King James Version
Genesis 25:21
21And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis 25:21 in other versions
- 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
- 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
19And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: 20And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan–aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. 23And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder 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
Cross-references for Genesis 25:21
- 1 Samuel 1:11And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
- Psalms 50:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
- Psalms 65:2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.
- Psalms 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
- Isaiah 45:11Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
- Isaiah 58:9Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
- Isaiah 65:24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
- Luke 1:13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
- Genesis 11:30But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
- Genesis 15:2And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
- Genesis 16:2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
- Genesis 17:16And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
- 1 Samuel 1:2And he 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 1:7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
- 1 Chronicles 5:20And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.
- 2 Chronicles 33:13And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he 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
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries