Genesis, Start To Finish

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 25:25a . .The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over;

The Hebrew word for "red" can refer to either red hair or to a reddish, rosy
complexion. In Esau's case, it's difficult to know for certain which applied. That he
was a hairy kid right from birth is uncontested. However, to avoid the association
with red hair; some feel that the conjunction "and" should be inserted just after the
comma, so that the verse would read: The first one emerged red, and hairy all over
like a mantle.

Jacob apparently looked like most babies do at birth: a little cherub; bald and
smooth skinned.

Esau, in contrast, was not only hairy, but because of his fur, he was rough to the
touch; sort of like a woolen G.I. blanket. Esau wasn't your typical cuddly little
tykester. When Rebecca held him, it wasn't like holding a little boy, it was more like
holding a grizzly bear cub, so to speak. Maybe that was a contributing factor in
Rebecca's favoritism of Jacob? How many mothers can really warm up to a baby
who looks like he'll morph into a werewolf any second?

● Gen 25:25b . . they named him Esau.

The meaning of the Hebrew word for Esau isn't known for certain. Some say it
means rough-- like rough to the touch. Others think it might mean to cover, or
envelop like a blanket --a distinct possibility given Esau's appearance as one
covered with hair all over his body. (maybe even on his little tush too.)

● Gen 25:26a . .Then his brother emerged, holding on to the heel of Esau;

That was probably just a natural reflex; but in Jacob's case, there were
ramifications.

● Gen 25:26b . . so they named him Jacob.

The Hebrew word for Jacob means: heel catcher, which Esau described like this:

"Esau said: Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant me these two
times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away my blessing!"
(Gen 27:36)

Supplanters take take the place of, and/or serve as a substitute for, others;
especially by reason of superior excellence or power. Well Jacob was never really a
powerful man like the men of renown portrayed by Gen 6:4, but his cleverness
made up for it.

● Gen 25:26c . . Isaac was sixty years old when they were born.

Isaac married Rebecca at forty (Gen 25:20). If Becky was 18 at her wedding, she
would've been 38 by now. Imagine waiting twenty years to have your first child?
Quite a few modern marriages end long before then.

● Gen 25:27a . .When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of
the outdoors;

Esau was a man's man.

● Gen 25:27b . . but Jacob was a mild man

Was Jacob a wimp; some kind of a mommy's boy? No. Far from it. The word for
"mild" simply means: gentle; viz: temperate; which God holds in very high regard.

"For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently
consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and
shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." (Ps 37:10-11)

Webster's defines mild as: gentle in nature or behavior; viz: temperate; in other
words: agreeable, approachable, reasonable, calm, mellow, and self-controlled.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 25:27c . . who stayed in camp.

Does that mean Jacob never ventured outdoors? No. After all, his family was
pastoral; they lived in tents and spent their whole lives working outdoors. Staying
in camp only means Jacob would rather come on home when the day was over.
Esau was probably off away from home on one safari after another, whereas Jacob
was always nearby.

● Gen 25:28a . . Isaac favored Esau because he had a taste for game;

Up to this point, Esau seems an okay kind of guy. No really serious faults are
readily apparent. Jewish folklore lays some pretty heavy sins upon Esau but none of
them are listed here in chapter 25.

And he seems affable enough. On the pages of Scripture, Esau isn't said to be a
friendless loner, or an angry sociopath; nor into bad habits like drinking, gambling,
murder, robbery, lies, laziness, fighting, disrespect for his parents, blasphemy,
selfishness, foul language, or anything else like that.

Thus far, neither Isaac nor Rebecca have voiced any gripes against either one of
their boys. Isaac does favor Esau more, but only because of the venison that he
prepared for his dad on occasion-- which of course would appeal to Isaac because it
was wild game rather than the meat of domestic animals. Guys sometimes feel
more manly when they eat meat taken in hunting rather than from a local super
market. Isaac is one of those men for whom this proverb rings true: The way to a
man's heart is through this stomach.

● Gen 25:28b . . but Rebecca favored Jacob.

Well, that's understandable. Jacob was always at hand whereas his brother wasn't.
Plus Jacob's personality was no doubt easier on one's nerves, whereas guys like
Esau tend to be center-of-attention addicts; and eclipse everyone else in the room
to the point where you get the feeling they believe themselves the only ones in the
whole wide world that count, and the only justification for your existence is to be
their audience.

● Gen 25:29 . . Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open,
famished.

The word for "stew" is from naziyd (naw-zeed') which means: something boiled,
e.g. soup. According to Gen 25:34, one of the ingredients in Jacob's soup was
lentils: a type of flat, round seed related to the pea and is eaten as a vegetable.

● Gen 25:30a . . And Esau said to Jacob: Give me some of that red stuff to gulp
down, for I am famished

The Hebrew word for "red" is from 'adom (aw-dome') which means: rosy.

● Gen 25:30b . . which is why he was named Edom.

Edom is from 'Edom (ed-ome') or possibly 'Edowm (ed-ome') which mean: red.
'Edom and 'Edowm are derived from 'adom; the word for rosy.

I actually knew a man when I was a kid whose nick-name was Rose; and what die
hard football fan hasn't heard of Rosey Grier?
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 25:31 . . Jacob said: First sell me your birthright.

The birthright consists of two distinct components. One is material, and the other is
spiritual. If Israel's covenanted law can be used as a guideline in this instance, then
the holder of the birthright (which is transferable) is entitled to twice the amount of
material inheritance given to his siblings. (Deut 21:15-17)

But Jacob isn't asking for Esau's material birthright; it's the spiritual one that he's
after. Jacob wanted very much to be the family's next patriarch; and no doubt
Rebecca wanted him too.

The position of patriarch carries heavy responsibilities. If Esau was to rule over the
family, then he would be responsible to provide for them both materially and
spiritually. Abraham was a very successful patriarch in both respects, but most
especially in the spiritual.

It was the patriarch's duty to build, and officiate at, the family's altar; just as
Abraham had done all those years (cf. Job 1:5). It was also the patriarch's duty to
dispense the knowledge God and make sure it was carried forward in the family so
as to prevent its loss to future generations (cf. Gen 18:19). I think what Jacob was
really after was the inspiration that came with being the spiritual patriarch. (cf. Gen
20:7)

As far as Esau was concerned, the material element of his birthright was all that
mattered. He was totally secular and cared nothing at all for the spiritual part. On
the other hand, Jacob dearly longed for the spiritual part-- the material part being
only incidental. No doubt the two brothers had discussed these very things over the
years so that Jacob already knew exactly how Esau felt about it. So that, half in
jest, and probably half in disgust, he proposed that Esau barter the spiritual
element of his birthright.

● Gen 25:32-33 . . And Esau said: I am at the point of death, so of what use is my
birthright to me? But Jacob said: Swear to me first. So he swore to him, and sold
his birthright to Jacob.

It just amazes me how much faith the people of long ago put in oaths. Nowadays
nobody trusts an oath. You've got to sign your name on the dotted line, preferably
with a witness and/or a notary, because it would be totally foolish to take anybody's
word on anything; even if they swore to it.

Even if Isaac now gave the birthright to Esau, which he fully intended to do, at least
Jacob had the assurance that his brother wouldn't retain the spiritual aspect. Isaac
would never interfere with a contract between the two brothers sealed by an oath.
He would have to honor it. The spiritual birthright would now go to Jacob, which,
according to Gen 25:23, is exactly what the supreme paterfamilias of Abraham's
clan decreed in the first place.

● Gen 25:34 . . Jacob then gave Esau bread and lentil stew; he ate and drank, and
he rose and went away. Thus did Esau spurn the birthright.

Had Esau politely waived the birthright, that probably would've been okay with God,
and no hard feelings about it: after all; not everyone is cut out to be a spiritual
guru. But to merchandise something sacred to God was an insult that must have
cut Him deeply.

Ironically, the birthright wasn't Esau's to sell in the first place since God assigned it
to Jacob to begin with. I can't help but wonder what happened to the information
that God passed on to Rebecca back when. Did she keep it under her hat all those
years? If so; why?

