Isaac and his Sons

以撒和他的孩子们

以撒和利百加结婚将近二十年，但他们没有孩子。 以撒知道主曾应许他的父亲亚伯拉罕会有许多后裔，所以他祈求上帝祝福他可以有孩子。 主回应了以撒的恳求。 利百加生就下了双胞胎男孩。 第二个男孩是抱着他哥哥的脚后跟出生的。 两人非常不同。 他们给长子起名叫以扫，脸色微红，浑身长满毛发。 弟弟皮肤光滑，名叫雅各。 随着孩子们的成长，以扫成为了一个聪明的猎人，他在田野里用弓度过他的日子，而雅各则在他们住的帐篷附近工作。

有一天，雅各正在煮一锅豆汤，以扫打猎回来了。 他因饥饿而虚弱，闻到美味的食物，他对雅各说：“我累昏了，求你把这红汤给我喝” 在那些日子里，某些被称为“与生俱来的权利”的祝福和特权由父亲传给长子。 以撒的长子以扫享有长子的名分。 于是以扫对雅各说：“我将要死，这长子的名分于我有什么益处呢？”

“向我起誓，把你长子的名分给我”，雅各说。以扫答应了，就用他长子的名分换了一碗汤。 以扫更关心食物而不是他的长子名分，他吃到饱，然后就上路了。

几年过去了，以撒变老了。 他的身体很差，视力几乎没有了。 他知道自己在地球上的日子已经不多了。 作为家里的长者，以撒有权将与生俱来的权利和特殊的祝福给予他的孩子。 以撒叫他的大儿子以扫来，说：“我老了； 我不知道哪一天会死。 现在，带上你的箭袋和弓，到田野去，给我带些鹿肉； 给我做美味的肉，如我所爱的，拿来给我吃，好在我死前祝福你。”

利百加无意中听到丈夫对以扫说话，就跑去找雅各。 主向利百加透露雅各将获得长子名分，但利百加知道以撒是多么爱他的大儿子，并想把这些祝福赐给以扫。 因为以扫并不总是做出正确的选择，利百加知道他不配。 他拒绝了他父母的教导，嫁给了迦南人的女子为妻。 利百加从灵感中知道雅各会得到那与生俱来的祝福。

利百加告诉雅各，以撒已经派以扫去为鹿肉打猎，他要在饭后祝福以扫。 “现在听我说，”利百加说，“到羊群那里去，给我取两只小山羊。 我会为你父亲做美味的肉，就像他喜欢的一样。”

然后她告诉雅各，他要把食物带给他的父亲。 然后让以撒代替以扫给雅各祝福。 然而，雅各说：“以扫是一个多毛的人，我是一个光滑的人。 我父亲会感觉到我，知道我欺骗了他。 这将会给我带来诅咒，而不是祝福。”

利百加对雅各说：“别担心，照我说的去做吧。”

雅各赶紧出去了，等他带着两只小山羊回来的时候，妈妈准备好了好吃的肉。 利百加取了一些以扫的衣服给雅各穿。 她还取了山羊皮，为他的手和脖子做了一个毛茸茸的遮盖物。 她把准备好的肉和面包放在雅各手中，然后送到他父亲那里。

以撒抬起头，几乎是瞎了眼，问道：“你是谁？” 雅各回答说：“我是以扫，你的长子； 我已经按照你的要求做了。 坐下来吃饭，这样你就可以祝福我了。” 以撒很惊讶他这么快就找到了鹿肉。 他伸出手：“靠近我，让我摸摸我的儿子，不管你是不是我的儿子以扫。” 雅各走近了； 以撒摸着他说：“那声音是雅各的声音，但手是以扫的手。”

以撒闻了以扫的衣服，觉得果然是以扫。 然后，以撒将双手放在雅各的头上，祝福他长子的名分，以扫换来了一碗汤。 以撒用地上的美好祝福雅各，并预言他的兄弟会向他鞠躬并事奉他。 曾经属于亚伯拉罕和以撒的祝福也赐给了雅各。 他要继承应许之地，并有许多子孙。 那些后裔要承担神圣的祭司职分，成为地上所有国家的祝福。

雅各离开房间后不久，以扫就回来了。 他还为父亲准备了美味的肉。 以扫说：“愿我父亲起来，吃他儿子的野味，使我蒙福。”

以撒很困惑。 他喊道：“你是谁？”

以扫回答说：“我是你的儿子，长子以扫啊。”

以撒颤抖着说：“谁？ 给我带来鹿肉的人在哪里？ 我已经吃过饭，祝福过他了。” 但以撒知道雅各应该得到长子名分是耶和华的旨意，所以他说：“他必蒙福。” 以扫哭了。 他失去了本来可以属于他的祝福，因为他的生活方式不配得到这些祝福。 他恳求父亲只给他一个祝福。

以撒按手在以扫的头上，祝福他将在刀下为生，为他的兄弟服务。 因为这件事，以扫恨透了雅各，心里说：“我父亲快死了，我要杀了我弟弟雅各。”

利百加知道了以扫威胁要做什么，就把雅各叫到她面前。 她知道主对雅各有特殊的使命，她想保护他，好让他能够活着完成这个使命。 她对雅各说：“你哥哥以扫要杀你。 因此，逃到我住在哈兰的兄弟拉班那里。 待在他身边，等你哥哥的怒火消退，我再派人去接你。” 雅各听从母亲的建议，离开了家。 离开前，以撒吩咐雅各不要娶任何迦南的女儿，而是到拉班的家里娶妻。


