Jacob the Righteous – chapter 6 – the Birthright

And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.[1]

Chapter Six 

The Birthright  

Pt 1 – Esau’s Right as the Firstborn

Easton’s Bible Dictionary describes the birthright as following:

(1.) This word denotes the special privileges and advantages belonging to the first-born son among the Jews. He became the priest of the family.[2] Italics added

(2.) The first-born son had allotted to him also a double portion of the paternal inheritance. [3] Reuben was, because of his undutiful conduct, deprived of his birth-right. Esau transferred his birth-right to Jacob. Italics added

(3.) The first-born inherited the judicial authority of his father, whatever it might be. Italics added

(4.) The Jews attached a sacred importance to the rank of “first-born” and “first-begotten” as applied to the Messiah. [4]  Italics added.

 

Prior to the exodus from Egypt the Hebrew children were instructed to,

“Set aside for me all the firstborn. Whatever is first from the womb among the people of Isra’el, both of humans and of animals, belongs to me.” [5]

Prior to the debacle of the golden calf, the responsibilities of the firstborn male in each home were to include the priestly function for each family. The firstborn was to act as the spiritual head of each family. Jacob, from an early age, desired the mantel of priesthood. [6] He understood the covenant blessing spoken over Abraham and desired to be the progenitor of the seed that would liberate mankind from the curse of sin. That seed is unmistakably the Messiah, Jesus Christ.[7] Jacob was not concerned over the material blessing of his father, Isaac. Jacob desired the spiritual blessing of his father, God.

Exodus 32 tells the story of the golden calf and tells us that when Moses came down from Mount Sinai that he found the children ofIsraelengaged in idolatrous revelry, and that only the Levites rallied around him to put the revelers to the sword. Because of this, verse 29 tells us that,

“You [the Levites] have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

Numbers 3:12 adds to this saying,

 “Look,I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead ofevery firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites. So the Levites belong to me, because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.” [8]

Prior to these events, the priesthood was the right and responsibility of the firstborn. These are the sacred responsibilities that Esau despised. 

“See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.” Hebrews 12:16

 

The Birthright

Pt 2 – Esau Sells His Birthright

“Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.) Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.““Look, I am about to die,” Esau said.” What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.”[9]

There are a few things that must be examined regarding Esau and “his inheritance rights as the oldest son”, the rights for which he showed contempt for when he sold them for a cup of soup.

As discussed earlier, Esau and Jacob were aware of the significant events in the lives of their parents and grandparents. Events such as the offering of Isaac atMountMoriah, the smoking pot and the covenant with God, and the sending of Abraham’s servant to PaddanAramto find a bride for Isaac are certainly stories that must have been told on a regular basis.

Esau, aware that his grandfather Abraham had sent his servant to PaddanAramto find a wife for his father Isaac, (because Abraham did not approve of the local Hittite women), appears to have intentionally married two Hittite women. Scripture says,

“When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah”.[10]

 

[1] Genesis 25:31 KJV

[2] After the Exodus and theMount Sinai experience, the Levites replaced the firstborn of each family as priests. In Numbers 8:18 it says, “So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites.” KJV

[3] Deuteronomy 21:17, KJV, “But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.”

[4] http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/search–birthright, June 2010

[5] Exodus 13:2, Complete Jewish Bible

[6] The conflict between the twins within the womb of Rebekah should be seen as a spiritual battle. It is likely that Jacob, like John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit before birth and that Esau sought to destroy the righteous Jacob even prior to his birth.

[7] Galatians 3:16, KJV, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

[8] NET Bible®

[9] Genesis 25:29-34 NIV

[10] Genesis 26:34-35, NIV

Jacob the Righteous – Chapter 5 – The Righteous Will Live by Faith

This is the fifth chapter of my book on the Patriarch Jacob. The introduction and  chapters 1-4 can be found in previous posts. The purpose of this book is to present Jacob in a different light than he is often portrayed. Many of us have been taught things about Jacob that I believe are not consistent with scripture. Please enjoy and do not hesitate to comment. Shalom! Mike

Chapter Five

 The Righteous Will Live by Faith

 The question and answer to, “On what account was Abraham credited with righteousness?” was foundational to the Protestant Revolution and is the keystone of modern evangelical Christianity. It is the basis of Martin Luther’s doctrine of Sola Fide, or Justification by Faith. We accept that we, like Abraham, are justified through our faith in the promises of God.

 In his letter to the assembly in Rome[1], the apostle Paul, quotes from Genesis, “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” [2] Paul goes on to state in chapter 4 verse 16 that, “He [Abraham] is the father of us all.

 There is a popular children song that teaches that we are all children, by faith, of Abraham. The main verse states,

 Father Abraham, had many sons,
Many sons had Father Abraham,

I am one of them, and so are you,
So let’s all praise the Lord!