Jacob and Rebecca no doubt both appreciated their association with Isaac, and
were grateful Jehovah was their deity. But did Esau did appreciate those things?
No, he didn't; nor did he see any advantage to them. He was truly a secular man:
an earthly dude through and through. He wasn't a heavenly man in any sense of
the word; no, far from it.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:1a . .There was a famine in the land-- aside from the previous famine
that had occurred in the days of Abraham

That previous famine occurred in chapter 12 before Isaac was born; even before
Ishmael was born. So many good, prosperous years have gone by since the last
famine. This may in fact have been the very first famine that Isaac ever witnessed,
and probably his last too.

The Hebrew word for "famine" basically means: hunger (more or less extensive)

People go hungry either because they can't buy the foods they need, or can't grow
it for lack of soil or water. In Isaac's case it was probably a lack of water that made
the difference. He had lots of money. But cattle can't live on legal tender. Down in
the lowlands there would very likely be plenty of water in wells and springs that
could be used for irrigation. So it's off to the lowlands they go; herds and all.

● Gen 26:1b . . and Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, in Gerar.

This was very likely another Abimelech-- not the same man in chapter 20 whom
Abraham knew. That Abimelech was very likely dead by now. The name
"Abimelech" is more like a title than a moniker; sort of like Czar, Pharaoh, or
Caesar.

Gerar hasn't been fully identified, but the site might be in one of the branches of
Wady Sheri'a, at a place called Um Jerrar, near the coast southwest of Gaza and 9
miles from it. The site answers fairly well to the statements of Eusebius and
Jerome, that it was 25 (Roman) miles south of Eleutheropolis (Beit Jibrin). It's
actually 30 English miles, but distances weren't very accurately determined in early
times. Gerar was known in the first 5th century CE, when it was the seat of a
bishopric; and its bishop, Marcian, attended the Council of Chalcedon 451 CE.

According to ERETZ Magazine, issue 64, Abimelech's land is an ample valley with
fertile land and numerous springs; a perfect place for a man with cattle to weather
out the drought.

Isaac's decision to investigate the possibility of living amongst Abimelech's people
was quite possibly influenced by Abraham's pact with them back in chapter 20.
Hopefully they would be inclined to honor his dad's relationship with the previous
Abimelech and let Isaac's community live down there at least until it started raining
again up in the highlands.

● Gen 26:2a . .The Lord had appeared to him

This is the very first recorded incident where God appeared especially for Isaac.
When he was offered as a burnt offering back in chapter 22, God appeared to his
dad while Isaac was with him. But God was not said to appear to Isaac. This is the
first time.

● Gen 26:2b . . and said: Do not go down to Egypt;

Isaac may have been considering Egypt as plan B if Gerar didn't work out.

● Gen 26:2c . . stay in the land which I point out to you.

That had to be encouraging. Even if things looked bad in Gerar when Isaac arrived,
he could rest upon the fact that he was going in the right direction.

● Gen 26:3a . . Reside in this land, and I will be with you and bless you;

Suppose it turned out Isaac didn't like the land God selected for him and moved to
another one? Well he could just forget about the promise: "I will be with you and
bless you" That promise was conditional. He had to live where God directed him to
live.

● Gen 26:3b-4 . . I will assign all these lands to you and to your heirs, fulfilling the
oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your heirs as numerous as
the stars of heaven, and assign to your heirs all these lands, so that all the nations
of the earth shall bless themselves by your heirs--

Although some translations render the word "heirs" plural, zera' is one of those
Hebrew words that can just as accurately be translated in the singular as well the
plural: like the words sheep, fish, and deer. In this case, it's probably best to
understand zera' in the singular because it most certainly refers to Jacob rather
than to both he and his brother Esau.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:5 . . inasmuch as Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My
commandments, My laws, and My teachings.

Some construe God's statement to indicate that Abraham was included in the
covenant that Moses' people entered into with God per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy. But the statement below excludes him.

"The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Not with our forefathers did
The Lord make this covenant, but with us, we, all of whom are here alive today."
(Deut 5:2-3)

Were Abraham included in the Jews' covenant; God would've placed Himself in a
serious dilemma.

The problem is: Abraham was married to a half sister (Gen 20:12)

The covenant prohibits marrying, and/or sleeping with, one's half sister. (Lev 18:9,
Lev 20:17)

Under the terms and conditions of the Jews' covenant; men who sleep with their
sisters are cursed the moment they do so because "cursed be he" is grammatically
present tense; no delay and no waiting period; viz: the curse is immediate.

"Cursed be he who lies with his sister, his father's daughter or his mother's
daughter." (Deut 27:22)

Cursed be he who does not uphold the words of this Torah, to fulfill them. (Deut
27:26)

Well; were God to slam Abraham with a curse for sleeping with his sister, then God
would be obligated to slam Himself with a curse in return.

"The one who curses you I will curse" (Gen 12:3)

Abraham enjoyed quite an advantage. Seeing as how Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,
and Deuteronomy were instituted long after Abraham passed away; then none of
the curses listed at Ex 34:6-7, Lev 26:3-38, Deut 27:15-26, and/or Deut 28:1-69
applied to him.

Abraham complied with God's requirements; His commands, His decrees and His
laws voluntarily rather than by compulsion because he wasn't in a covenant with
God that demanded him to do so like his posterity would be in the days of Moses.
(Deut 5:2-3)

The promises God made to Abraham as per Gen 12:2-3 and Gen 17:8 were not
sustained by Abraham's piety. In other words: once God made those promises,
neither Abraham nor his posterity can ever lose them because they are
unconditional

"The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously3
established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance is
based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to
Abraham by means of a promise." (Gal 3:17-18)

The "promise" in question reads like this:

"And I will give you and your seed after you the land of your sojournings, the entire
land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be to them for a deity."
(Gen 17:8)

That should be really good news to Abraham's posterity because although the law
has a marked effect upon their occupation of the land, it has no effect upon their
entitlement to it.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:6 . . So Isaac stayed in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him
about his wife, he said "She is my sister" for he was afraid to say "my wife"
thinking: The men of the place might kill me on account of Rebecca, for she is
beautiful.

The Hebrew word translated "sister" has very wide application. In point of fact,
Becky's entire family, mom and dad too, called her sister when she left home. (Gen
24:59-60)

The word can mean a sibling of the same parents, or it can just mean female kin,
either near or far. (I'm guessing that Isaac and Rebecca were far enough apart in
age that she could easily pass for his niece.)

Isaac's response was semantic double-speak. In other words: he didn't tell an
outright bald face lie; what he said was true; from a certain point of view-- he and
Rebecca were related. But nevertheless, his response was a half truth meant to
deceive.

I just have to wonder sometimes about the IQ of some of the patriarchs. God had
just reaffirmed Abraham's covenant with Isaac; guaranteeing He would bless him
on account of his father Abraham's righteousness (not Isaac's righteousness). Yet
now he's worried about being murdered in Gerar? I'd hate to think that Isaac didn't
believe God. I'd much rather reckon he wasn't paying attention.

● Gen 26:8 . . When some time had passed, Abimelech king of the Philistines,
looking out of the window, saw Isaac sporting with his wife Rebecca.

Sporting with one's wife is far and away different than sporting with one's sibling.
The way those two were horsing around was unmistakably the behavior of lovers.

● Gen 26:9-10 . . Abimelech sent for Isaac and said: So she is your wife! Why then
did you say "She is my sister". Isaac said to him: Because I thought I might lose
my life on account of her. Abimelech said: What have you done to us! One of the
people might have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.

I'm not surprised that Abimelech was frightened. It hadn't been all that long ago
when his predecessor had a run-in with Isaac's god, That incident involving
Abraham undoubtedly went down in the castle records.

And to top it off, out there grazing on Gerar pastures was a special breed of sheep
that bore a witness for Abraham too (Gen 21:27-32) and their story was very likely
woven into Gerar folklore. Oh yes. They knew about Jehovah alright; and they all
knew what could happen to them if any of the local men messed around with
Rebecca, the wife of Abraham's son.

● Gen 26:11 . . Abimelech then charged all the people, saying: Anyone who
molests this man or his wife shall be put to death.

The Hebrew translated "molest" means: to touch, i.e. lay the hand upon (for any
purpose; euphemistically, to lie with a woman); by implication, to reach
(figuratively, to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.)

