Twins Who Were Different

THE two boys here are very different, aren’t they? Do you know their names? The hunter is Eʹsau, and the boy taking care of the sheep is Jacob.

Eʹsau and Jacob were the twin sons of Isaac and Re·bekʹah. The father, Isaac, liked Eʹsau a lot, because he was a good hunter and would bring home food for the family to eat. But Re·bekʹah loved Jacob most, because he was a quiet, peaceful boy.

Grandfather Abraham was still alive, and we can just imagine how Jacob liked to listen to him talk about Jehovah. Abraham finally died at 175 years of age, when the twins were 15 years old.

When Eʹsau was 40 years old he married two women from the land of Caʹnaan. This made Isaac and Re·bekʹah very sad, because these women did not worship Jehovah.

Then one day something happened that made Eʹsau very angry with his brother Jacob. The time came when Isaac was to give a blessing to his older son. Since Eʹsau was older than Jacob, Eʹsau expected to receive this blessing. But Eʹsau had earlier sold the right to receive the blessing to Jacob. Also, when the two boys were born God had said that Jacob would receive the blessing. And this is what happened. Isaac gave the blessing to his son Jacob.

Later, when Eʹsau learned about this he became angry with Jacob. He was so angry that he said he was going to kill Jacob. When Re·bekʹah heard about this, she was very worried. So she told her husband Isaac: ‘It will be just terrible if Jacob also marries one of these women of Caʹnaan.’

At that Isaac called his son Jacob and told him: ‘Don’t marry a woman from Caʹnaan. Go instead to the house of your grandfather Be·thuʹel in Haʹran. Marry one of the daughters of his son Laʹban.’

Jacob listened to his father, and right away began his long trip to where his relatives lived in Haʹran.

Genesis 25:5-11, 20-34; 26:34, 35; 27:1-46; 28:1-5; Hebrews 12:16, 17.

Twins Who Were Different

Who were Esau and Jacob, and how were they different?
How old were Esau and Jacob when their grandfather Abraham died?
What did Esau do that made his mother and father very sad?
Why did Esau get very angry with his brother, Jacob?
What instruction did Isaac give to his son Jacob?

Additional questions:

ReadGenesis 25:5-11, 20-34.
1. What did Jehovah prophesy regarding Rebekah’s two sons? (Gen. 25:23)
2. What contrast was there between Jacob’s and Esau’s attitude toward the birthright? (Gen. 25:31-34)
ReadGenesis 26:34, 35; 27:1-46; and28:1-5.
1. How was Esau’s lack of appreciation for spiritual things evident? (Gen. 26:34, 35; 27:46)
2. In order for Jacob to receive God’s blessing, what did Isaac tell him to do? (Gen. 28:1-4)
Read Hebrews 12:16, 17.What does Esau’s example demonstrate as to the outcome of those who despise sacred things?