Genesis 25 · Verse 21

Genesis 25:21

And 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, King James Version

Genesis 25:21 in other translations

BSBLater, 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.
WEBIsaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. The LORD was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
ASVAnd Isaac entreated Jehovah for his wife, because she was barren: and Jehovah was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
YLTAnd Isaac maketh entreaty to Jehovah before his wife, for she is barren: and Jehovah is entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceiveth,
DARBYAnd Isaac entreated Jehovah for his wife, because she was barren; and Jehovah was entreated of him, and Rebecca his wife conceived.
BBEIsaac made prayer to the Lord for his wife because she had no children; and the Lord gave ear to his prayer, and Rebekah became with child.
WebsterAnd Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

What does Genesis 25:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. 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 more powerful and subdue those of the other (Ro 9:12; 2Ch 21:8).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Isaac 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, Gen 25:20, and he was threescore years of age when Jacob and Esau were born, Gen 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, לנכח אשתו lenochach ishto, directly, purposely, especially, for his wife. Ainsworth thinks the words imply their praying together for this thing; and the rabbins say that "Isaac and Rebekah went on purpose to Mount Moriah, where he had been bound, and prayed together there that they might have a son." God was pleased to exercise the faith of Isaac previous to the birth of Jacob, as he had exercised that of Abraham previous to his own birth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 25:19-26

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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 25:19-26 →

Genesis 25:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֶּעְתַּ֨רvai.ye'.Tarand he prayedH6279
יִצְחָ֤קyitz.ChakIsaacH3327
לַֽיהוָה֙la.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068
לְנֹ֣כַחle.No.khachto beforeH5227
אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ'ish.Towife hisH802
כִּ֥יkiforH3588
עֲקָרָ֖ה'a.ka.Rah[was] barrenH6135
הִ֑ואhi'sheH1931
וַיֵּעָ֤תֶרvai.ye.'A.terand he was entreatedH6279
לוֹ֙loby <the> him
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וַתַּ֖הַרva.Ta.harand she conceivedH2029
רִבְקָ֥הriv.KahRebekahH7259
אִשְׁתּֽוֹ\׃'ish.Towife hisH802

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 25:21

  • 2 Chronicles 33:13

    And 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.

  • Ezra 8:23

    So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.

  • Luke 1:13

    But 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.

  • Isaiah 58:9

    Then 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;

  • 1 Chronicles 5:20

    And 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.

  • Romans 9:10-12

    And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

  • Genesis 15:2-3

    And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

  • 1 Samuel 1:27

    For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him:

  • Luke 1:7

    And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

  • Proverbs 10:24

    The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

  • Psalms 91:15

    He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

  • 1 Samuel 1:11

    And 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A.M. 2167. B.C. 1837. intreated.
1Sa 1:11,27; Ps 50:15; 65:2; 91:15; Isa 45:11; 58:9; 65:24; Lu 1:13
because.
11:30; 15:2,3; 16:2; 17:16-19; 1Sa 1:2; Lu 1:7
and the.
1Ch 5:20; 2Ch 33:13; Ezr 8:23; Ps 145:19; Pr 10:24
and Rebekah.
Ro 9:10-12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 25:20

    And 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.

  • Genesis 25:21

    And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

  • Genesis 25:22

    And 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.

Read all of Genesis 25

Genesis 25:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y oró Isaac á Jehová por su mujer, que era estéril; y aceptólo Jehová, y concibió Rebeca su mujer.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Isaac pria instamment l’ Éternel au sujet de sa femme, car elle était stérile; et l’ Éternel se rendit à ses prières, et Rebecca sa femme conçut.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Isaak bat Jehova für sein Weib, denn sie war unfruchtbar; und Jehova ließ sich von ihm erbitten, und Rebekka, sein Weib, wurde schwanger.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Deprecatusque est Isaac Dominum pro uxore sua, eo quod esset sterilis: qui exaudivit eum, et dedit conceptum Rebeccæ.