English Standard Version
Genesis 25:21
21And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis 25:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
- New International Version (NIV)Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins.
Context of Genesis 25:21
19These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23And the Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger."
Read all of Genesis 25Genesis 25:21 word by word
וַיֶּעְתַּ֨ר יִצְחָ֤ק לַֽיהוָה֙ לְנֹ֣כַח אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י עֲקָרָ֖ה הִ֑וא וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ יְהוָ֔ה וַתַּ֖הַר רִבְקָ֥ה אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 25:21
- 1 Samuel 1:11And she vowed a vow and said, "O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head."
- Psalms 50:15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
- Psalms 65:2O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.
- Psalms 91:15When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
- Isaiah 45:11Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: "Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?
- Isaiah 58:9Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
- Isaiah 65:24Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.
- Luke 1:13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
- Genesis 11:30Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.
- Genesis 15:2But Abram said, "O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"
- Genesis 16:2And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
- Genesis 17:16I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."
- 1 Samuel 1:2He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
- Luke 1:7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
- 1 Chronicles 5:20And when they prevailed over them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried out to God in the battle, and he granted their urgent plea because they trusted in him.
- 2 Chronicles 33:13He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.
Commentaries on Genesis 25:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife - Isaac and Rebekah had now lived nineteen years together without having a child; for he was forty years old when he married Rebekah, Genesis 25:20, and he was threescore years of age when Jacob and Esau were born, Genesis 25:26. Hence it is evident they had lived nineteen years together without having a child. The form of the original in this place is worthy of notice: Isaac entreated Jehovah, אשתו לנכח lenochach…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19-34Verses 19-34 - LIII. Birth of Esau and Jacob 20. פדן padān Paddan, “plowed field;” related: “cut, plow.” 25. עשׂי ‛êśâv Esaw, “hairy, or made.” 26. יעקב ya‛ăqôb Ja‘aqob, “he shall take the heel.” 27. תם tām “perfect, peaceful, plain.” The epithet refers to disposition, and contrasts the comparatively civilized character of Jacob with the rude temper of Esau. 30. אדים 'ědôm Edom, “red.” The ninth document here begins with the usual phrase, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-26Verses 19-26 Isaac seems not to have been much tried, but to have spent his days in quietness. Jacob and Esau were prayed for; their parents, after being long childless, obtained them by prayer. The fulfilment of God's promise is always sure, yet it is often slow. The faith of believers is tried, their patience exercised, and mercies long waited for are more welcome when they come. Isaac and Rebekah kept in view the promise of all nations being blessed in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21For 20 years, Rebekah could not have children (compare 25:20, 26), similar to Sarah (see 16:1). This condition tested their faith (see study note on 16:1–3). How could they be childless when God promised that nations would come from them? Isaac begged the Lord for help, and the Lord answered his prayer. Isaac seemed to learn from his father's mistake and acted with faith.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife--Though tried in a similar way to his father, he did not follow the same crooked policy. Twenty years he continued unblessed with offspring, whose seed was to be "as the stars" [Ge 26:4]. But in answer to their mutual prayers (1Pe 3:7), Rebekah was divinely informed that she was to be the mother of twins, who should be the progenitors of two independent nations; that the descendants of the younger should be the…Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 25:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries