Genesis 25 Esau & Jacob
Isaac and Rebekah have waited 20 years for this day. The birth of a child of their own. They get twins! Esau and Jacob.
I was a little off on the age of Isaac’s marriage in my earlier story. Sarah died when Isaac was 35. I gave him a couple of years before Abraham sent for a bride for him. I put him at 37 when he got married. Here we find he was actually 40. I guessed on the length of the journey and Isaac’s age when Abraham sent them out. It’s nice to know I was close. I did get it right on the age of the birth of Esau and Jacob though. There was a 15 year overlap between their birth and Abraham’s death. I may have looked it up though.
Today, we see the story of the boy’s birth. But we see more than that. We see a couple struggling with reconciling God’s promises for a future and barrenness. They tried unsuccessfully for 20 years to have a child. Turning to God was the only way out of their situation.
I’m curious if Isaac was the one who wanted children the most, because he asked God for children. And when she was finally pregnant, Rebekah asked God what was going on with this CONSTANTLY rolling mass in her womb. Did she understand God’s reference to twins at the time or get an ‘ah-ha’ moment when they were finally born? Let’s join in the story of this blessed event.
♥ ♦ ♥
Isaac loved Rebekah with all his heart. He would do anything for her. But he was unable to do the one thing they both wanted most of all; to give her a child. In the early days of their marriage, it wasn’t such a big deal. “God has His timing. We just have to be patient” Isaac would say to reassure Rebekah.
As the years drug on, that explanation began to wear thin. “My mother was 90 years old when I was born” Isaac reminded Rebekah.
“I don’t want to be a 90 year old mother!” a distraught Rebekah replied. “Who says I will even live that long?”
“The Lord has promised that my descendants will become a great nation. So we are SURE to have children” soothed Isaac.
“Who says those children will be with me? Maybe you’ll have another wife after I die.”
“With ALL that happened in you being brought to me, do you have ANY doubt that it was the hand of the Lord?”
“No” replies a defeated Rebekah. “But…”
“No more buts. We will wait on the Lord. And I will ask for His help. I’m certain He hears our hearts, but maybe He wants us to make the request ‘in person’ at the altar.”
“Would you do this for me?” asks Rebekah with tears in her eyes.
“For you my wife, I would do anything!”
Isaac goes that day to the altar he has built in Beer-lahai-roi for the Lord. He takes a ewe lamb as a sacrifice and offers it there before making his request to the Lord.
“God of my Abba Abraham, please hear my heart’s cry!” Isaac then pours out his heart to his God. “I know the promises You have given to my abba. Promises that are to be fulfilled in me; the son of promised. But You have given me no sons to walk in that promise. For too many years, the wife YOU brought to me has remained empty and barren. Our hearts are broken together. We cling to Your promises, but we know not the timing of them. Rebekah says she can wait no longer. Her heart is broken for the want of a child. Please fill her heart and her womb with joy.”
Isaac doesn’t hear an answer but his spirit feels lighter. He is satisfied that his God heard him.
The following month, Rebekah is ecstatic when her time of the month passes her by. She has been off by a day or two before but never by a whole week! “It’s finally happened!” she thinks to herself. “Now how should I tell Isaac?” Rebekah decides to fix Isaac’s favorite meal and then tell him after that.
Rebekah works all day getting everything just right for this special evening. She is practically floating on air as she moves about her day. And a song is never far from her lips. When evening comes, she is ready. Her best meal awaits her husband’s return.
Rebekah waits, and waits, and waits some more. It is long past dark and Isaac is still not home. “Where could he be?” By now, Rebekah is pacing the floor. Anger and concern war with each other in her heart. “Is he hurt? Is he wrapped up in some task? Is he visiting with one of the families nearby?”
Isaac has done this a few times during their marriage; stayed out well past dark. Most of his explanations as to why have been excusable. A sheep having difficulty giving birth. A friend who had a piece of equipment that needed immediate mending. Once, he even said he was talking with the Lord and time slipped away.
There are two times that still haunt her. One for fear and the other for anger. During one of the early years of their marriage, Isaac had been run down by an angry ox. He wasn’t found until the next morning. He was extremely cold and there was a large gash in his side where the ox had gored him. He was lucky to be alive. Since then, no one had been allowed to tend the animals alone. Rebekah had insisted on it. There must always be one who can summon help in an emergency. Isaac had been lax in this area though as of late. Could he be hurt again? Even if he was, Rachel knew there was no way she could find him in the dark.
The other time he stayed out that raised anger was when he and some of the men nearby were celebrating the end of sheering season. They stayed out all night drinking wine until they all fell asleep in the field. When Rebekah heard that story, she was livid. She had lain awake all night, not knowing if her husband was hurt, or worse! “This had better not be one of those times” she thinks.
