†. Gen 25:23b . . One people shall be mightier than the other, and
the older shall serve the younger.
Esau will come out first; hence he's the "older". However, the right of
primogeniture was taken from him and given to Jacob. That was God's
sovereign prerogative as the paterfamilias of Yhvh's people. Later on down
the line, Jacob will exercise the same prerogative by taking the right of
primogeniture from Manasseh and giving it to Ephraim. So then, biblically,
the firstborn son's birthright isn't inalienable; but rather quite transferable to
a younger sibling; e.g. Rueben and Joseph. (1Chrn 5:1)
†. Rom 9:7-12 . . Rebecca's children had one and the same father, our
father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or
bad-- in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but
by him who calls --she was told: "The older will serve the younger."
There was certainly nothing in Jacob's infant character that earned him the
firstborn position, and it was just as assuredly not his eventual craftiness
that got it for him either. It was simply Divine prerogative. In some things,
God is sovereign and there is not one single thing Man can do about it.
†. Gen 25:24 . .When her time to give birth was at hand, there were
twins in her womb.
Multiple births in human beings arise either from the simultaneous
impregnation of more than one ovum or from the impregnation of a single
ovum that divides into two or more parts, each of which develops into a
distinct embryo. Plural offspring developing from a single egg are known as
"identical" --they are always of the same gender, resemble one another very
closely, and have similar fingerprints and blood types. Offspring produced
from separate ova are "fraternal" --not necessarily of the same gender; they
have the usual family resemblance of brothers and sisters.
Precisely of which type Jacob and Esau were, is difficult to tell. However,
they are definitely not identical; either in physical appearance nor in
personality, nor in speech.
†. Gen 25:25a . .The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all
over;
The word for "red" is 'admoniy (ad-mo-nee') which 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 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. Maybe that was a
contributing factor in Rebecca's favoritism of Jacob? How many mothers can
really warm up to a baby who doesn't look like the pictures on a Gerber
container?
You know who else besides Esau was 'admoniy? David.
†. 1Sam 16:10-13a . .Thus Jesse presented seven of his sons before
Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse: The Lord has not chosen any of these.
Then Samuel asked Jesse: Are these all the boys you have? He replied:
There is still the youngest; he is tending the flock. And Samuel said to Jesse:
Send someone to bring him, for we will not sit down to eat until he gets
here. So they sent and brought him. He was ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed,
and handsome.
David's looks were a combination of handsomeness blended with an
outdoor-guy appeal enhanced by his rosy cheeks. He was in fact a very cute
kid.
†. 1Sam 17:41-42 . .The Philistine, meanwhile, was coming closer to David,
preceded by his shield-bearer. When the Philistine caught sight of David, he
scorned him, for he was but a boy, ruddy and handsome.
David wasn't bristly all over like a G.I. blanket, so he had a lot more going
for him in the looks department than Esau-- who must have looked a bit like
he'd morph into a werewolf any second.
†. Gen 25:25b . . they named him Esau.
The Hebrew word for "Esau" is from 'Esav (ay-sawv'); the meaning of which
isn't known for certain. Some say it means rough-- like rough to the touch.
Others think it might mean to cover, or envelop --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;
Sibling rivalry between the two baby brothers was very intense. Jacob
undoubtedly held on to Esau's heel to slow him down so he wouldn't get too
far ahead-- and also an aggressive attempt to stop him from going first even
though Esau was legitimately first in line to be born.
†. Gen 25:26b . . so they named him Jacob.
The Hebrew word for "Jacob" is from Ya' aqob (yah-ak-obe') which means:
heel-catcher.
Esau defined a heel-catcher like this:
†. Gen 27:36 . . [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!
Supplanters take things by coup, usurping, or treachery. Right from the
womb, Jacob desired supremacy over his brother Esau and struggled to get
out ahead of him. How male infants can be so competitive at such an early
age is a total mystery; but not impossible. Boys are competitive by nature,
and don't like to come in second place; especially against a brother. For
some strange reason, it is much easier for a boy to suffer defeat by a non
kin male opponent than by his own sibling.
Jacob is one very tricky Dicky who knows how to trip people up, and how to
keep them from getting ahead, and how to cleverly separate them from
what is rightfully theirs. That boy was born way too soon. He should have
been on Wall Street; manipulating stocks, marketing derivatives, and raiding
corporations. Jacob isn't usually portrayed in Scripture as a man of muscle
and brute strength, but as a man of cunning and determination, a man who
gets what he wants by patience, stealth, intelligence, and/or trickery rather
than by brute force. Maybe he should have been a lawyer?
