Esau

19This is the family story of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham was the father of Isaac.

And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, a man from Syria, from Padanaram. She was the sister of Laban the Syrian.

And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

NotePadanaram was far to the north, in the land called Syria. Rebekah's family lived there. Her brother Laban will come into the story again later.

21Rebekah could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife. The LORD listened to him, and Rebekah became pregnant.

And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

NoteIsaac was forty when he married. He was sixty when the twins came. So they waited about twenty years for a baby.

22The babies inside her pushed and struggled with each other. She said, "If it is like this, why is it happening to me?" So she went to ask the LORD.

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.

NoteTo ask the LORD meant to pray and then wait for God to answer.

23The LORD said to her, "Two nations are inside you. Two kinds of people will come from you and be split apart. One people will be stronger than the other. The older one will serve the younger one."

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.

NoteA nation here means a big group of people who come from one family. The older son was usually the leader of the family. God is saying the younger one will lead instead.

24When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins inside her.

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25The first baby came out red. Hair covered him all over, like a fur coat. They named him Esau.

And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

NoteIn their language, the name Esau sounds like their word for hairy.

26After that his brother came out, holding on to Esau's heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

NoteIn their language, the name Jacob sounds like their word for heel. It also means someone who grabs, or who takes another person's place.

27The boys grew up. Esau was very good at hunting, a man of the open fields. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents.

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

NoteFamilies like theirs lived in tents and moved with their sheep and goats. Staying among the tents means Jacob stayed close to home.

28Isaac loved Esau, because he ate the wild meat Esau brought him. But Rebekah loved Jacob.

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29One day Jacob was cooking a stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was weak.

And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me eat some of that red stew. I am weak." That is why he was also called Edom.

And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright today."

And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

NoteA birthright belonged to the oldest son. He got the biggest share of everything the family owned. He also became the head of the family after his father died.

32Esau said, "Look, I am about to die. What good is a birthright to me?"

And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33Jacob said, "Make me a promise today." So Esau promised him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.

And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

NoteA promise like this was made out loud in God's name. Once it was said, it could not be taken back.

34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and stew made from lentils. Esau ate and drank. Then he got up and went away. That is how Esau treated his birthright as worth nothing.

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

NoteLentils are small flat beans. Cooked slowly in water, they make a thick stew.

34Esau was forty years old when he got married. He married Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite. He also married Bashemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

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:

NoteThe Hittites were another people living in that land. Isaac's family wanted him to marry inside their own family group. In those days a man sometimes had more than one wife.

35These two wives brought sadness to Isaac and to Rebekah.

Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

1Isaac was old. His eyes were weak, and he could not see. He called Esau, his older son, and said, "My son." Esau said, "Here I am."

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, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

NoteIsaac was Abraham's son. Esau and Jacob were his twin sons. Esau was born first, just before Jacob.

2Isaac said, "Look, I am old now. I do not know the day I will die."

And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:

3"So please take your hunting things, your arrow case and your bow. Go out to the field and hunt some meat for me."

Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

4"Then cook me tasty food, the kind I love. Bring it to me so I can eat. Then I will bless you before I die."

And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

NoteA father's blessing was very important in this family. It was a special wish spoken out loud. People believed the words would really come true.

5Rebekah heard Isaac say this to his son Esau. Esau went out to the field to hunt meat and bring it back.

And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Listen. I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He said,"

And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7"'Bring me meat and cook me tasty food. I will eat it. Then I will bless you before the LORD before I die.'"

Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.

NoteLORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. It was the name this family used for him.

8"Now, my son, listen to me. Do just what I tell you."

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

9"Go to the flock. Bring me two good young goats. I will cook tasty food for your father, the kind he loves."

Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:

NoteGoat meat could be cooked to taste like the wild deer meat Esau hunted. That helped hide the trick.

10"Then you will take it to your father to eat. And he will bless you before he dies."

And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

11Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, "But my brother Esau has hairy skin. My skin is smooth."

And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:

NoteEsau's arms and skin were covered with thick hair. Jacob's skin was not.

12"Maybe my father will touch me. Then he will see I am tricking him. I will get a curse and not a blessing."

My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

NoteA curse is words that wish bad things on someone. A blessing wishes good things.

13His mother said to him, "Let the curse fall on me, my son. Just listen to me. Go and get them."

And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

NoteRebekah means: if trouble comes from this, let it come to me.

