The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-03-14
Jacob and Esau.

DOlH W Isaac anu NGOekau. uCy
are perfect contrasts in appearance,
disposition, and occupation. There
was certainly a preface to the cru
cial scene before us. 1t was not
wholly fortuitous. The way to
it was paved. Esau's contempt
for his right of primogeniture was
the gradual out growth of his reck-
lessness, impiety, and misalliances.
The priestly Office and personal
piety incumbent upon the inheri-
tor of that vast estate so discount
ed it in Esau's eyes that he did
not care a rush for it; he believed
he could get a fortune by some
other means, and one not incum-
bered by such distasteful condi-
tons.
On the other hand, Jacob plain
ly saw his brothers utter unftness
for the primogenitureship; how
great patrimony was in imminent
danger of being dissipated. The
prophecy of his birth, too, was
often whispered in his ear by a
partial mother. He was over
hasty, and thought he must
needs use human expedients to
help God carry out his plan. The
hand of Jacob, the heel-holder, had
often been stretched out before to
trip his brother
A half-dozen verses suffice for
one of the finest protraitures of
opposite characters to be found in
literature. Jacob is at his tent
door, seething lentils into a savory,
pungent, nourishing porridge of a
red color. Esau, coming from the
field, fatigued and too impatient
to wait until the game he may
have taken could be prepared for
him, cried: Let the red (one)
gobble up that red" 1t is the
will of a hayward man Jacob
steps between the kettle and the
hunter. He makes the most of
his opportunity. "Ah, Esau, he
has..hi hand upon your heel once
more"
Esau's answer is pure Epicure-
anism. Let me eat, drink, and
be merry-to-mor l die. The
bi1thright II don't care fig for
it any way" Crafty Jacob! he
forestalls that saying, "a bad
promise is better broken than kept
by taking an oath for confrma-
ton" which is an end of all
things-to the Oriental. He is
generous enough to throw in a
little bread, which was not in the
bargain. Esau eats, drinks, rises
up. goes away.
The story of the stolen blessing
is the sequel to the story of the
stolen birthright. The fathers
final benedictions upon his first
born took, in Oriental life, the
nature of a sacrament. 1t was
preceded by sacred feast The
days of Isaac's dissolution were
at hand. Preparations were max
ing for the ceremony which should
invest the eldest son with his
sacred Office. At this juncture
Rebekah appears upon the scene
in an unworthy and discreditable
role, She practices fraud upon
her aged Husband. She prompts
one son to leland steals from an
other the highest office in the
Oriental family. The picturesque
narrative does not need the meri-
tricious trappings of the stage. 1t
is a living drama. The characters
of which have a being before the
eye. Aged and blind Isaac, Won
dering at his sons speedy return
from the chase, his dull palate
nistaking kid for venison, confus-
ed at a voice that sounds like
Jacobs, but hands that feels like
Esau's. Jacob first acting and
then telling allie. Rebekah lifting
the tent curtain to witness the
scene.
How quickly that scene shifts!
ESau's discovery of the fraud. his
vengeance vowed. Rebekah's
Hing to Jacob. Tacob's hipht