The Favored Son: Jacob and Esau Part 1

Exploring the Character of Jacob and Esau through Genesis and Jubilees

Image by Karen .t from Pixabay

From a quick read of the Genesis account, the story of Jacob and Esau raises some challenging questions.

• Was Jacob an evil deceiver who stole Esau’s birthright and blessing?

• Why did Esau want to kill Jacob?

• And why did YHWH (the LORD) favor Jacob over Esau?

To gain deeper insight into the moral disparity between the two brothers, we turn to the extra-biblical Book of Jubilees.

Jubilees 19:13-14

“And in the sixth week, in the second year thereof, Rebekah bore to Isaac two sons, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob was a smooth and upright man, and Esau was fierce, a man of the field, and hairy, and Jacob dwelt in tents.

“And the youths grew, and Jacob learned to write, but Esau did not learn, for he was a man of the field and a hunter, and he learned war, and all his deeds were fierce.” (LSV)

The account in Jubilees 19 does not contradict Genesis’s account, but it does reshape our impression of the twins.

Jacob walked upright and studious, whereas Esau was fierce and combative. Furthermore, Jacob learned YHWH’s commands and was diligent in keeping them.

(See Jubilees 22:15-22, 25:1-19, 27:17, 29:20, 32:14-18, 35:12-13, 36:20)

Jubilees 36:20

“And Jacob dwelt in the mountains of Hebron, in the tower of the land of the sojournings of his father Abraham, and he worshiped the LORD with all his heart and according to the visible commands according as He had divided the days of his generations.” (LSV)

YHWH Favored Jacob

Jubilees clarifies why YHWH favored Jacob. With its additional context, we can more clearly interpret other Scriptures such as Malachi:

Malachi 1:2b-3a “I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated.” (ESV)

Psalm 11:5 “יהוה tries the righteous, but His being shall hate the wrong and the one who loves violence.” (ISR 2009)

Who did Abraham, Rebecca, and Isaac favor?

Jubilees 19:15-16

“And Abraham loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau.

“And Abraham saw the deeds of Esau, and he knew that in Jacob should his name and seed be called; and he called Rebekah and gave command regarding Jacob, for he knew that she [too] loved Jacob much more than Esau.” (LSV)

Abraham, having observed the boys’ contrasting characters, believed Jacob should inherit YHWH’s blessing and covenant. Rebecca agreed.

Initially, however, Isaac favored Esau because he was the firstborn. Even so, over time, Isaac had a change of heart as Esau’s nature became more evident.

For example, when Jacob left to find a wife, Esau stole all his father’s herds and abandoned his parents. He left them with nothing! Jacob, on the other hand, constantly sent his parents food, animals, clothes, and whatever else they needed.

(See Jubilees 29:18-20)

Jubilees 35:13

“And Isaac said to her [Rebecca], ‘I, too, know and see the deeds of Jacob who is with us, how that he honors us with all his heart, but I formerly loved Esau more than Jacob, because he was the firstborn, but now I love Jacob more than Esau, for he has done manifold evil deeds, and there is no righteousness in him, for all his ways are unrighteousness and violence.’”

In the end, YHWH, Abraham, Rebecca, and Isaac were united. Jacob was favored because of his character.

In my next post, Jacob and Esau Part 2, I’ll present a unique perspective on their blessings and the implications they have for us today. Click on the picture below to read it.

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Blessings,

Sarah