So Abimelech decreed that his people not even so much as lay a finger upon Isaac
and Rebecca, not even so much as a pinky, in any way at all. Isaac, of course, is
getting by on his dad's influence. But what the hey, it doesn't hurt to be connected.

● Gen 26:12-14a . . Isaac sowed in that land and reaped a hundredfold the same
year. The Lord blessed him, and the man grew richer and richer until he was very
wealthy: he acquired flocks and herds, and a large household,

I thus far haven't had much luck finding a useful definition of hundredfold. It seems
to me; from what information I've managed to discover, that it's simply a bushel
count per acre.

Farming may seem like a switch from animal husbandry, but the combination was
common among pastoral peoples those days for two good reasons. For one; Isaac's
herds needed pasture. And two; man can't live on meat alone.

Isaac needed large quantities to feed his immense community. He inherited at least
a thousand people from his dad. By now, those have multiplied well beyond that. I
think if you'd have encountered Isaac's outfit in those days it would have resembled
an Iowa town rather than a simple camp of Bedouins.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:14b . . so that the Philistines envied him.

Envy is a powerful, negative feeling that overwhelms us whenever others are doing
better than ourselves.

The Philistine couldn't match Isaac's productivity because he enjoyed an advantage.
The Lord worked his fields along with the men whereas the locals had only their
green thumbs to rely on

● Gen 26:15 . . And the Philistines stopped up all the wells which his father's
servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham, filling them with earth.

Abimelech forbade his citizens to harm Isaac; but that didn't preclude harassing
and annoying him. Cutting off his water supplies was very serious because Isaac
needed them to irrigate crops and water the livestock. Without adequate water
supplies, Isaac Enterprises was doomed. He had a right to file a complaint. But
Abimelech felt it best for all concerned to run Isaac out of the country.

I suspect that the rural Philistines had become territorial; which can be roughly
defined as an assumed property right due to long-time occupation; whether legal or
otherwise. In other words; Isaac's rivals probably felt that although they didn't
actually own the countryside, they had been there longer than Isaac so they had a
preemptive right to dictate its use. It's a Neanderthal's way of thinking, but goes on
all the time; commonly in work places where senior employees are inclined to
dominate new hires.

● Gen 26:16 . . And Abimelech said to Isaac: Go away from us, for you have
become far too big for us.

Just exactly what Abimelech meant by "far too big for us" is hard to know for sure.
But it looks suspiciously like a cowardly act of favoritism; pure and simple. Instead
of being fair and equitable with Isaac, Abimelech, like a cheap politician, ignored
the vandalism his citizens had done against Isaac and made it look like this whole
nasty business was his fault; vz: he was just getting too greedy and beginning to
crowd everybody else out. In other words: Abimelech blamed the victims for the
perpetrators' crimes.

● Gen 26:17 . . So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the wadi of Gerar,
where he settled.

Wadis are basins towards which water from higher ground gravitates; both surface
water and underground. Bottom land benefits from seasonal flooding that leaves
behind fresh deposits of silt.

● Gen 26:18 . . Isaac dug anew the wells which had been dug in the days of his
father Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham's death;
and he gave them the same names that his father had given them.

Those wells were dug nearly a hundred years prior to this event; and makes one
wonder how Isaac knew where they were and how he knew the names his dad had
named them. The Gerarians probably waited until Abraham was dead to plug them
up because they feared him. He had a reputation as a military leader and he also
had a pact with the king Abimelech of Abraham's period.

● Gen 26:19-20 . . But when Isaac's servants, digging in the wadi, found there a
well of spring water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen,
saying: The water is ours. He named that well Esek, because they contended with
him.

Isaac was much too affable. He didn't have to let those guys buffalo him; after all,
Isaac had a pretty good sized army of his own; left to him by his dad. He could
easily have posted an armed platoon by the well to keep the local cowboys away
from it. But no, he chose rather to condescend and let them have their own way.
Isaac was truly a "turn the other cheek" kind of guy who was willing (maybe a bit
too willing) to bend over backward to accommodate people and prevent violence
and ill will. (cf. Ps 37:10-11)

Esek was a new well; not one of Abraham's. The herdsmen were motivated by envy
so they were reluctant to share the regions resources with the likes of Isaac
because they hated his success. They didn't contest Isaac's access to the water in
Abraham's wells. They probably felt he had a right to use those; but the men would
not tolerate Isaac taking any more water than that; and most especially water of
this quality. It was literally living water-- viz: artesian.

Urban dwellers really don't appreciate their water and typically haven't a clue where
it comes from nor how it gets into their homes. But in Isaac's day, people couldn't
live too far from a natural source of water. Many of the ancient cities and
communities were located adjacent to rivers for that very reason.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:21 . . And when they dug another well, they disputed over that one also;
so he named it Sitnah.

The Hebrew word for "Sitnah" basically means: opposition (in writing).

Apparently the herdsmen were filing formal complaints against Isaac like the
enemies of Ezra did when he was attempting to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
(Ezr 4:6-7)

Gerar County's Water Board must have ruled in favor of the herdsmen because
Isaac had to keep moving around until they finally left him alone.

● Gen 26:22 . . He moved from there and dug yet another well, and they did not
quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth, saying: Now at last the Lord has granted
us ample space to increase in the land.

Rehoboth first appeared in the Bible at Gen 10:11 as the name of an ancient city. It
appears two more times in the Bible after here as the name of a city (Gen 36:37,
1Chrn 1:48) and means pretty much what Isaac said, i.e. lots of room to maneuver
and/or spread out.

The herdsmen had, by this time, probably pushed Isaac way out to land that
nobody wanted. But God was with Isaac. Even the deserts produce when His hands
are in it. (cf. Isa 35:1-4)

With those pesky herdsmen out of the way, the road, or rather, roads ahead were
wide and clear; and Isaac could put the pedal to the metal and go full speed ahead
and not worry about hitting an iceberg; viz: the sky was the limit.

Isaac was a very patient man, and affable too. But push him too far, and he might
show his teeth. In a bit, Abimelech is coming calling and Isaac is going to confront
the obtuse monarch about the way he was treated by the County Water Board.

Yes, Isaac Enterprises was a huge, going concern that spread over many acres of
land. But he didn't obtain his wealth by dishonest means. All of Isaac's business3
was conducted legally and above board. And he complied with all of the Gerar
County rulings concerning disputes over the water rights even though their rulings
were undoubtedly biased in favor of Gerar citizens. Isaac didn't deserve to be
treated so unfairly.

● Gen 26:23 . . From there he went up to Beer-sheba.

Exactly where the boys Jacob and Esau were during this era in Isaac's life isn't
stated. They may have remained in the highlands to protect Isaac's interests while
he was out of town, but then again, they may have been with him in Gerar: it's
impossible to tell.

Genesis doesn't say exactly how long Isaac and Rebecca lived around Gaza. Isaac's
usual haunts were Beer-lahai-roi, about 50 miles further south. Beer-sheba was
Abraham's zone on oath between him and an earlier Abimelech. The Gerarians
could be expected to leave Isaac alone there. The first night, God showed up.

● Gen 26:24a . .That night the Lord appeared to him and said: I am the god of your
father Abraham.

In what manner, or by what method, God appeared to Isaac isn't stated. It could
have been in a dream, it could have been as a traveling man, or a close encounter
of a third kind: nobody knows for sure.

● Gen 26:24b . . Fear not, for I am with you,

It's reasonable to assume it was unnecessary for God to reassure Isaac, but
Abimelech is on the way. He won't come alone either. He was a king; and kings
travel with an armed retinue. So when news of this comes to Isaac, he would have
good cause to become alarmed. I think God is just giving him a pep talk to prepare
him for the meeting. Like they say: one with God is a majority; and a man who
fears God, has no man to fear.
_

 

[Josheb]

~
● Gen 25:25a . .The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over;

The Hebrew word for "red" can refer to either red hair or to a reddish, rosy
complexion. In Esau's case, it's difficult to know for certain which applied. That he
was a hairy kid right from birth is uncontested. However, to avoid the association
with red hair; some feel that the conjunction "and" should be inserted just after the
comma, so that the verse would read: The first one emerged red, and hairy all over
like a mantle.

