Jacob's Delicious Stew

By Mary Vee

Genesis 25:29-34

Esau got up early one morning. He stretched and yawned. "Yes. I feel it in my bones. Today, I'm going to track the biggest boar Father has ever seen."

Jacob sat up and tossed a blanket at his brother's head. "You say that every morning."

"OK, well--all right, I might say that every morning, but today is different. Something big is going to happen."

Jacob rolled his eyes then flopped out of bed.

Esau leaned out the window. "Look, the sun is rising. Golden sky over there, clear dark-blue sky overhead. I'm telling you, Jacob. This is a day to remember."

Esau strutted out to the breakfast table. Jacob followed, snickering.

Isaac set his cup down and waited for his sons to pray for their meal.
"Morning, boys. Did you sleep well?"

Esau shoved his shoulders back and lifted his chin. "I'll bring you home a surprise, Father."

Isaac smiled. "I'll look forward to that. In the meantime, your mother and I have an errand. We'll be gone 'till sunset."

"No problem." Jacob grabbed a hunk of bread. "I'll cook some stew for dinner. I can squeeze that in between chores."

Isaac pushed himself from the table. "Ready to go, Rebekah?"

She ran back to the bedroom. "In a minute!" Isaac chuckled and walked out to the barn.

"Well, Jacob." Esau grabbed his bow and quiver. "I'm heading out to get my boar. You'll probably need the meat to improve your stew." He waved goodbye to his Father and walked out to the fields.

"We'll see who makes the stew better." Jacob whispered to himself.

The day passed by quickly. Jacob poured olive oil in a big pot. He chopped up vegetables and browned them in the oil. "Mmmm, I love that smell."

He added lentils, leftover broth from yesterday's dinner, and more water. He cut bite size hunks of meat and tossed them in. "This stew smells so good. I'll add a few spices and let it cook awhile."

Jacob did a few chores, stirred the stew, then did a few more chores. He took a deep breath. "This stew is the best I've ever made. Don't know what I did right this time, but Mother and Father are really going to like dinner tonight."

He gave the stew another stir then noticed Esau walking in from the fields. Big boar, eh?

Esau staggered next to the campfire and plopped down at the table. "Please feed me with that red stew. I'm starved."

Jacob raised his eyebrows. "Sell me your birthright as of this day."

"Look, Jacob, I'm going to die, I'm so starved--Fine--Whatever--Take the birthright. It means nothing to me."

Jacob grabbed a bowl, filled it, and held it out of his brother's reach. "Promise me, right now, as of this day the birthright is mine."

"All right, all right, I promise. Now give me the stew."

Jacob set the bowl of stew and some bread in front of his brother.

Although God promised Jacob the birthright, His plan did not include Jacob tricking his brother to get it. His plan also did not include Esau giving away his birthright for a bowl of stew. What consequences did Jacob suffer? What consequences did Esau suffer? What should they have differently?