These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.”
When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Esau Sells His Birthright
Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
REFLECTION:
1. All pregnant women experience flutters, jumps, pushes and discomfort from the baby, or babies, growing inside them, but Rebekah must have felt that more it even more as her babies struggled. Have you ever felt such pain that you inquired of the Lord? Or did you just suffer in silence?
2. God’s response to Rebekah’s inquiry is unsettling to say the least. We want our family members to get along with each other, yet God tells Rebekah that two nations that will be divided and in conflict are in her womb at the same time. How does this help us in dealing with our own family conflict? Does this mean that sometimes we need to accept the struggle and not try to make peace?
3. Esau gives up his birthright, his inheritance and blessing from his father for food. The writer of Genesis tells us that he “despised his birthright” by choosing to satisfy his hunger immediately instead of taking the time to prepare a meal for himself. His hunger would have been satisfied either way, but Esau’s impatience led him to make a bad choice. What have you despised in your own impatience?
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