讨论问题：

Isaac and Rebekah had been married for nearly twenty years, but they had no children. Isaac knew the Lord had promised that his father Abraham would have many descendants, so he prayed for the blessing of children. The Lord answered Isaac’s plea. In time Rebekah gave birth to twin boys. The second boy was born holding onto his brother’s heel. The two were very different. The firstborn, whom they named Esau, was reddish, and his body was covered with hair. The younger was smooth-skinned and was named Jacob. As the boys grew, Esau became a clever hunter, spending his days in the fields with his bow, while Jacob worked near the tents where they lived.

One day, while Jacob was cooking a pot of bean soup, Esau came in from hunting. He was weak with hunger, smelling the delicious food, he said to Jacob, “Feed me, please, that soup.” In those days, certain blessings and privileges, which were called the “birthright,” were passed down from father to oldest son. Esau, Isaac’s oldest son, was entitled to the birthright. So Esau said to Jacob, “I am so hungry that I am almost dying. What good would this birthright do me if I were dead?”

“Promise me your birthright,” Jacob said, and Esau made the promise, trading his birthright for a bowl of soup. Caring more for food than for his birthright, Esau ate until he was filled and then went on his way.

Years passed and Isaac grew old. His health was poor, and his eyesight was almost gone. He knew he didn’t have much longer to live upon the earth. As the senior member of his family, Isaac had the right to give the birthright and special blessings to his children. Isaac called his oldest son, Esau, to him and said, “I am old; I know not the day of my death. Now therefore, take your quiver and bow, go out to the field, and take me some venison; and make me good-tasting meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, so that I may eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”

Rebekah overheard her husband speaking to Esau and ran to find Jacob. The Lord had revealed to Rebekah that Jacob was to receive the birthright, but Rebekah knew how much Isaac loved his oldest son and wanted to give these blessings to Esau. Because Esau had not always made right choices, Rebekah knew he was not worthy. He had rejected the teachings of his parents by marrying a daughter of the Canaanites. Rebekah knew by inspiration that Jacob should receive the birthright blessing.

Rebekah told Jacob that Isaac had sent Esau for venison and that he was going to bless Esau after the meal. “Now listen carefully,” said Rebekah, “Go to the flock, and fetch me two young goats. I will make good-tasting meat for your father just as he loves it.”

She then told Jacob he was to take the food to his father. Then Isaac would give Jacob the blessing instead of Esau. However, Jacob said, “Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. My father will feel me and know that I have deceived him. It shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing.”

Rebekah told Jacob, “Do not worry, but go and do as I have said.”

Jacob hurried out, and when he returned with the two small goats, his mother prepared the good-tasting meat. Rebekah took some of Esau’s clothes and put them on Jacob. She also took the skins of goats and made a hairy covering for his hands and neck. Placing the meat and bread which she had prepared into Jacob’s hands, she sent him to his father.

Isaac looked up, but being nearly blind, he asked, “Who are you?” Jacob replied, “I am Esau, your firstborn; I have done as you did ask. Sit and eat so you may bless me.” Isaac was surprised that he had found the meat so quickly. He reached out: “Come near, that I may feel my son, whether you are my son Esau or not.” Jacob stepped closer; Isaac felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”

Isaac smelled Esau’s clothing and felt satisfied that it was indeed Esau. Then laying his hands upon Jacob’s head, Isaac blessed him with the birthright, which Esau had traded for a bowl of soup. Isaac blessed Jacob with the good things of the earth and prophesied that his brother would bow down to him and serve him. The same blessing that had been Abraham’s and Isaac’s was given to Jacob. He was to inherit a promised land and have many descendants. Those descendants were to bear the holy priesthood and be a blessing to all nations of the earth.

Soon after Jacob had left the room, Esau returned. He had also prepared good-tasting meat for his father. Esau said, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that I may be blessed.”

Isaac was confused. He cried, “Who are you?”

Esau answered, “I am your son, the firstborn Esau.”

Isaac trembled, “Who? Where is he who brought venison to me? I have already eaten and blessed him.” But Isaac recognized that it was the will of the Lord that Jacob should receive the birthright, so he said, “He shall be blessed.” Esau wept. He had lost the blessings that could have been his because he had not lived to be worthy of them. He begged his father to give him but one blessing.

Isaac laid his hands upon Esau’s head and blessed him that he would live by the sword and would serve his brother. Because of what had happened, Esau hated Jacob and said in his heart, “My father will soon die, and then will I slay my brother Jacob.”

Rebekah found out what Esau had threatened to do and called Jacob to her. She knew that the Lord had a special mission for Jacob, and she wanted to protect him so he could live to perform that mission. She said to Jacob, “Your brother Esau is planning to kill you. Therefore, flee to Laban my brother who lives in Haran. Stay with him until your brother’s anger is turned away, and then I will send for you.” Following his mother’s advice, Jacob left his home. Before he left, Isaac instructed Jacob not to marry any of the daughters of Canaan, but to go to Laban’s home and seek a wife there.


Discussion Questions：