# our father Isaac ... It is just

In your culture you may need to place 9:11 after 9:12 to make them easier to understand. AT: "our father Isaac, it was said to her, 'The older will serve the younger.' Now the children were not yet born ... because of him who calls. It is just"

# our father

Paul refers to Isaac as "our father" because Isaac was the ancestor of Paul and of the Jewish believers in Rome. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-inclusive]])

# had conceived

"had become pregnant"

# for the children were not yet born and had not yet done anything good or bad

"before the children were born and before they had done anything, whether good or bad"

# so that the purpose of God according to choice might stand

"so that what God wants to happen according to His choice will happen"

# for the children were not yet born

"before the children were born"

# had not yet done anything good or bad

"not because of anything they had done"

# because of him

because of God

# it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger."

"God said to Rebecca, 'The older son will serve the younger son'"

# Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated

The word "hated" is an exaggeration. God loved Jacob much more than he loved Esau. He did not literally hate Esau. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/rebekah]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/father]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/good]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/call]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/jacob]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/esau]]