Rebekah is doing all she can to not worry because she believes it would be bad for the babe she is carrying. She busies herself with other tasks while she waits, trying to take her mind off her husband and her cooling meal.
Isaac finally arrives. He is covered from head to toe in dirt and there are scratches the length of his arms.
Upon seeing the state of Isaac, Rebekah quickly jumps to her feet and rushes over to him. “What happened my lord?”
“I was coming back from town and was set upon by thieves. I only escaped by flinging myself into a large thicket. They had no heart to come after me as they already had my parcel and had sliced my money belt from my waist. But I had to wait until they were gone before I could climb my way out.”
“I was so worried about you” cries Rebekah. “I’m so glad you are safe. Let me get some water started and I will clean those cuts.”
“I need a whole bath but it is too late to go down to the river to wash” bemoaned Isaac.
“I’ll take care of that. You just sit down here while I get some water.”
Isaac looked at the table which still held the meal Rebekah had prepared. “This looks lovely. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to eat it when it was hot. I’m so hungry, I’m going to eat it cold and enjoy every bite of it!”
Rebekah laughed with relief and worked on warming some water. “I was waiting for you so I haven’t eaten either. I think I could do with some cold dinner too.”
Rebekah brought water and a clean cloth over to where Isaac was sitting and began gently washing him, paying special attention to his wounds. They had to be clean to keep from becoming infected, but she also didn’t want to hurt him any more than he was already. Some of his wounds looked fairly deep. These would get special salve and bandages, once he was completely clean.
Isaac watched Rebekah and chewed on cold beef while she worked. He occasionally fed her a piece, which made her giggle. When Isaac was finally clean and bandaged, they were both ready for bed. They had managed to eat most of the meal that Rebekah had prepared by that time too.
Rebekah looked at the table and sighed. She really didn’t have the energy to clear it all away and clean the dishes. Isaac saw her gaze and knew her thoughts. “Just for one night, let’s forget it’s there. Tomorrow will come soon enough and we can deal with it then” coaxed Isaac.
“But…”
“Shhh” Isaac whispered as he put his finger to her lips. “It’s time for bed.” Isaac drew Rebekah to their bed. After initially resisting, she came with her husband to the bed he had made for them.
Another thing that was left undone that night was Rebekah telling Isaac about being pregnant. “It will keep until morning” she thinks as her head sinks into her pillow and her eyes slowly close.
Morning comes and Isaac rises before Rebekah. She is usually the first one up in the morning, as she fixes breakfast for him before he leaves for the field. Isaac knew how tired she was last night so he was careful not to wake her. He has also quietly cleared the table and stacked the dishes for cleaning.
When the tent door is pulled back so Isaac can go and relieve his bladder, Rebekah wakes. She starts to jump out of bed but her stomach protests. She knows what it is and even this brings her joy. A little slower, Rebekah climbs out of bed and gets a piece of dry unleavened bread to chew on. “Hope you stay down my friend” she says to her bread.
She is surprised to see the table cleaned and dishes waiting to be cleaned. “I have the BEST husband ever” thinks Rebekah with a smile.
Isaac comes back inside the tent and sees Rebekah chewing on unleavened bread. “Did I miss Passover or something?”
“What” says Rebekah with a puzzled look on her face
Isaac points to the bread.
“Oh. This is my helper for the mornings.”
It’s Isaac’s turn to say “What?”
“My stomach is upset in the mornings. This helps settle it.”
“Why? Is something wrong…” Isaac stops as a thought hits him. “Wait! Is it what I think it is?”
“That depends on what you think it is” says Rebekah with mischief in her smile.
“Are you with child” asks Isaac.
“I am” announces Rebekah.
Isaac didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Rebekah’s answer pulled it from his lungs in a whoop so loud that it could be heard mountains away.
Isaac picked up Rebekah and twirled her around the room. Rebekah laughed until she started feeling nauseous.
“Isaac, you better stop unless you want…” Rebekah puts her hand up to her mouth to keep from losing her breakfast.
Isaac stops immediately and puts Rebekah’s feet back on the ground. He leads her to a chair and quickly retrieves a cup of water for her. He waits beside her as her stomach settles. When her color improves he asks in a gentle voice; “Better?”
Rebekah gives him a weak smile and a small nod. “I’ll live.”
Isaac guffaws. “I sure hope so! I can’t have this baby without you.”
Rebekah pats him on the cheek. “You just try it buster!”
The days march by like an army on a mission. They stop for nothing, even when Rebekah wishes they would slow down or when she wishes they would hurry. Rebekah is overjoyed when the morning sickness period is past. She has begun to feel movement in her womb not long after. It was soft and gentle at first. The first time Isaac was able to feel the babe within her, she cried tears of joy. Watching his face as he waited with his hand on her belly is a memory she will treasure forever.
