In The Bible Story, How Did Jacob Steal Esaus Birthright?
According to Genesis, Jacob and Esau were two sons of the patriarch Isaac. Jacob was beardless, a “smooth man” and his mother’s favourite. Esau, the elder, was a “hairy man” and a hunter. One day Esau went out hunting all day and came home ravenously hungry. Jacob had prepared a savoury meal, which Esau longed to eat. Jacob agreed to let him, in exchange for his birthright (the elder son’s privilege.) Esau was so hungry that he agreed. Much later, Isaac was old, blind and dying. He asked Esau to go and kill a deer to make him a last, good meal; and he would give Esau his blessing and ownership of all his property. Isaac’s wife Rebecca overheard, and plotted to get the blessing for Jacob instead. While Esau was out hunting, she killed and cooked a kid, and used its skin to make Jacob a false beard and hair. Then Jacob took the dish to his father, and when Isaac touched him he believed Jacob was Esau. He gave him the blessing and the inheritance; when Esau came home it was too late.