Jacob apparently looked like most babies do at birth: a little cherub; bald and
smooth skinned.

Esau, in contrast, was not only hairy, but because of his fur, he was rough to the
touch; sort of like a woolen G.I. blanket. Esau wasn't your typical cuddly little
tykester. When Rebecca held him, it wasn't like holding a little boy, it was more like
holding a grizzly bear cub, so to speak.

No.

Normal, healthy babies are born with reddish hue to their skin, and many have a "mantle" of hair around their head, shoulders, and upper chest and back. This is a normal, healthy fetal response in the womb. The redness in healthy babies quickly turns to a normal pigment as the newborn babies respiratory system begins working and the hir is shed within the first few day or weeks after birth. Babies that are born blue have respiratory or cardiac problems, many of which are developmental (many babies are born with heart murmurs, or holes in the heart muscle, that self-seal shortly after birth) and solve themselves as the newborn grows. Look it up. Furthermore, it is very common for Semitic people to be hairy. It is deemed "excessive" by northern Europeans, but it is very normal for people from Northern African, the Mediterranean, and southern Asia. Additionally, it is very common for one twin to develop faster in the womb than the other. In modern times we perform sonograms to make sure both twins are adequately developing. There is also a rare (10-15%) condition called Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) that occurs when two fetuses share a single placenta. One fetus will take up more nutrients than the other. That fetus develops faster than the other.

Many people are said to have a red or "ruddy" complexion in the Bible. David was ruddy (presumably from working outside) in 1 Samuel. His father did not deem him worthy of consideration by Samuel because of his slight built and ruddy complexion. The Philistines were of the same mind. Solomon was said to be ruddy by his lover in Songs.

Read the rest of the Genesis 25 description. What is said about Esau and Jacob stands in contrast to what was said earlier about Cain and Abel. Where Abel was a "keeper of flocks" and Cain a "tiller of the ground," here in Gen. 25 we read that Esau was both "a skillful hunter" and "a man of the field." Jacob is described as "a peaceful man," who lived in tents. Logically, it is likely Esau was a robust man because he'd developed faster in the womb, was a healthy baby whose good health was made more robust by his work outside. Jacob stayed home.

This is important because in early cultures, tribal cultures, a boy has a rite of passage by which he is ushered from boyhood into manhood. Little boys do not go out and hunt wild game. They are not quiet enough, disciplined enough, strong enough, and many do not tolerate killing and blood. The typical rite of passage begins with a ritual where the men of the village gather together and call the pre-adolescent boys out of the tent. In anthropological vernacular, they are called out of the realm of women and into the realm of men - out of the house and the sanctuary it provides and into the world of work and risk. This is lost nowadays in most western societies. One of the relevant points is that Esau stayed out of the tent but Jacob returned. Assuming Jacob was "called out" with Esau (because the two boys were the same age they would have been called out together) the text is implying A LOT of meaning that would have been understood immediately by Moses original audience. Assuming much of the Pentateuch was transmitted earlier through oral tradition all the Hebrews would have understood the implications of Esau being a man of the field who hunted skillfully in contrast toa man who stayed in the tents (with the women). In these sex/gender stratified cultures the women worked (and often as hard or harder than men) but one of the things they did the men did not do was prepare food. The men worked the land (either hunting or harvesting) and the women prepared what the men brought in. Women often worked the fields alongside the men, sometimes with a baby strapped to their front and back, but they returned home early to prepare the mid-day and evening meals. So when Genesis 25 says, "When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished..." the implication is that Jacob was living a life more suitable for the women in his tribe.


There is much more that could be said given the cultural (anthropological, sociological) conditions existing in that day but to keep it brief, the mention of Esau's redness is not saying he was something unusual, abnormal, bearish, or werewolfish. He was the normal one, He was the cuddly normal kid.

Jacob was the unusual one.


Throughout the Bible God uses those others considered unworthy. Moses, the writer of the Pentateuch that included the history of Esau and Jacob was one of them.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:24c . . and I will bless you

Isn't that what He promised earlier, when Isaac moved down into Gerar? Yes. And
just in case Isaac thought that was a one time deal, and he would never be blessed
again, God reaffirms his commitment to blessing Abraham's progeny.

NOTE: The Bible's readers aren't all that privy to what went on in the minds of the
patriarchs. It could be-- and this is only a guess --that Isaac was feeling a bit guilty
about his attempt to deceive Abimelech regarding the nature of his relationship with
Rebecca. Because of that; his humanistic sense of justice may have suggested that
his mistake cost him the previous blessing; or possibly future ones.

● Gen 26:24d . . and increase your progeny for the sake of My servant Abraham.

If I were a Hebrew man-- not a pseudo Jew like Gentiles who become Jews by
conversion --but a real Hebrew man by blood, I would make a point of
remembering that God will honor His commitment to Abraham. He hasn't preserved
the people of Israel because they are Jews nor because they are so faithful to God.
No, far from it. It's solely because of His personal commitment to Abraham--
period. (cf. Ex 32:9-14)

● Gen 26:25 . . So he built an altar there and invoked the Lord by name. Isaac
pitched his tent there and his servants started digging a well.

Speaking to God by name is different than addressing Him officially as a deity or a
monarch. Not that there's anything wrong with addressing the Bible's God officially
as a deity or a monarch; but speaking to Him by name implies familiarity; which is
a lots cozier than official protocol.

For example: If I were to meet with current US President Joseph Biden, I would
address him as Sir or Mr. President. It would be very presumptuous and
disrespectful of me to address him by his name Joe because we have never
associated on that level; nor do I expect to.

● Gen 26:26 . . And Abimelech came to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his councilor
and Phicol chief of his troops.

The Army chief of staff likely escorted his boss with a fair-sized contingent of
Gerar's trained fighting men as body guards.

The Hebrew word for "councilor" basically refers to companionship, viz: a friend;
suggesting Ahuzzath may have been Abimelech's boy toy, if you know what I
mean. It really wasn't unusual for ancient monarchs to have male lovers; and
nobody thought too much of it at the time.

● Gen 26:27 . . Isaac said to them: Why have you come to me, seeing that you
have been hostile to me and have driven me away from you?

Normally, kings in that day did not call on people. If they wanted to see somebody,
they sent a summons to appear and dispatched an escort to make sure you didn't
refuse. Isaac knew something was up because 'ol Abimelech was treating him as an
equal; if not a superior. Isaac had by this time become strong enough to crush
Abimilech's community, and the old boy very well knew it too.

I can't help but like a man like Isaac. He was so direct. Not really what one might
call an in-your-face kind of guy; but transparent and unequivocal.

● Gen 26:28a . . And they said: We now see plainly that Yhvh has been with you,

As long as they thought Isaac was a nomadic farmer it was okay to dump on him?
And now that they know he's connected with a supernatural being, they want to be
his friend? But our man is cool. He won't let that get to him. You know what's going
on here? Abimelech is holding his hat in his hand. And he is going to eat that hat
too before it's over.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 26:28b-29a . . and we thought: Let there be a sworn treaty between our two
parties, between you and us. Let us make a pact with you that you will not do us
harm,

You know, it is just amazing how nice people can be when they realize they've
bitten off more than they can chew. The Gerarians had sorely underestimated Isaac
and thought they could push him around because he was an affable immigrant.

As time went by, they perceived that his prosperity could only be explained in a
supernatural way. If it came to a fight, Isaac was allied with a powerful spirit being
whom they all knew for a certainty from their own history and past experiences
could not be defeated. Yes. Isaac was well able to totally clean their clocks and nail
their hides to the barn door. (Isaac was only just recently visited by that Being back
in verse 24 who encouraged Isaac to be brave, and also promised assistance.)

Isaac was holding all the aces and didn't have to make a pact with anybody. He
could have stood right up, lectured them soundly for the way he was treated in
their country, and ordered them out of the house. They really had some chutzpah
coming to him with a proposition like that. But Isaac was indeed a peaceable man;
well in control of his tongue, and of his passions. If those crumbs were ready now
to promise to leave him alone, well, then, okay, he was for it.

● Gen 26:29b . . just as we have not molested you but have always dealt kindly
with you and sent you away in peace.

