Birthrights

Jacob and Esau were twins that were born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau, born just barely before Jacob, received the title of firstborn and the rights that came with it. Although the story is not specific about what these rights entail, we can assume they are pretty important (at least to Jacob). So Jacob grows up to be a quiet man that likes to eat meat and Esau grows up to be a manly man hunter that we can assume probably also enjoys eating meat. One day, Esau is tired and hungry, like on the verge of death tired and hungry, not middle class American senior in high school tired and hungry. Jacob agrees to give him food on the condition that Esau gives Jacob his birthrights. Showing no refrain, Esau agrees, takes an oath, eats, and leaves.

I don't know. I just don't know. I'm not as familiar with this Bible story as most others, and I'm not sure why. Usually I can find some sort of moral theme or lesson to learn, but it seems that this might just be part of a larger story taken out of context to make it seem trivial. As a Christian, should I be offended by this? I'm not sure. If there is a lesson to learn from this small story, it would be not to hold earthly things in too high of a priority. This is a common theme in the Bible, and reappears in my favorite verse, Colossians 3:2.

As a firstborn, I have no more rights than my sister does. However, I do act as sort of a test rat in that I go through everything before she does, so she gets to learn from my mistakes. Being the firstborn isnt all bad though, For example, I get to drive before she does which is a great thing to be able to brag about. Also, I seem like a super-genius at math to her, so thats pretty bomber.

Jacob and Esau

After Abraham died, God blessed Isaac’s wife Rebekah with twin sons. The two babies fought within her womb and the Lord explained to her that, “two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” When Rebekah delivered, Esau was born first and was very hairy. Jacob, born immediately after, was grasping the heel of his brother. The two boys grew up to be opposites. Esau became a hunter and a brash man. Jacob, on the other hand, became a farmer and was soft-spoken but quick-witted. Isaac loved Esau and Rebekah preferred Jacob.

One day, Esau came home dying of hunger. He asked Jacob for a bowl of his red soup and Jacob agreed only after Esau sold him his birthright. Isaac, who was close to death, called for Esau to bless him. Rebekah helped Jacob to deceive his father by disguising him with hairy arms and Esau’s clothing. Isaac, thinking it was Esau, blessed Jacob and promised him the inheritance of God’s covenant and a greater status than his brother. When Esau returned, he discovered the deception but it was too late for Isaac to revoke the blessing.

I think my older sister and I have the same birthright. We've been born into the same situation, raised with the same privileges, and provided with many of the same opportunities. 

http://www.ellenwhite.info/books/ellen-g-white-book-patriarchs-and-prophets-pp-16.htm

Jacob and Esau

Genesis 25 starts off detailing Abraham and the lineage he left behind. The list is quite extensive and shows how Abraham's descendants developed into numerous tribes. In the midst of this was Abraham's son Isaac. Isaac married Rebekah and had the had two twins, who had struggled with each other in the womb. The older twin was named Esau. The younger twin was named Jacob, who was known for grabbing Esau's heel as he was born. The story fast forwards to the young lives of the twins, when Esau sells his birthright to Jacob so that he can have a bowl of stew and not die of starvation. This is foreshadowed, especially in the New Living Translation (NLT), by God telling Rebekah that the younger son will rule over the older son, as is the case with the transferred birthright.

I have one younger brother, and when it comes to my parents, I don't really have any special birthright whatsoever. They treat us both equally, and in some cases often unequally in my brother's favor. While I have the privilege of experience nearly everything before my brother, I'm also given the responsibility to guide him, even when he refuses such guidance. This conflict often results in yelling and the occasional brawl. And usually, being the older brother, my parents blame me. Oh well, it's just part of the job I guess.

http://www.improvingyourworld.com/relationships/brothers35810241.jpg

Esau and that Backstabbing Motherfricker

Still following Abraham's line on down, we reach the story in which is son Isaac has become middle-aged, and is finally getting hitched! But his new wife, Rebekah, is... infertile. Can't spawn the Jewish nation with an infertile wife. So Isaac begs God to give his wife some babies, and he relents, granting Rebekah with twins. When she wonders why they're kicking so dang hard in there, God just replies "two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." So I guess Rebekah just kinda deals with that statement and gives birth later. First out is Esau, closely followed my Jacob, who has grabbed Esau's ankle like "yooo wait for me!" So yeah, they grow up, and Esau becomes a mighty hunter! And Jacob just kinda sits there being boring. One day, Esau stumbles back from a long hunting trip dying of hunger, and asks his brother for some food which Jacob has just sitting around. But Jacob, the sneaky little s***, decides that this is his perfect chance and declares that he'll give his bro some food if Esau gives up his birthright and inheritance as firstborn to Jacob. Esau, who was not in the best mental state at the time, readily agreed and good his food. Worth it.

