So yesterday Jacob took Esau’s birthright. Yes, it is a big deal, but not nearly as big a deal as what happens today. There are so many details to this story so we will talk about a few and in 10 years when I do the read-through again, we will catch the rest.
- Esau marries a Hittite! Not just one but two! We know this is not good because his grandfather, Abraham, made such efforts to make sure Isaac did not marry outside the culture!
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- Oh My! Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”
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- So we read what might be a familiar story to some, the deception that Jacob and his mom concocted. Jacob was too scared to pull this off, and he should be! But his “mommy” says “I will take full responsibility”. Unfortunately, her consequence is going to be that she will never see him again!
- What makes Jacob’s deception so bad was he referenced God’s help in hunting and cooking this meal so quickly! Oh the humanity!!
- Let’s read the blessing. Now just like I teach my students: words are like toothpaste, once it is out you cannot put it back in the tube! So once Jacob is blessed….it is done.
28 May God give you heaven’s dew
and earth’s richness—
an abundance of grain and new wine.
29 May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.”
This blessing was going to be given to Jacob regardless of human involvement. Go back to Genesis 25:
23 The Lord said to her, (Rebekah)
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.”
Rebekah, just like Sarai, took God’s plan into her own hands. God’s plan ALWAYS comes out in the end, but taking it away from God always has a consequence. Not only will she not see Jacob ever again and have to live with her daughters-in-law, the Hittites, but her son (the one she loved) now has consequences too.
- He will never see his mom again
- His brother wants to kill him
- He goes from being the deceiver to being deceived by Laban (Ch 28)
So here is the question of the day for anyone who wants to write their answer in the comments.
Why was losing the blessing a bigger deal than the birthright??
In Chapter 28, before sending Jacob to Paddam Aram (which is Haran….is this place familiar?? It was where Abraham stopped for a while when he left his hometown).
Isaac tells Jacob exactly where to go as he flees Esau’s plan to kill him Here is the version in my head:
“Get your suitcase son…go to my old stomping grounds…find my father in law’s house. You never met him, his name was Bethuel. He’s dead, so don’t worry about that. Your mother, who planned this whole deception has a money-hungry brother, Laban, who lives there, he’s a piece of work but don’t worry about that either, he will find you a wife. Pack quicker son…you know your brother is a good hunter! Anyway, remember God’s covenant, so make lots of babies…maybe 12 sons and a daughter sounds like a good number. You will be a foreigner in this land. One day your descendants will own this land! Get a good night’s rest…if you can’t find a pillow, use a rock” Now go on…I have to deal with Esau…evidently he is dating a new girl, an Ishmaelite this time!
Jacob’s dream at Bethel. (Beth meaning house and El means God)
Bethel is the 2nd most repeated location in the Old Testament. (Jerusalem being numero uno). In the comments, I will put extra information about Bethel that you can skip if not interested.
The Dream!
Jacob has heard of God. He is the “God of Abraham and the God of Isaac”, however, that is where it stops (for now). Abraham retells the covenant to Jacob but God comes to Jacob directly and confirms the Covenant in a dream. He uses imagery that will make sense to Jacob ( the stairs to a ziggurat like in Babel). In this vision, Jacob sees something similar to a ladder or a stairway which signifies a connection between God and man. In this instance, it was God who provided the means necessary to link Himself to man as opposed to the men of Babel in Genesis 11 who tried to reach heaven by their own actions, aside from the help of God.
Jacob Meets the Family!
I think the story is pretty clear (and I am sure you are about to kill me this is so long) So let me just clear up the ending. So obviously Laban used “it is not our custom to give the younger daughter before the older” as an excuse. The Bible described Leah as “weak eyes”. Leah in Hebrew means “weary” but the Hebrew word can also be translated to “Cow” so draw your own conclusions!
So the deceiver gets deceived! In verse 29:25 It says’ “why have you deceived me” I like to say “why have you Jacobed me!” Anyway, it’s important to know that the wedding headdresses of this time were very modest and ornate. He really did not know (and maybe the wine did not help) 
In the end, he marries the love ❤️ of his life Rachel. Today’s read ends with the birth of several of Jacob’s children. I will start here tomorrow since this is Mucho Importante!
Reading the Bible - 2021 
The “Blessing” confirmed the birthright and after the blessing the birthright could not be taken away from Jacob. The blessing was the “binding”
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What does Isaac’s blessing for Esau mean? I’m just confused on why it would be something negative..
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Not sure what you mean. Do you mean why was it bad for Esau that he did not get the blessing? So sorry I am confused.
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Hi, Patricia! It’s Lisa Millman (formerly Stickel). Laura Horton told me you were doing this again. I remember doing this many years ago. Excited to follow along.
Does birthright have more to do with tangible wealth and blessings spiritual things?
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Yes! With the birthright, you receive a double inheritance. The Blessing is the Covenant! Usually, it s given to the firstborn. So Jesus should come from the line of Rueben right? If not Rueben, then Simeon. Then Levi. Abraham’s covenant is given to Judah, #4. What did his 3 older brothers do to lose that blessing 😞.
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I believe the BLESSING is a bigger deal than the BIRTHRIGHT because the birthright is given from man while the blessing is ultimately given from God. Remember, that God told Rebekah when she was pregnant that Jacob would be given the blessing anyway.
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❤️
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I am having this awesome text about this chapter with a friend. I wish it is was on here so you can see how we have putting pieces and application together on the birthright. Esau did not care about God. He took one small moment of satisfaction and it caused a lifetime of hardship for his family. Our sins affect our families. This one ‘giving in to flesh” changed the trajectory of his whole family. They eventually become enemies of the Israelites. 😢. This is a good passage to bring to the eyes of teenagers if you have them. Thinking through pushing God aside for a few minutes can cause a lifetime of consequence. The beautiful thing is we will see God still will be with Esau, giving him a nation, God loves him regardless: a lesson I walked my daughter through this summer (I wish I had thought of this passage)
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I know your friend pretty well. Ha!
If our choices don’t align with the Lord, then we should expect negative consequences. It’s built to work that way. This is true for what we think is done in private and in theory doesn’t hurt anyone else. Our choices always impact others. Gulp.
Who knew that studying Esau would encourage me to always point my kids to the Lord.
Message for my teenagers when dating: “Don’t sell your birthright for a bowl of soup.”
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