Genesis 25-26

In these chapters we really start getting into the dynamics of Isaac's household. In chapter 25, Abraham dies and Isaac and Ishmael bury him with Sarah. We then get the lineage of Ishmael's side, which is where the twelve rulers come from whom we were told about in Genesis 17.

One question about a possible difference in Bible translations - in my NIV, Ge 25:18 says, "His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them." The phrase "hostility toward" has a footnote that reads, "Or lived to the east of.'

I don't know about y'all, but living in hostility and living to the east just don't mean the same thing, and obviously living in hostility is much worse than simply living eastward. This footnote was also used back in chapter 16, but it just now really jumped out at me. Which translation do you tend to use or lean toward? I'm leaning toward the hostility translation considering what it is happening in the Arab world today, but I also like to look for the best in people, so I'd like to go more with the living to the east. But I really just don't know.

So then we move on to Esau and Jacob, Isaac and Rebekah's twin boys. Apparently God told Rebekah while she was pregnant that the older twin will serve the younger twin. (Ge 25:23) By the way, Esau was born first then Jacob came out literally hanging on to his heel. Years later, Esau is starving and Jacob won't give him food until Esau sells him his birthright. Esau does because he despised his birthright anyway. (Ge 25:34) Big question: why does Esau hate his birthright? That's never really cleared up. And if he hated it, why the big mess in Genesis 27, which I'm posting about tomorrow?

And then in Genesis 26, Isaac has a similar run-in with Abimelek that Abraham had back in Genesis 20. (And I'm also kinda assuming this Abimelek is a descendent of the original Abimelek, but I'm not totally sure.) And Isaac and Rebekah lie about being married just like Abraham and Sarah. Y'all, what is up with all the lying?! Why can't everybody just be honest about their marriages? I don't get it. And then again we have a whole bunch of arguing with these wells, and once again I don't understand the big fuss. Anyone have an explanation for all of this?

At the very end of Genesis 26, we also learn that Esau marries two Hittite women, which really irritates Isaac and Rebekah. Like, they're pretty P.O.ed about it. God wanted these people to marry within the family, none of the local women, and here goes Esau marrying two of them. Eye roll, Esau, eye roll...

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How do you interpret Genesis 25:18? And what leads you to side with your interpretation?

And why do you think Esau hates his birthright?

Also, what's up with all the lying about marriages and arguing over wells? Why were these things such a big deal? This is a classic case of "why can't we all just get along?!"