Was the LORD unfair towards Esau? A recount would confirm some salient definitives; Esau was first-born and clearly the more aggro between the two. He was a strong man; of the field and a skilled hunter to boot. Though Jacob had misappropriated his blessing, he nonetheless lacked nothing. He had his wives, children, his flocks in the lush land of Seir, with a private army thrown in. For all that Jacob would offer him, as if in recompense and appeasement, Esau was not materially impressed as he declared that he had enough of his own! The LORD did clear the land of Seir for Esau and four centuries later would still expressly forbid the children of Israel from any ideas with regard to the land of Seir. Although one can not find a trace of Esau seeking the LORD, he was definitely gifted, blessed, and provided for, both physically and materially. An assessment between Jacob and Esau would not find Esau behind by any physical margin. As a matter of fact, Esau was already occupying Seir when Jacob returned from his sojourn with Laban. From this standpoint alone, Esau was ahead. Esau had no one he wished to appease. Esau did not see himself as needing mercy.
An examination of the Isaac’s blessing leaves us with a conundrum. There is a stark difference in the translations between the KJV and presumably some earlier works when compared to the NIV and later translations. The later works gives the impression that Esau is disadvantaged in that he is removed from the dew and fat of the ground and consequently from grain and wine. Jacob is conferred lordship over his brethren and a very specific umbrella of blessings and curses. Esau on the other hand was gifted with superiority in arms with a caveat that he should serve to protect his brother till the promised release, at some point in time. History will still confirm Esau’s plenty. Esau was no pushover; neither pauper nor stranger to wine and grain. True to form, he had commandeered an army, confirming his adeptness and terror, in the art of war. One could also wonder over the importance and appropriateness of dew and fatness of the earth, for a man of the sword. Would he be more himself wielding his sword or pushing a plough? A hunter? Found sitting under a fig-tree? Or wandering around his vineyard groves? He would be stressed to watch sheep over chasing bandits. A physical and terrible man, of gut and gore, would not likely be fattened, with wine and grain, or at ease on soft cushions and skins in a tent. Would not, the lean and mean Esau, be in his element; astride on his majestic snorting, sweaty horse, charging and thundering into battle, howling his battle-cry preferring death with glory rather than from a soft bed? Esau was not yet an old man when he received his father’s blessing; a warrior in his prime, not quite ready to be put to pasture. Was Isaac’s blessing really so far off base though Esau would bitterly lament?
We know that Esau had come riding out with his 400 to deal with Jacob; what is not so clear was his intent. We do not always recount, that it was Jacob who first sent messengers to inform Esau of his return. Esau had already intimated that he would come out with his men to meet and receive him. He clearly said so. Jacob was afraid, but was it, his own fear, of his own past, and his own lack of faith? Yes, his brother was of terrible repute, but does that make him already guilty. A warlord raising his army for war and pillage does not vacillate and on a whim, change his mind. Unlike even the pagan Laban, Esau had received no warning from angels. Jacob, on the other hand, took some debatable measures in his own trepidation; he sent the gift animals first, then his handmaid wives with their young, followed by Leah and her children, and lastly his personal favorite Rachel with Joseph, to facilitate possible flight. He put the others first in the line of fire. The forerunners would serve as fodder and warning for those in the rear. His favoritism and priority exemplified! It was either, his redeeming act in that he himself went ahead of his family to meet Esau, or it could well have been, Hobson’s choice. Jacob’s servants were tutored to appease, and Jacob did expeditiously bow himself to the ground before Esau. This however does not discount the record that Esau dismounted, ran to, embraced his brother, falling on Jacob’s neck and weeping together. This demonstration does not jive well with the presupposition that Esau was clearly intent on spilling blood. And whilst some of the children may have been too young to know or understand, there are always those who will not let them forget. This episode would continue to haunt the families and probably account for some of the sibling resentment felt towards Joseph and the enmity between them for generations.
A survey could find Jacob in worse standing than Esau. In the least, we would concede an impasse. Wherefore then, the reasons and foci on Esau?
(To be continued)
God bless.
/ckh
An examination of the Isaac’s blessing leaves us with a conundrum. There is a stark difference in the translations between the KJV and presumably some earlier works when compared to the NIV and later translations. The later works gives the impression that Esau is disadvantaged in that he is removed from the dew and fat of the ground and consequently from grain and wine. Jacob is conferred lordship over his brethren and a very specific umbrella of blessings and curses. Esau on the other hand was gifted with superiority in arms with a caveat that he should serve to protect his brother till the promised release, at some point in time. History will still confirm Esau’s plenty. Esau was no pushover; neither pauper nor stranger to wine and grain. True to form, he had commandeered an army, confirming his adeptness and terror, in the art of war. One could also wonder over the importance and appropriateness of dew and fatness of the earth, for a man of the sword. Would he be more himself wielding his sword or pushing a plough? A hunter? Found sitting under a fig-tree? Or wandering around his vineyard groves? He would be stressed to watch sheep over chasing bandits. A physical and terrible man, of gut and gore, would not likely be fattened, with wine and grain, or at ease on soft cushions and skins in a tent. Would not, the lean and mean Esau, be in his element; astride on his majestic snorting, sweaty horse, charging and thundering into battle, howling his battle-cry preferring death with glory rather than from a soft bed? Esau was not yet an old man when he received his father’s blessing; a warrior in his prime, not quite ready to be put to pasture. Was Isaac’s blessing really so far off base though Esau would bitterly lament?
We know that Esau had come riding out with his 400 to deal with Jacob; what is not so clear was his intent. We do not always recount, that it was Jacob who first sent messengers to inform Esau of his return. Esau had already intimated that he would come out with his men to meet and receive him. He clearly said so. Jacob was afraid, but was it, his own fear, of his own past, and his own lack of faith? Yes, his brother was of terrible repute, but does that make him already guilty. A warlord raising his army for war and pillage does not vacillate and on a whim, change his mind. Unlike even the pagan Laban, Esau had received no warning from angels. Jacob, on the other hand, took some debatable measures in his own trepidation; he sent the gift animals first, then his handmaid wives with their young, followed by Leah and her children, and lastly his personal favorite Rachel with Joseph, to facilitate possible flight. He put the others first in the line of fire. The forerunners would serve as fodder and warning for those in the rear. His favoritism and priority exemplified! It was either, his redeeming act in that he himself went ahead of his family to meet Esau, or it could well have been, Hobson’s choice. Jacob’s servants were tutored to appease, and Jacob did expeditiously bow himself to the ground before Esau. This however does not discount the record that Esau dismounted, ran to, embraced his brother, falling on Jacob’s neck and weeping together. This demonstration does not jive well with the presupposition that Esau was clearly intent on spilling blood. And whilst some of the children may have been too young to know or understand, there are always those who will not let them forget. This episode would continue to haunt the families and probably account for some of the sibling resentment felt towards Joseph and the enmity between them for generations.
A survey could find Jacob in worse standing than Esau. In the least, we would concede an impasse. Wherefore then, the reasons and foci on Esau?
(To be continued)
God bless.
/ckh
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