Lesson 14: Jacob and Esau (The Birthright and the Blessing) - Valuing God's Blessings and Walking in Truth

1. Key Bible Reading

Passage: Genesis 25:19 – 25:34 and Genesis 27:1 – 27:45 (also referencing Hebrews 12:16–17 and Ephesians 4:25, World English Bible – WEB).
Teachers and parents: Read Genesis 25:20–34 and Genesis 27:1–45 aloud with the children. Help them understand what a “birthright” meant in Bible times and how both Esau’s carelessness and Jacob’s deceit brought sadness to their home.

2. Memory Verse to Learn by Heart

“Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.”
— Genesis 25:34 (WEB)

3. What We Will Learn Today

• How Isaac prayed (entreated Yahweh) for his wife Rebekah for twenty years until God blessed them with twin boys when Isaac was 60 years old.
• How different the twin brothers were: Esau (born first, red and hairy) became a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob (born holding Esau’s heel) was a quiet man, living in tents.
• How hungry Esau foolishly despised and sold his birthright to Jacob for a single bowl of bread and red lentil stew.
• How Rebekah and Jacob used Esau’s clothes and young goatskins to deceive blind Father Isaac and take the firstborn blessing.
• The painful consequences of dishonesty: Esau’s bitter tears and anger forced Jacob to flee far away to Uncle Laban in Haran.

4. The Complete Story of Jacob and Esau

Part A: Two Very Different Twin Brothers (Genesis 25:19–28)

Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. For twenty years they had no children, so Isaac prayed earnestly to the Lord for his wife. Yahweh heard Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah conceived twins! Before the babies were born, Yahweh told Rebekah a special prophecy:

“Yahweh said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger.’” — Genesis 25:23 (WEB)

When Isaac was sixty years old, the twin boys were born:

“The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau. After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob... The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.” — Genesis 25:25–28 (WEB)

Notice that Isaac had a favourite son (Esau) and Rebekah had a favourite son (Jacob). Playing favourites in a family always causes trouble!

Part B: Esau Sells His Birthright for a Bowl of Red Stew (Genesis 25:29–34)

In Bible times, the eldest son received the birthright—a double share of the family inheritance, leadership of the family, and in Abraham and Isaac’s family, the sacred spiritual promise of God’s covenant!

One day, Jacob was boiling a pot of delicious-smelling red lentil stew. Esau came in from hunting in the field, tired and very hungry (famished). Instead of being patient, Esau cared only about his stomach right at that moment:

“Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with that same red stew; for I am famished.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. Jacob said, ‘First, sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.” — Genesis 25:30–34 (WEB)

How unkind of Jacob to take advantage of his hungry brother instead of sharing generously! And how foolish of Esau to treat God’s lifelong blessing as worth less than one quick meal of bread and lentil soup!

Part C: The Stolen Blessing & Its Sad Consequences (Genesis 27:1–45)

Many years later, when Isaac had grown old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, he called Esau and asked him to take his quiver and bow, hunt venison in the field, and prepare his favourite savoury meal so that Isaac could give him the special patriarchal blessing (Genesis 27:1–4).

Rebekah overheard this. Even though God had already promised before the twins were born that the younger would lead, Rebekah and Jacob did not wait on God’s timing. Instead, they used a plan of deceit (trickery):

• Rebekah cooked two young goats into savoury food just like Isaac loved.
• She dressed smooth-skinned Jacob in Esau’s best clothes so he would smell like the outdoors.
• She put the hairy skins of the young goats on Jacob’s hands and on the smooth part of his neck so that if blind Isaac touched him, he would feel hairy like Esau!

When Jacob brought the food into the tent, he lied to his blind father and pretended to be Esau:

“Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ He didn’t recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him.” — Genesis 27:22–23 (WEB)

As soon as Jacob left, Esau returned from hunting and brought his meal to Isaac. Both Isaac and Esau were heartbroken when they realised the trick! Esau cried with a great and bitter cry, and his heart filled with such anger that he planned to harm Jacob. To protect Jacob’s life, Rebekah and Isaac had to send Jacob far away to Haran to stay with Rebekah’s brother Laban (Genesis 27:41–45). Because of that lie, Jacob had to leave home for twenty long years and never saw his mother Rebekah again!

5. Quick Revision Table: Key Facts of Jacob and Esau (WEB)

6. Class Discussion Questions

1. Why was it wrong for Esau to trade his birthright for a single bowl of red lentil stew (Genesis 25:32–34)? What precious spiritual blessings has God given us that we should never trade away?
2. What should Jacob have done when his brother Esau came home hungry from the field, instead of demanding his birthright?
3. Even though God had promised that Jacob would be blessed, why was it wrong for Rebekah and Jacob to trick and lie to blind Father Isaac?
4. What happened to Isaac’s family after Jacob lied to get the blessing? Why does telling the truth always protect peace in our homes?

7. Fun Children’s Activity

8. Closing Prayer

“Heavenly Father, thank You for all the spiritual blessings You have given us as Your children. Help us never to be careless with Your gifts like Esau, and help us never to use lies or trickery like Jacob. Teach us to share generously with our brothers and sisters, to honour our parents, and to walk in Your truth every day. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.”