Little is said of the lives of Isaac and Rebecca. Rather, it centers around their two sons, Esau and Jacob. In regards to the soveregnty of YHVH, this portion picks up where the last left off. Just as Father chose Isaac over first born Ishmael, He chooses Jacob rather than first born Esau. It is this Divine choice, and the reasons behind it, I wish to discuss. YHWH is righteous and His divine choices and blessings follow that path. David writes of that path.
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righeous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread."
Psalms 37: 23-25
From Abraham to Isaac, the line of righteousness is clear. Abraham was known as "a friend of Elohim". This is not to say Ishmael was a bad man. From what I have read in Scriptural accounts, he had little to no problems with the family. There appeared to be minimal strife up to and including the time of Abraham's death. Ishmael and Hagar were cared for financially by Abraham before and at his death. Yet, Adonai made it clear His "covenant" blessing was to be bestowed upon he and Sarah, not he and Hagar. After that, both men moved in different directions to fulfill the blessing and calling of YHVH on their lives.
The relationship between Isaac and Ishmael as a whole was very pleasant in comparison with that of Jacob and Esau. Abraham's sons were able to respect their father in life and in death, and part company with mutual, brotherly respect. On the other hand, hatred existed on the part of Esau for his brother Jacob. This hatred of Esau likely began before birth within Rebecca's womb. The account reads as follows.
"...the children struggled together within her; and she said, 'If all is well, why am I like this?' So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her: 'Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.'"
Genesis 25: 22-23
When it came time for the boys to be born, the evidence of the hatred became obvious. The common understanding of this event is spawned by modern Christian thought, that Jacob was a deceiver and was trying to steal Esau's birthright from the very beginning. It is wrongly taught that Jacob's name means "deceiver" or "supplanter". This position can only be taught by those willingly or unwillingly ignorant of Hebrew understanding. A name given to a Hebrew child reflected his/her destiny. The account reads as follows.
"And the first came out red all over, like a hairy garment, so they called his name Ěsaw. And afterward his brother came out, with his hand holding on to Ěsaw’s heel, so his name was called Yaʽaqoḇ."
Genesis 25: 25-26
Esau means "red" or "ruddy". Contrary to western theological thought, Ya'aqob (Jacob) means "hand on the heel". Nowhere in Hebrew Scripture is Jacob's name translated as "supplanter". It is only from the mouth of Esau in chapter 27 where the mantle of deceiver and supplanter is spoken. And, so it is to this day with the descendants of Esau. It has also been suggested that Jacob was trying to keep Esau from being born first. Based on the prophesy of YHVH in v 22-23, it is far more likely Jacob was holding on to Esau's heel to keep his own head from being crushed.
Moses closes out chapter 25 with an event lacking an obvious origin or timeline. The account has Jacob preparing "boiled pottage". When Esau came in from the fields, he was very hungry. The account reads as follows.
"And Jacob boiled pottage. And Esau came in from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage. For I am faint. Therefore was his name was called Edom. And Jacob said, sell me first thy birthright. And Esau said, behold, I am about to die. And what profit shall the birthright do to me? And Jacob said, swear to me first. And he sware unto him. And he sold his birthright unto Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils. And he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright."
Genesis 25: 29-34
For better understanding of the nature of this event, insight is gleaned from the Book of Jasher. The lentil pottage Jacob had made was a customary dish for a funeral. This particular occassion happened to be the funeral for Abraham. Out of respect for his grandfather, Jacob took responsibility for preparing a meal Esau should have prepared, or at least helped with. Esau was nowhere to be found. He was too busy with his own agendas.
When he arrived late at the funeral, all he could think about was his stomach. The first thing Esau thought of was the aroma of the meal. Gazing upon the dish, he said to Jacob, "feed me...with that same red pottage". The Hebrew in the case actually says "red, red pottage". Not being a phrase of redundancy, one "red" referred to the pottage while the second "red" referred to the wine. Verse 34 is a most certain conviction upon Esau.
"And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils. And he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way..." Genesis 25: 34
The scene is one of Esau showing up late for a most important event in his family. He's dirty and musty, of a certainty not dressed for the occasion. He's totally weary and famished to the point of being faint. Jacob is obviously upset and insulted by his brother's lack of respect for their grandfather. So, he bargains for the birthright. Upon completion of the deal, Esau is given bread and lentils and wine "and he did eat and drink".
Esau was filled to satisfaction and then stumbled off into the night in a drunken stuppor. It is no wonder the account says, "so, Esau despised his birthright". According to Strong's, Esau held the birthright in contempt. He disesteemed it. He scorned it and viewed it with disdain, all most likely in a vile manner.
Esau was filled to satisfaction and then stumbled off into the night in a drunken stuppor. It is no wonder the account says, "so, Esau despised his birthright". According to Strong's, Esau held the birthright in contempt. He disesteemed it. He scorned it and viewed it with disdain, all most likely in a vile manner.
It is no wonder YHVH would have chosen Jacob over Esau. With one final act of blatant disrespect for this man known as "a friend of Elohim" and known for his hospitality toward all men, Esau had placed himself solidly in the camp of the unrighteous. He fully deserved every ounce of judgment he received, and will receive through the completion of our generation. It is written of by Malachi and Paul of Esau and his brother, Jacob.
"I have loved you, saith Elohim. yet ye say, wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, saith Elohim: yet I loved Jacob; but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness." Malachi 1: 2-3
"it was said unto her (Rebecca), 'the elder shall serve the younger'. Even as it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"
Romans 9: 12-13
Esau chose two wives from the ranks of the Hittites. Not because there were two wives involved, but because they were crude and very disrespectful to Abraham (as noted in the Book of Jasher), they became a proverbial "thorn in the side" of Isaac and Rebecca. They were grieved of mind because of these women, an embarrassment to them. The account says of this relationship.
"And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebecca."
Genesis 26: 34-35
When Abraham sought a wife for Isaac, he totally removed the choice from him and sent his servant back to his homeland, and ultimately found Rachael. The same would be true of Jacob. It seems Scripture is once again establishing Divine wisdom in the concept of "arranged marriage". The women of the land in which they dwelt were unqualified. For a son of righteous Abraham, these women would just not do for Jacob, anymore than they did for his father, Isaac. The account says of their choice.
"And Rebecca said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father, and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother."
Genesis 27: 46-28: 2
For his own protection from Esau and for finding a righteous wife, Jacob was sent by his parents to obtain both objectives in the house of Bethuel. That will be the subject of the next Torah portion. The purity of Father's line of righteous lineage has been preserved to this point by His sovereign will and guided by His loving compassion, and so will continue until the Seed (Yeshua) of the covenant with Abraham be manifested.
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