Genesis 22-26: The Art of the Deal

Negotiating and bickering weave their way through the stories of the Old Testament. The negotiating that Abraham underwent to get a tomb in which to bury Sarah is one example.  Another is seen in the life of Laban. The story of how the Lord provided a wife, the beautiful and kind Rebekah, for Isaac from among Abraham's relatives still living back in Nahor is well known. If you look more closely, you might see the seeds of jealousy planted in Laban, Rebecca's brother, that would give Jacob such grief when he tried to marry one of Laban's daughters.  Did Laban think that Rebekah was given away too easily? 

Isaac loved Rebekah and their union was blessed by God.  As he watched her as she dealt with the inability to bear children, Isaac took that burden to the Lord and his prayer was answered.  Rebekah became pregnant with twins and even before they were born, they wrestled with each other. 

The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob. - Gen.25:27-28 NIV

Divided loyalties as far as their sons were concerned, may have caused grief for Isaac and Rebekah.  The constant bickering with Abimelech, the king of the Philistines may not have helped.  It seemed like Isaac's servants were always going around opening the wells that Abraham had built and Abimelech's servants had stopped up.  Then there were the Hittite wives that Esau married who were a source of grief to both Isaac and Rebekah.  Did Laban foresee all of this, when he tried to detain Rebekah for ten days before she went back with Abraham's servants to become Isaac's bride, or was he just practicing the art of the deal as he would do years later with Jacob? It really didn't matter.  None of the bickering or negotiating of Laban or any of the neighboring tribes would change the blessing that was on Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The art of the deal is nothing compared to the blessing of God.

2010 Post - Genesis 22-26:  God will Provide