 

 Although Paul calls Abraham “the father of us all” in Romans 4:16, Abraham is not the first to be considered righteous through faith alone. The first person in scripture to be recognized as righteous through faith is Abel, the son of Adam and Eve.

 The author of the letter to the Hebrews states,

 “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.”[3]

  It is critical to recognize from the context of Romans 4:3 Paul is using Abraham as the example because the Jews recognized Abraham to be the father of the Jewish people. (It would not help Paul’s argument to establish the gentiles as children of Abel, or Enoch, or Noah, although each of them –Abel, Enoch and Noah, according to Hebrews 11, shared in the same faith as Abraham – the faith that accredits one with righteousness.) Paul was teaching them that although Abraham was the progenitor of their physical lineage, unless they also shared in his spiritual lineage, as the believing gentiles did, they were not his true offspring, for Abraham was both a physical and a spiritual man.

 Going back to the letter to the Hebrews, we find chapter 11 begins the chronology of what the author later calls the “great cloud of witnesses.”[4] 

 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.[5]

 Abraham’s faith was in God’s promise of the seed, and that the seed promised was Jesus Christ[6], the author of our salvation; salvation found through His offering of Himself as the sacrifice for our sin. I also believe that the “good tidings” proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah speaks directly of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.

 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”[7]

  I believe that the first pair of feet to present the gospel message belonged to Adam, the father of all mankind, and particularly, the father of Cain and Abel. I believe that Cain and Abel both heard the gospel message of how God had provided a substitute on behalf of Adam and Eve, a substitute that was later showed to Abraham atMountMoriah, and to all of mankind atCalvary. The reason I believe that Adam was the first “evangelist” is because the Apostle Paul stated,

 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” [8]

 Abel heard, and believed.

 If we accept that Genesis 3:15[9] is the first prophetic announcement of Messiah – the seed of Abraham, through the offspring of the woman- we must also conclude that this is the first telling of the gospel message. This gospel message must have been told by Adam to his sons, Cain and Abel. I believe that Cain and Abel heard the gospel message and that the firstborn Cain, like the firstborn Esau, showed contempt for the things of God and rejected the message. I believe that Abel’s heart, upon hearing the gospel message, was pierced and he believed.

 What would this gospel message have consisted of? It was, and remains a simple message. The message has not changed from the very beginning. The message is that sin will be defeated. Not through the efforts of mankind, but through the mercy of God. God himself offered a sacrifice to cover the sin of man. Man cannot atone for his own sin. The gospel is that God himself offered a substitute on behalf of Adam and Eve and for all of humanity. I believe that this is the message that Cain and Abel heard from Adam and Eve. I believe that this is the message that Abel took to heart when he offered portions of “the first born of his flock.” I believe it was the same gospel message that the first born Cain showed contempt for when he offered “some of the fruits of the soil” –the soil that had been cursed due to the sin of his father.[10] 

 Yes, I believe that Abel heard and believed, and that Paul had Abel in mind when he said in his letter to the church atRome,

 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[11]   

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[1] Romans 4:3 KJV;”For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

[2] Genesis 15:6 NIV

[3] Hebrews 11:4 NIV

[4] Hebrews 12:1 KJV

[5] Hebrews 11:1-2 NIV

[6] Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant.  Scripturedoes not say, “and to the descendants, referring to many, but “and to your descendant,”referring to one, who is Christ. NET Bible®

[7] Isaiah 52:7 NIV

[8] Romans 10:17 KJV

[9] “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15 NIV

[10] The Genesis account of the fall of man notes that Yahweh covered Adam and Eve with skins. These skins would replace the coverings that Adam and Eve had fashioned from leaves to cover their nakedness. Abel’s offering was similar to that which was used by Yahweh to cover  the sins of Adam and Eve, Cain’s offering was similar to that of Adam and Eve.

[11] Romans 1:17 NIV

Jacob the Righteous – Chapter Four -pts 1 and 2

This is the fourth chapter of my book on the Patriarch Jacob. The introduction and  chapters 1-3 can be found in previous posts. The purpose of this book is to present Jacob in a different light than he is often portrayed. We have been taught things about Jacob that I believe are not consistent with scripture. Please enjoy and do not hesitate to comment. Shalom! Mike

And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field;

and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Genesis 25:27 KJV

 

Chapter Four

Jacob – Pt 1 – No “Momma’s Boy”

 Character assassination:

The deliberate and unfair destruction of someone’s reputation.

