Was Esau rebellious or pleasing to his father in Genesis Chapter 28:6-9?
At first glance at this scripture, it appears that Jacob has been blessed and is obedient to his father, but Esau saw how displeasing Canaanite women were to his father so he rebelled and married one. So he reacted in vengeful spite. Is this what the Bible is saying? No, not at all. This is the story we instantly assume, right!? Sometimes our assumptions affect how we read and interpret scripture. I had to reread the scripture and correct my thinking. I asked myself, "How can Esau possibly be doing something to please his father who just gave away his birthright!?"
Read the verses:
Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,” and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.
Genesis Chapter 28 verse 6 and 7 are easy for us to understand. They state clearly that Isaac blessed Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman. He responded obediently and went to Paddan Aram to marry a relative as his father had commanded. What a good son.
So, instantly we assume and anticipate a contrasting behavior from Esau who was deceived. After all, he plots to kill his brother Esau right!? We assume that he must also be vengeful toward his father. We assumed wrong...
Genesis 28 verse 8 and 9 are the difficult verses we need to read carefully. Because we assume that Esau must be angry with his father and trying to do something displeasing by marrying a Canannite woman. It could read that way if we forgot who the Canannites were. So, who are the Canannites? Who's family line do they come from?
Who are the Caananites?
The Canaanites were not of the bloodline of Ishmael but rather the descendants of Ham. Ham had shown great family disloyalty by pointing out his father Noah's nakedness & his descendants distinguished themselves as being disloyal people as well. The old testament emphasizes that there is no greater disloyalty than to your God and family. The Canannites were not only disloyal but also taught others to be disloyal. Their attribute was contagious. Israelites freely married Egyptians, Babylonians and other idol worshippers, but were most often able to convert these women to Judaism. Caananites however could never be converted to following God and would always teach disloyal to the rest of their family, community and Israel as a whole. They acted like a cancer pulling God's people away from Him. Isaac wanted a God center life for Jacob as he was the child of promise so he forbid marrying Caananites.
Ishmael's daughter is of the line of Abraham so they are not Caananites. So we can see that Jacob and Esau both pleased their father by marrying women that were not Caananites. Both were good sons although only one, Jacob qualified to receive the birthright.
Read the verses:
Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,” and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women were to his father Isaac; so he went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.
Genesis Chapter 28 verse 6 and 7 are easy for us to understand. They state clearly that Isaac blessed Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman. He responded obediently and went to Paddan Aram to marry a relative as his father had commanded. What a good son.
So, instantly we assume and anticipate a contrasting behavior from Esau who was deceived. After all, he plots to kill his brother Esau right!? We assume that he must also be vengeful toward his father. We assumed wrong...
Genesis 28 verse 8 and 9 are the difficult verses we need to read carefully. Because we assume that Esau must be angry with his father and trying to do something displeasing by marrying a Canannite woman. It could read that way if we forgot who the Canannites were. So, who are the Canannites? Who's family line do they come from?
Who are the Caananites?
The Canaanites were not of the bloodline of Ishmael but rather the descendants of Ham. Ham had shown great family disloyalty by pointing out his father Noah's nakedness & his descendants distinguished themselves as being disloyal people as well. The old testament emphasizes that there is no greater disloyalty than to your God and family. The Canannites were not only disloyal but also taught others to be disloyal. Their attribute was contagious. Israelites freely married Egyptians, Babylonians and other idol worshippers, but were most often able to convert these women to Judaism. Caananites however could never be converted to following God and would always teach disloyal to the rest of their family, community and Israel as a whole. They acted like a cancer pulling God's people away from Him. Isaac wanted a God center life for Jacob as he was the child of promise so he forbid marrying Caananites.
Ishmael's daughter is of the line of Abraham so they are not Caananites. So we can see that Jacob and Esau both pleased their father by marrying women that were not Caananites. Both were good sons although only one, Jacob qualified to receive the birthright.
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