Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?


Genesis 25:7-11 & 27:1-40

Welcome children.  I hope you’re thirsty, because today I’m serving tea straight from the book of Genesis.  Spoiler alert.  Jacob is a big ole douchebag and don’t let anybody tell you anything different.

By this time, Abraham, God’s bae, has died.  We have moved on to Isaac and his sons, Esau and Jacob.  It is the classic story of parents loving one child more than the other and putting fake hair on your favorite son to help him steal his brother’s blessing.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First of all, you should know that these two yahoos are twins.  Esau was born first and apparently came out looking like a red Wookie.  Jacob wasn’t far behind, literally, because it is said that he was born holding Esau’s heel.  When you reek of desperation from birth, am I right?  (Genesis 25:19-26)

So one day, when they’re older, Esau comes in from hunting and finds Jacob cooking a stew.  Well, after working so hard, Esau is like, “Hey, can I have some of that stew because I’m exhausted.”  And Jacob is all, “Oh no problem, my dude.  Just one thing; sell me your birthright.” To which Esau says, “Whatever.  I’m literally going to die if I don’t eat RIGHT NOW.  So what good is that birthright if I’m dead?  Take it.”  And that’s how Esau sold his inheritance for a bowl of soup…which sounded vegan, so did you even get your money’s worth?

Fast-forward a few years…decades?  I don’t know, but Isaac is dying so he tells Esau, his favorite son, to go hunt game, make him dinner, and then he will give him his blessing.  Exit Esau and pan left to see Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, listening around the corner.  (OMG.  I just realized that the Bible is basically a Telenovela.)  ANYWAY, back to Rebekah.  She goes to Jacob, HER favorite son, and says, “You have to let me make your dad’s favorite meal and sneak in and steal Esau’s blessing.”  Jacob is hesitant.  Not because he’s a good person or anything, but because he’s like a naked mole rat and his brother is a hairy Sasquatch.  But Rebekah insists, “Go get a couple of goats and I’ll take care of the rest. 

So Rebekah makes the food and then dresses Jacob in Esau’s clothes and put the goatskin on Jacob’s arms and neck so he would “feel like his brother.”  Now, it’s been a minute since I touched a goat…but Imma going to go ahead and say that it does not feel the same as arm hair.  Maybe I’m wrong, because it tricked old Isaac even though he kept saying stuff like, “You FEEL like Esau, but you sound like Jacob, ah well, here is the apparently only blessing I’m able to give.”

Then two seconds later the real Esau walks in:

Esau:  Hi, dad!  It is I, your favorite and eldest son, back from the hunt and ready for my blessing.
Isaac:  WHAAA?  Who?  Then who was that?  Because I just gave the last dude my blessing and you know the rules, no take backsies!

And surprise, surprise; Esau now hates his brother.

Bye, going to pitch this to Telemundo.

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