Section IV Isaac, the Man Whose Life God Spared

Genesis 25:19—28:9

The life of Isaac is overshadowed in the Book of Genesis by the daring faith of his father, Abraham, and the dramatic qualities of the life of his son Jacob. Yet Isaac's early life was not lacking in the unusual. He was a miraculous gift of God to his aged parents, fulfilling a promise of long standing. In the most crucial moment of his youth he submissively yielded himself to his father, though he realized his father was about to kill him. Doubtless the deliverance of his life from death on Mount Moriah left an abiding effect upon his religious outlook. An incident which could have begotten fear of his father gave birth to a firm faith in his wisdom. Isaac responded with trust to Abraham's efforts to obtain a wife for him and received the bride with a gratitude which quickly ripened into love. The remainder of his life is mainly recorded in two chapters. He was a solid bridge between generations.

A. A BIRTHRIGHT FOR BEAN STEW, 25:19-34

The genealogy which opens this section is extremely brief, listing only the father, the son, and his wife, whose family tree includes only her father and brother. Padan-aram (20), Rebekah's homeland, is the stretch of highlands between the upper Euphrates and Tigris rivers (see map 1).

Like Sarah, Rebekah (20) was barren (21); and like Abraham (19), Isaac was deeply distressed by this misfortune and prayed that the Lord would grant them children. A comparison of w. 20 and 26 shows that 20 years passed before their first children were born. During her pregnancy Rebekah became distressed by the excessive activity within her. The RSV renders the last part of 22, “If it is thus, why do I live?” In desperation she sought help from the Lord. It was then that she learned for the first time that she was carrying twins, that they were different in character and would be the fathers of two different people. She was also told that the descendents of the younger of the two (which v. 26 indicates was determined by the sequence of their birth) would produce the stronger nation. This news the mother never forgot.

At birth the difference between the babies produced reactions of apparent wonder in the parents and moved them to name them accordingly. The first boy was covered with red hair (25, admoni se ar). These Hebrew words have obvious ties with Edom and Seir, names commonly associated with the future homeland of this boy's descendents. Likewise the name Esau means “hairy.” The name of the second boy was prompted by the unusual fact that he was grasping his brother's heel (26) as he was being born. The name Jacob (26) means “heel catcher.”

The difference between the boys was intensified as they grew to manhood. Being a robust fellow, hunting was Esau's first love. He enjoyed the art of shooting wild animals. Jacob found pleasure in caring for domestic animals. Perhaps this is the reason he is called a plain man (27). The Hebrew word is tarn, which is translated by “perfect” in Gen. 6:9.

The contrasting character of the boys brought out contrasting likes and dislikes in their parents, which tended to drive an emotional wedge between them. The genteel Isaac (28) developed a strong preference for the rugged Esau; the vivacious Rebekah focused her attention on the less aggressive Jacob.

Without doubt the mother had confided to Jacob the content of God's message to her before the birth of the boys (23). Both must have been aware that the customs of their ancestors favored the firstborn as the legal heir to the father's tribal position. Jacob also knew that birthrights could be transferred to a younger brother by agreement.1

Craftily, Jacob chose his opportunity and caught Esau in his weakest moment, when he was physically exhausted and hungry after a strenuous hunt. Jacob (29) was a good cook and had prepared a tasty stew ( sod pottage is old English for a “cooked stew”). This he used as leverage to bargain with Esau, who was too hungry to care. Almost flippantly Esau sold his birthright for the stew. Jacob (34) had taken advantage of Esau, but Esau had completely misjudged the value of bis birthright (cf. Heb. 12: 15-16).

In 25:29-34 we see “Esau's Barter.” (1) Esau traded eternal values for temporal satisfaction, 31-32; (2) Esau's barter was irrevocable, 33; (3) Jacob's sharp bargain was not clear gain; cf. 27:36, 41 (G. B. Williamson).

B. ISAAC'S DEALINGS WITH HIS NEIGHBORS, 26:1-33

Similar to Abraham's relationships with his pagan neighbors, Isaac's contacts with the people of Canaan was a checkered pattern of distrust, forbearance, and reconciliation. Even God's blessings of prosperity on the patriarch seemed to hinder Isaac's efforts to establish some kind of peace with them.

1. The Covenant Promises Given to Isaac (26:1-5)

A famine (1) had forced Isaac out of the semiarid land south and west of Canaan to seek pasturage along the coastal plain east of the Mediterranean Sea (see map 2). This was in the territory of Abimelech king of the Philistines, near to the borders of Egypt. But the richer delta area of Egypt was evidently luring Isaac in that direction. It was then that the Lord appeared unto him (2)

God told Isaac to stay away from Egypt. He then renewed the promises granted to Abraham, and applied them to Isaac. Canaan was to be Isaac's home and there he would know the presence of God. The prospect of seed … as the stars of heaven (4) was reemphasized and the assurance was stressed again that the nations of the earth would reap blessings from his descendents. God's promise was being passed on to Isaac because that Abraham obeyed (5).

This incident probably occurred before the birth of Esau and Jacob. The story of Isaac calling Rebekah his sister which follows in 6-11 would seem improbable if active boys were romping about Isaac's tents. The words about the seed doubtlessly undergirded Isaac's entreaty for a son (25:21).

2. Deceit Did It Again (26:6-16)

Fear made it difficult for the patriarchs to establish an effective relationship with their pagan neighbors. The moral values of these people were such that an alien family could feel justified in harboring fear. The pagan kings were understood to have connubial rights to any woman who pleased them. Like Abraham (12:10-13; 20:2, 11-13), Isaac took refuge from imagined personal harm in the peculiar sister-wife marriage custom of his ancestors. In this arrangement even a cousin or a non-relative would be adopted into the family as a sister of the bridegroom and thus legally be both a sister and a wife.

Isaac let the Philistines know about the sister (7) angle but not the wife aspect of his relationship to Rebekah. The pagans, however, made no move to indicate a desire for Rebekah. Abimelech (8) chanced to see Isaac in what would have been a compromising situation with a sister and he suspected the truth. He called Isaac in, verified his suspicions, and then rebuked him. Abimelech declared that Isaac could have misled a Philistine into sinning against Rebekah. Isaac's deceit, prompted by fear, lowered the pagan's opinion of him, negating an opportunity for the patriarch to be a blessing.

Isaac continued in the territory, making good use of the wells (15) dug in the days of Abraham. The remarkable yield of grain appears to have been the result of irrigation which was made possible by the water drawn from the wells. This feat has been duplicated widely in Israel today. The patriarch's increasing wealth, because of God's blessing on him, engendered envy in the hearts of the Philistines, who filled up all the wells and expelled Isaac (16).

3. Demonstrating Patience Under Pressure (26:17-25)

Reopening more of Abraham's wells (18) in another neighborhood, Isaac tried to prepare new fields for grain. Instead of learning important new methods of agriculture from Isaac, the Philistines foolishly continued to fill the wells and drive the patriarch to a new place. Esek (20) means “quarrel”; Sitnah (21) is “feud”; Rehoboth (22) means “room.” Rather than fight, Isaac moved on, dug new wells, saw them filled again and again, then moved completely out of the region, settling at Beer-sheba (23).

In 26:17-22 we find “Room—Rehoboth”; see v. 22. (1) Room for men who seek peace to live in peace, 21-22; (2) God's resources are sufficient for all to have enough, 22; (3) Patience is rewarded in peace and prosperity, 22 (G. B. Williamson).

For the second time, God met Isaac and reaffirmed the covenant promises first revealed to Abraham (24) concerning an abundant posterity. The Lord took pains to allay his fears and to assure him of continued divine presence. Isaac responded in grateful worship at a freshly built altar (25).

In w. 24-25 we see “Some Elements in Human Happiness.” From the human side, (1) Worship, he builded an altar there, 25; (2) Family life, pitched his tent there, 25; and (3) Financial security, Isaac's servants digged a well, 25. These were matched on the divine side by (4) God's guidance, Go not down … dwell in the land, 2; (5) His presence: I am with thee, 24; and (6) His blessing: and will bless thee, 24; also 26:12, 29.

4. Patience Begets Peace (26:26-33)

Presently Abimelech (26), with a friend Ahuzzath, and Phichol (probably a military title) visited Isaac (27) at Beersheba. Isaac was suspicious and accused them of hating him. To his surprise the visitors testified to being impressed by Isaac's forbearance and told him they had become convinced that the Lord was with him (28). They requested that old grievances be set aside by recognizing only the better aspects of their relationships. The request was somewhat of a modified golden rule, “Deal with us on the basis of the good [29] things we have done to you.” They wanted a covenant to govern the future relationships between them.

Isaac responded without hesitation by providing a feast (30). The next morning they concluded the pact of friendship by giving solemn promises to each other in the form of oaths. It was a dramatic example that, if two parties of a conflict mutually forgive and forget, peace (31) can be a reality.

The climax was the happy discovery of water in a newly dug well (32), which gave cause for Isaac to reemphasize the name which Abraham gave to the spot, Beer-sheba (33; see 21:30-31). The first part of the name means “well.” The last part means “seven” or “oath.”

C. ISAAC AND HIS FAMILY, 26:34—28:9

When one reads cc. 26—27, a striking contrast looms. In spite of fumbling because of fear of the morals of his new neighbors, Isaac was quick to admit his fear and his he. Basically he was a man of peace and did everything in his power to avoid trouble. He was quick to make a covenant to clear up old tensions. On the other side he was not so successful with his own family. Their unethical shrewdness drove him into a most embarrassing situation. His indulgent desires and insensitivity to God's promises to his wife gendered strife and misunderstanding rather than peace.

1. Esau's Poor Choices (26:34-35)

Esau's lack of value judgment when he sold his birthright to Jacob (25:29-34) was matched by his unconcern for his parents' wishes in regard to his wives. He followed the call of his physical appetites exclusively when he chose two pagan girls for his mates. He ignored the custom of being guided by the parents' judgment, and he disregarded the fact that the moral standards of the culture from whence these girls came were far lower than those of his ancestors. Grief of mind (35) is the phrase used to describe the deep hurt of Isaac and … Rebekah.

2. A Blessing by Stealth (27:1-29)

Isaac had become old (1) and blind, and probably also quite sick. At least he believed he was about to die, though actually he lived for another 40 years (35:28). He decided that the time had come to pass on the patriarchal blessing to his successor. According to the customs of his ancestors this belonged to Esau his eldest son.

Calling Esau to him, the old man requested that the son obtain wild game and prepare the meat for a ceremonial feast preparatory to giving the blessing.2 Such action ignored God's message to Rebekah that “the elder shall serve the younger” (25:23), which Isaac surely knew about. It also ignored the sale of the birthright to Jacob, which Isaac probably knew about (25: 29-34). But Rebekah (5) had not forgotten, nor had Jacob (6).

The reactions of Rebekah and Jacob to Isaac's plan do not reflect well on their characters. In fact all four participants in this story are consistently presented in a bad light. The parental partiality for one son over the other by both father and mother (25:28) had led to a breakdown of understanding between them. Isaac ignored Rebekah and she was unable to talk to him about his mistake.

In desperation Rebekah turned to Jacob, enlisting his support in a plan of deceit. He was to get two good kids of the goats (9), so she could prepare the kind of meat that Isaac loved. Jacob was to take it to Isaac and receive the blessing before Esau returned. The old man's inordinate desire for a certain savoury meat was the open door to this scheme.

Jacob (11) did not protest the plan but he did see a serious weakness in it. His body did not have the abundant hair that Esau's did, and Isaac might insist on touching Jacob to make identification certain. The blessing (12) might become a curse. Flippantly the mother retorted, Upon me be thy curse (13), and commanded the boy to do as told. By the time Jacob returned, Rebekah (15) had decided how to solve the problem. The skins of the kids (16) would be put on Jacob's hands and around his neck.

The scheming pair overlooked one item, the difference between the voices of the two sons. The old father caught the difference immediately and reacted suspiciously when Jacob identified himself as Esau thy firstborn (19). The aged Isaac (20) almost tripped him over the quickness of delivering the meal; Jacob could only mutter, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me. The tense moment came when Isaac insisted on feeling Jacob's body (21). Partially satisfied, Isaac called for the meat and ate. But clearly the sound of that voice troubled him. Under the ruse of asking for a kiss, the father smelled … bis raiment (27). But Rebekah had anticipated that (15). Finally convinced, Isaac proceeded to give the blessing.

The patriarchal blessing was a form of last will and testament. Oral blessings were considered as binding on all parties as a written contract.3 Isaac desired that prosperity for his son spring out of the richness of the soil, but he also bequeathed to him lordship over other nations (29) as well as over his own family. The recipient of the blessing was to be protected by divine justice; whoever had contact with him was to receive punishment for cursing him and blessing for being gracious to him. When the blessing was over, Jacob slipped away.

3. The Shock of Discovery (27:30-40)

Close by, Esau (30) was busy preparing meat he had brought in from the hunt. Unaware of Jacob's act, he took the savoury meat (31) to Isaac his father (32), fully expecting to receive the blessing. The father was amazed to hear his voice and knew immediately what had happened. He had been tricked. The old man was shaken till he trembled very exceedingly (33). The blessing he had given was of the “once for all” type and could not be revoked. The measure of Esau's reaction is seen in his great and exceeding bitter cry (34) and his plaintive plea that his father would still bless him. Heb. 12:17 notes that Esau's serious mistake was his sale of the birthright (25:29-34) and that now his efforts to repair that error were too late, for he had never really repented of his earlier foolishness. Esau placed the entire blame on Jacob (36), but his brother's guilt could not justify his own.