 Macmillan Online Dictionary[1]

 

I have often asked people to describe the character of Jacob. I am struck by the variety of responses that always paint a negative picture of the patriarch. I am told things like, “he was a supplanter,” “a deceiver,” “he was dull,” “he was feminine,” “tied to his momma’s apron strings“, and “he was a momma’s boy!” J.M. Boice in his commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2, A New Beginning, went so far as to call Jacob, “that sniveling sissy, Jacob.” [2] Ouch!

 John Calvin, in his Commentary Upon the Book of Genesis, says this of Jacob, “he loved the quiet of home so much, that he might seem to be indolent” and that the disposition of Jacob, “had nothing worthy of commendation.”[3]

 The Merriam Webster Online Dictionary gives the definition of indolent as: Averse to activity, effort, or movement: habitually lazy[4].

 Calvin doesn’t mince his words. He calls Jacob “a lazy, good for nothing!”

 When  I ask people why do they think Jacob was a “momma’s boy”, the answers range from, “He lived amongst the tents with the women“, or, “He was cooking in the kitchen,” “His father loved Esau and his mother loved him.” Are they developing this idea from a close examination of the scriptures, or are they just  following along with an idea that may contain prejudice and that has been taught from the time of the reformation? 

 When I ask people why they call him a deceiver, they reply, “He stole the birthright from his brother,” or “He deceived his father into giving him the blessing“.  I also hear, “He manipulated the flocks and herds of his Uncle Laban and snuck away without saying good-bye.” Rarely do I get a response such as, “he was an upright man“, “he was righteous“, or, “Jacob was a God-fearing man.”

 I will never suggest that Jacob, like his forefathers, did not have his faults; but to summarize his character in a negative manner makes the phrase, “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” appear incongruent. The reputation of Jacob is most often developed and propagated through a very poor interpretation of Genesis 25:27 and through pastors and teachers accepting and promoting the testimony of individuals, like Laban and Esau, whose character the Scripture clearly call into question.[5]  

It is beginning to appear that the character of Jacob may have been the target of deliberate and unfair destruction.

 

And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field;

and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Genesis 25:27 KJV

 

 Jacob – Pt 2 – A tam Man

 

 The Hebrew word translated as quiet in the KJV, or plain in the NIV is tam. Tam is translated as peaceful in the NASB. Tam is used 15 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and is only once translated as quiet, or peaceful. The remaining times it is translated as perfect, blameless, complete, guiltless or integrity.

 Job 1:1 says, “There was a man in land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

 The NET Notes for Job 1:1 state,

 [T]he word Mt (tam) has been translated “perfect” (so KJV, ASV). The verbal root Mmt (tamam) means “to be blameless, complete.” The word is found in Gen 25:27 where it describes Jacob as “even-tempered.” It also occurs in Ps 64:5 (64:4 ET) and Prov 29:10. The meaning is that a person or a thing is complete, perfect, flawless. It does not mean that he was sinless, but that he was wholeheartedly trying to please God, that he had integrity and was blameless before God.[6]

 If in the above passage – Genesis 25:27 – the author intended to show contrast between the sons of Isaac, it would have been difficult for the translators to show contrast between a hunter and a righteous man. Had the interpreters correctly identified Esau as a godless tyrant, Jacob’s righteousness would have provided the proper contrast. Poorly interpreting yada tsayid as “cunning hunter, a man of the field” put the translators in a position in which living among the tents would have to appear to be tame and thus create the necessary contrast between the sons of Isaac. This verse presents a great example of the danger of eisegesis – placing one’s own interpretation over that of the meaning intended by the author – and creates an improper picture of Esau as “a man’s man” and Jacob as a “Momma’s boy.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

 Proper contextual study clearly shows that “dwelling in tents” does not imply that Jacob is attached to his mother’s apron strings. What is stated is that Jacob is carrying on the vocation of his father and grandfather. I’m not so sure too many people would have called Abraham a “sissy”!

 The first mention of tents in the Bible is directly related to the raising of livestock. Genesis 4:20 states that, “Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.” We also find in Genesis 13:5 that Jacob’s grandfather Abraham and his nephew Lot, “also had flocks and herds and tents.”  

 It is clear that by using Scripture to explain and understand Scripture, that “staying in tents” had nothing to do with one’s masculinity or a perceived lack thereof. A more literal interpretation of Genesis 25:27 might read, “When the boys grew up, Esau forsook the promises of God and became a godless tyrant while Jacob followed in the path of his fathers as a righteous shepherd.”