14So he went and got them and brought them to his mother. She cooked tasty food, the kind his father loved.

And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

15Rebekah took the best clothes of her older son Esau. They were with her in the house. She put them on her younger son Jacob.

And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:

16She put the skins of the young goats on his hands. She put them on the smooth part of his neck.

And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:

NoteGoat hair feels rough. On Jacob's arms and neck it felt like Esau's hairy skin.

17Then she gave the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.

And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18He came to his father and said, "My father." Isaac said, "Here I am. Which son are you?"

And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?

19Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau, your oldest son. I did what you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my meat. Then you can bless me."

And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

NoteThe oldest son held a special place in the family. He got the biggest share of everything. He led the family after his father died.

20Isaac said to his son, "How did you find it so fast, my son?" He said, "Because the LORD your God brought it to me."

And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.

21Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come close, my son, so I can touch you. I want to know if you really are my son Esau."

And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

22Jacob came close to his father Isaac. Isaac touched him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice. But the hands are Esau's hands."

And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23Isaac did not know who he really was. His hands were hairy, like his brother Esau's hands. So Isaac blessed him.

And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.

24Isaac said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25Isaac said, "Bring the food close to me. Let me eat some of my son's meat. Then I will bless you." Jacob brought it close, and Isaac ate. He brought him wine, and Isaac drank.

And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come close now and kiss me, my son."

And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.

27He came close and kissed him. Isaac smelled his clothes and blessed him. He said, "Look, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field the LORD has blessed."

And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:

NoteEsau spent his days outside hunting. His clothes smelled of fields, plants and animals.

28"So may God give you dew from the sky. May he give you rich land, and plenty of grain and wine."

Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:

NoteDew is the water that sits on plants early in the morning. Where these people lived, rain almost never came in summer. Dew helped their food grow. The King James word "corn" means grain like wheat, not corn on the cob.

29"May people serve you. May nations bow down to you. Be master over your brothers. May your mother's sons bow down to you. May everyone who curses you be cursed. May everyone who blesses you be blessed."

Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

NoteBowing down means bending low in front of someone. People did it to show that person was greater than they were.

30Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob. Jacob had barely walked away from his father. Then his brother Esau came in from hunting.

And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31He had also cooked tasty food. He brought it to his father and said, "Father, sit up and eat some of your son's meat. Then you can bless me."

And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me.

32His father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am your son, your oldest son, Esau."

And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

33Isaac shook all over. He said, "Who was it, then? Someone hunted meat and brought it to me. I ate it all before you came, and I blessed him. And yes, he will be blessed."

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.

NoteOnce a blessing was spoken, people believed it could not be taken back. That is why Isaac could not undo it and give it to Esau.

34Esau heard his father's words. He let out a loud and very bitter cry. He said to his father, "Bless me too, my father!"

And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

35Isaac said, "Your brother came with a trick. He has taken your blessing."

And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? He has pushed me aside two times. He took the rights I had as the oldest son. Now he has taken my blessing." Then he said, "Have you not saved a blessing for me?"

And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

NoteThe name Jacob sounds like the word for heel. It also sounds like a word for pushing someone aside. The special rights of the oldest son were called his birthright. Esau had already traded his to Jacob for a bowl of stew.

37Isaac answered Esau, "Look, I have made him your master. I have given him all his brothers to be his servants. I have given him grain and wine to keep him strong. So what can I do for you now, my son?"

And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

38Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!" Then Esau cried out loud and wept.

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39His father Isaac answered him, "Look, your home will have the rich land, and the dew from the sky above."

And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

NoteEsau's family later lived in a dry, rocky land called Edom.

40"You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But one day, when you grow restless, you will break his yoke off your neck."

And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

NoteA yoke is a wooden bar laid on an animal's neck. It makes the animal pull a heavy load. Here it means having to obey someone else.

41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing his father gave him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of sadness for my father are near. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

NoteWhen someone died, the family kept special sad days. They cried and remembered the person together.

42Someone told Rebekah what her older son Esau said. She sent for her younger son Jacob. She said to him, "Look, your brother Esau is making himself feel better. He plans to kill you."

And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

NoteThe King James says Esau "doth comfort himself." It means he made himself feel better by planning to kill Jacob.

43"So now, my son, listen to me. Get up and run away to my brother Laban in Haran."

Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

NoteLaban was Rebekah's brother, so he was Jacob's uncle. Haran was a town far away, many days of walking.

