May the mumbling commence!
Isaac had to pray for children. And God answered his prayer… with twins,
though most definitely not identical.
Read from Peterson’s The Message:
This is the family tree of Isaac son
of Abraham: Abraham had Isaac. Isaac was
forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of
Paddan Aram. She was the sister of Laban
the Aramean.
Isaac prayed hard to God
for his wife because she was barren. God answered his prayer and
Rebekah became pregnant. But the children tumbled and kicked inside her so much that she said. “If this is the way it’s going to be, why go on living?” She went to
God to find out what was going on. God told her,
Two nations are in your womb,
two peoples butting heads while still in your body.
One people will overpower the other,
and the older will serve the younger.
When the time to give
birth came, sure enough, there were twins in her womb. The first came
out reddish, as if snuggly wrapped in a hairy blanket; they named him Esau (Hairy). His brother
followed, his
fist clutched tight to Esau’s
heel; they named
him Jacob (Heel). Isaac was sixty years old when they were born. (Genesis 25:19-26)
Now read the same passage from the NIV translation:
This is the account of Abraham's son Isaac.
Abraham became the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married
Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban
the Aramean.
Isaac prayed to the Lord on
behalf of his wife, because she was barren.
The Lord
answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became
pregnant. The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of
the Lord.
The Lord said to her,
"Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the
other,
and the older will serve the
younger."
When the time came for her to give birth,
there were twin boys in her womb. The
first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a
hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out,
with his hand
grasping Esau's heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac
was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to
them. (Genesis 25:19-26)
Be careful what you pray for, you just might get
it. That’s the cautionary tale
here. Isaac prayed for children, and God
answered his prayers with twins. And
Rebekah was the first to experience the enmity between the babies within her
womb.
I am curious as to why Peterson greatly increased
Rebekah’s anxiety with her thought, “If this is the way it’s going to be, why
go on living?” That’s quite different
than the NIV’s “Why is this happening to me?”
I think Peterson went a little overboard with this change.
However, I do like the change of Jacob’s hand to fist
that Peterson does. It’s a struggle
between these twin brothers - a struggle that would typify their lifelong
relationship with one another. That’s
right – be careful what you pray for!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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