GENESIS 25: Abraham, Isaac and His Two Sons

Abraham's Death

On our last study we learned how Abraham settled his inheritance before he died…

Abraham died when he was 175 years old, one hundred years after being called by God (Genesis 12).

(Genesis 25:7-10)  These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years.  (8)  Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people.  (9)  Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre,  (10)  the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife.

Abraham was buried in the cave of Machpelah, in Hebron, with his wife Sarah, in the only piece of property he acquired in the Promised Land.

Abraham lived many years. However, when looking back and analyzing a life, it is not the amount of years lived, but the quality of life that counts. The Bible says that Abraham lived a good life, “full of years”, since the purpose for which he was created was achieved.

Isaac was to continue with the calling and the work Abraham began. Just as God blessed Abraham, he also blessed his son Isaac, the son of the promise.

(Genesis 25:11)  After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

We then read about the generations of Isaac in the course of his story…

(Genesis 25:19-20)  These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac,  (20)  and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 

ISAAC’S STORY

Abraham had searched for a wife for his son Isaac to make sure that the promised seed would carry on and God’s plan would be fulfilled. It is interesting to notice that the story repeats, since Isaac’s wife was also barren.

(Genesis 25:21)   And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

In our translations we read that Isaac “prayed”. However, this was more than just a simple prayer. In Hebrew the word “Athar” is used, which means: to plead, to implore. It implies insistence and repetition.

In several instances in the Bible we read that God withholds pregnancies. This is a message in itself. It is a way of telling the parents that the baby that is coming has a special purpose. This happened with Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, Samuel and John the Baptist.

PREGNANCY DIFFICULTIES

When Rebecca finally became pregnant, another pregnancy complication surfaced:

(Genesis 25:22)  The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. 

In the original Hebrew the description of what Rebecca was feeling is more intense. The Hebrew word used is Ratsats, which literally means to crack in pieces. Also break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress.

What was supposed to be a blessing was being torture for her, to the point that she wanted to die. However, in the midst of this difficulty she did what we are supposed to do: to inquire of the Lord.

When we are faced with problems or difficulties in our lives, instead of getting depressed or complaining or grieving, we should try to find out what God is trying to teach us from this particular situation.

What was the message God had for them?

(Genesis 25:23)  And the LORD said to her, "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." 

The first news was that she was going to have twins. However, the main message was that the oldest was going to serve the youngest. This was against their tradition, in which the firstborn was the one to gain the authority among a family.

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THE BIRTH

In its due time, twins were born, just as the Lord had announced.

(Genesis 25:24-26)   When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.  (25)  The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau.  (26)  Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

Esau (Hebrew Esav) means hairy.

Jacob (Hebrew Yaakov) literally means “he who holds the heel” (from the verb “Akav”).

They were not identical twins. As a matter of fact, they were very different, not only in the physical but also in their personality, character and vision in life.

Esau liked the field, while Jacob preferred to stay at home with his mother. One was Isaac’s favorite; the other was Rebecca’s favorite.

(Genesis 25:27-28)  When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.  (28)  Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 

However, the most significant difference between these twin brothers was the spiritual difference: Esau was a man focused on the flesh, interested in the worldly life. By contrast Jacob was a spiritual man. In the Hebrew original it says that he was “complete, whole, pure, perfect” (Hebrew: Tam).

FLESH VRS. SPIRIT

The fight between Jacob and Esau, which began in their mother’s womb, continued throughout their whole lives. This conflict is an image of the conflict between the flesh and the spirit. It is a battle with which we struggle our whole lives. Esau represents the flesh and Jacob the spiritual. The flesh seems to have the upper hand, but according to the divine order, the spirit should preside. A spiritual person sacrifices immediate pleasure in order to achieve a greater benefit in the long run.  (Romans 8; Galatians 5:16-17; Matthew 26.41).

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT

The difference between Jacob and Esau is manifested in their interest for the birthright…

Jacob and Esau

According to tradition, on the day Abraham died Jacob prepared a lentil stew as part of the bereavement meal. On the other hand, on that day Esau went out to hunt.

(Genesis 25:29-34)   Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.  (30)  And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.)  (31)  Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now."  (32)  Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?"  (33)  Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.  (34)  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Esau was more concerned in satisfying his momentary desires than in the family’s inheritance. He was guided by the flesh and despised spiritual values. In contrast, Jacob longed for the birthright, and took advantage of the moment to purchase his right to the birthright, which was supposed to be given eventually to Esau because he was born first (even when God had revealed to Rebecca when they were still in her womb that the youngest would be the firstborn).

What does it mean to be the firstborn in biblical culture?

Whoever was born first would get:

1. The name of the father
2. The authority over his brothers and the responsibility for them
3. A double portion of the inheritance

Esau despised his birthright; he did not consider it to be something of value. He lived for the moment, and he did not consider the future to be important, much less the eternal life. All he cared about was “immediate satisfaction”.

(Hebrews 12:16-17) … Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.  (17)  For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

By contrast, Jacob was very interested in the birthright, and it bothered him to see that Esau did not appreciate the right he had from birth. Therefore, he took advantage of the moment to “purchase” this right.