How Is Jacob Different When He Meets Esau Again

Story in the Volume of Genesis

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'south loss of his birthright to Jacob and the conflict that ensued between their descendant nations because of Jacob'south deception of their anile and blind father, Isaac, in order to receive Esau'due south birthright/approval from Isaac.

This conflict was paralleled past the amore the parents had for their favored kid: "Isaac, who had a sense of taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob."^[1] Even since conception, their conflict was foreshadowed: "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If information technology be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, 2 nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the i people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elderberry shall serve the younger."^[two]

Genesis 25:26^[3] states that Esau was born before Jacob, who came out property on to his older brother's heel as if he was trying to pull Esau dorsum into the womb then that he could be firstborn.^[4] The proper noun Jacob means he grasps the heel which is a Hebrew idiom for deceptive beliefs.^[5]

Birthright [edit]

The Mess of Pottage (watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot)

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: אדום, adom, meaning "red"). Jacob offered to give Esau a bowl of stew in substitution for his birthright (the correct to be recognized as firstborn) and Esau agreed.^{[half dozen]}

The birthright (bekorah) has to do with both position and inheritance. By birthright, the firstborn son inherited the leadership of the family and the judicial authority of his father. Deuteronomy 21:17 states that he was also entitled to a double portion of the paternal inheritance.^[7]

In the interpretation of Daniel J. Elazar, Esau acts impulsively: "Esau demonstrates that he does not deserve to be the one who continues Abraham'south 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 plenty almost it to conspire later with his mother to deceive his male parent so as to gain the approval for the outset-built-in too."^[8]

Later, Esau marries two wives, both Hittite women, that is, locals, in violation of Abraham's (and God'south) injunction non to take wives from among the Canaanite population. Again, i gets the sense of a headstrong person who acts impulsively, without sufficient thought.^[9] His union is described as a vexation to both Rebecca and Isaac. Even his male parent, who has stiff affection for him, is hurt by his act. According to Daniel J. Elazar this activity alone forever rules out Esau equally the bearer of patriarchal continuity. Esau could take overcome the sale of his birthright; Isaac was notwithstanding prepared to give him the blessing due the firstborn. But acquiring strange wives meant the detachment of his children from the Abrahamic line. Despite the charade on the role of Jacob and his mother to proceeds Isaac's patriarchal blessing, Jacob'southward vocation as Isaac's legitimate heir in the continued founding of the Jewish people is reaffirmed.

Elazar suggests the Bible indicates that a bright, calculating person, even if he is less than honest at times, is preferable as a founder over a bluff, impulsive one who cannot make discriminating choices.^[eight]

Approval of the firstborn [edit]

Pronouncing the approving was considered to be the human activity formally acknowledging the firstborn as the master heir.^[10]

In Genesis 27:five–7, Rebecca overhears Isaac tell Esau, "Bring me venison and prepare a savoury food, that I may swallow, and bless thee before the LORD before my death." Rebecca counsels Jacob to pretend to exist Esau, in order to obtain the blessing in his brother's stead. He dressed himself in Esau's best apparel and disguised himself by covering his arms in lamb skin so that if his blind father touched him, he would remember Jacob his more than hirsute blood brother. Jacob brought Isaac a dish of goat meat prepared by Rebecca to taste like venison. Isaac then bestowed the blessing (bekhorah), which confers a prophetic wish for fertility (vv. 27–28) and dominion (5.29), on Jacob before Esau's return.

Esau is furious and vows to kill Jacob^[11] as soon every bit their father has died. Rebecca intervenes to salve her younger son Jacob from being murdered past her elder son, Esau.^[12] At Rebecca'southward urging, Jacob flees to a distant land to work for his female parent's brother, Laban.^[13] She explains to Isaac that she has sent Jacob to detect a wife among her ain people.

Jacob does not immediately receive his father's inheritance. Jacob, having fled for his life, leaves behind the wealth of Isaac's flocks and country and tents in Esau's hands. Jacob is forced to sleep out on the open ground and then work for wages every bit a servant in Laban'due south household. Jacob, who had deceived his begetter, is in turn deceived and cheated past his uncle Laban concerning Jacob's seven years of service (lacking money for a dowry) for the manus of Laban's daughter Rachel, receiving his older daughter Leah instead.^[14] However, despite Laban, Jacob somewhen becomes so rich as to incite the envy of Laban and Laban's sons.

