"Bedtime Bible Stories"

From the Book of Genesis
Chapter 27-Chapter 28, Verses 1-4

arah, the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, lived until she was 120 years old. Abraham lived until he was 175 years old. People either lived much longer back then, or they had a different way of counting birthdays. It was so long ago, no one is quite sure anymore. Whatever the case, they lived a very long time.

Before Abraham died, he made certain his son Isaac had married a woman who also worshipped the Lord God Jehovah. Isaac's wife was named Rebekah. She was very beautiful. When she married Isaac, the two of them inherited all of Abraham's herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. Even Abraham's servants now worked for Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac and Rebekah were considered very rich people. They were very happy together in their big tent in the desert where they lived.

When Abraham died, Isaac and Ishmael buried him in a cave where they had buried Sarah years earlier.

Isaac and Rebekah did not have any children of their own for a long time. Then, when Isaac was 60 years old, Rebekah had twin sons. They oldest one was named Esau, which is a name that sounds like the Hebrew word for "hair." They named him this because he had red hair growing all over his body. Esau grew to be a great hunter.

The second twin was named Jacob, which means "grabber." He was a quiet boy who liked to stay at home with his mother.

In those days, the oldest son would automatically inherit all of his father's riches if his father died. It was known as his "birthright." Jacob knew that Esau was going to inherit all of Isaac's wealth even though he was only a few minutes older.

One day Jacob was cooking when Esau came in. "Give me a bit of that food," asked Esau.

Jacob could see that Esau was very hungry, so he said, "I will if you sell me your birthright."

Esau was so hungry he didn't even care about what he was giving up.

Years later, when Isaac was very, very old, he called Esau to his side. "I am very old," he told his oldest son, "and I am almost blind. I do not think I am going to live much longer. Go out and hunt for some goats. Then cook me a meal from the goat meat and I will give you my blessing."

By giving Esau his blessing, Isaac was promising his son all of his wealth. Rebekah had overheard her husband and Esau talking. Since Jacob had spent all of his time at home with her, Rebekah loved him more than she did Esau. She wanted Jacob to receive his father's blessing rather than Esau. Besides, Esau had traded his birthright to Jacob long ago.

Jacob did not see how his mother was going to convince his father to give him his blessing rather than his brother. "I know a way," his mother whispered to him.

Before Esau returned from his hunting trip Rebekah went and found the skin of two sheep that the family used for blankets or coats. She wrapped Jacob in the skins. She then fixed a meal and told Jacob to take it to his father and pretend to be Esau.

Isaac was nearly blind. He could not see if it was Esau or Jacob who had come to him.

"Who is it?" the old man asked.

"I am Esau," Jacob lied to his father.

Isaac reached out and touched Jacob's arm. Since it was covered with the sheep skin, it felt hairy like Esau's arm. It fooled Isaac. He believed Jacob was Esau. Isaac then gave Jacob the blessing that was really meant for Esau.

When Esau returned from his hunting trip he went to his father and asked for his blessing. When his father told him he had already given his blessing, both of them realized how Jacob had tricked them.

Because of the strong traditions of the family, Isaac could not take the blessing back. He had already ordered that Jacob and his family would always rule over Esau and his family. Still, since Isaac felt bad about how he was tricked, he gave Esau another blessing and promised he would someday be free of his brother.

The second blessing was still not good enough for Esau. He hated his brother and wanted to kill him for stealing his birthright.

Rebekah, the boys' mother was afraid for Jacob. She told him to run away to another land so his angry brother would not kill him. She told him to go to a city called Haran where her brother Laban lived.

"Stay with your Uncle Laban for awhile," Rebekah told Jacob. "Maybe, after a time, Esau will forget his terrible anger."

So Jacob began to walk to the city of Haran to live with his uncle. He hoped he would be safe there from his angry brother Esau.