Esau Facts for 3-8 Year Olds

Categories: Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau

• Rebekah becomes pregnant with twins.
• The Lord tells her that “two nations are in your womb…;…the elder shall serve the younger.”
• Esau is born first, the elder.
• He is “red, all over like a hairy garment.”
• His name might mean “hairy” or “red.”
• Jacob is his twin.
• Esau is a good hunter, a man of the field.
• One day he returns from the field and is starving.
• He asks Jacob for some soup.
• Jacob says first he must sell him his birthright.
• Esau says his birthright is of no use to him if he dies of hunger.
• Jacob makes him take an oath; he does.
• When Esau is forty, he marries two Hittite women.
• This greatly upsets his parents.
• One day, Isaac calls Esau to him and wants to bless him.
• Rebekah overhears Isaac and, while Esau is out hunting, helps Jacob steal the blessing.
• Right after Isaac blesses Jacob, Esau returns from the field.
• When Isaac tells Esau he has already blessed Jacob, Esau cries out.
• Esau hates Jacob and plans to kill him as soon as Isaac is gone.
• Rebekah sends Jacob to Haran.
• Then Esau moves everyone to Seir.
• Eventually, Esau has five sons.
• On his way back to the Promised Land, Jacob worries about meeting Esau.
• His messengers tell Jacob that Esau is coming with 400 men.
• Jacob assumes the worst so he sends lots of gifts to Esau.
• He hopes to bribe Esau.
• When they meet, Esau gives him a big hug.
• At first, Esau refuses Jacob’s gifts, saying he has all he needs.
• Jacob keeps insisting and eventually Esau takes them.
• Esau forgives Jacob.
• He wants Jacob to come live with him.
• Jacob agrees and tells him to go on ahead because he can travel much faster.
• Esau leaves, but Jacob and his family go in the opposite direction.
• Esau and Jacob meet again when they come together to bury their father, Isaac.
• Esau is the founder of Edom, an enemy of Israel.
• Jewish tradition always portrays Esau in a bad light.