19 This is the story of Isaac's children. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddam-aram. Rebekah was the sister of Laban. 21 Isaac pleaded with Jehovah to give Rebekah a child, for even after many years of marriage, she had no children. Then at last she became pregnant. 22 And it seemed as though children were fighting each other inside her!

"I can't endure this," she exclaimed. So she asked the Lord about it. 23 And he told her, "The sons in your womb shall become two rival nations. One will be stronger than the other; and the older shall be a servant of the younger!" 24 And sure enough, Rebekah had twins. 25 The first was born so covered with reddish hair that one would think he was wearing a fur coat! (some references say "cloak" or "mantle" or "hairy garment") and they called his name "Esau," like "hair" in Hebrew. 26 Then the other twin was born with his hand grabbing Esau's heel and his name was called "Jacob," meaning "grabber" or "cheater." Isaac was threescore years old when the twins were born. 27 And the boys grew; and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors; and Jacob was a farmer, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Jacob sowed pottage of red lentils; One day Esau came from the hunt without game, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, "Am I starved! Give me a bite of that red pottage there!" (From this came his nickname "Edom," which means "red stuff." 31 And Jacob replied, "All right, trade me your birthright for it!" 32 Esau said, "When a man is dying of starvation, what good is his birthright?" 33 Jacob replied: "Well then, vow to God that it is mine!" And Esau vowed, thereby selling all his eldest-son rights to his younger brother. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; so Esau ate and drank, for earthly things were not important to him.

Genesis 26:34       And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. But Isaac and Rebekah were upset about his marrying them, for they were outsiders.

Genesis 27:1      

And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son to him and said, 2,3,4 "I am an old man now, and expect every day to be my last. Take your bow and arrows out into the fields and get me some venison, and prepare it just the way I like it--savory and good--and bring it to me to eat, and I will give you the blessings that belong to you, my first-born son, before I die."

5 But Rebekah overheard the conversation. So when Esau left for the hunt, 6 7 she called Jacob and told him what his father had said to his brother. 8,9,10 Rebekah said, "Now do exactly as I tell you. Go out to the flocks and bring me two young goats, and I'll prepare your father's favorite dish from them. Then take it to your father, and after he has enjoyed it he will bless you before his death, instead of Esau!" 11,12 Jacob replied, "But mother! He won't be fooled that easily. Think how hairy Esau is, and how smooth my skin is! What if my father feels me? He'll think I'm making a fool of him, and curse me instead of blessing me! 13 Rebekah replied, "Let his curses be on me, dear son. Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats." 14 So Jacob followed his mother's instructions, bringing the dressed kids, which she prepared in his father's favorite way. 15 Then she took Esau's best clothes--they were in the house--and instructed Jacob to put them on. 16 And she made him a pair of gloves from the hairy skin of the young goats, and fastened a strip of hide around his neck; 17 then she gave him the meat, with its rich aroma, and some fresh-baked bread.

18 Jacob carried the platter of food into the room where his father was lying. "Father?" said Jacob. "Yes? Who is it, my son--Esau or Jacob?" 19 Jacob said, "It's Esau, your oldest son. I've done as you told me to. Here is the delicious venison you wanted. Sit up and eat it, so that you will bless me with all your heart!" 20 "How were you able to find it so quickly, my son?" Jacob replied, "Because Jehovah your God put it in my path!" 21 Isaac said, "Come over here. I want to feel you, and be sure it really is Esau!" 22 Jacob goes over to his father, who touches him. Isaac says to himself, "The voice is Jacob's but the hands are Esau's!" 23 The ruse finally convinces Isaac and he gives Jacob his blessings. 24 "Are you really Esau?" "Yes, of course." 25 "Then bring me the venison, and I will eat it and bless you with all my heart." Jacob brings the food and Isaac eats; he also drinks the wine Jacob bring him. 26 Then Isaac says, "come here and kiss me, my son!" Jacob goes over and kisses him on the cheek. Isaac sniffs his clothes, and finally seems convinced. 27,28,29 "The smell of my son is the good smell of the earth and fields that Jehovah has blessed. May God always give you plenty of rain for your crops, and good harvests and grapes. May many nations be your slaves. Be the master of your brothers. May all your relatives bow low before you. Cursed are all who curse you, and blessed are all who bless you." 30 As soon as Isaac has blessed Jacob, and almost before Jacob leaves the room, Esau arrives, coming in from his hunting. 31 He also has prepared his father's favorite dish and brings it to him. Esau, "Here I am, Father, with the venison. Sit up and eat it so that you can give me your finest blessings!" 32 Isaac says, "Who is it?" Esau replies, "Why, it's me, of course! Esau, your oldest son!" 33 Isaac begins to tremble noticeably. Then who is it who was just here with venison, and I have already eaten it, and blessed him with irrevocable blessing?" 34 Esau beings to sob with deep and bitter sobs, "O my father, bless me, bless me too!" 35 Isaac answers, "Your brother was here and tricked me and has carried away your blessing." 36 Esau bitterly cried, "No wonder they call him 'The Cheater." For he took my birthright, and now he has stolen my blessing."