Lately the kicks have gotten almost constant. And they aren’t gentle anymore. “This child NEVER sleeps!!! All day and all night, he is on the move. I can’t even get a good night’s sleep anymore” she tells Isaac. “It’s a wonder I’m not covered in bruises!”
Isaac has no idea how to solve his precious wife’s problem. “Have you asked the midwife about it?”
“I have. She says that some children are just more active than others. If he is this active now imagine what he will be like when he is born! I’ll never be able to keep up with him” an exhausted Rebekah pleads.
“The only other place to go is to the Lord. I am no help to you. I have no power to do anything about it. But He may give you relief, or at least answers.”
“That is a very good idea. I will go to the altar this very day.”
“Do you need any help?”
“I want to do this on my own. I will bring a drink offering instead of a lamb. I don’t think I could handle that kind of sacrifice right now.”
Isaac kisses his wife goodbye as he heads out to the fields. Once he is gone, Rebekah begins preparations for her visit with the Lord.
Rebekah washes herself from head to toe, and puts on her best robe; or at least the best one that still fits her. She is only in her seventh month but her belly is HUGE. She then prepares the offering for the Lord. She chooses the choicest wine they have. Now she is ready to climb the hill; or so she hopes.
Rebekah has to rest twice on the way to the altar. It is a lot harder walking with his huge weight hanging from her middle, but she is determined to do this on her own. The constant kicking is not helping matters either.
Finally, Rebekah reaches the altar. She rests until her breathing returns to normal before beginning the sacrifice. “It’s time.” Rebekah steps over and kneels before the altar. She pours out her drink offering first and then her heart.
“Lord God of my husband Isaac; You know it is not my custom to come to You. I have learned to love and trust You since You brought me here from my people. I have felt Your hand on my life from the moment I met Eliezer at the spring.
My husband and I have waited so long to bear children. And I know it was YOU who opened my womb. But I am so confused. I don’t want to appear ungrateful, but WHY is my child ALWAYS kicking? I have no rest. I don’t know how much longer I can endure it on my own. I need YOUR strength to carry me through the rest of this pregnancy. And I truly want to understand what is happening.”
Rebekah sits back on her heels and waits. She doesn’t have long to wait. She didn’t hear a booming voice coming from the heavens, but a small voice in her heart. And she KNEW it was the Lord.
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger” (verse 23).
“TWINS! I’m carrying twins” realizes Rebekah. “This explains the look on the midwife’s face last time” thinks Rebekah.
“And they are at war with each other even now. No wonder they never sleep” realizes Rebekah. “O Lord, give me strength that I may bring these children into the world to be the men You have called them to be. Give me the ability to rest, even when they are not. I am worn out” Rebekah ends in tears.
As Rebekah rises to her feet to make her way back down the hill, she realizes that the boys within her were quiet while she spoke with the Lord. “Maybe if I seek Him each night, they will quiet so I can rest.” It’s not a promise, but it is at least worth a try in Rebekah’s mind.
Rebekah begins to do just that. Each night, as she lies down, she begins to focus her thoughts on the Lord. Her heart fills with the stories her husband has shared with her. She goes over again the story of her own coming here to this land. And her mind, heart, and even her children within her, quiet.
The pains of labor have finally begun. The midwife is called by one of the servants. Isaac doesn’t want to leave Rebekah’s side. He holds her hand as she winces and rubs her stomach. By the time the midwife arrives, she is crying out with each pain.
The midwife and her two assistants quickly prepare the room for the birth. Rebekah is instructed to lie down on a pallet on the ground. She has already said that she does NOT want to have her baby on the bed that Isaac made. The fluids would spoil the skins and he would have to remake the whole thing.
Water and clean cloths are brought to the place where Rebekah lies. All is ready. The last thing to do is to shoo Isaac out of the tent. He looks over his shoulder one last time as he is pushed through the door.
Rebekah spends four hours enduring the mounting pain before the midwife tells her that it is time to bring the babies into the world. “On the next pain, you need to bear down hard as you can.”
One assistant holds Rebekah’s legs in place while she struggles with all her might to expel the child from her body. Once the head is free, the midwife tells her to breathe for a moment. “On the next pain, bear down again. This will be the last push for this child. He needs only move his shoulders into the world and he will be free.”
Rebekah does as she is instructed. There was barely enough time for the instructions to be conveyed before Rebekah is bearing down again.
Momentary relief washes over Rebekah as the first child is fully expelled. He muscles can relax. The midwife is astounded by an arm that protrudes from the birth canal that holds fast to the heel of the newborn son. The midwife moves the first child away and the hand drops. The cord is quickly cut and the first babe is handed to the second assistant. Then the midwife says nothing, but gently pushes the hand back inside of Rebekah. Trying to deliver the second child with his arm extended would surely prove fatal to mother and child.
