Jacob
Jacob and Esau were twins, but Esau was born first. As the
first to be born, he would get a bigger share of their father's wealth.
Jacob worked near the family tents, but Esau was a hunter. Jacob had
smooth skin, but Esau had a lot of hair on his body.
One day Jacob tricked Esau into giving him the birthright, or the right
to Isaac's wealth. Esau was very hungry and Jacob would not give him
any of the stew he was cooking until he agreed to sell the birthright
to him.
Isaac wanted to give Esau a blessing and asked Esau to go hunting and
prepare some food for him. The boys' mother heard the plan and prepared
the food for Jacob to take to his father Isaac. She put hairy goat
skins on Jacob's hands and neck and had him to dress in some of Esau's
clothes in order to trick their father. It worked. Jacob lied to his
father and got the blessing that was intended for Esau.
Esau was very angry when he got home from hunting and Jacob had to run
away, or be killed. When night came, he took a stone and used it for a
pillow.
Jacob had a dream. He saw a ladder with angels going up and down the
ladder. God was standing at the top of the ladder. He promised to
protect Jacob, give him a huge family, and give his family all the land
where Jacob was resting. When Jacob woke up, he worshiped God. He
promised if God would be with him, he would give God one-tenth.
Later Jacob married and had twelve sons. His name was changed to
Israel, and his family became known as the twelve tribes of Israel.