1. The Wanderings of Jacob
Jacob left his Father’s home and went to Haran to flee from Esau and to get a wife. He had the vision of the stairway to heaven. Years later he returned along the same route.
Mediterranean Sea
Canaan
Dead Sea
Isaac’s Home
Hebron
Wandering’s of Jacob
ISSAC/JACOB/ESAU
Issac was the son of Abraham. He had fraternal twin sons, Jacob and Esau. It was the custom of the firstborn son to receive the greater inheritance but Esau was reckless and sold his birthright to Jacob for food (Genesis 25:29-34). Jacob later deceived his father Issac into thinking that he was Esau and received Jacob’s blessing (Genesis 27). If fear for his life, Jacob fled the land and got a wife named Rachel from a man named Laban. Finally, Jacob returned to the land and was reunited with his brother. Issac, Jacob and Esau were all herdsmen and developed great wealth in flocks.
DISCUSSION QUESTION: How did Jacob deceive his father Issac into thinking that he was his brother Esau? Issac was fair but Esau was rough and hairy. When Issac was very old and was blind, Jacob’s mother Rebekah made him a covering of lambskin to simulate the hairy arms of Esau. When Issac was near death and called for Esau to bless him, Issac instead showed up with wild game as food and deceived his father. Issac couldn’t see well enough to distinguish the two brothers and when he felt the lambs wool he thought it was Esau’s hairy arms.
This photo of sheep would have been a familiar sight to the Issac, Jacob and Esau.
This map shows our best estimate of the wanderings of Issac and Jacob.