Observations on Genesis: Isaac, 2
As I read and reread from Genesis 25-28:10, I was struck by how Isaac appears. Even in chapter 25, his appearance is first that of a son burying his father and then that of a husband praying for his wife. But if you pay attention to verses 20-21 and the end of verse 26, Isaac seems to have prayed for 20 years before his wife conceived. How many times might he have given up during those years? Yet he did not, and became an example of persevering in prayer.
We also meet Esau and Jacob, and learn of their parents' preferences. While we are informed why Isaac likes Esau--food he prepared for his father appears to have tipped that balance--we are not told why Rebekah preferred Jacob. Maybe he reminded her of Isaac, the more quiet, stay at home type. That's just my reading.
In Genesis 26, God's command and promise to Isaac receives comparatively less note than Isaac's relationships with Abimelech. Not unlike his father, Isaac first convinces his wife to lie about their relationship. However, the outcome is different. Isaac is admonished for what he did, but allowed to remain in the country.
God blesses Isaac as He promised to. Why does God? Because of Abraham and his character. I wonder how that made Isaac feel. Was he challenged to keep up the family reputation? Again, I can only speculate.
Like his father, Isaac deceives Abimelech regarding his relationship with his wife. Like his father, Isaac is found out. Unlike his father, Isaac is permitted to remain in the territory rather than being unceremoniously evicted.
When conflict ensues between Abimelech's herdsmen and Isaac's, Isaac opts to move on until reaching an area where he can settle. Isaac has two significant meetings in Beersheba, first with God, then with Abimelech and two other men--his advisor and the commander of his army.
Covenants are made. Chapter 26 ends with mentions of Esau's first marriages, which do not please either parent.
Chapter 27 includes one of the most commented on events in the life of this family. Isaac considers himself old enough to be on his deathbed--which proves not to be the case--and sends Esau to catch and prepare Isaac's favorite meal after which Isaac will give Esau the blessing commonly given the older son. I don't think Isaac has any idea that Esau had already bartered away the birthright.
Then we have Rebekah and Jacob conspiring--seemingly successfully--to fool Isaac into giving the blessing to Jacob. And after he does, Esau returns, prepares the meal, etc. If anyone can think of any emotion, someone in this epic will experience it.
I was especially struck by this interaction and the eventual consequences: But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing." His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me."
Once Jacob was sent away, he would again see his father and his brother, but not, I think, his mother. The curse was on her.
At the beginning of what we call Genesis 29, Isaac sends Jacob to the house of Bethuel his grandfather and commands him to take as his wife one of the daughter's of Laban his uncle, and again blesses Jacob.