21
Isaacיִצְחָקpleadedוַיֶּעְתַּרwith YHWHלַיהוָהon behalf ofלְנֹכַחhis wife,אִשְׁתּוֹbecauseכִּיsheהִואwas barren;עֲקָרָהand YHWHוַ יְהוָהgranted his plea,יֵּעָתֶר לוֹand Rebekahרִבְקָהhis wifeאִשְׁתּוֹconceived.וַתַּהַר
Genesis 25:21
Study it in the app“Isaac pleaded with YHWH on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and YHWH granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 25:21, word by word
- Isaacיִצְחָקyitschak
Isaac
Isaac, the son promised to Abraham and Sarah, father of Esau and Jacob. His name means "he laughs" (Genesis 17:17, 19; 21:6).
Where else “yitschak” appears- pleadedיֶּעְתַּרyetar
plead
To pray to God persistently, asking him for something.
Where else “yetar” appears- with YHWHיהוָהyhva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yhva” appears- on behalf ofנֹכַחnochach
on behalf of
On someone's behalf, asking for him.
Where else “nochach” appears- his wifeאִשְׁתּisht
wife
Literally "his woman": the one married to him.
Where else “isht” appears- was barrenעֲקָרָהakara
barren
Barren: unable to have children.
Where else “akara” appears- and Rebekahרִבְקָהrivka
Rebekah
Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel, wife of Isaac; mother of Esau and Jacob.
Where else “rivka” appears- conceivedתַּהַרtahar
conceive
Become pregnant, conceive; figuratively, conceive a plan.
Where else “tahar” appears
The context
20Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, as his wife.
21 · This verse (above)
22The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If so, why me?” So she went to inquire of YHWH.
To study Genesis 25 in a group
1. What it says
What did Esau do with his birthright, and what did he receive in exchange (vv. 29-34)?
2. What it means
What does the text mean when it ends, “Thus Esau despised his birthright” (v. 34)?
3. How I live it
What valuable thing are you at risk of trading away for a need of the moment?