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“And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28).
In our verse today, we find one of the reasons why things went wrong. Both parents had a favorite son, and for different reasons. Isaac evidently liked to eat, and since Esau was a good hunter, he was able to bring home deer. (Venison is meat from a deer.) Without this, they would have to eat mostly beef or mutton, for their flocks and herds consisted of cows and sheep. Venison was something different, and Isaac liked it.
On the other hand, Rebekah loved Jacob, for he spent more time at home, and evidently knew how to cook. Also, as we shall see, their characters were very similar.
It is never right for parents to have favorite children. We may love each of our children in a little different way, but we should not love one more than another. The result of this was to divide Isaac and Rebekah from one another, and it led to bigger problems later. This is a good warning for every parent.
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