ESAU SELLS HIS BIRTHRIGHT. 63 for the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother's death, (B.C. 2052.) § 12. The Death of Abraham (B.C. 2007), and the Birth of Esau and Jacob. And the days of Abraham's life were a hundred and seventy-five years. And decaying, he died in a good old age; and having lived a long time and being full of days, he was gathered to his people. And Isaac and Ismael, his sons, buried him with Sara his wife in the double cave which is over against Mambre, and which he bought of the children of Heth. And after his death, God blessed Isaac his son, who dwelt by the well of the "Living and the Seeing. Isaac was threescore years old when his twin sons, Esau and Jacob, were born. Esau grew up, and became a skilful hunter; but Jacob was a plain man and dwelt in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his venison; but Rebecca loved Jacob. § 13. Esau profanely sells his first Birthright. . Jacob one day was boiling pottage, when Esau came in out of the field fainting from his hunting, and said to his brother: "Give me of this red pottage, for I am exceeding faint;" for which reason he was afterwards called Edom (red). And Jacob said to him: "Sell me thy birthright." And he said: "Lo, I die; what will the birthright avail me ?" Jacob said: "Swear, therefore, to me." Esau swore to him, and sold his first birthright. And taking the bread and the pottage of lentils, he ate and drank, and went his way, making little account of having sold his first birthright. § 14. Jacob obtains the Blessing of Isaac in the place of Esau. (B.C. 1945.) St. Paul calls particular attention to the example of Esau, as above related: (Heb. xii. 16) "Lest there ISAAC BLESSES JACOB. 65 be any profane person, as Esau, who for one mess sold his first birthright: for know ye that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected, and found no place of repentance, though he sought it with tears." Esau was now to lose for ever the blessing of which he had made so little account. Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see; and he called Esau his elder son, and said to him: "My son." And he answered: "Here I am." And his father said to him: "Thou seest that I am old, and know not the day of my death; take thy arms, thy quiver and bow, and go abroad; and when thou hast taken something by hunting, make me savoury meat thereof, as thou knowest I like, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless thee before I die." When Rebecca had heard this, and Esau was now gone into the field to fulfil his father's commandments, she said to her son Jacob: "I heard thy father talking with Esau thy brother, and saying to him : Bring me of thy hunting, and make me savoury meats, that I may eat, and bless thee in the sight of the Lord before I die. Now, therefore, my son, follow my counsel, and go thy way to the flock, bring me two kids of the best, that I may make of them meat for thy father such as he gladly eateth, that when thou hast brought them in to him, and he hath eaten, he may bless thee before he die." And Jacob answered her: "Thou knowest that Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am smooth; if my father shall feel me and perceive, I fear lest he will think I would F have mocked him, and I shall bring upon me a curse instead of a blessing." His mother said to him: "Upon me be this curse, my son; only hear thou my voice, and go fetch me the things which I have said. He went, and brought them, and gave them to his mother; and she dressed the meats, such as she knew his father liked. And she put on him the best garments of Esau which she had at home with her, the little skins of the kids she put about his hands, and covered the bare of his neck; and she gave him the savoury meat and the bread which she had baked. Jacob went in with it, and said: "My father." And he answered: "I hear; who art thou, my son?" Jacob said: "I am Esau thy firstborn. I have done as thou didst command me; arise, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.' And Isaac said to his son: "How couldst thou find it so quickly, my son?" He answered: "It was the will of God that what I sought came quickly in my way." And Isaac said: "Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and prove whether thou be my son Esau or not." He came near to his father; and when he had felt him, Isaac said: "The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau ;" and he knew him not, because his hairy hands made him like to the elder. Then, blessing him, he said: "Art. thou my son Esau?" He answered: "I am." Then he said: "Bring me the meats of thy hunting, my son, that my soul may bless thee." And when they were brought and he had eaten, he offered him wine also, which when he had drunk, he said: "Come near me, and give me a kiss, my son." He came near and |