incomparable virtue, and honored by God in a manner agreeable to
his piety towards him. The whole time of his life was one hundred
seventy and five years, and he was buried in Hebron, with his
wife Sarah, by their sons Isaac and Ismael.

CHAPTER 18.

Concerning The Sons Of Isaac, Esau And Jacob; Of Their Nativity
And Education.

1. Now Isaac's wife proved with child, after the death of
Abraham; (30) and when her belly was greatly burdened, Isaac was
very anxious, and inquired of God; who answered, that Rebeka
should bear twins; and that two nations should take the names of
those sons; and that he who appeared the second should excel the
elder. Accordingly she, in a little time, as God had foretold,
bare twins; the elder of whom, from his head to his feet, was
very rough and hairy; but the younger took hold of his heel as
they were in the birth. Now the father loved the elder, who was
called Esau, a name agreeable to his roughness, for the Hebrews
call such a hairy roughness [Esau, (31) or] Seir; but Jacob the
younger was best beloved by his mother.

2. When there was a famine in the land, Isaac resolved to go into
Egypt, the land there being good; but he went to Gerar, as God
commanded him. Here Abimelech the king received him, because
Abraham had formerly lived with him, and had been his friend. And
as in the beginning he treated him exceeding kindly, so he was
hindered from continuing in the same disposition to the end, by
his envy at him; for when he saw that God was with Isaac, and