44"Stay with him a few days, until your brother's hot anger goes away."

And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;

45"Stay until your brother is not angry with you anymore. Stay until he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back. Why should I lose both of you in one day?"

Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

NoteIf Esau killed Jacob, Rebekah would lose Jacob. She would lose Esau too, because he would have to run away.

6Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob. He saw that Isaac had sent him to Padanaram to find a wife there. He saw that Isaac had told him, "Do not marry one of the women of Canaan."

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

7He also saw that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother. Jacob had gone to Padanaram.

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

8And Esau saw that his father Isaac was not happy with the women of Canaan.

And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

9Then Esau went to Ishmael. He already had wives, and he married Mahalath too. Mahalath was the daughter of Ishmael, who was Abraham's son. She was the sister of Nebajoth.

Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

NoteIshmael was Abraham's other son. So Ishmael was Isaac's half brother. In those days a man could have more than one wife.

3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau. Esau lived in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.

NoteLong ago Jacob tricked Esau and took what belonged to him. Esau was so angry that Jacob ran away. They have not seen each other in many years.

4Jacob told them what to say. "Say this to my master Esau: Your servant Jacob says, I have been living with Laban. I have stayed there until now.

And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:

NoteJacob calls Esau "my master" and calls himself "your servant." That was a polite way to talk to someone you hoped would forgive you.

5I have oxen and donkeys and flocks. I have men and women who work for me. I sent this word to my master, hoping you will be kind to me."

And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.

NoteIn those days, animals and workers were how people counted their money. Jacob is saying he is not coming home poor.

6The messengers came back to Jacob. They said, "We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you. Four hundred men are with him."

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

NoteFour hundred men is like a small army. That is why Jacob is so scared in the next verse.

7Then Jacob was very afraid and troubled. He split the people with him into two groups. He split the flocks, the herds, and the camels too.

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

NoteA flock means sheep and goats. A herd means cattle. Camels are big animals that carry loads across dry land.

8He said, "If Esau comes to one group and attacks it, the other group can get away."

And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

9Jacob said, "God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac. LORD, you told me, 'Go back to your country and to your family, and I will be good to you.'

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

NoteAbraham was Jacob's grandfather. Isaac was his father. When you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own special name.

10You have been kind and true to me, your servant. I am not good enough for even the smallest of it. I crossed this Jordan river with only my walking stick. Now I have become two groups.

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

NoteThe Jordan is a river. Jacob had crossed it years before with nothing but a stick to walk with.

11Please save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau. I am afraid of him. He may come and attack me, and the mothers with the children.

Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

Note"From the hand of" means from someone's power. Jacob is asking God to keep him safe.

12You said, 'I will surely do you good. I will make your family like the sand of the sea. It is too much to count.'"

And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

NoteSand on a beach is too much to count. God promised Jacob that many, many children and grandchildren.

13Jacob stayed there that same night. From what he had with him, he picked out a gift for his brother Esau.

And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;

NoteThis gift is not just a present. Jacob hopes it will show Esau he is sorry.

14He chose two hundred female goats and twenty male goats. He chose two hundred female sheep and twenty male sheep.

Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,

NoteA female sheep is called a ewe. A male sheep is called a ram.

15He chose thirty mother camels with their young, forty cows, and ten bulls. He also chose twenty female donkeys and ten young donkeys.

Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

NoteMother camels give milk that people drink. Altogether Jacob is sending more than five hundred animals. That is a huge gift.

16He handed them to his servants, each herd kept by itself. He said, "Go on ahead of me. Leave space between one herd and the next."

And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.

NoteJacob sends the animals in small groups, one after another. Each new group would surprise Esau again.

17He told the servant in front what to do. "My brother Esau will meet you. He will ask, 'Whose servant are you? Where are you going? Whose animals are these ahead of you?'

And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?

18Then you must say, 'They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my master Esau. And look, Jacob is behind us.'"

Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

19He told the second servant and the third the same thing. He told all the servants walking behind the herds, "Say this to Esau when you find him."

And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.

20"Say also, 'Look, your servant Jacob is behind us.'" Jacob thought, "The gift going ahead of me will calm him down. After that I will see his face. Maybe he will accept me."

And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

Note"Accept me" means welcome me back instead of staying angry.

21So the gift went over ahead of him. Jacob himself stayed that night with the camp.

So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.