 “Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright.”[7]

 Recognizing Jacob as a righteous man, a man of integrity, gives us better insight into his purpose for desiring the birthright and the blessing that was culturally reserved for Esau. How did Jacob develop his desire for the righteous ways of God? Scripture states that Abraham spent time dwelling with his son Isaac. Hebrews 11:9 states,

 “By faith he [Abraham] lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise.”[8]

 Jewish traditions also teach that both Esau and Jacob spent time learning in the tents of Shem and Eber.[9] If the legend of Esau and Jacob with Shem and Eber is true, and knowing that Scripture is God-breathed and reliable; Esau and Jacob may have heard from Shem, himself, of God’s displeasure with sinful men that led to the Great Flood. They would have certainly been aware of the division of people and the confusion of the language at the Tower of Babel. They must have shaken at the story of the Mighty Tyrant, Nimrod. How often had they heard their grandfather Abraham retelling the story about the covenants that God had made with him? They must have sat amazed at how Grandpa had met the malak of Elohim and had been promised a son. Their father had been promised by angels! They sat in awe to hear the story of how God spoke directly to their grandfather. They must have been told how through Abraham’s seed – and through their father’s seed – the whole world would be blessed. Hearing the stories and promises of God, Jacob desired intensely to have that promise fulfilled through his seed.

 Did Jacob sense a cavalier attitude about the promises of God in his brother Esau? Had Esau already dismissed his calling as the firstborn by choosing to pursue game as opposed to pursuing God? Shouldn’t his heart have been swelling with expectation knowing that he was the firstborn and heir to the birthright? Didn’t he recall when he claimed to be “starving to death” that his father had already been raised from the dead, but instead, “for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son”? [10]

 I believe that Jacob, who Scripture identifies as a righteous man, could not bear the thought or sight of his immoral brother placing upon himself the priestly robe of righteousness and standing before the Lord on behalf of his family. Jacob would look for an opportunity for the righteous to take hold of the priestly mantel. This would not be accomplished without conflict. Recognizing Jacob as a  tam, or upright man should provide us with better insight into the adversary Jacob wrestled with at Peniel, the night before his brief reunion with his brother Esau.

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[1] http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/character-assassination, retrieved June 21, 2010

[2] J. M. Boice, Genesis, A New Beginning, p 756

[3] Calvin’s Commentaries vol. 1, Commentary Upon the Book of Genesis, chap XXV, pg 49,  published by Baker Book House Co. Grand Rapids, MI

[4] indolent. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved June 22, 2010, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/indolent

 [5] In Genesis 27:36, Esau accuses Jacob of taking away his birthright. The text of Genesis 25:32 clearly demonstrates that Esau knowingly sold his birthright to Jacob. Genesis 31, Laban accuses Jacob of deceiving him by slipping out of PaddanAram without notice. The texts of Genesis 29 and 31 show that it was Laban who had dealt deceptively with his nephew Jacob and that it was by instruction from God that Jacob left the house of Laban to return to the land of Canaan. Reference has already been given for Boice and Calvin’s impressions of the Patriarch Jacob.

[6] Notes taken from the NET Bible® footnotes, copyright (c) 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press L.L.C. All rights reserved. Used by permission from http://bible.org

[7] Proverbs 29:10 NIV

[8] Hebrews 11:9 NAS

[9] Lewis Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, chapter VI, Jacob, The Favorite of Abraham, “In their childhood, both brothers went to school, but when they reached their thirteenth year, and were of age, their ways parted. Jacob continued his studies in the Bet ha Midrash of Shem and Eber, and Esau abandoned himself to idolatry and an immoral life. Both were hunters of men, Esau tried to capture them in order to turn them away from God, and Jacob, to turn them toward God.”

[10] Hebrews 12:16 NIV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 3 – part 3 – Esau – Loved by Isaac

This is Part 3 of Chapter 3 of a book I have written called “Jacob the Righteous.” The introduction and chapters 1-3 pt 2 can be found in previous posts. Please feel free to sign up to my blog to be notified when I add the next chapter. Comments are always welcome!

“Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau.” Genesis 25:28 NIV

Esau – Pt 3 – Loved by Isaac

 The only indication from Scripture as to why Isaac loved Esau is given that, “Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau.” As stated earlier, the sensible interpretation of this verse is that Esau satisfied his father’s taste for wild game and thereby earned his favor. I am willing to posit that Isaac’s love for game might very well be related to his relationship with his older brother, Ishmael. Genesis 21:20 states about Ishmael that,

 “God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.”  NIV

 The book of Genesis develops a strong relationship between Abraham and Ishmael. Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham.[1] He participated in the covenant ritual of circumcision[2] and was loved by Abraham.[3] Abraham loved his firstborn son so much that he had requested of the Lord that he might receive the birthright.[4] Scripture states that Sarah’s insistence upon Ishmael being expelled from the camp “was very grievous in Abraham’s sight.” The Hebrew word translated as grievous in the King James Version of the Bible is ery, pronounced as yara’.[5] The NAS states, “The matter distressed Abraham greatly…”[6] Contextually, it would not be out of context to say that Sarah’s demand really angered Abraham.  It was only upon the assurance of God that Ishmael, too, would be made into a great nation, that the distress of Abraham was assuaged. It was, after all, through Isaac, that the Lord intended to continue his covenant.