Isaac could think only of the completeness of his act of blessing Jacob and it was only after Esau's persistent pleading that he consented to grant Esau a lesser blessing.

Esau was also to have prosperity but he would have to live by thy sword (40) and accept the role of a servant to Jacob and his descendents for a time, after which he had the right to break his yoke from off thy neck. The expression when thou shalt have dominion is better, “When you grow restive” (Moffatt). This blessing wasn't much, but it did have a ray of hope for Esau.

4. A Brother's Hate, a Fearsome Thing (27:41-46)

Esau's disappointment and bitterness congealed into a resolve to slay my brother Jacob (41). Like Cain, he allowed his reaction to the advantage gained by the younger brother to be governed by negative emotions. Esau (42) had not kept his thoughts to himself and soon word got to Rebekah and then to Jacob, causing fear and giving birth to new schemes. Ever resourceful, Rebekah counseled Jacob to leave home for safety's sake. She envisioned such a trip to last but a short time, for Esau's fury (44) would surely be short-lived. She had no intention to lose Jacob after her tricky scheming had completely alienated Esau from her.

Rebekah's immediate problem was how to justify Jacob's trip to Haran. Esau must not be led to suppose that evasive action was being taken in order to thwart his intent to kill Jacob, or he might act even before his father's death. Rebekah's first move was to complain about Esau's wives, the daughters of Heth (46), and then to point out her feeling that if Jacob married local girls, what good shall my life do me? The stratagem was shrewdly conceived and highly effective.

5. Commissioned to Find a Wife (28:1-9)

Rebekah's criticism of the wives of Esau convinced Isaac (1) that there must not be more pagan daughters-in-law. He was unaware that, at the same time, Rebekah was successfully covering up a scheme to get Jacob away from Esau's presence.

The old father called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him to return to their ancestral homeland and find there a wife (2). This time, by choice rather than by ignorance, Isaac granted to Jacob a new blessing to be given by God Almighty (3), promising an abundant posterity. The covenant promises of seed and land given to Abraham (4) were repeated in essence. Jacob was now openly and beyond dispute the bearer of the covenant into the new generation. His departure from the family circle was justified in the sight of all.

When Esau saw (6) that Jacob's new status was tied to his willingness to take a wife from among his relatives in Padanaram (5), new thoughts ran through his mind. Perhaps he could regain the esteem of his parents if he took a wife from among close relatives. But he was not interested in those located in faraway lands; he assumed that the daughters of Ishmael would be good enough. He did not realize that Jacob would have been sent to Ishmael if this had been so. The silence in v. 9 which follows the account of Esau's act speaks most eloquently.

The role of Rebekah in Isaac's life began on a high level but deteriorated to the depths of disappointment and fear. When Rebekah first appears on the pages of Scripture she shines as the model of purity (24:16), of hospitality (24:18), of willingness to work without thought of reward (24:19-20), of capacity to make decisions in accord with the evident will of God (24:58). She had courage to tread untried paths in giving herself to an unknown bridegroom (24:67), and ability to provide comfort to a lonely man (24:67). She demonstrated willingness to seek God's help and to accept His word (25:22-23).

As her sons began to grow, Rebekah began to change. She reacted to Isaac's preference for Esau by centering her affection upon Jacob (25:28). In the crisis hour when she heard Isaac's plans to bless Esau, she fell to pieces morally. All of her resourcefulness, her ability to make quick decisions and to plan a course of action, became warped by fear—fear that her favorite would not be recognized properly. She yielded to the devices of deceit (27:6-17) and to clever stratagems well camouflaged by professed concern for a proper mate for Jacob (27:46) but actually motivated by selfish interests: “Why should I be deprived?” (27:45) She planned to call Jacob home again (27: 45), but her view of the departing favored son proved to be her last glimpse of him. Her closing days must have been empty and cheerless.

Isaac's life was spared, and his death at the ripe age of 180 years is recorded in Gen. 35:28-29. But with Jacob's departure to Padan-aram, Isaac also passed from the scene of God's active dealings with the bearers of the partriarchal covenant.

Though different in temperament from either Abraham, his father, or Jacob, his son, Isaac was a man whom God could use in His own way. Born as the son of promise, Isaac could have been an arrogant type. But each time he appears in the stories of Abraham's walk with God he is portrayed as submissive (22: 6, 9), possessing a boyish trust in his father and in God (22:7-8). He did not interfere with Abraham's efforts to obtain a wife for him. In the episode he is depicted as meditative (24:63), capable of tender love for both his late mother and his new bride (24:67). He knew how to pray (25:21; 26:25).