Genesis 25

v.11

After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

There are relatively few narratives devoted to the theme of “blessing” in the life of Isaac. Most are woven into the busy tapestry of ch. 26. All the more important, then, is this brief statement that God blessed Isaac, a reminder that this was the line of the divine blessing (cf. 17:21).

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v.20-21

and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean. ²¹Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

Isaac, like Esau (26:34), was forty years old when he took a wife, Rebekah. Like Sarah (11:30), Rebekah was barren. Like Abraham (20:17), Isaac prayed for his wife, the Lord answered, and she bore two sons. The barrenness of both Sarah and Rebekah, as well as Rachel (29:31) and Leah (29:35), reiterates the point that the promised blessing through the chosen seed of Abraham is not to be accomplished merely by human effort. The fulfillment of the promise at each crucial juncture requires a specific act of God.

sailhamer

v.22-23

The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. ²³The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

A central theme of Genesis—the struggle between brothers—occurs here in the womb of Rebekah. The conflict between brothers began with Cain and Abel and continues throughout the book (cf. 9:20-27; 13:7-12; 21:9; chs. 29-31; 37-50), perhaps stemming from the first words of judgement in the book (3:15). The point is not that the struggles were necessary for the accomplishment of the will of God but that God’s will was accomplished in spite of the conflict.

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v.34

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

The story of Esau’s rejection of his birthright is a narrative example that God’s choice of Jacob over Esau did not run contrary to the wishes of either. Esau “despised” (GK 1022) his birthright, while Jacob went to great lengths to gain it. Esau, though he had the right of the firstborn, did not value it over a small bowl of stew. Thus, when in God’s plan Esau lost his birthright and consequently his blessing, there was no injustice dealt him.

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