 To deduce that the relationship between Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac abruptly ended at the point of Abraham sending Ishmael off with Hagar is difficult to accept. As nomadic people, it was highly likely that they were to continue some form of relationship. The story is told in scripture that Ishmael and Isaac together buried Abraham in the cave at Machpelah.[7]  Jewish traditions also note a continued relationship between Abraham and Ishmael. [8]

 It is my opinion that Abraham and Isaac both loved Ishmael and that Isaac’s taste for game came through his continued relationship with his big brother, the archer.  The word tvq qesheth, translated as archer is rather ambiguous, leaving the reader to wonder if it relates to hunting either men or beast, or, both. A hunter of men/warrior would be more consistent with the prophecy regarding Ishmael as found in Genesis 16:12,

 “He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

 Scripture points out that Esau knew his Uncle Ishmael and that he had also developed a relationship through his marriage of the daughter of “the wild man.”  Genesis 28:9 says that Esau went to his uncle,

 “Esau married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.”

 Marriage was often intended to create an alliance between families. Alliances were formed by families and nations that shared similar interests.  The alliance would provide physical protection against a shared enemy. Remember, Nimrod and Esau shared similar interests. They wanted to rule over the righteous. The Scriptural prophecies regarding the hostility of Ishmael, and of Esau living by the sword[9], indicate that these men, too, shared a common interest.

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[1] Genesis16:16

[2] Genesis 17:23

[3] Genesis 21:11

[4] Genesis 17:18

[5]Ery, yara’ is also used in 1 Samuel 1:8 (KJV) to describe the distress that Hannah, the mother of Samuel, experienced in her bareness prior to being blessed by the birth of Samuel.

[6] Genesis 21:11 NIV

[7] Genesis 25:10

[8] Lewis Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, chapter V, Abraham, The Two Wives of Ishmael, “And Ishmael then took his wife and his children and his cattle and all belonging to him, and he journeyed from there, and he went to his father in the land of the Philistines. And Abraham related to Ishmael all that had happened between him and the first wife that Ishmael had taken, according to what she had done. And Ishmael and his children dwelt with Abraham many days in that land, and Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines a long time.”

[9] Genesis 27:40 NET Bible®

Chapter Three – Pt 2 – Esau – A Man of the Field

This is the Part 2 of of Chapter 3 of my book entitled Jacob the Righteous. You can find the introduction and Chapters 1-3 in my previous posts.

 

“And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Genesis 25:27 KJV

Esau

Pt 2 – A Man of the Field

 Esau is also described a man of the field. The Hebrew word hds, sadeh, is frequently translated as field. It is important to note that the word has also been interpreted to mean battlefield,[1] and also implies a hostile, ungoverned area, or wilderness.[2] It was to a field that Cain invited his brother Abel to commit his premeditated crime of murder.

 It would be difficult and unnecessary to deny that Esau was skilled in the art of hunting game.  Genesis 25:28 clearly states in that, “Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau.” The sensible interpretation of this verse is that Esau satisfied his father’s taste for wild game.

 It is important to recognize that it was not necessary for Esau to hunt game to provide food for his family. His family’s occupation was that of shepherds. There was plenty of meat available to them. It is more likely that Esau was involved in hunting for sport and did not involve himself in the family business.

 Accepting Esau’s skill as a game hunter does not mean that Esau was not also a leader of a band of bandits, and like Nimrod, skilled in the craft of both hunting and killing wild game and men.  

Evidence of Esau being a man of war is found in Genesis 32:6.

  When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”

 Believing that all scripture is useful for teaching and learning, it stands to reason that the meaning of each word is useful for learning and understanding. The comparison of Esau to Nimrod, and even Cain, has its merits. 

 Rabbi Ari Kahn, in his commentary of Esau; while making ties between the nature of Esau and Nimrod, introduces the contrast of character between Nimrod and Esau’s grandfather Abraham. It was promised to Abraham that through his offspring all the nations of the world would be blessed. Esau, like Nimrod, rejected the ways of YHWH, and from the time of his conception he worked in an adversarial fashion against his brother, Jacob. Of Nimrod and Abraham, Kahn states,

 “The two are seen as spiritual adversaries: Nimrod represents paganism and its inherent lack of respect for human life, while Abraham represents monotheism and its ethical base and vision.”[3]

 Interestingly, text is also found in the Qur’an that supports the Jewish traditions of Nimrod and Abraham being contemporary “spiritual adversaries.” [4]

 The Holy Bible also gives a clear picture of Esau as one whom like Nimrod, had contempt towards YHWH. The author of Hebrews says of Esau,  

 “See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.  Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.” [5]

