Genesis 25:23

WEB

The Lord said to her, Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.

KJV

And 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.

Commentary

And the Lord said unto her,.... Either by one or other of the above persons she acquainted with this affair, and entreated to seek the Lord for her; or by an impulse upon her own mind: two nations are in thy womb; or two persons, from whom two nations will spring, the Edomites and Israelites, the one fro m Esau, the other from Jacob: and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; different in their bodies, complexions, manner of life, religion, as well as place of abode: and the one people shall be stronger than the other people: the Edomites, the posterity of Esau, were a very potent people, and had a succession of dukes and kings, before the Israelites, the posterity of Jacob, made any figure in the world, and while they were slaves in Egypt, see Gen 36:1 ; though in later times the Israelites became the stronger: and the elder, or "greater": shall serve the younger, or "lesser": the offspring of Esau, the eldest, should become tributary to the posterity of Jacob, the younger; which was verified in the times of David, when the Edomites were subdued by him, Sa2 8:14 ; and still more in the times of Hyrcanus, when the Edomites or Idumeans became one people with the Jews, and embraced their religion (e), rather than to be dispossessed of their country; and will have a further accomplishment in the latter day, when the prophecies in Oba 1:18 shall be fulfilled. Of the use which the Apostle Paul makes of this passage; see Gill on Rom 9:11 , Rom 9:12 . (e) Joseph. Antiqu. l. 13. c. 9. sect. 1.