Philistine Peace and Family Rivalry

The Philistine ruler Abimelech appeared seeking a peace treaty with Isaac in light of the Lord’s blessings on Isaac (Gen 26:26–33). They shared a festive banquet and completed the treaty. Esau then took two Hittites as wives, but they brought bitterness into the family (Gen 26:34–35).

Isaac decided to give Esau, his elder son, the family blessing. But Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac—she made goat stew rather than the wild animal stew he’d wanted and dressed Jacob in animal furs. Jacob received Isaac’s blessing and Esau decided to kill him.

Rebekah then arranged for Jacob to return to her family in the east and find a wife. Peace returned to the family only when Jacob and Esau met at Hebron to bury their father (Gen 35:27–29; compare 49:31).