12. The Twins

Isaac was very surprised one day to find out that Rebekah would have twins! According to the law, the firstborn son was to receive most of his father's land and money.

Isaac and Rebekah named the first twin Esau and the second, Jacob. Although they were twins, Esau and Jacob were not very much alike at all. The older brother liked to hunt in the woods and the game was much to Isaac's liking. While Jacob liked to stay in tents and was favored by Rebekah.

Esau came in from hunting one day. He had not eaten all day and was very, very hungry.

"Let me have some of that stew," said Esau, seeing Jacob was cooking a stew.

Jacob wanted to be head of the family one day and have all its riches. He said to Esau, "I'll give you something to eat if you'll give me your birthright in return."

Esau was more concerned about being hungry than about something that would happen many years in the future.

"Yes, you can have it," said Esau. "If you don't feed me now. I'll starve anyway."

Jacob handed Esau the bowl of stew and he ate until he was satisfied.

The day soon came for Isaac to give his blessing to the firstborn son. He called to his son Esau and asked him to kill a deer and fix him a special stew.

"I must give you my blessing soon," said Isaac, "for I am very old and I will not live much longer."

Rebekah heard what Isaac said. She remembered God had told her that her younger son would lead the family. That meant Jacob must be the one to receive Isaac's blessing. She ran to find Jacob.

"Kill two goats for me to cook," she told him. "I will make a good stew. Your father's eyesight is very bad. He will think you are Esau and give you the blessing."

Rebekah fixed the stew and brought some of Esau's clothes for Jacob to put on. She also tied skins from the goats they had killed around Jacob's hands since Esau had hair on his arms and chest.

"Here is your stew, father," Jacob said.

Isaac took the bowl from him. "You sound like Jacob," he said. Then Isaac touched his son and felt the goat skin on his hands. They felt hairy like Esau's, so Isaac settled back and began to eat the stew.

The stew that Rebekah had fixed for Isaac tasted so good, Isaac ate every bit. When he was done, he touched Jacob's head and blessed him with the blessing he meant for Esau. Jacob left and hurried away to hide.

Not long after that, Esau returned from hunting. When Esau walked into his father's tent, Isaac knew right away he had been fooled by Jacob. He had given the birthright and the special blessing to the wrong son.

Esau yelled aloud, "As soon as our father dies, I will find Jacob and kill him."

Rebekah heard this. She was very frightened. She knew Jacob had to get away from his brother.

Jacob had not yet married, so Rebekah told Isaac that Jacob should go back to her homeland to find a bride. Isaac knew it would be better for his son to marry a woman who believed in God. Esau had married two women from Canaan. They worshipped idols made of stone. This made Isaac sad because he loved God. He told Rebekah to send Jacob on his way.

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