The Implication of the Covenant in the Lives of Isaac and Rebecca's Twins

 

Esau was a hunter;
 Jacob tended the home fires.

The birthright within the covenant was a complex thing.  Rebecca knew from the beginning that Jacob, the second born twin was to have the birthright.  Isaac, however, was not privy to that revelation apparently.  In fact, Isaac tended to favor Esau because Esau brought him fresh meat to eat.  Jacob stayed close to home and to his mother. 

However, Jacob kept to the covenant path, whereas Esau violated the covenant on a regular basis.  He didn't worship the God of Abraham and Isaac; Jacob did and offered sacrifices.  Esau married a local Hittite girl, who was outside the covenant, much to the dismay of his parents.  Jacob remained single because there were no local girls who were covenant maidens.

The story is told that one day when Esau returned from the hunt, he found his brother cooking a mess of pottage, a stew made of lentils and grains.  Esau was hungry and asked Jacob for some stew.  According to the Bible, Jacob was selling the pottage and asked Esau to pay for it with his birthright.  Esau reasoned that if he died from hunger, the birthright would be no use to him.  

Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went on his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25: 34) 

Isaac grew old and was blind. He called for Esau to take his bow and go hunting, then prepare the meat in a savory dish that he loved.  He promised he would then bless Esau before he died.

Rebecca overheard and was not happy about it.   She knew from conception that Jacob was to be the blessed one.  She also knew the Jacob was faithful and obedient to God.  Since the birthright son was given the responsibility to care for the spiritual as well as physical needs his mother and the family, Rebecca knew that Esau was not faithful and obedient.  While he probably could have cared for his family's physical needs, he was in no way qualified to care for their spiritual needs.

Given all these facts, Rebecca called Jacob to her and came up with a plot to trick Isaac into giving the birthright blessing to Jacob. The story of their trickery is found in chapter 27 of Genesis. I do not want to argue the rightness, or the wrongness of what Rebecca chose to do, although, as a mother, I understand her reasons for doing it.  Suffice it to say, the blessing went to Jacob. He blessed him with prosperity, posterity, and leadership of the family (See verse 28)

Esau was furious and sought his brother's life. Jacob was forced to flee for safety. Rebecca directed him to go to her brother's home to find a wife within the covenant.