The son of Isaac and Rebekah. The twin brothers Esau and Jacob

Biblical stories are always interesting because we, ordinary people, open our eyes to the truth thanks to the great wisdom encrypted in them. In this way, God teaches us the main truth of life, through the comprehension of which man will find salvation in eternity.

And now, before we disassemble the Old Testament story of Isaac and Rebekah, who will have twin boys, we will immediately stop to say that Isaac's name translates as "laughter". He was the son of the prophet Abraham and was born when he was 100 years old. His mother Sarah at the time was 90 years old, and she had no children. One day she involuntarily laughed when she heard the prophecy of God about the birth of her son. And he was born, after eight days he was circumcised and three years later he was weaned. Abraham was very happy about this event and even held a big feast in which the other son of Abraham, born of Sarah's servant (Hagar) Ishmael, mocked Isaac, after which Hagar and his son were kicked out of the house.

Sacrifice and faith

So God testified to Abraham that from Isaac the Messiah - the Savior of the world - should happen. Isaac grew up, and he was already 25 years old, but before his sons were born - two twin brothers, his father Abraham received from God a command that he bring his only son to Him for a burnt offering. So the Lord tested the faith of Abraham, and he passed this test with dignity, because he was sure that his God is omnipotent and will raise Isaac from the dead.

When Isaac was 37 years old, his mother Sarah died, at that time she was 127 years old. Abraham was a righteous man, and the Lord sent him many years of life. When he was old, he called his elder servant Eliezer and instructed him to find his wife Isaac for his son in Mesopotamia. The servant loaded ten camels with various riches for the bride and went to Mesopotamia to the city where Nahor lived, the brother of Abraham.

Rebekah

When Eliezer stopped near the well, he immediately began to pray to God that He would show him a bride for Isaac. And immediately decided for himself that a girl would tip the jug and give him a drink, and then water his camels, and that will be the wife of Isaac.

After a while, a very beautiful girl called Rebekah came to the well. She let the traveler drink water from her jug, and then began to draw water for his camels. After this, the servant gave her a gold earring and put on her hands two precious wrists.

Rebekah, having run home, told about everything that happened to her, her relatives. Then her brother Laban went to the source and invited the guest into the house. He invited him to rest from the road, and then unsaddled the camels, gave them straw. Eliezer's servant, before he tasted the food offered to him, did not waste time and told why he had come to their land. And then he asked Rebekah's parents to let her go with him. The girl agreed. They, before releasing her, asked him to stay with them for at least another ten days.

Isaac shortly before the meeting went out into the field to meditate and suddenly saw a servant of his father and a beautiful girl next to him. So Isaac met his wife Rebekah, whom he loved and who was able to comfort him in sorrow for his deceased mother.

Abraham was 175 years old when he died. His body was buried next to his wife Sarah on the field of Efron. After the death of the pious Abraham, God blessed Isaac.

Children of Isaac and Rebekah

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah, who for a long time remained barren (about twenty years). Then Isaac began to pray diligently to his Lord, and He heard his prayers, and the wife became pregnant. Two babies hammered in it at once. God told her that from her womb there would be twin boys, from whom two people would come, one people would be stronger than another, the larger one would serve the younger.

At birth, Esau came out - shaggy and red. And then his brother Jacob came out, holding Esau by the heel. So the twins Esau and Jacob were born. Their father Isaac was then 60 years old.

Primogeniture

The first son of Isaac and Rebekah Esau became a skilled hunter and trapper. Unlike his brother, Jacob was a meek and lived in tents.

Once Jacob was preparing a lentil soup, and at the same time Esau returned from the hunt, who began to ask his brother to eat "red." In exchange for lentil soup, Jacob asked to sell his birthright. Esau was so hungry that he nearly died, and so easily agreed.

The son of Isaac and Rebekah Jacob

Esau was forty years old when he married two Hittites, and they were a burden to Isaac and Rebekah. The time has come, and Isaac is old, his vision has greatly weakened. Then he called his eldest son Esau and asked him to catch the game and cook a delicious food so that before the approaching death bless him. Rebekah heard everything, but she wanted her husband to bless Jacob. And she said to her youngest son, while there was no elder in the house, so that he would bring two kids from the herd, from which she would cook the food.

The son of Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob said that he was a smooth man, and Esau - shaggy. If the father touches his hand, he will immediately understand who it is, and instead of blessing, he will be curse. Mother calmed her son, saying that his curse will lie on her. And then, putting Jacob's elegant clothes on Jacob and tying his arms and neck to the skin of the kids, she sent them with food to their father. He, having tasted the prepared food with pleasure, blessed his son with words, so that God gave him a multitude of bread and wine, and the tribes bowed to him to be lord over his brothers, and his mother's sons bowed to him, cursing him, and blessed - blessed .

Hatred and reconciliation

At the same time, the first son of Isaac and Rebekah Esau returned from the hunt, cooked the food, came to his father, and then, when he learned that Jacob had received the blessing by cunning, he became angry and hated him for it. Then he decided that he would kill his brother as soon as his father died. Rebekah, learning about this, suggested that Jacob flee to her brother Laban in Haran and stay with him for a while until his brother's fury goes away. And when he forgets the offense, she will send for Jacob. Rebekah was afraid to lose both sons at once.

Many things will happen during this time, but in the end the brothers Esau and Jacob will meet with tears in their eyes and reconcile.