 Contempt for the ways of YHWH will only lead to destruction. Proverbs 14:12 tells us,

 “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”  NAS

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[1] 1Samuel 4:2, NASB

[2] Deuteronomy 21:1

[3] Rabbi Ari Kahn, Toldot,  Esau, http://www.aish.com/tp/i/moha/48932852.html

[4] Qur’an 21:51 f f.; 29:16; 37:83

[5] Hebrews 12:16-17, NIV

Jacob the Righteous – Chapter 3 – Esau – part 1

“And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.” Genesis 25:27 KJV

  Chapter Three 

Esau 

Part. 1 – A Cunning Hunter

To understand the true nature of the conflict between Esau and Jacob, we need to begin by examining and understanding the nature of each man. It should not be overlooked that as the boys grew up, Esau became known as “a cunning hunter.”  What should be overlooked is how many teachers and preachers have interpreted this phrase to mean that Esau was a rugged big game hunter. James Montgomery Boice, in his Expositional Commentary of Genesis says this about Esau.

  “Esau could be described as a man’s man. He was tall, good-looking, skillful. He became a man of the outdoors and spent time hunting game.” [1]

Where in the text Boice is able to find or determine that Esau was also “tall and good looking” is a mystery. It is pure conjecture. His commentary is useful to show how easily one may be misdirected from what the given text says about his character. Rather than speculate about the character of important Biblical people, commentators should look to how the Scriptures themselves describe these individuals.

 Proper biblical study would first look to understand these words – cunning and hunter – in relation to their first usage in the Scripture and then determine if there is a parallel that can be drawn between the usages. The first mention of a hunter -dyu tsayid – in Scripture is in reference to Nimrod, the son of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of Noah. Genesis 10:9 states, “He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”  

 The noted Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews, had this to say about Nimrod.

 “Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence on his power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers!”[2] 

 H.C. Leupold, in his Exposition of Genesis, reveals the following about Nimrod:

 The course that our interpretation of these two verses takes will be determined very largely by the meaning of the word “Nimrod.” For the meaning of the verbform nimrodh, without a doubt, is “let us revolt.” Now the other words employed are, if left by themselves, either good or evil in their connotation, depending on the connection in which they appear. Gibbor may mean “hero” or “tyrant.” “Hunter” (gibbor tsßyidh) may be a harmless hunter of the fields, or he may be one who hunts men to enslave them. The phrase, “in the sight of Yahweh,” in itself expresses neither approval nor disapproval. But each of these terms acquires a bad sense in the light of the name “Nimrod.” The tendency of this Cushite must have been to rise up against, and to attempt to overthrow, all existing order. In fact, he must have used this motto so frequently in exhorting others to rebellion, that finally it was applied to him as a name descriptive of the basic trait of his character.[3]

 It appears from these accounts that Nimrod was a rebellious despot who had contempt for the plans of Yahweh and had desired to establish for himself an earthly kingdom. We will soon see very similar traits in the character of Esau.

 “And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. Genesis 25:27 KJV

 To better understand the word translated as cunning in the KJV and as skillful in the NIV and NAS – yada – we should again look at the context of its first usage and determine if it would fit the description of Esau as found in Genesis 25:27.The first usage of the word yada in Scripture is found in Genesis 3:5 and involves the serpent testing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The serpent said,

 “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” NIV

 We may recognize in this passage that what it was “to know” was not necessarily a good thing. In fact, when Adam and Eve followed the advice of the serpent and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they deeply regretted the knowledge that they had gained. They had fallen prey to the serpent and his art of cunning.

 Genesis 3:1 says this about the serpent, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.” The Hebrew word translated as crafty is, `aruwm.  As used in Scriptures it can have both positive and negative connotations, depending on its usage. We should be able to clearly distinguish its negative intention from this passage as well as when looking at other usages that are clearly designed to reflect back to this very passage.

 We will first look at the story of Job to see how the word `aruwm – crafty is used and to whom it alluded.  In the 15^th Chapter of the book of Job we find him being questioned by a group of friends. They accuse Job of unrighteousness when he attempted to defend his character. Job’s friend Eliphaz scolded him saying,

 “Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty.^“[4]   

 It should be clear that Eliphaz is referring to the serpent when he says to Job, “you adopt the tongue of the crafty,”[5] and that by accusing Job of lying, Eliphaz is accusing him of speaking the native tongue of the serpent.

 Jesus also equates lying to the nature of the serpent when in John 8:44 he says,

 “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

 It is worth noting that `aruwm, or crafty, comes from the root word, Mre `aram. It is from this same root that we find the word, `ormah, which is translated as craftily in Exodus 21:14.

 “If, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily, you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.”

