We’re going to try something a little different today. Instead of just telling a story like normal, this time we’re going to try a script in case you ever find yourself telling a story for Sunday school or if you just have a rainy Tuesday afternoon with your kids. The story is Jacob and Esau. It covers the early events in their lives and is narrated by an older Rebekah looking back. Enjoy!
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REB NARR is sweeping the floor stage left. There’s a chair placed stage right. She’s an older woman, and she’s starting to feel the wear of age. She looks out a window with a hint of expectation but isn’t surprised to see nothing out of the ordinary. It’s been that way for a long time now. She places the broom against the wall and turns to the crowd.
REB NARR: Oh Jacob… When I told my boy he had to run 14 years ago, I didn’t have time to think he might not come back quickly. I was scared for his life. Scared I might be found out. Scared that the things I did to help Jacob might end up hurting him.
REB NARR sighs and looks stage right where REB YOUNG and ISAAC enter smiling and laughing. They are each holding a baby.
REB NARR: I never met Isaac’s mother. He told me he was born when Sarah was old. Ninety years old he said. I couldn’t believe it! And though I didn’t have to wait as long as she did, it was still a long time before God blessed Isaac and I with a son. And of course, then He sent two at once. That was the day I realized God had a sense of humour.
Esau was born first, and already then he was a hairy little man. And Jacob… I suppose Jacob already showed a little of his character then. He couldn’t stand it when Esau got the better of him. And there he was, not even a day old, coming into the world grasping little Esau’s heel.
ISAAC turns left, REB YOUNG turns right.
REB NARR: I’m sad to say it, but Isaac and I each had our favourites. He loved Esau, his firstborn, the boy that would carry on the family line. But I… I had a soft spot for Jacob. When we were waiting for children, God promised that we would have a son and that the older would serve the younger. I think Isaac always tried to forget about that, but I didn’t. And I couldn’t help but love Jacob for it.
ISAAC and REB YOUNG exit. Enter JACOB. JACOB is mixing something in a pot.
REB NARR: Esau was a hunter, Jacob preferred to stay at home. And deep down, I think Jacob resented that he was always living in his brother’s shadow. So when Esau came home one day famish after a long hunt, Jacob took advantage.
ESAU enters hurriedly, looking tired and week. He is dressed in all furs.
ESAU: As he enters, roaring and jovial. Jacob? Jacob, are you in here? Oh good, you’re home. And with food no less!
JACOB: What’s the matter, brother? No luck on your hunt?
ESAU: Takes a seat. Three days I’m out there. Three days of roaming the land and not an animal to be seen! I’ve never seen anything like it! It’s like the moment I stepped outside, the animals fled. They knew that if any came in my sight… WHAM! They’d be dinner!
JACOB: Aside. Fourth hunting trip in a row he’s come back with nothing. To ESAU: It’s too bad. I would’ve liked some meat in this stew, but I guess onions and radishes will have to do.
ESAU: Yes, yes. Next time for sure. We’ll have some rabbit yet! But come on, pour the stew. I’m starving.
JACOB: Ah-ah-ah… Slow down there, Esau. I’m not sure you deserve any of this. As you said, after three days of hunting you have nothing to show for it.
ESAU: You’re saying it’s my fault there’re no animals nearby right now?
JACOB: Slyly. I’m saying I’m the one who’s got dinner for the family…
ESAU: You’re joking. You’re not actually telling me I can’t eat!
JACOB: Of course not. What kind of brother would I be if I offered you nothing?
ESAU: Finally, you’re speaking sense!
JACOB: But if you want some of this, it’ll cost you your birthright.
ESAU: What?!?!?
JACOB: Your birthright. The double share of the inheritance. That special privilege you got for being born half a minute before me. I mean really, what good is that if you die from hunger? Call it an incentive to hunt better next time.
ESAU: Jacob!
JACOB: Shrugs and turns away. It’s your choice, brother.
ESAU looks over at the stew longingly. He’s only barely containing his anger.
ESAU: Fine… Have the dumb birthright. I don’t want it anyways. Now can I have some stew?
JACOB hands ESAU the bowl. JACOB smirks while ESAU storms off the stage.
REB NARR: Of course, Esau didn’t really think that about his birthright. He was angry. Angry Jacob had deceived him, and angry that Jacob had gotten the better of him as he so often did. But things only got worse between the boys. A little while later, I overheard Isaac say he wanted to bless Esau, but first, he asked Esau to go out hunting and make him his favourite meal.
I remembered the promise God made me. Jacob was going to be a great man, and I suppose I tried to force God’s hand. Because as soon as Esau left…
REB YOUNG bursts onto the stage.
REB YOUNG: Jacob? Jacob, good! Quickly, we have work to do.
JACOB: Confused. Umm… Of course, Mother. But slow down… Why are you in such a rush?
REB YOUNG: Your father is about to bless Esau, but we both know that you should be the one getting that blessing. So quickly now. Gather up two of the goats and we’ll prepare a feast for Isaac he’ll never forget!
JACOB: I’m going to pretend to be Esau?
REB YOUNG: Not if you keep standing there.
