Bible Friday: the grimmer brother

 The grimmer brother

from Scott Bradwardine’s commentary on Obadiah (in the Incoherent series, Obadiah, Nahum, and Habakkuk by Bradwardine and Krab Drukte published by Rantrage Press, 2019, p. i)* –

INTRODUCTION

“The wages of forgiveness are resentment that can last many lifetimes.” So says the sage, Samba. This may be particularly true between brothers.

     Anyone reading this will know the rough outlines of the Jacob and Esau story,¹ how the conflict between the brothers began in the womb and despite the elder’s best efforts lasted generations.

    The twins begin when Isaac marries Rebekah and takes her “into the tent of Sarah his [dead] mother”; it is “comfort,” he finds, “after his mother’s death.” (He was, after all, 40 years old when he finally married.) Sometime later they (Isaac and Rebekah) had twins, destined according to what Yahweh tells the mother because they are already fighting in her womb - destined to be two nations, divided. Esau is born red; Jacob rides into the world hanging onto his brother’s heel.

     They grow up active and quiet, straightforward and deceitful. Jacob connives to rob Esau of his birthright and blessing, either by trading on his hunger (for a bowl of soup) or pretending to be the older brother when Isaac sends for him to give his fatherly blessing. Rebekah assists, for she loves her younger son more than her older. She cooks goat for game and clothes the smooth-skinned Jacob with the goat’s skin so he’ll feel like Esau under his blind father’s hands.

     When Isaac is not convinced, Jacob ceases to merely deceive and lies directly, “I am Esau, your firstborn. Eat what I have brought you and bless me. Now.” Isaac hesitates, but finally, he is taken in. And, apparently, he has only one blessing to give. For the fond Esau gets only a curse though it is leavened with the promise that he will “break [his brother’s] yoke from his neck” someday.

     Man of action, Esau decides that day he will break his brother’s neck will be the next, but Jacob runs away in the night.

     He stays away as long as he can, but he must come back eventually. That means he must confront his brother, still older, still stronger, still right. But he (Jacob) can send ambassadors: “I’m a rich man now, I could be of use to you. Don’t hurt me.” The ambassadors return with the news that Esau is coming to meet Jacob.

     Then, Jacob can send presents ahead of the meeting - perhaps they will mollify Esau. And he (Jacob) can put a buffer between himself and his brother: he sends his wives and his children ahead while he loiters safely (cowardly) behind.

    But Esau runs straight through it all, straight to his brother. And he forgives him. Esau forgives Jacob; he forgives him all. As a result, Jacob takes up the land of their father Isaac. And Esau goes off to Seir, that is, Edom.

So many years later, when the Babylonians come to take Isaac’s land from Jacob’s descendants, and Esau’s progenies decide to stay home, for what can they do if they throw in with their “brothers”? What will happen to them but that they will be destroyed as well? In any case, won’t “Jacob” weasel his way out as he always has? So Esau chooses expediency; surely Jacob will understand - and forgive!

     Not a chance in hell. And we enter the world of the prophet Obadiah, who has no doubt that for its perfidy, the house of Esau will be punished - decimated! The house of Jacob will become “a fire” and the house of Esau “stubble.” Jacob’s holocaust will consume Esau; not one will survive.

     The Lord says so. What a Guy!

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¹The story of the brothers is found in Genesis 24, 25, 27, 32, and 33.

09.06.19

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 * Links to passages from other Rantrage Press commentaries are here.