Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, the sons of Isaac and Rebekah. They were two very different brothers who had a complicated relationship. The story of Jacob and Esau spans several chapters in the book of Genesis and contains many important events and lessons.
Esau was the firstborn twin, making him in line to receive the birthright and blessing from his father Isaac. However, Esau did not value his birthright and sold it to Jacob for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-34). This demonstrated Esau’s impulsiveness and lack of proper regard for the spiritual privileges and responsibilities of the firstborn. Jacob, on the other hand, highly valued the birthright and obtained it through deceptive means.
Later, when Isaac was old and blind, he wanted to give his blessing to Esau before he died. Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive the blessing instead, so she helped Jacob deceive Isaac into thinking he was Esau (Genesis 27:1-29). Jacob received the greater blessing, which made Esau extremely angry. This blessing gave Jacob prominence over his brother.
Esau’s anger caused Jacob to flee from his presence. But years later, after Jacob returned with his family and possessions, the brothers were reconciled (Genesis 33:1-17). Jacob insisted on giving gifts to Esau as a gesture of goodwill. Esau accepted them and the brothers embraced each other. God used their conflict and reconciliation to fulfill His greater purposes.
There are several key lessons we can learn from Jacob and Esau’s story:
- Actions have consequences. Jacob’s deception led to lifelong strife with his brother. Esau’s impulsiveness cost him his birthright.
- God is sovereign. Despite deceitful actions, God’s plan prevailed. The elder (Esau) served the younger (Jacob) just as God foretold.
- Reconciliation is possible. With humility and forgiveness, broken relationships can be mended over time.
- Trust God’s promises. God repeatedly reassured Jacob of His covenant blessings, which were fulfilled.
Jacob and Esau teach us important lessons about values, family dynamics, and God’s faithfulness. Though they struggled with each other, God still accomplished His purposes through them. In the end, Esau’s descendants (Edomites) were subservient to Jacob’s descendants (Israelites), just as God had declared. The climax was when Israel’s king David later conquered Edom.
Here is a more detailed overview of the key events in Jacob and Esau’s lives:
Birth of Esau and Jacob
Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife Rebekah, because she was barren. God answered his prayer and Rebekah became pregnant with twins (Genesis 25:21). The babies “struggled together within her” (Genesis 25:22). She inquired of the Lord and He told her:
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23)
When the time came, the firstborn twin was “red, all his body like a hairy cloak” so they named him Esau (Genesis 25:25). The second twin was holding onto Esau’s heel when he was born, so he was named Jacob, which sounds like the Hebrew word for “heel” (Genesis 25:26).
Esau Sells His Birthright
One day, Jacob was cooking stew and Esau came in famished from the field. Esau begged Jacob to feed him some stew. Jacob replied “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau readily agreed to sell his birthright for a bowl of stew, demonstrating how lightly he valued it (Genesis 25:29-34).
Isaac Blesses Jacob Thinking He is Esau
Years later, when Isaac was old and blind, he wanted to bless Esau before he died. Rebekah helped deceive Isaac into blessing Jacob instead. She dressed Jacob in Esau’s clothes and covered his arms in goatskins to mimic Esau’s hairy arms (Genesis 27:1-17). Jacob brought Isaac a dish he liked, deceitfully claiming to be Esau. Isaac blessed Jacob, giving him prominence over his brother (Genesis 27:18-29).
Esau’s Anger and Jacob’s Flight
When Esau returned and realized what happened, he begged Isaac for a blessing too. All Isaac could give him was that he would live away from fertile land and serve his brother, but would eventually throw his yoke off (Genesis 27:30-40). Esau was furious and planned to kill Jacob after their father died (Genesis 27:41).
Rebekah warned Jacob to flee from Esau’s wrath (Genesis 27:42-45). Jacob went to live with his uncle Laban and married Laban’s daughters, Leah and Rachel. He started a large family during the 20 years he stayed with Laban (Genesis 28-31).
Jacob and Esau Reconcile
As Jacob returned home, he sent messengers to appease Esau and announced he was coming (Genesis 32:3-5). Jacob prepared multiple gift-offerings to present to Esau. When they met each other, Esau ran to Jacob and embraced him, and they both wept (Genesis 33:1-4). Jacob insisted Esau accept his gifts and Esau did. They were both gracious to each other at their reunion (Genesis 33:5-11).