JACOB: Aren’t you forgetting something? Jacob shows off his silky-smooth arm. Esau’s got arms like a bear! You can’t even see skin he’s so hairy. How am I supposed to pull this off? Father may be going blind, but I think he’ll notice something’s wrong if he touches my arm and doesn’t feel a rug… Then I’ll be getting a curse instead of a blessing!
REB YOUNG: If it comes to that, let the curse fall on me, Jacob. But right now, just do as I say. We don’t have much time.
As REB NARR is talking, REB YOUNG starts dressing JACOB in fur and hands him the pot.
REB NARR: I know now that what I did was wrong, but if I may say so, I made Jacob into a convincing Esau. We took bear pelts, goat skins… Anything that would make him look and smell and feel like Esau, we did it. Sure, he still looked nothing like Esau, but Isaac with his failing eyesight wouldn’t have known.
Enter ISAAC as they are finishing up. ISAAC sits in the chair.
REB NARR: When it was time, Jacob was still a little hesitant, but I could see the eagerness in his eyes. He knew that if this worked, he might as well have been born first. So, with pot in hand, he approached Isaac.
JACOB walks quietly towards ISAAC.
JACOB: Trying but failing to disguise his voice like Esau’s. Father?
ISAAC: Looks up, confused. Who’s there?
JACOB feigns innocence. Holds out the pot.
JACOB: It’s me, Father. Your son… Esau. I’ve brought you the meal you asked for.
ISAAC: Suspicious. So soon? How can that be?
JACOB: The LORD your God gave me success.
ISAAC: Still suspicious. Come closer my boy so I can know it’s really you.
JACOB comes closer. ISAAC reaches out his hands and feels JACOB’s arms.
ISAAC: Hmmm… What hairy arms you have.
JACOB: All the better to… blend in with the animals, Father.
ISAAC: Sniffing. And what a smell of the outdoors you have.
JACOB: Forgetting to disguise his voice. I mean, I have been out hunting for your favourite game, and…
ISAAC: Interrupts. And your voice. How soft and… like Jacob’s it is…
JACOB: Trying to hide the nerves. All the better to… uh… Shakes it off. Father, please! Why do you doubt me?
ISAAC: Beat. Are you really my son, Esau?
JACOB: Of course I am, Father.
ISAAC: Then let me bless you.
JACOB kneels. ISAAC places his hands on JACOB’s head. Mouths the words of a blessing. After a few moments, JACOB leaves. ESAU enters shortly after.
REB NARR: And bless Jacob Isaac did. Isaac asked God to give Jacob plentiful harvests, to have nations serve him, and to have his brother bow to him. And the whole time he thought he was blessing Esau. So you can imagine his surprise when not a few minutes after Jacob left, Esau arrived with the meal he had made.
ESAU: Father? I’m back, and I have the meal you asked for.
ISAAC: What? Who is this?
ESAU: Esau… Your son…
ISAAC: Trembles violently. Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him – and indeed he will be blessed!
ESAU looks dumbfounded and extremely hurt. ISAAC is bitterly disappointed and exits slowly. As REB NARR talks about ESAU’S anger, he storms off.
REB NARR: …at the time, I remember being glad at how things turned out. Jacob finally got everything I thought he deserved – everything I thought he had coming to him because of God’s promise! But things turned bitter quickly. Esau was angry. Angrier than I’d ever seen him. I guess he finally had enough of Jacob’s digs and tricks. It was years before I could even confess to him the part I’d played.
REB NARR crosses centre, stands near-ish to the chair.
REB NARR: Jacob had to run after this. We were all scared Esau would do something terrible to him, so I sent Jacob to live with my brother’s family for a while. Laban has been working him hard, but he seems well. And though Esau was mad at first, he’s softened over the years. I know he misses Jacob. He may not say it, but I think he wishes Jacob would come home as much as I do.
I realize now the problems with interfering with God’s plans. I was so caught up in the promise He gave me, so convinced that God would bless my Jacob that I tried to make it happen myself. But I realize now that how important it is to Let God work out His plans in His way in His time. Sometimes that means waiting. Sometimes this means doing things that don’t make sense to us in the moment. But it is always better to trust Him then to try and make His plans and promises work by ourselves. It will never be as smooth or rewarding that way.
REB NARR pauses. Straights the chair.
REB NARR: Oh well… Too little, too late I suppose. Maybe I can write to Laban and find out if there’s a way I can visit…
ESAU: Calling from offstage as he runs on. Mother? Mother! Come quick.
REB NARR: Esau? Why I was just talking about you. Come in, come in!
ESAU: Laughing. There’s no time, Mother. Jacob’s come home!
REB NARR: Falls into the chair. Jacob? My Jacob? It can’t be…
ESAU: It can and it is! I just came back from meeting him. He’s alright! My brother is alright and he’s home!
REB NARR: How can this be?
ESAU: See for yourself! ESAU helps REB NARR up and starts walking with her offstage. Oh, mother, you won’t believe it. He’s done so well for himself. He has tons of sheep and cattle. You should see the size of his caravan. And his wife! Well, actually, about that…
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I hope you enjoyed that. It'll be a few weeks, but we should be back next time with another Second Sunday Switch-Up. See you then!
~Brentagious