Was that true? Some of it. It's true the Federales didn't raid Isaac's camps, nor
plunder his goods, nor rough anybody up. He wasn't subjected to unreasonable
searches and seizures. And he wasn't forcibly deported like an undesirable, or
imprisoned as enemy of the state, or a criminal.

But still; they didn't deal fairly with Isaac. He never trespassed on private property,
but dug his wells and settled on open range. Yet the county water commission
always ruled against him even though his men dug those productive water wells fair
and square.

● Gen 26:29c . . From now on, be you blessed of Yhvh!

Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw-Haw! I just love it when the bad guys wish me the best from
my deity. "God bless you" they say. Oh sure; God bless me. As if they really give a
hoot how God feels about anybody.

● Gen 26:30 . .Then he made for them a feast, and they ate and drank.

The wicked often feel they won because their opponents are so civil and so
agreeable. Isaac had plenty of good reason to be indignant. But he held his peace.
That could be construed as weakness.

Isaac was a shrewd diplomat. He picked his battles. Some things merit contention.
But this incident didn't. Those guys were in his home with hat in hand and he took
advantage of it to secure a non-aggression pact that benefited both communities:
Isaac's and Abimelech's. If Isaac were to let his passions dictate the terms, then he
might jeopardize his family and his servants. Isaac had his weak points, but
political strategy wasn't one of them.

There are those in life whom we appropriately label thin skinned, reactive, and
defensive. You know who they are. They sit still for nothing, take nothing lying
down: they're stand up fighters; always ready to give others a piece of their mind
and set them straight.

These contentious folk drain all the enjoyment out of social contact. Everybody has
to walk on egg shells and be careful what's said around them so they don't explode.
Too easily provoked, indignant and quarrelsome, these people will be excluded from
Messiah's kingdom because his domain is characterized as a place of peace rather
than strife.

"Give up anger, abandon fury, do not be vexed; it can only do harm. For evil men
will be cut off, but those who look to the Lord-- they shall inherit the land. A little
longer and there will be no wicked man; you will look at where he was-- he will be
gone. But the lowly shall inherit the land, and delight in abundant well-being." (Ps
37:8-11)
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

● Gen 26:31-32 . . Early in the morning, they exchanged oaths. Isaac then bade
them farewell, and they departed from him in peace. That same day Isaac's
servants came and told him about the well they had dug, and said to him: We have
found water!

Ah, yes. It's always so pleasant to cap a victory with a good ending. Isaac had a
perfect day.

● Gen 26:33 . . He named it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba
to this day.

The word for Shibah basically means seven(th) Seven what? I don't know; Genesis
doesn't say.

But the number 7 is often used in the Bible like we use the number 10 today. If we
want to say something is perfect, we give it a ten. Isaac gave it a seven; so I think
it's safe to assume that the water in the new well was really exceptional. (compare
Rev 13:17-18 where the number of a man is given as 666, which is imperfection
three times over. In other words: man is not only imperfect; but he's really
imperfect.)

● Gen 26:34 . .When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith daughter of
Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite;

There seems to be some confusion concerning the names, and the number, of
Esau's wives. Here are their names according to Gen 36:2-3.

"Esau took his wives from among the Canaanite women-- Adah daughter of Elon
the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah daughter of Zibeon the Hivite --and
also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth."

There were two girls named Basemath-- Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, was
also known as Basemath. Adah may have been surnamed to avoid confusing her
with the other Basemath: Ishmael's daughter. The Oholibamah of 36:2 is the Judith
of 26:34. She was the offspring of a mixed marriage between Beeri and Anah. She
too may have been surnamed to avoid confusion.

● Gen 26:35 . .And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebecca.

In other words, those two girls made life miserable for Isaac and Rebecca and
caused them a great deal of mental, and emotional anguish. Some feel that they
were also a source of spiritual friction because they were infidels who worshipped
the gods of the Canaanites. No doubt they did. But how would that come into play?
Well; their religions permitted the practice of some vile social customs.

Canaanite religions didn't forbid such things as wife swapping, promiscuity,
adultery, sex with women in their period, burning children to death in sacrificial
ceremonies, sleeping with close blood relatives, LGBT love, bestiality, nudity,
astrology, divination, voodoo, magic, communication with the spirit world,
witchcraft, drunkenness, and wild parties; including cult prostitution where women
devotees sold themselves to support their "church" (cf. Gen 38:13-23)

So you can easily see just how vexing that women like that might be. How could
Esau even trust them while he was away on safari? Lacking his companionship,
they would either turn to each other for sensual comforts or seek out lovers among
the servants. They might even hit on Rebecca and Isaac; and maybe even hit on
their co-husband's third wife; Ishmael's Basemath. And the girls would have no
qualms about walking around the house scantily clad or even in the nude; so you
never knew what to expect when they invited you over.

As bad as all that stuff was, it doesn't hold a candle to the danger of those women
influencing Isaac's grandchildren. And that is a very real threat in mixed marriages.
Men especially are susceptible to letting their wives guide the home's religious
training. I've seen it often enough to know what I'm saying.

And with a man like Esau, a secular man who had no interest in religion to begin
with, the kids had no hope at all of turning out right. They will grow up to scorn and
ridicule Abraham's religion; and his deity too. They will pick up the most
abominable habits, and see nothing wrong in them.

There is one thing our kids can do for us that is unquestionably the most important
thing they will ever do-- pass on our religious beliefs on to our posterity. No one
else is going to do that for us. And we can't stay behind and make sure it happens.
So if we leave our kids without a solid religious heritage; then their own kids-- our
grandchildren --are doomed to return to secular concepts. And maybe worse.

Esau's side of the family went bad, that's for sure, just like Cain's did. And I believe
it started on it's downhill slide right with his union to those two impious women. At
Esau's age, and in that kind of home and upbringing; he should have known better.
But in spite of his parents' protests; in spite of his parents' fears regarding their
grandchildren; in spite of his parents' feelings about those women coming into their
home; in spite of God's feelings regarding His religion; and in spite of his birthright;
Esau forged ahead and married those two filthy women.

You know why? Because it was his life; and nobody was going to tell him how to
live it. Some people, like the Pharaoh that resisted Moses; are just defiant to the
bone and they'll do things wrong just to stand up to people and assert their
independence.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

● Gen 27:1a . .When Isaac was old

Precisely how old Isaac was at this time, is difficult to tell. However, by utilizing
information from a number of other passages, I think we can safely guess his age
in this event to be +/- 135.

Everyone involved in this next episode was getting up in years and thus quite
mature. Jacob and Esau, though +/- 75 years old, were, nonetheless, vigorous men
and, gerontologically speaking, relatively young in terms of the aging process as it
existed in those days. Even Isaac wasn't as near death as he feared since he lived
another 45 years to be 180 when he died. (Gen 35:28)

● Gen 27:1b . . and his eyes were too dim to see,

The Hebrew word for "dim" basically means to be weak; viz: to despond and/or grow dull.

So Isaac wasn't actually blind, as some have proposed. It's far more likely he was
stricken with cataracts, macular degeneration and/or some other vision condition
very common among people his age even today.

● Gen 27:1c-2 . . he called his older son Esau and said to him: My son. He
answered: Here I am. And he said: I am old now, and I do not know how soon I
may die.

It's common for older men to feel that not only is their time running out, but als
their luck. I've dodged several bullets in my 80+ years; two of them literal; and
can't reasonably expect to live too much longer before the law of averages catches
up to me either by accident, crime, or natural causes.

● Gen 27:3-4 . . Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and
go out to the field and hunt game for me; and prepare a savory dish for me such as
I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I
die.

The Hebrew translated soul is a very common word for all creatures great and small
in the Old Testament beginning at Gen 1:20.

Man is not only a soul (Gen 2:7) but according to Gen 27:4, Gen 34:2, and a host
of other passages, man also has a soul; so it turns out that nephesh is a bit
ambiguous.

A pretty good paraphrase for a portion of the passage above would be "that I may
bless you from the core of my being". (viz: the bottom of his heart)

The episode that takes place next in chapter 27 is an incredibly clownish deception.
It is difficult to understand how supposedly mature adults like Rebecca and Jacob
could ever seriously ponder such a silly scheme.

