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GENESIS 25
The birth of Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, and Esau’s folly -- (DATE: Between 1791 and 1765 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 25:19-34: Fifteen years before the death of Abraham, Isaac’s wife Rebekah, who had been barren, bore twins for her husband, after he had pleaded to the LORD for her to stop being barren. -- Her pregnancy was troubled, and when she asked the LORD why this was so, He answered that she was about to give birth to two nations, which will be divided against each other, and the older (and stronger) will serve the younger. -- During the delivery of her twin sons, Rebekah first gave birth to Esau, who was red-haired. This is why he was also called Edom (from Hebrew aadoom, which means red). Only then was the second twin son born by Rebekah. While Esau was being born, the second twin was holding the heel of Esau, and therefore the younger twin was called Jacob (from Hebrew aaqeeb, which means heel). While Esau, as a strong man, skilled hunter, laborer in the fields, and was favored by his father Isaac, the younger and more sedentary Jacob was the beloved of his mother Rebekah. -- Jacob was also more cunning than his elder brother, so when Esau returned famished from an arduous day in the fields, Jacob managed to make him swear that he would forgo his privileges as the firstborn to him, his younger brother, in exchange for a good meal (lentil stew with bread) of Jacob’s own cooking. -- (NOTE: Both the Sons of Esau and the Sons of Jacob became a nation: the Edomites and the Israelites. In the course of history they settled in neighboring lands: The Sons of Jacob in Canaan and the Sons of Esau first to the southeast of and later in the south of Canaan. In Old Testament times the descendants of these twin brothers fought many bloody battles against each other. Much later, after 200 BC, the descendants of Esau became Jews and were called Idumeans. One of them was King Herod the Great, who ruled the Jews at the time, when Jesus was born.)
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you that you answer prayer. When Isaac prayed that his wife could have children, you answered his prayer and made it possible for this son of your promise to Abraham to have children with his wife Rebekah. We marvel at your sovereign decision to let the mother of Jacob conceive twin sons. Through this you shaped history even into the times, when your Holy Son became man and lived as Jesus Christ among the Sons of Jacob. We worship you and trust you that you never make any mistakes and that your work goes much further than what we can see or understand. Amen.
QUESTION 25: How were Esau and Jacob different starting from the time of their birth and childhood?