scorned Your name?” (7) You offer defiled food on My altar. But you ask, “How have we defiled You?” By saying, “GOD’s table can be treated with scorn.” (8) When you present a blind animal for sacrifice—it doesn’t matter! When you present a lame or sick one—it doesn’t matter! Just offer it to your governor: Will he accept you? Will he show you favor?—said GOD of Hosts. (9) And now implore the favor of God! Will compassion be shown to us? This is what you have done—will any of you be accepted?
GOD of Hosts has said: (10) If only you would lock My doors, and not kindle fire on My altar to no purpose! I take no pleasure in you—said GOD of Hosts—and I will accept no offering from you. (11) For from where the sun rises to where it sets, My name is honored among the nations, and everywhere incense and pure oblation are offered to My name; for My name is honored among the nations—said GOD of Hosts. (12) But you profane it when you say, “The table of the Sovereign is defiled and the meat, the food, can be treated with scorn.” (13) You say, “Oh, what a bother!” And so you degrade it—said GOD of Hosts—and you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; and you offer such as an oblation. Will I accept it from you?—said GOD. (14) A curse on the cheat who has an [unblemished] male in the flock, but vows and sacrifices a blemished animal to the Sovereign! For I am an emperor—said GOD of Hosts—and My name is revered among the nations.

(1) A pronouncement: The word of GOD to Israel through Malachi. (2) I have shown you love, said GOD. But you ask, “How have You shown us love?” After all—declares GOD—Esau is Jacob’s brother; yet I have accepted Jacob (3) and have rejected Esau. I have made his hills a desolation, his territory a home for beasts of the desert. (4) If Edom thinks, “Though crushed, we can build the ruins again,” thus said GOD of Hosts: They may build, but I will tear down. And so they shall be known as the region of wickedness, the people damned forever of GOD. (5) Your eyes shall behold it, and you shall declare, “Great is GOD beyond the borders of Israel!” (6) A son should honor his father, and a slave his master. Now if I were a father, where would be the honor due Me? And if I were a master, where would be the reverence due Me?—said GOD of Hosts to you, O priests who scorn My name. But you ask, “How have we scorned Your name?” (7) You offer defiled food on My altar. But you ask, “How have we defiled You?” By saying, “GOD’s table can be treated with scorn.” (8) When you present a blind animal for sacrifice—it doesn’t matter! When you present a lame or sick one—it doesn’t matter! Just offer it to your governor: Will he accept you? Will he show you favor?—said GOD of Hosts. (9) And now implore the favor of God! Will compassion be shown to us? This is what you have done—will any of you be accepted?
GOD of Hosts has said: (10) If only you would lock My doors, and not kindle fire on My altar to no purpose! I take no pleasure in you—said GOD of Hosts—and I will accept no offering from you. (11) For from where the sun rises to where it sets, My name is honored among the nations, and everywhere incense and pure oblation are offered to My name; for My name is honored among the nations—said GOD of Hosts. (12) But you profane it when you say, “The table of the Sovereign is defiled and the meat, the food, can be treated with scorn.” (13) You say, “Oh, what a bother!” And so you degrade it—said GOD of Hosts—and you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; and you offer such as an oblation. Will I accept it from you?—said GOD. (14) A curse on the cheat who has an [unblemished] male in the flock, but vows and sacrifices a blemished animal to the Sovereign! For I am an emperor—said GOD of Hosts—and My name is revered among the nations. (1) And now, O priests, this charge is for you: (2) Unless you obey and unless you lay it to heart, and do honor to My name—said GOD of Hosts—I will send a curse and turn your blessings into curses. (Indeed, I have turned them into curses, because you do not lay it to heart.) (3) I will put your seed under a ban, and I will strew dung upon your faces, the dung of your festal sacrifices, and you shall be carried out to its [heap]. (4) Know, then, that I have sent this charge to you that My covenant with Levi may endure—said GOD of Hosts. (5) I had with him a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave to him, and of reverence, which he showed Me. For he stood in awe of My name. (6)Proper rulings were in his mouth,
And nothing perverse was on his lips;He served Me with complete loyaltyAnd held the many back from iniquity.(7)For the lips of a priest guard knowledge,And rulings are sought from his mouth;For he is a messenger of GOD of Hosts.