At birth, Jacob
was grasping Esau’s heel as if to say “I want to go first”, or “don’t leave me
here alone”. Possibly he wanted to come
first but due to his physique and temperament, he could not beat Esau and the
only thing he could do was to cling in Esau’s heel so that he won't be left
behind. When their mother, Rebekah, prayed
about the struggle that was going on in her womb, God made it clear to her that
the one who comes first would serve the one who comes second. Jacob had no idea
about that. All he wanted was to beat
his brother so that he can also feel significant and important. As the brothers grew up to be little boys,
the elder one impressed the father while the younger one developed feminine
qualities of hanging around his mother’s chores and household activities. Looking at Jacob’s timidity, mother must have
consoled him by talking about God’s plan for his future. When he imagined his brother serving him, he
must have felt good. But, Jacob wanted
to make sure that this plan of God that his mother talked about would surely take
place. His reason told him that such a
thing could only happen if he could somehow be declared the first born; after
all it was just a matter of brief moment’s difference, he must have
thought.
