February 16th & 23rd: Jacob and Esau

This story focuses on the actions of two very different siblings whose conflicts began when they were born. Esau was born first, with Jacob gripping Esau’s heel. Esau, the older, was red and hairy, while Jacob was the smooth-skinned younger twin. Esau loved the outdoors, while Jacob was content to stay close to home. Their sibling rivalry is understandable when we learn about the favoritism at play—Isaac loved Esau, while Rebekah loved Jacob (Genesis 25:28).

When Isaac blesses Jacob in this story, it is considered a deathbed blessing. In the ancient world, such a blessing held great power for the recipient’s future. Jacob stole this powerful blessing from his brother with help from his mother. (Esau’s rage is not mentioned in the Frolic Preschool Bible retelling—his anger was powerful enough that he declared he would kill Jacob!) This stolen blessing is not the end of the story, however. Jacob goes on to wrestle with God, be renamed Israel, and reconcile with Esau.

Young children learn that twins have a unique sibling relationship. In your family, you may have twins. If not, your child may have met twins in day care, at preschool, or at church by now. Language and expectations surrounding twins often focus on what’s the same and what’s different. However, these qualities may not matter as much to preschoolers. After all, young children are just beginning to notice differences in physical appearance.

But preschoolers are looking for ways to describe the differences they do perceive. They are also becoming aware that some differences lead to unfair treatment. This story mentions differences between Jacob and Esau, parent favoritism, and even trickery on Jacob’s part! You can help children understand the message that God made us different from each other. In the midst of our differences, God’s blessing is for all.