 Before moving on, it is important to place this verse within its larger context to see its relationship to another concept that directly relates to the character of Cain, the character of Nimrod and to the character of Esau.

 Exodus 21:12-14 states, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.  But if he did not lie in wait [tsadah] for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint you a place to which he may flee, however, a man acts presumptuously toward his neighbor, so as to kill him craftily [`ormah] you are to take him even from My altar, that he may die.”[6]  Brackets mine.   

 Looking at these verses we can clearly see that to kill him craftily involves premeditation; to lie in wait for one’s victim. This was the plan of the serpent in the garden, to lie in wait and cunningly lure its’ victims into disobedience. Cain was told to beware the power of the adversary in Genesis 4:7,

 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well , sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.[7]

 Jewish legend states that Esau did exactly that – lie in wait – prior to killing Nimrod and two companions one day as they were out hunting in a field.[8]  Legend also states that it was jealousy between the hunters that led Esau to murder Nimrod.[9]

     It should not be difficult to see that Esau shared specific character traits with the rebel Nimrod. He, too, was described as a hunter, tsayid[10], a cunning hunter; the root of the word tsayid refers to lying in wait[11] –– perhaps it may even have implied to be crouching at the door. 

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[1] James Montgomery Boice, Genesis, A New Beginning, pg 728

[2] Flavius Josephus, the Antiquities of the Jews, Book One, Chapter 4, 2

[3] H.C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis, Genesis 10:8-9

[4] Job 15:5 NIV

[5] ibid

[6] Exodus 21:12-14, NAS

[7] Genesis 4:7, KJV

[8] Book of Jasher, Chapter 27:7, Artisan Publishers

[9] Targum pseudo-Jonathan to Genesis xxv. 27; “Sefer ha-Yashar,” section “Toledot,” p. 40b; Pirḳe R. El. l.c.; comp. Gen. R. lxv. 12

[10] James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hebrew dyc 6718

[11] Ibid, Hebrew dwc  6679

Chapter Two – The War in the Womb

 

“And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. And the LORD said unto her, “Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”  Genesis 25:22-23 NIV 

Chapter Two

 

The War in the Womb

 

The account goes on to say that there were two children in the womb of Rebekah and that the children struggled with each other within her. The Hebrew word translated as struggled -wuurtyw, pronounced ratsats,[1] (Strong’s 7533) is most frequently interpreted as crush, or grievously oppress. The NET Notes for Genesis 25:22 state, “The Hebrew word used here suggests a violent struggle that was out of the ordinary.”[2] Was there a spiritual battle being fought within the womb of Rebekah that followed the prophetic theme of Genesis 3:15?

 The choice of words to describe this event should not be overlooked. 2 Timothy 3:16 clearly states that,

 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”[3]  

 The inspiration of God is that he wants us to understand that this struggle in the womb of Rebekah was not caused by indigestion. It is spiritual in nature. The wrestling of the twins within her womb distressed Rebekah and she recognized that there was something going on that was out of the ordinary. Genesis 25:22 states regarding Rebekah, “… so she went to enquire of the LORD.”[4]

 Jewish legends state (and biblical chronology permits), that Rebekah sought out the council of Shem and Eber.[5] Shem, the son of Noah, and his grandson, Eber, were considered Godly men, and were known as prophets of God.

 Genesis 9:26 informs us of Shem’s relationship with the Almighty, “Worthy of praise is the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem!”[6]  Abraham is a descendant of Shem. The idea of the God-fearing Shem being involved in the lives of his offspring, even having a personal relationship with Abraham, should not be difficult to accept.

 The book of 1 Samuel lends support that when Rebekah went “to enquire of the LORD“, she would have been seeking the council of godly men – prophets – to enquire of the Lord on her behalf. 1 Samuel 9:9 says,

 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)[7]

 The story continues with the LORD revealing to Rebekah that two nations, or two distinct camps, were represented in her womb, and that the firstborn would serve the younger. The birth account continues with,

  “And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob:”[8] 

 It is important to note from this account the name of each child and the meaning given to their names. The name Esau, wve, Esav, means hairy, and the name Jacob, bqey, Ya ‘aqob, means heel holder or hand on heel.  It is only after Esau’s selling of the birthright that we find his name to also includes the meaning of, “Edom, or, Red.” It is not until the conferring of the blessing by Isaac that we are introduced to Esau’s version of what Ya ‘aqob means. We will address the name later.

 The reader should understand that the naming of the Esau and Jacob is not at all happenstance, but that it is intended to show progressive prophetic fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. Jacob is holding the heel of his brother to protect himself from the crushing blow of the adversary.

 It is the intent of the serpent to avoid the curse of God placed upon him in the Garden. His plan is to crush the head of the righteous seed present in the womb of Rebekah before that seed, in its maturity, can bring forth the serpent’s destruction through the promised Messiah.

