Transcendence

Eleven: Deceit Between Brothers

King Abimelech made plans for a trip and went up to visit Isaac. He brought with him his personal adviser and his commander of forces. Isaac was puzzled as to why they would visit him since some of the people had been hostile with him after they sent him away. Abimelech explained he had come in peace. He told Isaac that he saw clearly how God was with him, and because of that he and his people wanted a sworn agreement with Isaac's people that they do each other no harm. The king reminded him that they neither molested him nor treated him bad when he was with them. Saying also that they had sent him away in peace.

Isaac agreed that they were indeed good to him and was glad they were interested in continuing good terms with each other. He made a feast for Abimelech and the people accompanying him. They stayed the night, and the next morning they swore an oath to each other to do one another no harm. Each side saw the advantage in having the other as an ally. The king was especially grateful since God's power was behind Isaac. When the visit was over Isaac sent them away in peace.

That same day Isaac's servants came and told him about a well they had dug, exclaiming they had hit water! This was a great blessing. He called it Shibah, the name of the town was Beersheba. ( Digging a well was a huge deal, it took a very long time and was very hard work. Once water was found the well simplified their lives drastically. No longer did they have to depend on surrounding communities for their water, no longer did they have to carry water for miles, no longer did it take days upon days to gather enough water for their families and animals. Having a well brought independence. It meant having security for survival. It was a success worth celebrating in a very big way. It was a success worth mentioning in the Bible as a very good day.)

When Esau, which was Isaac and Rebekah's oldest son, was forty years old he married Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and he also married Bademath daughter of Elon the Hittite. These women were not a choice Isaac and Rebekah wanted their son to make, and caused them much grief. They were disappointed that Esau had chosen foreign women as wives, preferring instead that he had married women from within their own blood line, just as Abraham had preferred for Isaac when he married Rebekah.

When Isaac was very old and his eyes were so weak he could no longer see he called for his oldest son Esau and told him that he is getting older and doesn't know how much longer he has to live. He asked Esau to go out and hunt some wild game, then prepare it just the way he likes to eat it. He was then to bring it to him so that he may eat, then give his blessing before he dies.

Rebekah was listening to Isaac while he spoke to their oldest son. She wanted desperately for their younger son Jacob to receive the blessing even though she knew Esau was in the right for it. But, she loved her younger son more. So she came up with a scheme and told her favorite son Jacob to go out and get two choice young goats so that she may fix them for his father. She told him she would prepare the meat just the way he likes it. Then she planned for Jacob to be disguised as Esau and take the food to his father and present it to him as wild game, and then receive the blessing meant for his older brother.

Jacob was afraid his father would know he wasn't Esau because his brother was a hairy man and Jacob himself had smooth skin. He worried if Isaac touched him and learned of the trick he would curse him.

Rebekah told him, "My son, let the curse fall on me. Now go and do as I say."

Once the food was prepared she took some of Esau's clothes and put them on Jacob. Then she covered his hands and neck with sections of hair from the goatskins.

Jacob approached his father just as his mother had told him to. He claimed he was Esau and presented him with the food. Isaac questioned how his son had found the game so quickly and Jacob claimed that the Lord had given him success. Isaac then asked Jacob to come closer so that he may hold his hand.

As Isaac took his son's hand he felt perplexed and said, "The voice is the voice of my son Jacob but the hands are the hands of my son Esau." Then Isaac caught the smell of his clothes and believed he really was Esau. (In an age before deodorant and frequent washing, people had distinct scents.) Isaac then gave his blessing: May the Lord give you heaven's dew and earth's richness, an abundance in grain and new wine. May nations serve you and people bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may they also bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.

After he had finished blessing him, Jacob left his father's presence. A little bit later his brother Esau came in from hunting. Esau prepared the wild game to the taste Isaac liked and brought it to his father. He said, "Father sit up and eat so that you may give me your blessing."

Isaac began to tremble violently, understanding exactly what had just happened. He dreadfully admitted to Esau that he had already given the blessing away. Esau burst out in a violent cry begging for a blessing as well but Isaac told him his brother had already deceitfully took his blessing.

Esau was angry and hurt. He couldn't believe Jacob had stolen both his birthright when he was starving and desperate for food, and then his father's blessing which was intended for the firstborn. Esau asked his father, "Haven't you reserved any blessing for me?"

Isaac answered, "I have made him lord over you, all his relatives and servants. I asked for all the riches for him. What can I possibly do for you?"

Esau asked, "But do you have only one blessing? Why can't you bless me too?"

Isaac sorrowfully answered, "Your dwelling will be away from earth's richness. You will live by the sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless you will throw his yoke from off your neck."

Esau left his father's side feeling hopeless. A terrible grudge for his brother immediately formed in his heart. Even after some time he couldn't let it go. The anger festered until he decided that since the days of mourning his father were near he would wait until after that, then he would kill his brother Jacob .

When Rebekah learned of Esau's plan to kill his brother she was terrified. She called for her youngest son Jacob and told him to flee at once. She told him to go quickly to her brother Laban in Haran and stay there until the fury in his brother had subsided. She promised to send word for him to return when Esau had forgotten his anger and it was safe.

Rebekah was not only upset about Esau's threat against Jacob but she was still very upset about the Hittite women Esau had chosen to marry. She told her husband Isaac, "I am disgusted with these Hittite women. If Jacob also takes a wife from the women of this land my life will not be worth living."

So Isaac called for Jacob and commanded him not to marry a Canaanite woman. He told him to go at once to Paddan Aram, in the region of Haran ,the home of his mother's father, and take a wife from his uncle Laban's house. He blessed him and said, "May God bless you and increase your numbers, and may you take possession of the land God promised Abraham." 

So Jacob fled from Canaan for two reasons, to avoid his brother's anger, and to find a wife from his mother's family.  He went up to Laban's house, who was his mother's brother.

Esau learned of his brother Jacob receiving yet another blessing from their father Isaac, and he also leaned of his parents insisting Jacob to go to Paddan Aram to find a wife. He then understood how displeased his parents were with his choice to marry Canaanite women. All of this broke Esau's heart, and caused even more jealousy. In an effort to rebel Esau went to his uncle Ishmael ( son of Abraham ) and married his daughter Mahalath. This was another disappointment in his parent's eyes.

(Life Question: Do you rebel when you know you have disappointed someone? Is the rebellion really about the disappointment, or are you feeling other emotions which may be the real root cause of your actions? Are you willing to let go of jealousy and anger, even when the outcome of someone's actions changed your entire life? God can make every situation work out in your favor if you act according to His will, even if you believe someone done you wrong. Even if they done something you believe is life altering.  Have you asked God to help you deal with negative emotions in everyday life?)