Only minutes pass before the second child is in position to be expelled. “Your other child not only grabs the older but can’t wait to follow him into the world! Do just as before. On the next pain, bear down.”
Rebekah bears down and pushes with all her might again. She is so tired. She wishes only for rest, but her body and the birthing team won’t let her quit.
“The head is free. One more time and we are done.”
The last child is expelled on the next push. The room fills with the sounds of two babies crying out. Rebekah falls back onto her pillow, exhausted. The second baby is handed to the first assistant and the midwife prepares to deliver the lifegiving afterbirth from each child. Rebekah easily expels both of these. All that is left to do is to clean mother and sons.
The assistants bring the children to Rebekah one at a time to nurse. The first has red hair from the top of his head to the calves of his legs. “I have never seen such a hairy baby” comments the midwife.
Rachel strokes his little ‘fur’ as he nurses. “I wonder if he will be a hairy man when he is grown” ponders Rebekah.
After the first child is settled on Rebekah’s breast, the second child is placed at her other breast. “Now this one is quite different than his brother, but he wants to hold fast to him. He had hold of his brother’s heel as the older emerged” shares the midwife.
Rebekah looks at him and laughs. “You little heel grabber!”
Isaac is finally allowed to come and meet his sons. He is overjoyed to see two healthy babies and a radiant ima. He is as intrigued by the hairiness of his eldest son as everyone else is. And the color seems to shimmer as he moves. He marvels at the story of the birth; especially the little hand reaching out from the womb.
The day finally arrives for the circumcision and naming of the two brothers. Abraham has journeyed to Isaac’s camp for the ceremony. Isaac has asked him to preform this task, but Abraham declines. “My hands are too old and unsteady. I would not want to injure my grandsons.”
Isaac stands before the group gathered to witness his son’s receiving the symbol of the covenant Abraham first made with the Lord. “My Abba was called out from among his people to be separate from them unto the Lord. The Lord later instructed him to make a sign in his foreskin of his flesh, as a sign of an everlasting covenant. He instructed that ALL males who enter into the family of Abraham and his offspring, either born or purchased, receive this same mark. Of those born into the family, it is commanded to be done on the 8th day of life. My sons have reached that day.”
Isaac quickly took the knife and circumcised his sons; the eldest first and then the youngest. Before they could be given to their mother to comfort, they had to be presented to the people and receive their names. Isaac and Rebekah had chosen names for them in private but had not called the children by those names until this moment.
Isaac held his eldest son for the congregation to see. “I would like to introduce you to my son Esau.” Esau was handed to Rebekah and Isaac took his youngest son and held him before the congregation. “And now I would like to introduce you to my son Jacob.” Rebekah then received Jacob and she retired to her tent to nurse them.
The boys were rambunctious toddlers. What one didn’t get into the other did. But as they grew a little older, there was a noticeable difference in their personalities. Esau was bold and daring. There wasn’t anything he didn’t want to investigate. Jacob was content to sit quietly and play or examine whatever was at hand.
By the time the boys were teens, the divide between them had widened. Esau LOVED to hunt. Isaac taught him everything he knew and Esau improved on his lessons from there. There was never a hunt that Esau went on that he didn’t bring something back.
Jacob preferred to stay near the tents. He tended the flocks and became very good at breeding the best traits. He also loved to cook and was quite good at it.
As the boy’s personalities and talents diverged, so did their parent’s affections. Though they would deny it, both had their own favorite. Isaac loved Esau. He relished the meat Esau brought to the table. Rebekah loved Jacob. She was his confidant and he hers. There was little they would not share with one another. She is also the one who taught Jacob his skills in the kitchen.
Their lives would forever be marked by these divides. Parents and children. But they would always be family; the family that God called as His own.
(to be continued)
I wanted to have twins each time I was pregnant, except for the last time! Four children was enough. I was never blessed with twins though. I suppose God knew that I would one day be raising them on my own and having more children would have made that task even harder. I treasure the time I had with my children; even when those times were hard.
My children had divergent personalities and interests too. My two youngest bonded the strongest. They remain the closest even today. Remind me to tell you about “Dead Dave’s Diner” someday.
Father God, thank You for each of my children. I’m glad I didn’t have to wait as long as Rebekah did before having my first child. Rebekah would only have these two. Did You close her womb again? Or did she work at avoiding becoming pregnant again, as the first time was hard enough? Just a question that popped into my mind.
Thank You that for allowing my children each their own personalities and interests. My middle son though is the most like me. He had the temper that plagued me so much of my life. And You allowed him to move past it, just as You did with me.
I’m amazed by all of my children. I’m proud of their accomplishments. They have all grown up to be kind and loving individuals. The only thing I pray that changes in their lives is that they return to You. My heart LONGS for them to call You, their God. I leave them in Your hands to accomplish that work in their hearts.