This whole story makes me really mad, because it's saying that firstborn sons are super-special and get all the wealth and power and that your birthright is super important. Why did no one tell me that! I'm a firstborn son, so where's my wealth and power?! No, both my parents like my little sister better, because she has more "charm" and "ambition," and "doesn't have terrible grades from freshman year on her permanent transcript." Maybe that's the moral here: just like Esau, deserving and awesome firstborns are always cheated by vile younger siblings. Seriously, Esau's way better than Jacob. Jacob sits around and makes stew, while Esau HUNTS like a MAN. Jacob marries some infertile chick with a weirdly-spelled name, while Esau marries TWO smokin' hot natives (yeaahhh I see you bruh~)! I guess this goes to show that, whether or not we come out on top, legitimate firstborns like ME are by far the superior beings on this planet.

puppets are kinda scary but childbirth is scarier

alright so isaac, abrohams son, had some kids
*movie trailer narrator voice* this... is their story
isaac was a pretty old fricker to be havin newborn kids when he diddly doo'd with his wife, rebekah, at the age of 40
however, rebekah couldnt get pregnant and isaac was just like 'please god let me have kids' and god was like 'okay okay geez' and BAM rebekah had two lil parasites squirmin around in her womb
and she started whining about it (being pregnant sucks, i cant blame her) and god basically told her
"listen lady
you have two ENTIRE NATIONS inside of you, thats why this hurts so much
but naw seriously when u give birth to these kids, theyre gonna start two very different peoples and one groups gonna be stronger than the other and the older ones gonna serve the younger one and its gonna be so WHACK"
and yeah just like god said rebekah had twins
one of em came out all red like... a hairy garment??? what kind of description is that that just sounds so gross
anyways this was esau
then, grabbin his brothers heel, jacob popped out
the end
childbirth is awful

uh i honestly dont have anything in terms of a birthright??? technically im . not even supposed to be alive cuz i was born waaaay earlier than i was supposed to be so i guess my LIFE is my birthright, hell yeah !!!!
i also had a very small stuffed bear that chilled out with me in the hospital

i dont know what else to say so heres a stupid homestuck related comic about dave eventually inheriting his brothers empire of dubiously safe for work puppets (booty is his birthright)

this is what a blog post SHOULD be
you plebes dont underSTAND

(its okay i hate me too)

Jacob and Esau

Jacob and Rebekah tricking Isaac
into giving him the birthright. 

`Born to Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau were the first twins mentioned in the Bible. It was said that they fought in their mother’s womb and this did not change outside of the womb. Isaac, son of Abraham, was a patriarch, just as his father had been. He was to pass on this birthright on to his oldest son. Esau, as the eldest son and the favorite of his father, was set to be the next patriarch despite his careless disposition. Jacob didn’t like the fact as much as his mother,Rebekah, who favored Jacob, didn't either. So when the time came, Jacob and his mother tricked the blind Isaac into giving Jacob the birthright. Jacob, wearing his brother’s clothes and goat’s skin to make it seem like his brother’s hairy skin, went to his father and gave him goat meat, as his brother might have. And it worked. Esau was po’d (obviously) and didn't talk to his brother for many years but eventually they make amends and it’s a happily ever after.

As to my birthright, I have no idea. So I’m going to go with something generic and say that everyone’s birthright is their right to be happy and to be who they are.

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Blog Number Thirteen - Jacob and Esau

Long story short there were these two brothers born to Isaac and Rebekah. They were twins but Esau was the eldest and thus inherited the birthright. This meant that his descendant would be the Messiah. Esau was a hunter while Jacob was a shepherd. Isaac preferred Esau over Jacob whereas Rebekah was the opposite. One day Esau came back and demanded Jacob to bring him some stew. Jacob told him to give him the birthright first. Irritated, Esau immediately sold his birthright and enjoyed the stew. Isaac, who was at the brink of death, called for Esau so he could bless him. He had lost most of hi vision by this time so he relied on touch and smell. Rebekah told Jacob to dress like Esau so Isaac would bless him. He did so and he got the blessing. Esau was enraged when he heard this and begged his father to bless him too. But it was too late, because he had sold his birthright to his brother for some stew.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=1-46Qf_pLk89CM&tbnid=WzHGEz8gwsFhwM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmrbiblehead.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Ftwins-jacob-and-esau-genesis-25.html&ei=znCbUrTXKITZoAS-poDgDw&bvm=bv.57155469,d.b2I&psig=AFQjCNGmE5VkNU7N4-r7ccutGMaowZHrPg&ust=1386005038014713

I'm the youngest so I don't exactly know what my birthright is. Maybe I don't have one. Maybe I do. I should ask my parents. I think there is some preference to sons instead of daughters in the Japanese culture. My dad seems to check up on brothers' grades, schoolwork, college stuff, etc. more than he has on my sister or me. Not that I really mind. Well sometimes I do since he has that "women belong in the house" attitude at times, but then again he doesn't push me at schoolwork like he did with my bros. Or maybe the girls are just more reliable and capable of doing schoolwork independently. Who knows? Okay, so I'm digressing from the topic at hand. Yeah... I don't know about my birthright. Do I get spoiled more? Is that my birthright? It's a very difficult question to answer since I don't know much about it. I'm not sure if they left me anything in their will. I don't know if they have a will. This is awkward. Let's pretend I didn't say that. :|