Reconciliation [edit]

Genesis 32-33^[xv] tells of Jacob and Esau's eventual meeting according to God's commandment in Genesis 31:3 and 32:ten^[16] after Jacob had spent more than than twenty years staying with Laban in Padan-Aram. The two men prepare for their coming together similar warriors nearly to enter into battle. Jacob divides his family into ii camps such that if one is taken the other might escape.^[17] Jacob sends messengers to Esau, as well equally gifts meant to appease him.^[xiv]

Jacob gets the proper noun Israel after he wrestles with the Angel of God as he is traveling to Esau. His hip is knocked out of joint just he keeps on wrestling and gains the name.^[a]

After the come across with the affections, Jacob crosses over the ford Jabbok and encounters Esau who seems initially pleased to see him,^[18] which mental attitude of favour Jacob fosters by ways of his souvenir. Esau refuses the gift at first only Jacob humbles himself earlier his brother and presses him to take it, which he finally does.^[19] Notwithstanding, Jacob manifestly does non trust his brother'south favour to go along for long, so he makes excuses to avoid traveling to Mount Seir in Esau'southward company,^[20] and he farther evades Esau'southward attempt to put his own men among Jacob's bands^[21] and finally completes the charade of his brother yet again by going to Succoth and so to Shalem, a urban center of Shechem, instead of post-obit Esau at a distance to Seir.^[22] The adjacent time Jacob and Esau meet is at the burial of their begetter, Isaac, in Hebron.^[23]

Views of the birthright [edit]

The narrative of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob, in Genesis 25,^[24] states that Esau despised his birthright. Nevertheless, it too alludes to Jacob being deceitful.

In Esau's mother and father's eyes, the deception may take been deserved. Rebecca later abets Jacob in receiving his male parent's blessing disguised as Esau. Isaac and so refuses to take Jacob's approval back afterwards learning he was tricked, and does not give this blessing to Esau but, after Esau begs, gives him an junior blessing.^[25]

References [edit]

Footnotes [edit]

1. ^ In Biblical Hebrew the name "Israel" means one who wrestles with God. See also Jacob's Ladder.

Citations [edit]

1. ^ Genesis 25:28
2. ^ Genesis 25:22–23
3. ^ Genesis 25:26
4. ^ Attridge 2006, p. forty.
5. ^ Gen 25:26 NIV footnote a
6. ^ Duffy 1909.
7. ^ Easton 1893, p. 100.
8. ^ ^{a b} Elazar northward.d.
9. ^ Genesis 26:34–35
10. ^ "Firstborn". Jewish Virtual Library.
11. ^ Genesis 27:41
12. ^ Buhl, Hirsch & Schechter 1901, pp. 206–208.
13. ^ Genesis 28:5
14. ^ ^{a b} Manns 2013.
15. ^ Genesis 32–33
16. ^ Genesis 31:three, 32:ten
17. ^ Genesis 32:eight–9
18. ^ Genesis 33:4
19. ^ Genesis 33:3, 33:10–11
20. ^ Genesis 33:12–14
21. ^ Genesis 33:15–16
22. ^ Genesis 33:16–20
23. ^ Genesis 35:27–29
24. ^ Genesis 25
25. ^ Genesis 27:34–40

Sources [edit]

• Attridge, Harold W. (2006). HarperCollins Study Bible - Pupil Edition: Fully Revised & Updated. HarperCollins. ISBN978-0-06-078684-7 – via Social club of Biblical Literature.
• Buhl, Frants; Hirsch, Emil G.; Schechter, Solomon (1901). "Esau". In Isidore Vocalist (ed.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. 5.
• Duffy, Daniel (1909). "Esau". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Cosmic Encyclopedia. Vol. v. New York: Robert Appleton Visitor.
• Easton, M. G. (1893). Illustrated Bible Lexicon and Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature. New York: Harper and Brothers.
• Elazar, Daniel J. (n.d.). "Jacob and Esau and the Emergence of the Jewish People". Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs . Retrieved eleven Feb 2021.
• Manns, Frederic (2013). "Jacob and Esau: Rebecca'due south Children". American Catholic. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_and_Esau

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