One of the First Soap Opera's Ever Recorded.

I find this as one of the most interesting stories in the Bible.  This of all the stories that have been told, this one could have been written by a soup opera writer.  We have the birth of twins to Isaac.  Esau being born first and Jacob coming second, holding on to the heal of his brother as he is being born.  Esau was loved by Isaac, and Jacob was loved by Rebekah.  Esau grows to be this great hunter, were Jacob is somewhat a home body.  Esau is out hunting one day and becomes faint. And this is where the birthright was sold.

Genesis 25:  29-34.

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

 30 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.

 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

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

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

 34 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.

In Genesis 27, we find Isaac old and blind.  He wants to give Esau his blessing, but ask him first get him some savory meat that he enjoys so much.  Rebekah hers this and hatches a plan that Jacob will get the blessing. 

Genesis 27:5-29. 

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

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

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

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

 9 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:

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

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

 12 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.

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

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

 15 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:

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

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

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

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

 20 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.

 21 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.

 22 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.

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

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

 25 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.

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

 27 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:

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

 29 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.

Esau comes back and goes into his father tent, and Isaac is confused by Esau coming with more venison.  Esau then realizes that Isaac has also received his blessing.  Genesis 27: 36.  And begs his father for a blessing.

Genesis 27: 39-40.

39 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;

 40 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.

Esau is so anger with Isaac that he want to kill him.  Rebekah sends Isaac away to stay with her Brother Laban for a few day. 

Jacob comes back, and is told not to marry a Canaanite.  Esau, knows that this will not please his father, so what does he do, goes and marries a Canaanite.

Genesis 28: 8-9.

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

 9 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.

Meanwhile, Jacob goes and finds his sole mate in Rachel.  He works out  a deal with his uncle, Laban, that he will work for him for 7 years, to marry Rachel.  After 7 years, he goes to Laban, and Laban plans a big feast.

Genesis 29: 22-26.

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

 26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

I have a feeling that a lot of wine was drank that night.  Jacob is not happy.  Laban promise to give Rachel to him to marry as well, if he will work another 7 years for her.  Rachel is given to him after a week, and he works for another 7 years for Laban.