It was customary in Jacob's day to mark solemn occasions with a feast; like the one
Isaac prepared for Abimelech when they swore an oath together in chapter 26. And
since the blessing Isaac resolved to bestow upon Esau was such an important one,
it seemed appropriate that the solemnities should be marked by a feast of wild
meat provided by Esau's own personal hunting skills.

However, father and son didn't reckon on the God factor, and they surely didn't
reckon on Rebecca's wiles. Their little party is not going to happen because this
sharp gal from up north anticipated this very day and is all set to implement a little
fiesta of her own.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

● Gen 27:5a . . Rebecca had been listening as Isaac spoke to his son Esau.

We might ask: Why was Rebecca so concerned anyway? Didn't God decree the
firstborn's rights to Jacob? Then Jacob will get them anyway; won't he?

Yes. Jacob would eventually end up with the firstborn's rights anyway; but the
problem was: the outgoing patriarch had to impart the blessing and obviously Mr.
Isaac wasn't inclined to do so. It appears to me that Isaac was actually going to
attempt to circumvent God's wishes and I honestly think it was because he was
afraid of alienating his favorite son.

Rebecca wasn't stupid, nor inclined to superstition. I seriously doubt she was silly
enough to believe the words of the blessing themselves held sufficient magic to
confer the firstborn's rights upon Jacob just because he happened to be in the room
and hear them as they were spoken in his direction. After all, it was all done under
false pretenses and a fake ID. No court in the land would uphold anything obtained
by a fraud like that. But her scheme was designed to do something else entirely.

I believe her intent was to wake Isaac up and make him return to his senses. The
man did fear God. That much is beyond question. But he was lax in his patriarchal
duties. Before this is over, he will regret his laxity very, very much.

● Gen 27:5b-7 . .When Esau had gone out into the open to hunt game to bring
home, Rebecca said to her son Jacob: I overheard your father speaking to your
brother Esau, saying: Bring me some game and prepare a dish for me to eat, that I
may bless you, with the Lord's approval, before I die.

That's not really what Isaac said. It appears that Rebecca embellished a little and
added "with the Lord's approval." Compare Gen 3:3 where Eve embellished God's
instructions in Gen 2:17 where He didn't forbid them to "touch" the fruit; no, only
to eat it.

● Gen 27:8 . . Now, my son, listen carefully as I instruct you.

Cool as a vice cop, Rebecca executes Plan A with the step by step precision of a
well arranged sting. I can just visualize her grip upon Jacob's arm, gazing up into
his face with a most intense look, as she gears him up to get started on his part of
the scheme to trick his father into mistaking Jacob for Esau.

● Gen 27:9a . . Go to the flock and fetch me two choice kids,

Why two? Well, for one thing: deer produce a much larger quantity of meat than a
little bitty kid. It's true Isaac couldn't possibly eat a whole deer at one sitting, but
Rebecca can only use parts of the kids that best resemble the venison cuts Isaac
prefers. And Esau more than likely cooked up a whole lot more than just one
serving. I think he typically brought his dad a heaping buffet and let him pick out
what he wanted; and anything left over was kept as victuals for the rest of the
house; which of course included Esau himself.

Rebecca is going to have to duplicate that setting as best as she can. And she will
too. After all, who was it taught those two boys how to cook in the first place? None
other than Becky Crocker.

● Gen 27:9b . . and I will make of them a dish for your father, such as he likes.

This is additional evidence that it wasn't merely the flavor of Esau's cooking that
made Isaac love him. Rebecca could duplicate the taste of venison with goat meat
so that you couldn't tell the one from the other.

● Gen 27:10a-11a . .Then take it to your father to eat, in order that he may bless
you before he dies. Jacob answered his mother Rebecca: But . . .

Jacob straight away sees where his mom is going with this and likes it. However . .
there's just one problem: Rebecca can duplicate Esau's cooking; but how will Jacob
duplicate Esau? They didn't have the benefit of slick Hollywood make-up artists in
those days so how are they going to make Jacob look (or rather, feel) like his
brother?

Well, they have Isaac's poor eyesight to their advantage; so Jacob's appearance
won't have to be all that accurate. But they will need at least one prosthetic: body
hair.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

● Gen 27:11b-12 . . my brother Esau is a hairy man and I am smooth-skinned. If
my father touches me, I shall appear to him as a trickster and bring upon myself a
curse, not a blessing.

Isaac might get the wrong idea and think that Jacob is poking fun at his bad
eyesight by playing a dumb trick on him. That would hurt the old boy's feelings a
great deal to think that his 75 year-old son thought so little of him as to perpetrate
such a cruel prank; which of course would warrant a curse; because it is not only
cruel to play tricks on the blind, but, even worse, to be cruel to one's parents.

● Gen 27:13 . . But his mother said to him: Your curse, my son, be upon me! Just
do as I say and go fetch them for me.

That's the oldest ploy in the book. It's the very same reasoning the German military
guards used to justify their duties at Auschwitz and Dachau. "You can't blame us"
they said; "We only did what we were told." That seems reasonable enough. After
all, the ones in charge are really responsible; right?

Wrong. The midwives of Ex 1:15-17 could have used the very same excuse; but
didn't. And God commended them for fearing Him. If they had obeyed Pharaoh,
they would have received condemnation instead. Everyone bears their own personal
responsibility and has a duty to raise conscientious objections.

In other words: it is a sin to violate your conscience. Yes, soldiers and minor
children are to obey their superiors-- but to the point of evil? Never!

But Rebecca needed some leverage to keep Jacob in the game. By playing the "filial
authority" card, she persuaded Jacob to stay on track. However; I think Jacob the
supplanter really wanted to pull this thing off and just needed a way to appease his
own misgivings about it; so it wasn't too difficult to win him over.

● Gen 27:14-15 . . He got them and brought them to his mother, and his mother
prepared a dish such as his father liked. Rebecca then took the best clothes of her
older son Esau, which were there in the house, and had her younger son Jacob put
them on;

The Hebrew word for "house" basically means a dwelling (in the greatest variation
of applications), including family.

Does that mean Rebecca lived in a permanent structure? I don't think so. In Gen
6:14 it implicates the interior of the ark. At Gen 7:1 it implicates Noah's family, and
quite possibly even all their belongings-- a regular Noah's Family Robinson. At Gen
15:2, it implicates Abraham's entire estate: his tents, his livestock, and his
servants.

Some have proposed that Esau's best clothes were special-- for religious
observances --like the garments that priests might wear. But that certainly doesn't
fit Esau's character. I think it was just a nice outfit of some sort, maybe even the
one he got married in. But anyway, they sure didn't get washed often because his
clothes usually smelled like the outdoors-- and that could mean anything from plain
old dirt to wild flowers and meadow grass.

But why were those clothes (viz: his cleanest dirty shirts) in Rebecca's home? I
believe it was because Rebecca anticipated this very day and kept them right there
handy so she could put them on Jacob when the time came. And that is why she
never washed the smell out of them. Jacob of course was very likely a tidy sort of
guy and kept his clothes clean. But Esau was a rugged outdoor type whose clothes
you would expect to have an odor.

● Gen 27:16 . . and she covered his hands and the hairless part of his neck with the
skins of the kids.

Those hides would still be raw and untreated. So Rebecca had to scrub and scrape
to get all the fat and blood off so they wouldn't have a visceral smell to them. Yuck!
That's reminiscent of scenes from Silence Of The Lambs.

● Gen 27:17 . .Then she put in the hands of her son Jacob the dish and the bread
that she had prepared.

Yummy. From the kitchen of Becky Crocker; with biscuits and gravy too. Well, this
is as far as Rebecca can go. Now it's all up to Mr. Jacob to pull this off. Good luck
dude. Don't chicken out now. HWUAH! (Navy SEAL cheer)
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

● Gen 27:18-19a . . He went to his father and said: Father. And he said: Yes, which
of my sons are you? Jacob said to his father: I am Esau, your first-born; I have
done as you told me.

That man makes me proud. No mumbling, no stuttering, no hesitation-- right to it.
Yes; he is a big fat liar. But I love it. You watch. Any day now he'll get a letter in
the mail from CIA recruiters praising his moral flexibility.

