Jacob and Esau
Genesis 25:19-34
Isaac and Rebekah had twins, Esau and Jacob. Esau sold Jacob his rights as the firstborn son for a bowl of lentils. Later Jacob, with Rebekah’s help, deceived his father and received his blessing. Esau was furious, and Jacob had to flee. Genesis 25:19-34
The story, in plain words
Rebekah could not have children. Isaac prayed to the Lord for her, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. Genesis 25:21-24
The children jostled each other inside her. The Lord told Rebekah that she was carrying two nations, and that the older would serve the younger. Genesis 25:22-23
Esau was born first, covered with hair. Then Jacob was born, holding on to his brother’s heel. Genesis 25:25-26
Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents. Genesis 25:27 One day, Esau came back from the…
The rest of the story is part of the subscription.
See the mapWhat the Bible says
Genesis 25:19-34
19These also are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac: 20Who when he was forty years old, took to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, sister to Laban. 21And Isaac besought the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and he heard him, and made Rebecca to conceive. 22But the children struggled in her womb: and she said: If it were to be so with me, what need was there to conceive? And she went to consult the Lord. 23And he answering said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger. 24And when her time was come to be delivered, behold twins were found in her womb. 25He that came forth first was red, and hairy like a skin: and his name was called Esau. Immediately the other coming forth, held his brother’s foot in his hand, and therefore he was called Jacob. 26Isaac was threescore years old when the children were born unto him. 27And when they were grown up, Esau became a skillful hunter, and a husbandman, but Jacob a plain man dwelt in tents. 28Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his hunting: and Rebecca loved Jacob. 29And Jacob boiled pottage: to whom Esau, coming faint out of the field, 30Said: Give me of this red pottage, for I am exceeding faint. For which reason his name was called Edom. 31And Jacob said to him: Sell me thy first birthright. 32He answered: Lo I die, what will the first birthright avail me? 33Jacob said: Swear therefore to me. Esau swore to him, and sold his first birthright. 34And so taking bread and the pottage of lentils, he ate, and drank, and went his way; making little account of having sold his first birthright.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
To talk about together
- Why do you think Esau sold something so important for a bowl of food?
- Jacob got the blessing by deceiving his father, and then he had to flee from his home. What do you notice as you read this story?
- For the child: what do you do when you fight with your brother or sister or with a friend?