Understandably, Esau hated Jacob because of Jacob's lies and greed. He plotted to kill Jacob, but their mother Rebekah got wind of it and contrived to have Jacob sent away for safety to her brother Laban. Because of his evildoings, God allowed Jacob to be exiled and Jacob was never permitted to see his mother again. In exile, Jacob reaped as he had sown. He had cheated his brother and his Uncle Laban returned the lie. Jacob labored 7 years to marry Rachel, but Laban deceitfully substituted her older sister Leah in her place at the last minute. Then Jacob had to labor 7 more years to marry Rachel. Because Jacob favored Rachel over her sister Leah, Rachel and Leah were always bickering among themselves. Jacob agreed to take the spotted and black sheep and goats for himself while his Uncle Laban kept the white ones. But Jacob mated his uncle's strong white goats and sheep only with his own black ones, so as to strengthen and increase his own herds of spotted lifestock. And he left the feeble animals for Laban. Laban's sons realized that Jacob was cheating and convinced their father to send Jacob away.

After 20 years in exile, Jacob departed for home. He found that Esau was on the way to meet him--with an army of 400 men! Jacob was frantic with fear and sent bribes of goats and sheep and cows and donkeys to Esau. Esau ran to meet him and hugged him and both were in tears. Esau asks, "What were all those flocks and herds that I met as I came?" Jacob replied, "They are my gifts to you, to patch up our relationship." Esau laughed, "Brother, I have plenty, keep what you have." Shortly thereafter, Jacob arrived home and Isaac died soon after. Both his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Esau married 3 local girls. After Jacob returned, Esau moved away from Canaan for there wasn't enough grazing land for both their herds together. Esau had many children and grandchildren and his descendants were called "Edomites," after his childhood nickname. Jacob also had 12 sons, the future 12 tribes of Israel. He continued to pay for his lies, as his own sons by Leah deceived him about Joseph, his first son by Rachel, tricking him into thinking that Joseph was dead when his half-brothers had actually sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt.

Whether Esau actually had a giant nevus will never be known, but it certainly seems plausible! Isaac and Rebekah made a common error of parenting, each one showing favoritism toward one child over another. That only leads to lifelong bickering and enmity between the children--unless one has the good fortune to have a good-hearted son like Esau! Esau became a hunter, roaming alone away from people while his brother stayed in camp. Could Esau have tired of endless silly questions and stares from people about his skin, like we often do? Perhaps hunting was his escape? Esau realized very young that material things count for nothing and that life is very fragile, a common finding among those of us with giant nevi. Could Esau have given up the birthright, including the double inheritance and position as family head that went along with it, so easily because of that? Jacob's greed, like that of many "normals," knows no bounds. Jacob is smooth and handsome, well thought of in town, yet it isn't enough for him. When his brother comes home, Jacob has the nerve to actually sell food to his own starving twin brother Esau at an exorbitant price--the birthright.... Even that isn't enough for him.. Jacob lies and cheats his way into getting his father Isaac's blessing, mimicking the hairy nevus with goat pelts. Jacob certainly lives down to his name "the cheater." Their mother Rebekah aids and abets the lies and cheating. With a mother like her, Esau would have been better off an orphan... Because of Rebekah's lies, her two twin sons are lost to each other for 20 years. Esau goes on to marry and have a family, in spite of his skin like a "hairy garment." We nevus people can, too. Esau marries outsiders, which displeases his parents, who are more narrow-minded as "normals" often will be. Esau probably realizes that what really counts in life is a woman's character, not who her father is or where her family comes from. Jacob continues his cheating ways through life. 20 years later, Esau, being the better man of the two, forgives Jacob and greets him warmly. Perhaps thanks to his skin, he has been able to conquer his greed and doesn't want any of Jacob's wealth. He already has sufficient for himself and doesn't seek more. One of the benfits of a giant nevus is that it releases us from the desperate avarice that often obsesses "normals." What we really want, normal skin, can't be bought with material possessions. Esau seems to have a happier, more serene life than Jacob does, who certainly has a stressful family life with two wives bickering constantly. Jacob pays dearly for his lying and scheming by getting into one chaotic situation after another. In fact, Esau even relocates after Jacob returns to give Jacob more room and to keep the peace.... Esau isn't rigidly fixated on fleeting material possessions like Jacob is... Our take on the story: the world would be a much better place if there were more "esaus" "hairs" and a whole lot less "jacobs" "cheaters" in it!

Return to Nevus Info

Copyright © 2008  Nevus Network   This page last updated January 2, 2008. The Nevus Network logo and content of this site is the sole property of the Nevus Network.  Any use of this material without the express written consent of the Nevus Network is strictly prohibited.