NOTE: When Jacob called out to his dad; he used what is known as a "vocative"
which Webster's defines as: of, relating to, or being a grammatical case marking
out the one addressed. In other words: a vocative is intended to get the attention
of a specific person in a room rather than everybody in the room.

This may seem superfluous, and I guess it isn't germane to the study of Genesis;
but the principle has an important application in Christianity. Compare Rom 8:15
and Gal 4:6 where the Aramaic vocative Abba indicates that the Father's children
don't call out to Him as merely a clan's paterfamilias, but rather, like Jacob did with
Isaac: as one's very own dad.

● Gen 27:19b-20 . . Pray sit up and eat of my game, that you may give me your
innermost blessing. Isaac said to his son: How did you succeed so quickly, my son?
And he said: Because The Lord your God granted me good fortune.

What did he say!? My golly that man had chutzpah! He actually dragged the name
of God into the lie. Now Jacob will be condemned to the lower regions for sure; or
will he? No.

"I say unto you: that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 8:11)

● Gen 27:21-23 . . Isaac said to Jacob: Come closer that I may feel you, my son--
whether you are really my son Esau or not. So Jacob drew close to his father Isaac,
who felt him and wondered: The voice is the voice of Jacob, yet the hands are the
hands of Esau. He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of
his brother Esau; and so he blessed him.

So then, in spite of their twin-ness, there was enough of a difference in the
brothers' voices to be discernable. However, Rebecca somehow attached size-cut
pieces of young goat skin on the backs of Jacob's hands and fingers with some sort
of toupee adhesive so it would feel to Isaac as if it were a man's natural hairs. That
was a pretty good trick; and would probably land her a job as a Hollywood make-up
artist.

● Gen 27:24 . . He asked: Are you truly my son Esau? And when he said: I am,

Some people are of the opinion that Jacob was a mama's boy. Well, maybe he was.
But one thing he had that most mama's boys don't; and it's a level head under
stress. Jacob was as calm and calculating as a test pilot all during this incident.

I tell you, that man amazes me. I bet Rebecca was just outside the door sweating
bullets while all this was going on; hoping and praying that Jacob not lose his cool
and bolt out of the room in a panic. This is just the kind of cool under fire that the
Secret Service looks for; but then, you need a pretty high IQ to work with those
guys.

● Gen 27:25 . . he said: Serve me and let me eat of my son's game that I may give
you my innermost blessing. So he served him and he ate, and he brought him wine
and he drank.

The wine was probably out in the kitchen. When Jacob went back to get it, don't
you think Rebecca hugged him and gave him a great big thumbs up? I do. Those
two were a team! The original Mission Impossible task force.

While Isaac was eating, he and Jacob probably chatted. About what; I don't have a
clue. But Jacob managed to pull it off like a pro. Isaac really thought he was talking
with Esau.

● Gen 27:26-27 . .Then his father Isaac said to him: Come close and kiss me, my
son. And he went up and kissed him. And he smelled his clothes and he blessed
him, saying, Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of the fields that the Lord has
blessed.

Esau probably always smelled like that and Rebecca took full advantage of it.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 27:26-27 . .Then his father Isaac said to him: Come close and kiss me, my
son. And he went up and kissed him. And he smelled his clothes and he blessed
him, saying, Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of the fields that the Lord has
blessed.

Esau probably always smelled like that and Rebecca took full advantage of it.

● Gen 27:28 . . May God give you of the dew of heaven and the fat of the earth,
abundance of new grain and wine.

The benediction, first of all, regards things in nature necessary for prosperity in an
agrarian economy-- rain, fertile soil, and abundant yields.

● Gen 27:29a . . Let peoples serve you, And nations bow to you;

Jacob's progeny has exercised dominance over many nations in the past, most
especially during Solomon's period. Today they're in a slump. But that benediction
isn't dead yet; no, not by a long sea mile. In the future, Israel will be the seat of
world power and the center for religious studies. You'd never know it to look at
Jacob's condition today; but it's going to happen.

● Gen 27:29b . . Be master over your brothers, and let your mother's sons bow to
you.

The magic words! --and the very ones I'm sure Rebecca was anxiously waiting to
hear. His "mother's sons" right then only amounted to (in Isaac's mind) just one:
Mr. Jacob. But Rebecca became a grandma and today her sons can't even be
numbered. Every one of them are supposed to honor Jacob and bow in respect
because he, along with Isaac and Abraham, is a member of the elite league of
senior patriarchs.

* The Hebrew word translated "brothers" isn't limited to siblings. It also refers to
one's male kindred just as the word for sisters refers to any and all female kin, e.g.
Gen 24:60.

The bestowal of the patriarchy upon Jacob was done with God as a witness, who
had, so far, neither interfered nor intervened; nor had seen fit to alert Isaac to
Jacob's deception, nor said a single word about the whole fraudulent business.

In short, the Almighty God, of all people, is apparently condoning Jacob's funny
business. It seems to me, that the only way to understand this situation is to
conclude that, whatever may be wrong with the stratagem and deception of Jacob
and Rebecca, the sin of Esau and Isaac was infinitely more grievous.

Yes, it's true that God doesn't usually condone lies; and I'm sure Jacob and his
mom well knew it. They were spiritual people; both of them. But I really think that
as bad as deception might be in God's sight, it had become a desperate necessity in
this case to prevent a much worse sin: that of blasphemously presuming to impart
the most holy of God's offices to a man who neither appreciated its depth, nor
would honor it-- and to do so directly in the face of God's commandment against it.

Such an eventuality surely would have incurred God's most severe discipline upon
both Isaac and Esau; and I am convinced that Rebecca felt she must prevent that
occurrence at all costs, even if it meant alienating her husband and infuriating Esau
to the point of seeking Jacob's death.

Isaac, because of the solemn nature of what he was doing, (conveying holy
covenant promises and blessings to a son, who in turn would be responsible for
their transmission and implementation in his own family) was no doubt under the
influence of the power of God that day and was carried along in the scheme even
though he half suspected the son in the room with him wasn't Esau. No. Jacob was
getting that blessing, and there was nothing short of Heaven and Hell themselves
that could prevent it.

The Almighty Himself, who had made His solemn covenant with Abraham, and
renewed it with Isaac, certainly was present in that room during the whole affair.
What would have happened if Esau was instead standing there that day we can only
surmise.

But it seems highly probable that the consequences would have been tragic for both
father and son. The Almighty God's holy promises and covenants are never to be
dispensed as trifles, subject to the whim and preference of self-centered mortals
who are swayed to make important decisions simply upon the taste of their favorite
foods.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 27:29c . . Cursed be they who curse you, blessed they who bless you.

That the blessing upon Jacob was definitely the same as the blessing given to
Abraham and Isaac is clear from the words spoken here in the final part.

First, Isaac conferred the material aspects of patriarchal life: prosperity. I am sure
that Esau would have loved that part of it. However, there is nothing in the wording
of the blessing to suggest that it included an actual bequeathal of Isaac's assets.
Isaac's closing statement echoes God's own words to Abraham in Gen 12:3

Some have wondered why Isaac didn't include the balance of the Gen 12:2-3
blessing at this time; which goes like this:

"I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name
great, and you shall be a blessing . . and all the families of the earth shall bless
themselves by you."

Sad to say, I think Isaac knew very well it would be like blessing a beast. Though
Esau might become a great nation, he would never become a blessing to all the
families of the Earth; nor that they would bless themselves by him.

Yet even knowing that, Isaac was, for all intents and purposes, still determined to
confer the patriarchy upon Esau, the secular son. I hate to say it, but I strongly
suspect Isaac was becoming somewhat deranged; especially because of the feelings
he entertained about his supposedly imminent death.

Anyway, he did pronounce the blessing upon Jacob; and did so under the very
inspiration of God, though Isaac himself was trying to thwart the will of God all the
while he was speaking.

Just so, many years later, the infamous prophet for profit, Balaam, in Numbers 22,
23, and 24, was forced to bless Israel even against his own will.

And in the days of Jesus of Nazareth (John 11:49-52) the high priest spoke
prophetically of the meaning of Jesus' death; though the priest himself did not
understand the real import of what he was saying; nor even put any stock at all in
his own words.