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[1]The Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and Lexicon; C. Briggs, Francis Brown, S. Driver, Hendrickson Publishing, 1996

[2] Notes taken from the NET Bible® footnotes, copyright (c) 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press L.L.C. All rights reserved. Used by permission from http://bible.org

[3] Holy Bible, New International Version

[4] KJV

[5] Rashi

[6] NET Bible®

[7] 1 Samuel 9:9 KJV

[8] Genesis 25:25-26 KJV

Chapter One – Esau and Jacob

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,

and between thy seed and her seed;

 it shall bruise thy head,

 and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15 KJV

 

Chapter One

 

Esau and Jacob

 

 

The story of Esau and Jacob does not really begin in Genesis chapter 25. It begins in the prophecy of God spoken to the serpent, “the Father of Lies”, in the Garden of Eden.

 

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”[1]

Differing from the King James, the Vulgate, (a fifth century Latin translation of the Bible), uses two different verbs in the latter part of this verse. To describe what the woman’s seed would do to the serpent it uses the verb conterere, which means “to crush.” To describe what the serpent would do to the woman’s seed, it uses the verb insidari, or “to lie in wait.” [2]

This prophecy of enmity is lived out in the lives of Cain and Abel, and is evident again in the story of the birth of Esau and Jacob as told in Genesis 25. Cain and Esau each demonstrated contempt for the ways of God in their chosen course of rebellion. Cain, through the murder of righteous Abel, and Esau, through his godless lifestyle, disdain for his birthright and his plan, like Cain, to kill his brother Jacob. This prophecy is ultimately fulfilled through the victory of Jesus over sin and death at Calvary.

Regarding the lives of Jacob and Esau, we find that in the beginning the womb of their mother Rebekah was barren, and that their father Isaac prayed to the LORD that he would open her womb. Biblical evidence suggests that Isaac might have prayed as long as twenty years for his wife to receive the seed promised to him and his father Abraham. Ultimately, Genesis 25:21 says,

“The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.”

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[1] Genesis 3:15, Holy Bible, King James Version

[2] Vulgate; Genesis 3:15; “inimicitias ponam inter te et mulierem et semen tuum et semen illius ipsa conteret caput tuum et tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius” http://www.biblestudytools.com/vul/genesis/3-15.html, retrieved June 22, 2010

Jacob the Righteous – Introduction

“But if our commitment to the authority of truth is sufficiently sincere, we can free ourselves from tyranny of our opinions and come to the Bible as auditors rather than as editors” Robert Shank

 Introduction

 When I first began my study of Jacob and Esau, I have to admit that I was feeling a little bit sorry for Esau. I had sat through many sermons,  read commentaries, and  participated in Bible studies that had painted a picture of Esau as a somewhat innocent participant in a scheme in which he had no control. ‘He had “lost” his birthright and had been deceived of his father’s blessing. It was said of him and his brother, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” It just didn’t seem fair.

Having been taught that Esau was a man’s man and that Jacob was a “Momma’s boy” made me want to come to the aid of a fellow “man”. I began a personal study of the Scriptures to support Esau’s claim of being ripped off by his “supplanting” brother but have only found that there were very good reasons for the Creator of all things to declare, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

I began to realize that the character of Jacob had been assassinated by many well-regarded preachers and teachers. This has only caused confusion regarding the decisions of our Holy and Just God. It bothered me to think that men had accepted the testimony of Esau as true and had even knowingly participated in the “deliberate and unfair destruction“[1] of Jacob’s character. It troubled me as I studied the covenant established by God with Abraham as found in Genesis 12:3. It states,

“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”[2]

Young’s Literal Translation of the same verse provides better insight into God’s promise to the Patriarch.

“And I bless those blessing thee, and him who is disesteeming thee I curse, and blessed in thee have been all families of the ground.”

 

I began to realize that I, along with many brothers and sisters, were guilty of “disesteeming” Jacob. I understood that the initial covenant had been made with Abraham upon his entering the Promised Land but found that it had been passed on to Jacob through the blessing he received from his father Isaac and confirmed by God during Jacob’s dream at Bethel.

I believe that this is a very important message for the body of Christ today. The covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a promise made by God. God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would bless those who hold them in high esteem just as he promised to curse those who might disesteem them. Could we be at risk of being cursed?

I am compelled to come to the defense of the character of our brother, Jacob. Please allow me to reintroduce you to him so that you might esteem his name and receive a blessing, too.

 I will be regularly adding to this study. Stay tuned!

“The human mind has a singular capacity for ignoring all that does not fall within the range of its previous conceptions”  Dean Farrar

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[1] [1] http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/character-assassination, retrieved June 21, 2010

[2] Genesis 12:3 Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)