Daily Devotions
Genesis
"When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you." Proverbs 2:10-11
Text: Genesis 25:1-34
AN UNEASY TWIN-BROTHERS RELATIONSHIP
How would you describe the relationship between Esau and Jacob? They were so different, one from the other. To describe the problems they had with each other as mere “sibling rivalry” is trite! Two brothers can compete with each other without any real loss between them. But in the case of Esau and Jacob, at stake was the birth-right issue! The firstborn was entitled to at least a double portion of the family inheritance. On the demise of the head of the family, the firstborn succeeds him in taking over the leadership of the clan. Jacob and Esau probably never developed a strong bonding between the two of them.
THE RED-STEW AFFAIR
The genius of Hebrew narrative is well illustrated in the following incident. With simple but masterful strokes, the author described the obvious differences between the personalities of the twins!
“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field,
and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me
with that same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name
was called Edom.
But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’
And Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is
this birthright to me?’
Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’
So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.
And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate
and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his
birthright.GENESIS 25:29-34
1. Esau (or “Edom”)
He despised his birthright indeed! Imagining “selling” it for a serving of bread and lentil-stew! He highly exaggerated the problem of his hunger! As if he would literally die if Jacob had not given him something to eat! Because of this incident, Esau earned a new nickname. He was also called “Edom”. For the price of humble bread and red lentil-stew, Edom sold his birthright! What was he thinking about?
2. Jacob
How could he have even thought of asking his brother to “sell” him his birthright! He should have fed his hungry brother simply because they were twins! How did he think he would get away with his scheme?
Jacob was named in loving jest, as “one who grabbed the heel of another”. The name now took on a more sinister significance. Jacob was now the cunning heel-grabber, or supplanter. He sought to supplant his twin problem!