Esau Series

Esau

As firstborn, Esau is the natural heir and Isaac's successor.

Description

Esau is the elder son of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible. The Christian New Testament alludes to him in the Epistles to the Romans and the Hebrews; he is mentioned in the Book of Genesis and Obadiah and Malachi.

Born: Canaan

Died: Cave of the Patriarchs, Hebron

Children: Eliphaz, Jeush, Jaalam, Korah, Reuel

Parents: Isaac, Rebecca

Siblings: Jacob

Grandchildren: Omar, Mizzah, Hatam

Yaqub ibn Ishaaq ibn Ibrahim (Arabic: literally: "Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham" romanized: Yaqub; also later Israel, Arabic: [israaeel]; Classical/Quranic Arabic: [israaeel]), also known as Jacob, is a prophet in Islam. He is acknowledged as a patriarch of Islam. Muslims believe that he preached the same monotheistic faith as did his forefathers: Abraham (Ibrahim), Ishmael (Ismail), and Isaac (Ishaaq).

Jacob is mentioned sixteen times in the Quran. Two further references to Isra'il are believed to be mentions of Jacob. In most of these references, Jacob is mentioned alongside fellow Hebrew prophets and patriarchs as an ancient and pious prophet who stayed in the "company of the elect." Muslims hold that Jacob was the son of Isaac and that he preached the Oneness of God throughout his life. As in Christianity and Judaism, Islam holds that Jacob had twelve sons, each of which would father the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Jacob plays a significant role in the story of his son, Joseph (Yusif). The Quran clarifies that God made a covenant with Jacob, and Jacob was made a faithful leader by God's command. His grandfather (Ibrahim), father (Ishaq), uncle (Ismail), son (Yusuf), and himself are all prophets of Islam.

The biblical Book of Genesis speaks of the relationship between fraternal twins Jacob and Esau, sons of Isaac and Rebecca. The story focuses on Esau's loss of his birthright to Jacob and the conflict between their descendant nations because Jacob deceived their aged and blind father, Isaac, to receive Esau's birthright/blessing from Isaac.

This conflict was paralleled by the parents' affection for their favored child: "Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob." Even since conception, their conflict was foreshadowed: "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is so, why am I thus? Moreover, she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two types 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."

Genesis 25:26 states that Esau was born before Jacob, who came out holding on to his older brother's heel as if he was trying to pull Esau back into the womb so that he could be firstborn. Jacob's name means he grasps the heel, a Hebrew idiom for deceptive behavior.

Contents

• 1Birthright

• 2Blessing of the firstborn

• 3Reconciliation

• 4Views of the birthright

• 5References

o 5.1Footnotes

o 5.2Citations

o 5.3Sources

Birthright

In Genesis, Esau returned to his brother, Jacob, being famished from the fields. He begged his twin brother to give him some "red pottage" (paralleling his nickname, Hebrew: ????, adom, meaning "red"). Jacob offered to give Esau a bowl of stew in exchange for his birthright (the right to be recognized as firstborn), and Esau agreed.

The birthright (bekah) has to do with both position and inheritance. By birthright, the firstborn son inherited the family's leadership and the judicial authority of his father. Deuteronomy 21:17 states that he was also entitled to a double portion of the paternal inheritance.

In the interpretation of Daniel J. Elazar, Esau acts impulsively: "Esau demonstrates that he does not deserve to be the one who continues Abraham's responsibilities and rewards under God's covenant, since he does not have the steady, thoughtful qualities which are required... Jacob shows his willingness as well as his greater intelligence and forethought. What he does is not quite honorable, though not illegal. The title that he gains is at least partially valid, although he is insecure enough about it to conspire later with his mother to deceive his father to gain the blessing for the firstborn as well."

Later, Esau marries both Hittite women locals, violating Abraham's (and God's) injunction not to take wives from among the Canaanite population. Again, one gets the sense of a headstrong person who acts impulsively, without sufficient thought. His marriage is described as a vexation to both Rebecca and Isaac. Even his father, who has a strong affection for him, is hurt by his actions. According to Daniel J. Elazar, this action alone forever rules out Esau as the bearer of patriarchal continuity. Esau could have overcome the sale of his birthright; Isaac was still prepared to give him the blessing due to the firstborn. However, acquiring foreign wives meant the detachment of his children from the Abrahamic line. Despite the deception on the part of Jacob and his mother to gain Isaac's patriarchal blessing, Jacob's vocation as Isaac's legitimate heir in the continued founding of the Jewish people is reaffirmed.