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We discovered last time that the fact that God Sovereignly chooses some individuals is inescapable. However, there is another side to this, and we shall see it illustrated when we pick up the story in verse 24. 

“When her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so, they called his name Esau. [Esau means hairy by the way] Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so, his name was called Jacob. [The Hebrew word Jacob means heel holder, by the way. So, he saw came out first and Jacob grabbed his heel and came out holding his brother's heel] Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. The boys grew. And Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents”.

(Genesis 25 24-27)

These two boys were radically different. One we saw was the outdoor type, a skilful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob, he was what we today would call a bit of a homebird.  He stayed at home in the tent. 

Let’s talk about this for a second. Jacob was a mild man dwelling in tents. The Hebrew word translated mild can also means sound and wholesome. It is used of being some morally innocent and it probably also means civilized, level-headed, dependable, an even tempered, resolute man with things under control. It's not a criticism is an endorsement. The illustration being made here is that these two are utterly opposite. Some Bible experts I read said by putting the words in the order they are placed there is a strong suggestion here that Esau is undisciplined. Esau becomes a nomadic hunter and Jacob remained at home, so we have two boys, and they are radically different. Ever known two brothers that were radically different, That very common myself and my own brother are a case in point, at any rate, it happens in this case.

Verse 28 says.

“And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob”

(Genesis 25: 28)

Do parents sometimes have favourites? I’ve rarely heard a parent admit it, but I’ve heard children complain about that. And any rate it appears the Isaac and Rebecca had favourites. The father liked the outdoor son, and the mother liked the home boy. 

Let’s pick up the story, this is getting interesting, verse 29.

29 “Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore, his name was called Edom.31 But Jacob said, “Sell me your birth-right as of this day.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birth right to me?” 33 Then Jacob said,  “Swear to me as of this day.” So, he swore to him, and sold his birth right to Jacob. 34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus, Esau despised his birth right”.

(Genesis 25: 29-34)

Esau has been out in the field working and comes in and he is famished. He is starving, but text also says he was weary. Esau is an impatient guy the text makes that apparent. So, he goes to Jacob and said, please feed me that red stew for I am tired and hungry.  Jacob said alright, I’ll give you some of my stew, but you should sell me your birth right.  What? He’s not going to sell his birth right for a bowl of soup, is he? Is he out of his mind? His father is an extremely wealthy man by the standards of that day. Would you give your wealth away for a bowl of soup? Esau said look, I’m about to die. I’m famished. I’m starving to death, if you don’t give me some food, I’m going to die. Sounds a bit childlike doesn’t it. £What is a birth right to me, anyway”, he says? There are all sorts of ways to interpret this. Maybe he’s saying, what good is a birth right to me if he dies of starvation. I don’t care that much about birth right at the moment, I just want to be satisfied right now. I want to live for the moment. I don’t care about the future. I’m going to sacrifice the future on the altar of the immediate. Which is what every drug addict, alcoholic, and sex addict says. I don’t care about the consequences. Shrewd, Jacob jumps in on his impulse and says swear to me and sell me your birth right for this food, and look at the last verse in this chapter, “Esau despised his birth right”. That’s sounds important, well, we shall camp on that verse and try and unpack it a bit in the next episode.