Jacob offered to accompany Esau on his way, but Esau declined since he traveled faster. Esau returned to Seir, while Jacob went to Succoth then settled in Shechem (Genesis 33:12-20). Jacob built an altar there and called it El-Elohe-Israel, meaning “God, the God of Israel” (Genesis 33:20). Their conflict was resolved and Jacob acknowledged God’s hand of protection during their separation.
Jacob’s Family in Canaan
Jacob’s family grew and prospered during their time living near Shechem. Jacob’s daughter Dinah was violated by the prince of Shechem, whose name was also Shechem. Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi took revenge by deceitfully killing all the men of the city (Genesis 34). Later, God instructed Jacob to move to Bethel and live there (Genesis 35:1). Jacob told his household to get rid of their foreign gods and purify themselves (Genesis 35:2).
At Bethel, God appeared to Jacob again and blessed him, reiterating the promise that his descendants would become a great nation in this land (Genesis 35:9-15). While traveling, Rachel went into labor and died giving birth to Jacob’s youngest son, Benjamin (Genesis 35:16-20). Eventually, Jacob settled back in Hebron to live near his father Isaac until he died at the age of 180 (Genesis 35:27-29).
Jacob’s Sons
Jacob had 12 sons who became the progenitors of the 12 tribes of Israel. Here is a list of Jacob’s sons:
- Reuben
- Simeon
- Levi
- Judah (ancestor of Jesus Christ)
- Dan
- Naphtali
- Gad
- Asher
- Issachar
- Zebulun
- Joseph (whose sons were Ephraim and Manasseh)
- Benjamin
Jacob favored his son Joseph, giving him a special ornamented robe (Genesis 37:3). This caused jealousy among his other sons. Joseph had dreams that his brothers and parents would bow down to him one day. His brothers grew more resentful of him (Genesis 37:8-11).
Joseph Sold Into Slavery
When Joseph was 17, his brothers plotted to kill him but ended up selling him into slavery to passing Midianites (Genesis 37:12-36). The brothers dipped Joseph’s robe in animal blood to trick their father into thinking he was killed by a wild animal. Jacob was devastated, believing Joseph was dead (Genesis 37:31-35).
In Egypt, Joseph became a slave in Potiphar’s house but later was wrongfully imprisoned based on false accusations. After correctly interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker, Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams as well (Genesis 40-41). Pharaoh appointed Joseph as second-in-command over Egypt to oversee food storage during coming years of famine.
Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt
Back in Canaan, Jacob’s family suffered from the widespread famine so Jacob sent his sons to purchase food in Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him. Joseph gave them grain but accused them of being spies and detained Simeon, demanding they return with their youngest brother Benjamin to prove their honesty (Genesis 42).
When the food ran out again, Jacob reluctantly allowed Benjamin to go to Egypt with the others. Joseph tested his brothers to see if they had changed since selling him into slavery. Judah pledged himself to protect Benjamin, showing Joseph they were now honorable men (Genesis 44:18-34).
Joseph Reveals Himself and Forgives His Brothers
Finally, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers and forgave them, acknowledging that although they intended evil, God meant it for good to save many lives (Genesis 45:1-15). Pharaoh invited all of Joseph’s family to relocate to Egypt. Jacob’s entire household, 70 people in all, moved to Egypt and were given choice land (Genesis 45:16-28).
Jacob lived the final 17 years of his life in Egypt and was tearfully reunited with his son Joseph (Genesis 46:29-30). Before Jacob died, he blessed Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and adopted them as his own sons to receive a tribal inheritance along with their uncles (Genesis 48:1-20). The story ends with Jacob blessing all his sons and prophesying over them (Genesis 49:1-28). Jacob died at the age of 147 after making Joseph swear to bury him in Canaan (Genesis 49:29-33).
Joseph forgave his brothers and reassured them after Jacob’s death. Joseph lived to the age of 110 and saw his descendants to the third generation before he died (Genesis 50:22-26). He exemplified God’s faithfulness by becoming Israel’s rescuer and protector, in fulfillment of God’s plan.
The epic story of Jacob and Esau traces God’s divine plan across four generations from Abraham to Joseph. Even when human actions caused conflict, heartbreak, and exile, God proved faithful to His promises. He used the brothers to establish the nation of Israel who inherited the Promised Land of Canaan. Through Israel’s lineage, Jesus Christ – the Savior of the world – was later born to accomplish God’s ultimate plan of redemption.
