The Sons of Isaac(114)
To come home and find it was no longer the home he had imagined could be devastating. What could home possibly be like without his mother? There would be a sting in remembering her loving touch and fond acceptance of her sons. He did not know how he could endure it. So much had happened, so many disappointments, such tricks played on him. He was a different Jacob coming home than the young man who had left. Who was left to understand him now that both Rachel and his mother were gone?
As it turned out, Jacob-Israel’s homecoming was far more wonderful than he could ever have imagined. Since his father had been told that he was coming, Jacob found him sitting on cushions brought to the door of his tent. The seat of honor was reserved for him on his father’s right hand, while Esau sat on the left. Isaac was too feeble to rise, but he reached out and pulled Jacob down to him with a great sob. “My son, my long-lost son,” he kept repeating over and over.
Jacob was so overcome with emotion someone had to nudge and remind him to introduce his wives and his children. As Jacob did this he realized how astonishing it must seem to his father, who with great difficulty produced only two children. “I have been greatly blessed,” he said. “I have wives and children, sheep and goats, servants, and stores of precious metals.”
When he finished showing his father his entire family, he hurried on to recount all that had befallen him since he had left home. He did not hesitate to tell his story truthfully, recounting both the good and the bad. When he told of Rachel’s death, his father wept, saying, “I know, I know my son. I lost your mother not too long ago. Now I have only waited for your coming before joining her.”
Jacob realized how welcome he was when Esau pointed out that his father had ordered ten sheep slaughtered and roasted, one hundred loaves of bread baked, and the best wine brought out and served.
After they had all finished eating, there was singing and dancing and recounting various stories of their family’s past. Esau’s family viewed their new cousins with interest and were not pleased when Esau told them they would be staying only until his brother was comfortably settled.
The next morning Esau took Jacob aside and explained. “I have only waited for your coming to join our uncle Ishmael in a new trading venture. We have driven the Horite giants out of Mount Seir and their stronghold called Petra. I, with my sons and servants, will protect the pharaoh’s trade route going north to Damascus. Of course I will extract payment for this protection. It is much more to my liking than herding sheep and digging wells.”
“And Ishmael? How did this come about with our uncle?”
“You forget I’m married to his daughter.”
“And he can trust you.”
“I suppose.”
“When will you leave?”
“I will stay only long enough to help you get adjusted. It may be that our father will not live much longer. He has said he only wanted to live long enough to see your safe return.”
Jacob was deeply moved by this bit of information. He had not imagined his coming or going meant that much to his father. “You think he will not live much longer?”
“He’s very weak. He talks more and more about his death. It seems to comfort him that he will be buried in the cave with Rebekah. He moved to the Oaks of Mamre so he could be closer to the cave where she was buried.”
“I would appreciate your staying until he goes,” Jacob said. “Mount Seir is a long way off.”
* * *
It so happened that Isaac died a short time after Jacob’s return. He had lived long enough to take joy in Jacob’s recounting of his many encounters with Elohim. Most of all he loved to hear how Elohim had given him the new name. “Israel, He called you Israel,” he said with a slight smile. “What a splendid name it is.”
He died with both his sons at his side and his many grandchildren gathered around. There was a great look of contentment about him as they wrapped him in the finely woven shroud. He had lived long and well and had loved with none of the complications of either his father or his sons.
As Jacob-Israel stood waiting for the great stone to be rolled in place over the tomb’s opening, he pondered all the times the family had gathered here in their sorrow to bury someone they loved. He briefly wondered if he himself would be buried here, and would it be Leah who would be placed here beside him? He wondered about Esau and all their children. He wondered if they would all be gathered here in this final resting place or would they, like Rachel, be buried along some lonely road on their way home.
He said goodbye to Esau, knowing he would not see him often but knowing that they were both at peace. Esau had his kind of blessing with his large family and his chance for wealth and position. Jacob, on the other hand, treasured above all else the excitement of getting to know Elohim, even in a limited sense, and being a part of His purposes.