Genesis

Genesis 25:21–23

²¹Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.

²²But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So Rebekah went to inquire of the LORD, ²³and He declared to her:

“Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you will be separated;

one people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger.”^c

Footnotes

c 25:23 Cited in Romans 9:12|ROM 9:12

Read all of Genesis 25

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 25:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Later	יִצְחָ֤ק	yiṣ·ḥāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3327 Isaac
Isaac	יִצְחָ֤ק	yiṣ·ḥāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3327 Isaac
prayed	וַיֶּעְתַּ֨ר	way·ye‘·tar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6279 pray, supplicafe
to the LORD	לַֽיהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
on behalf of	לְנֹ֣כַח	lə·nō·ḵaḥ	Preposition-l	H5227 front
his wife	אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ	’iš·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
because	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
she	הִ֑וא	hî	Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
barren	עֲקָרָ֖ה	‘ă·qā·rāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H6135 barren
And the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
heard his prayer	וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר	way·yê·‘ā·ṯer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6279 pray, supplicafe
and his wife	אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃	’iš·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
Rebekah	רִבְקָ֥ה	riḇ·qāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7259 Rebekah
conceived	וַתַּ֖הַר	wat·ta·har	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H2029 conceive, become pregnant

Genesis 25:22

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But the children	הַבָּנִים֙	hab·bā·nîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1121 son
inside her	בְּקִרְבָּ֔הּ	bə·qir·bāh	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H7130 inward part, midst
struggled with each other	וַיִּתְרֹֽצֲצ֤וּ	way·yiṯ·rō·ṣă·ṣū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7533 crush
and she said	וַתֹּ֣אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
Why	לָ֥מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
is this	זֶּ֖ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
happening to me	אָנֹ֑כִי	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
So	וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ	wat·tê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
to inquire	לִדְרֹ֥שׁ	liḏ·rōš	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1875 resort to, seek
of the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

Genesis 25:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and	יְהוָ֜ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
declared	לָ֗הּ	lāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular
to her	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Two	שְׁנֵ֤י	šə·nê	Number - masculine dual construct	H8147 two
nations	גֹיִים	ḡō·yīm	Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
are in your womb	בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ	bə·ḇiṭ·nêḵ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
and two	וּשְׁנֵ֣י	ū·šə·nê	Conjunctive waw; Number - masculine dual construct	H8147 two
peoples	לְאֻמִּ֔ים	lə·’um·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3816 people
from within you	מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ	mim·mê·‘a·yiḵ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct; second person feminine singular	H4578 internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
will be separated	יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ	yip·pā·rê·ḏū	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6504 divide
one people	וּלְאֹם֙	ū·lə·’ōm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3816 people
will be stronger	יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ	ye·’ĕ·māṣ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H553 be alert
than the other	מִלְאֹ֣ם	mil·’ōm	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H3816 people
and the older	וְרַ֖ב	wə·raḇ	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H7227 much, many, great
will serve	יַעֲבֹ֥ד	ya·‘ă·ḇōḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve
the younger	צָעִֽיר׃	ṣā·‘îr	Adjective - masculine singular	H6810 little, insignificant, young

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Genesis 25:21 Ezra 8:23 · 2 Chronicles 33:13 · Luke 1:13 · Isaiah 58:9 · 1 Chronicles 5:20 · Romans 9:10–12 · 1 Samuel 1:27 · Genesis 15:2–3 · Luke 1:7 · Proverbs 10:24 · Psalm 91:15 · 1 Samuel 1:11

Genesis 25:22 1 Samuel 9:9 · 1 Samuel 30:8 · 1 Samuel 10:22 · 1 Samuel 28:6

Genesis 25:23 Romans 9:10–13 · Genesis 27:40 · Genesis 27:29 · 2 Samuel 8:14 · Malachi 1:2–5 · Ezekiel 25:12–14 · Genesis 24:60 · Genesis 17:16 · 1 Chronicles 18:13 · Psalm 60:8–9 · Jeremiah 49:7–22 · Obadiah 1:1–16

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.