The blessing which, by God's edict, should have gone to Jacob in the first place,
was indeed finally pronounced upon him by his father in spite of Isaac's lack of
willingness to do so. He was tricked into it, yes; but by thunder that shouldn't have
been necessary.

● Gen 27:30-33a . . No sooner had Jacob left the presence of his father Isaac--
after Isaac had finished blessing Jacob --than his brother Esau came back from his
hunt. He too prepared a dish and brought it to his father. And he said to his father:
Let my father sit up and eat of his son's game, so that you may give me your
innermost blessing. His father Isaac said to him: Who are you? And he said: I am
your son, Esau, your first-born! Isaac was seized with very violent trembling.

According to Jewish folklore, Isaac's first impulse, upon realizing he blessed the
wrong son, was to retract the benediction from Jacob and give it to the son for
whom it was intended; and would have except at that moment he saw Hell open
beneath his feet, thus signifying that God was very displeased with his intentions;
and if he persisted any longer to bless the wrong boy, he would suffer dire
consequences. I would not be one bit surprised if that were true.

It began to dawn on Isaac what had happened. The truth suddenly came home to
him like a frigid blast of icy wind. In spite of all his intentions, God overruled Isaac,
and he blessed the younger instead of the elder; like he was supposed to do in the
first place.

Furthermore, he realized he had been deceived by his true love Rebecca, and by his
faithful son Jacob, whom he really hadn't appreciated very much up until now. I
think he realized, that they, level-headed and sensible people that they were,
deceived him in order to prevent the head of the house from doing what he very
well knew he had no right to do. And God was in on the whole scheme, and had
blessed Jacob through Isaac in spite of himself to the contrary. Jacob would indeed
be blessed, just as he should have been all along.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 27:33b . .Who was it then-- he demanded --that hunted game and brought it
to me? Moreover, I ate of it before you came, and I blessed him; now he must
remain blessed!

This was clearly the will of God and there was nothing Isaac could do to change it.
He had tried to, but God stopped him. As the impact of these thoughts came over
him, Isaac became very shaken. Emotions of all sorts must have overwhelmed him
- anger with Jacob, concern for Esau's future, heartbreak over Rebecca's treachery,
resentment at having his own plans thwarted, and shame for having played the fool
in such an important spiritual matter. All those feelings surely contributed to his
trembling.

Isaac quickly realized God had spoken to him in judgment, and that he had incurred
great peril to himself in so ignoring the will of God. He had betrayed the trust of his
father Abraham and had practically destroyed his own home; all because of a carnal
appetite and parental adulation of a favorite son's physical exploits. No wonder the
poor man was shaking so badly.

● Gen 27:34a . .When Esau heard his father's words, he burst into wild and bitter
sobbing,

The Hebrew word translated "sobbing" basically means to shriek, i.e. scream.

I have a feeling the shriek that wrenched up out of Esau's lungs is the very same
hysterical emotion that millions of lost will feel at The Great White Throne
judgment of Rev 20:11-15 when the grim reality of their fate finally sinks in that
they have lost Heaven forever. It's beyond words.

At the first, Esau entered his dad's room with cheerful anticipation. Then quite
bluntly, Isaac blurts out that someone beat him to it. Watching his dad shivering,
and seeing the look of fear wash over the patriarch's face, the awful truth became
only too apparent and Esau gave vent to his disappointment with a dreadful
scream.

● Gen 27:34b . . and said to his father: Bless me too, Father!

In Esau's mind, his dad really hadn't intended to bless Jacob; and was actually
hoodwinked into it; so surely God couldn't possibly honor the fraudulent blessing.
Isaac could just simply retract his words and bless the older son like he wanted to.
But no. It was far more serious than either Esau or his dad imagined; which by
now, via God's Spirit, Isaac was fully aware.

● Gen 27:34c . . But he answered: Your brother came with guile and took away
your blessing.

That was really only a half truth; no doubt told with the intent to prevent alienating
his eldest son. The fact of the matter is: Isaac couldn't change anything now even if
he wanted to; and he knew it too because by now he was fully reminded of God's
original edict regarding the two boys even before they were born. Hardly knowing
how to explain his wanton error to Esau, he simply blamed Jacob for it. But it was
Isaac's fault all along. He should never have led Esau to believe he would get the
blessing. So many dads cannot admit they made a mistake in the way they raised
their kids. Isaac was certainly no better.

● Gen 27:36a . . [Esau] said: Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant
me these two times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away
my blessing!

Esau bitterly recalled that Jacob had taken away his birthright-- of course
conveniently forgetting that he saw no value in it and traded his privilege for a
measly bowl of porridge.

● Gen 27:36b-38 . . And he added: Have you not reserved a blessing for me? Isaac
answered, saying to Esau: But I have made him master over you: I have given him
all his brothers for servants, and sustained him with grain and wine. What, then,
can I still do for you, my son? And Esau said to his father: Have you but one
blessing, Father? Bless me too, Father! And Esau wept aloud.

It must have been a strange sight to see such a virile, strong, athletic he-man
screaming like a woman and bawling like a little girl. Agonizingly, he begged his
dad for a blessing of some kind for himself, probably hoping that somehow God,
through his father's intercession, could be persuaded to change His mind. The
portion of the blessing, which no doubt appealed to Esau the most-- that of political
superiority and material security-- had been irrevocably given to Jacob; and all the
blubbering in the world couldn't change the situation now.
_

 

[Odë:hgöd]

~
● Gen 27:39-40 . . And his father Isaac answered, saying to him: See, your abode
shall be [away from] the fat of the earth and [from] the dew of heaven above. Yet
by your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow
restive, you shall break his yoke from your neck.

The words in the brackets don't actually appear in the Hebrew text. But according
to a foot note in the 1985 JPS Tanakh; the meaning of the Hebrew is just what you
see. Jacob's side of the family was granted the best water, fertile soils, and
abundant yields. In contrast, Esau's side of the family would live in regions plagued
with conflict, and with geological shortages of water, arable land, and natural
pastures.

Isaac's prediction was fulfilled by the very nature of the rugged region that came to
be known as the land of Edom. The Edomites, in general, lived in violence and
subjection to Israel; remaining essentially independent until David's time, but then
were subjugated permanently after that in spite of frequent rebellions and
temporary partial freedom. Finally, Edom disappeared as a nation by that name:
the little prophecy of Obadiah explains why.

Esau's life of indifference to spiritual matters-- in spite of being born to one of the
most privileged heritages possible --had finally caught up with him and it was too
late even for regrets.

● Gen 27:41 . . Now Esau harbored a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing
which his father had given him, and Esau said to himself: Let but the mourning
period of my father come, and I will kill my brother Jacob.

Well, he had a long wait ahead of him. Isaac lived another 45 years.

But isn't it odd how the human spirit desires to kill-- not just desire for harm and
misfortune; but to the gravest extreme?

A few years ago, out here on a highway in Oregon, traffic was slowed. So a man
tried to get ahead of it by driving on the shoulder to pass everyone up. As he went
by a pick-up truck with some men in it, one of them threw a paper cup at him. He
dropped back and fired a gun into the pick-up, killing one of the passengers.

That is so typical of the feelings that overwhelm human beings when they're angry.
They want blood, and no other form of revenge will satisfy. Is it possible that there
is anybody out there who has never wished that somebody would die?

Esau's personality changed dramatically. He went from an indifferent, carefree
outdoor sportsman to a bitter, vindictive neurotic. The thought of his sissy brother3
ruling over him-- the superior son who was always admired and idolized for his
strength and prowess --was just too much for Esau to bear.

● Gen 27:42a . . When the words of her older son Esau were reported to Rebecca,

You know, if criminals would just keep their mouths shut they might get away with
a whole lot more crimes. But no, they just have to tell somebody about it. Esau
must have vented his bitterness to some of the servants who, in turn, leaked it to
Rebecca.

● Gen 27:42b-43a . . she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him: Your
brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. Now, my son, listen to me.

Again showing herself to be a woman of quick decision, Rebecca called Jacob and
told him exactly what to do. Not wishing for a war between her sons, she thought it
best to send Jacob away for a while.
_