Jacob And Esau Series

Jacob and Esau

Later, given the name Israel, Jacob is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He had 13 children, 12 boys, one girl, Dinah. The boys became the heads of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Biblical Facts Concerning Jacob

Jacob was the younger twin. He eventually dominated his brother, Esau, and stole Esau's blessing.

Born: 1791 BC

Died: Egypt

Children: Joseph, Judah, Levi, Reuben, Benjamin, Dinah, Simeon, Asher, Naphtali, Issachar, Gad, Zebulun, Dan

Spouses: Leah, Rachel

Siblings: Esau

Parents: Isaac, Rebecca

Grandchildren: Ephraim, Manasseh, Jochebed, Kehath, Onan, MORE

The Beginning: THE STORY OF JACOB

The example of Jacob makes it clear that God does not choose one person over another because of his/her moral virtue." However, Jacob is a perplexing individual since he has several issues that he must deal with; first, he tricks his dying father and steals his brother Esau's birthright and blessing. We can justify being peeved when God chooses Jacob over Esau. Nevertheless, Is this the type of individual that serves to Father a nation? He is no Abraham. There is another question I want to ask, "Why does God hate Esau but love Jacob?" In a bout with cowardice, Jacob also flees from his justifiably upset older brother after robbing him. Later he has a wife who feels so unloved that God must intervene. Modern sensibilities can undoubtedly be troubled by some other details in the narrative. Namely, Jacob's wives, sisters, and cousins have a child-bearing contest to see who can produce more offspring. They even provide him with their servants as additional wives to use as a substitution to increase their respective offspring tallies. We have come a long way from the notion of women being viewed as the possessions of men whose primary purpose is giving them children. Rachel was mortified at first when she was barren. She blamed Jacob as if it was his fault: "Give me children, or I will die." Sterility is a great grief for the Israelite woman; cf. 1 Sam 1:5-8. 3-6. In her dire situation, Rachel acts as Sarah did (Gen 16:2), giving Jacob her maid Bilhah so that a son may be born.

At one point, Leah tells Jacob he must sleep with her that night as she "hired" him with her son's mandrakes in a deal with Rachel. Esau also had his issues. It was clear that Esau was not suitable for establishing a family dynasty. He was a slave of his appetite, swayed by the moment's hunger. His appetite was so ravenous at the time that he could not even pronounce the name of the stew his brother used to get him to give up his birthright. Esau also married two local Hittite women raising complications for his parents. These two brothers began fighting in the womb. What do we make of these characters? Jacob and Esau initially strike us as very odd, and even God initially appears to behave in a manner strange to our moral sensibilities.

A couple of themes you may have noted thus far in our story is peppered throughout Genesis; barren women and two brothers. The barren women are found in Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Rachel/Leah. "The narrative that establishes the origins of Jacob's family begins with barrenness, just as was the case with Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebekah. He opened Leah's womb but closed the womb of Rachel. The text says very clearly that this was so because "the LORD saw that Leah was unloved" (Gen. 29:31)." There is also a younger Brother motif in the text. Some examples:

• · Cain and Abel

• · Isaac and Ishmael

• · Jacob and Esau

• · Joseph and Brothers

• · Ephraim and Manasseh (to whom Jacob gives the more significant portion of the land)

• · Joseph and Judah (youngest sons) outshine Rueben, Jacob's firstborn.

God has regard for Abel's offering but none for Cain. No explanation is given. God will favor whom He will favor (e.g., Jacob I loved but Esau I hated). God generally shows some love to both brothers in these stories, as even Cain is granted God's protection after the murder of his brother (the mark on his head). The firstborn was granted special privileges, and the younger brother was often more vulnerable. In some sense, these accounts may depict God's concern and love for the weaker members of society. The fragile and vulnerable, the poor. In many societies, the rich and powerful often trample on the rights and freedoms of the poor and weak (David and Uriah, Ahab and Naboth, and the poor and rich in Amos). God may be depicted as showing favor to the younger brother. Is there a "blessed are the poor" vibe from this, or as Psalm 35:10 says: "My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."