Brain, thank you for your lengthy response. There are a couple of things I would like to point out.
<<<Esau hated both Jacob and planned his death and spurned even his old and dying father by purposing to marry wives of the "bond woman">>>
I don't see it like that. Gen 28;8-9 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daugther of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
Here Isaac is not spurning his father but is trying to gain favor, perhaps there was some blessing still left and if Issac was pleased he would bestow it upon him. After all Ishmael was the son of Abraham so how much closer to maintaining family ties can you get? Understand also that Ishmael did not grasp the spiritual implications so in his mind this was a good deed.
Who in the family of Laban was called to serve after God?Don't the scriptures make it clear that God called Abraham alone away from his country, kindred, heritage? Wasn't it proved that Laban's whole household were nothing but idol worshippers? So why should Ishmael believe Jacob was going to find a more acceptable wife?
<<<You are right that Esau forsook trying to kill his brother but only after 14 years had passed ( A significant number in scripture ) Also Jacob himself suffered being deceived in the same way and slept with the "eldest daughter" rather than the one "promised" at the hand of his Father-in-Law.>>>
Actually over 20 years had passed so the 14 is not really so significant here. It was 7 years labor for what he thought was going to be Rachal's hand in marriage, but he got Leah instead. Then another 7 for Rachal. Then another 6 where his labor was paid off in livestock, this is the 6 years in which he accumulated most of his wealth at the expense of Laban. Let's throw in some travel time and it comes to a little over 20 years. We do not know how long Esau held a grudge but I don't think it was too long as he was so preoccupied in establishing his worldly kingdom.
Chris |
