Study Desk

It was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites; both Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried there.

After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac, who lived near "The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me."

Because Rebecca had no children, Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. The Lord answered his prayer, and Rebecca became pregnant.

The first one was reddish, and his skin was like a hairy robe, so he was named Esau.

Jacob answered, "First make a vow that you will give me your rights." Esau made the vow and gave his rights to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave him some bread and some of the soup. He ate and drank and then got up and left. That was all Esau cared about his rights as the first-born son.

When the men there asked about his wife, he said that she was his sister. He would not admit that she was his wife, because he was afraid that the men there would kill him to get Rebecca, who was very beautiful.

When Isaac had been there for some time, King Abimelech looked down from his window and saw Isaac and Rebecca making love.

Abimelech warned all the people: "Anyone who mistreats this man or his wife will be put to death."

So they filled in all the wells which the servants of his father Abraham had dug while Abraham was alive.

So Isaac left and set up his camp in Gerar Valley, where he stayed for some time.

He dug once again the wells which had been dug during the time of Abraham and which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham's death. Isaac gave the wells the same names that his father had given them.

Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord . Then he set up his camp there, and his servants dug another well.

Abimelech came from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army to see Isaac.

Early next morning each man made his promise and sealed it with a vow. Isaac said good-bye to them, and they parted as friends.

Isaac was now old and had become blind. He sent for his older son Esau and said to him, "Son!" "Yes," he answered.

You can take it to him to eat, and he will give you his blessing before he dies."

But Jacob said to his mother, "You know that Esau is a hairy man, but I have smooth skin.

His mother answered, "Let any curse against you fall on me, my son; just do as I say, and go and get the goats for me."

So he went to get them and brought them to her, and she cooked the kind of food that his father liked.