Cont.
/
the older shall serve the younger.
Esau will come out first; hence he's the "older". However, the right of
primogeniture was taken from him and given to Jacob. That was God's
sovereign prerogative as the paterfamilias of Yhvh's people. Later on down
the line, Jacob will exercise the same prerogative by taking the right of
primogeniture from Manasseh and giving it to Ephraim. So then, biblically,
the firstborn son's birthright isn't inalienable; but rather quite transferable to
a younger sibling; e.g. Rueben and Joseph. (1Chrn 5:1)
†. Rom 9:7-12 . . Rebecca's children had one and the same father, our
father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or
bad-- in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but
by him who calls --she was told: "The older will serve the younger."
There was certainly nothing in Jacob's infant character that earned him the
firstborn position, and it was just as assuredly not his eventual craftiness
that got it for him either. It was simply Divine prerogative. In some things,
God is sovereign and there is not one single thing Man can do about it.
†. Gen 25:24 . .When her time to give birth was at hand, there were
twins in her womb.
Multiple births in human beings arise either from the simultaneous
impregnation of more than one ovum or from the impregnation of a single
ovum that divides into two or more parts, each of which develops into a
distinct embryo. Plural offspring developing from a single egg are known as
"identical" --they are always of the same gender, resemble one another very
closely, and have similar fingerprints and blood types. Offspring produced
from separate ova are "fraternal" --not necessarily of the same gender; they
have the usual family resemblance of brothers and sisters.
Precisely of which type Jacob and Esau were, is difficult to tell. However,
they are definitely not identical; either in physical appearance nor in
personality, nor in speech.
†. Gen 25:25a . .The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all
over;
The word for "red" is 'admoniy (ad-mo-nee') which 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 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. Maybe that was a
contributing factor in Rebecca's favoritism of Jacob? How many mothers can
really warm up to a baby who doesn't look like the pictures on a Gerber
container?
You know who else besides Esau was 'admoniy? David.
†. 1Sam 16:10-13a . .Thus Jesse presented seven of his sons before
Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse: The Lord has not chosen any of these.
Then Samuel asked Jesse: Are these all the boys you have? He replied:
There is still the youngest; he is tending the flock. And Samuel said to Jesse:
Send someone to bring him, for we will not sit down to eat until he gets
here. So they sent and brought him. He was ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed,
and handsome.
David's looks were a combination of handsomeness blended with an
outdoor-guy appeal enhanced by his rosy cheeks. He was in fact a very cute
kid.
†. 1Sam 17:41-42 . .The Philistine, meanwhile, was coming closer to David,
preceded by his shield-bearer. When the Philistine caught sight of David, he
scorned him, for he was but a boy, ruddy and handsome.
David wasn't bristly all over like a G.I. blanket, so he had a lot more going
for him in the looks department than Esau-- who must have looked a bit like
he'd morph into a werewolf any second.
†. Gen 25:25b . . they named him Esau.
The Hebrew word for "Esau" is from 'Esav (ay-sawv'); the meaning of which
isn't known for certain. Some say it means rough-- like rough to the touch.
Others think it might mean to cover, or envelop --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;
Sibling rivalry between the two baby brothers was very intense. Jacob
undoubtedly held on to Esau's heel to slow him down so he wouldn't get too
far ahead-- and also an aggressive attempt to stop him from going first even
though Esau was legitimately first in line to be born.
†. Gen 25:26b . . so they named him Jacob.
The Hebrew word for "Jacob" is from Ya' aqob (yah-ak-obe') which means:
heel-catcher.
Esau defined a heel-catcher like this:
†. Gen 27:36 . . [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!
Supplanters take things by coup, usurping, or treachery. Right from the
womb, Jacob desired supremacy over his brother Esau and struggled to get
out ahead of him. How male infants can be so competitive at such an early
age is a total mystery; but not impossible. Boys are competitive by nature,
and don't like to come in second place; especially against a brother. For
some strange reason, it is much easier for a boy to suffer defeat by a non
kin male opponent than by his own sibling.
Jacob is one very tricky Dicky who knows how to trip people up, and how to
keep them from getting ahead, and how to cleverly separate them from
what is rightfully theirs. That boy was born way too soon. He should have
been on Wall Street; manipulating stocks, marketing derivatives, and raiding
corporations. Jacob isn't usually portrayed in Scripture as a man of muscle
and brute strength, but as a man of cunning and determination, a man who
gets what he wants by patience, stealth, intelligence, and/or trickery rather
than by brute force. Maybe he should have been a lawyer?
Cont.
/
