Genesis
of Justice
Jacob Deceives - and Gets Deceived
Notes at the bottom of the page...
Contemporary English Version translation
Genesis
25 24When Rebekah gave
birth, 25the first baby was covered with red hair, so
he was named Esau. 26The second baby grabbed on to his brother's
heel, so they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when they were
born.
27As Jacob and Esau
grew older, Esau liked the outdoors and became a good hunter, while Jacob settled
down and became a shepherd. 28Esau would take the meat
of wild animals to his father Isaac, and so Isaac loved him more, but Jacob was his
mother's favorite son.
29One day, Jacob was
cooking some stew, when Esau came home hungry 30and
said, "I'm starving to death! Give me some of that red stew right now!"
That's how Esau got the name "Edom."
31Jacob replied,
"Sell me your rights as the first-born son."j
32"I'm about to
die," Esau answered. "What good will those rights do me?"
33But Jacob said,
"Promise me your birthrights, here and now!" And that's what Esau
did. 34Jacob then gave Esau some bread and some of the bean
stew, and when Esau had finished eating and drinking, he just got up and left,
showing how little he thought of his rights as the first-born.
Genesis
27 1After
Isaac had become old and almost blind, he called in his first-born son Esau, who
asked him, "Father, what can I do for you?"
2Isaac replied,
"I am old and might die at any time. 3So take your
bow and arrows, then go out in the fields, and kill a wild animal. 4Cook
some of that tasty food that I love so much and bring it to me. I want to eat it once
more and give you my blessing before I die."
5Rebekah had been
listening, and as soon as Esau left to go hunting, 6she said
to Jacob, "I heard your father tell Esau 7to kill a wild
animal and cook some tasty food for your father before he dies. Your father said this
because he wants to bless your brother with the LORD as his
witness. 8Now, my son, listen carefully to what I want
you to do. 9Go and kill two of your best young goats and
bring them to me. I'll cook the tasty food that your father loves so
much. 10Then you can take it to him, so he can eat it and give
you his blessing before he dies."
11"My brother
Esau is a hairy man," Jacob reminded her. "And I am not. 12If
my father touches me and realizes I am trying to trick him, he will put a curse on me
instead of giving me a blessing."
13Rebekah insisted,
"Let his curse fall on me! Just do what I say and bring me the
meat." 14So Jacob brought the meat to his mother,
and she cooked the tasty food that his father liked. 15Then
she took Esau's best clothes and put them on Jacob. 16She
also covered the smooth part of his hands and neck with goatskins 17and
gave him some bread and the tasty food she had cooked.
18Jacob went to his
father and said, "Father, here I am."
"Which one of my sons are
you?" his father asked.
19Jacob replied,
"I am Esau, your first-born, and I have done what you told me. Please sit up and
eat the meat I have brought. Then you can give me your blessing."
20Isaac asked,
"My son, how did you find an animal so quickly?"
"The LORD
your God was kind to me," Jacob answered.
21"My son,"
Isaac said, "come closer, where I can touch you and find out if you really are
Esau." 22Jacob went closer. His father touched him
and said, "You sound like Jacob, but your hands feel hairy like
Esau's." 23And so Isaac blessed Jacob, thinking he
was Esau.
24Isaac asked,
"Are you really my son Esau?"
"Yes, I am," Jacob
answered.
Genesis
29 16-17Laban had two
daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn't sparkle, while Rachel was
beautiful and had a good figure. 18Since Jacob was in love
with Rachel, he answered, "If you will let me marry Rachel, I'll work seven
years for you."
19Laban replied,
"It's better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her.
So stay and work for me." 20Jacob worked seven
years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so
much.
21Jacob said to Laban,
"The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!" 22So
Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. 23But
that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with
her. 24Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant
woman.
25The next morning
Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, "Why did you do
this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?"
26Laban replied,
"In our country the older daughter must get married first. 27After
you spend this week with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work
for me another seven years."
28-30At the end of the
week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman
Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven
years for Laban.
Genesis
37 23When Joseph came to his
brothers, they pulled off his fancy coat 24and threw him into
a dry well.
25As Joseph's brothers
sat down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead.
Their camels were loaded with all kinds of spices that they were taking to
Egypt. 26So Judah said, "What will we gain if we
kill our brother and hide his body? 27Let's sell him to
the Ishmaelites and not harm him. After all, he is our brother." And the others
agreed.
28When the Midianite
merchants came by, Joseph's brothers took him out of the well, and for twenty pieces
of silver they sold him to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt.
29When Reuben returned
to the well and did not find Joseph there, he tore his clothes in sorrow.
30Then he went back to his brothers and said, "The boy is
gone! What am I going to do?"
31Joseph's brothers
killed a goat and dipped Joseph's fancy coat in its blood. 32After
this, they took the coat to their father and said, "We found this! Look at it
carefully and see if it belongs to your son."
33Jacob knew it was
Joseph's coat and said, "It's my son's coat! Joseph has been torn to pieces and
eaten by some wild animal."
25.25 Esau: In Hebrew "Esau" sounds like
"hairy."
25.26 Jacob: In Hebrew "Jacob" sounds like "heel."
25.30 Edom: In Hebrew "Edom" sounds like "red."
25.31 rights...son: The first-born son inherited the largest amount of
property, as well as the leadership of the family.
29.16,17 but her eyes
didn't sparkle: Or "and her eyes sparkled."
29.27 this week: The wedding feast lasted for seven days (see Judges
14.12,17).
37.28 Midianite...Ishmaelites: According to
25.1,2,12 both the Midianites and the Ishmaelites were descendants of Abraham, and in
Judges 8.22-24 the two names are used of the same people. It is possible that in this
passage "Ishmaelite" has the meaning "nomadic traders," while
"Midianite" refers to their ethnic origin.
Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1999 American Bible Society