Stories Of Brothers In The Bible example essay topic

497 words
When I was younger my brothers and I would fight over the attention and gratitude of my parents. From reading the Stories of brothers in the Bible I have discovered that brothers have been fighting ever since the beginning of time. Through the stories of Cain and Abel, and Jacob and Esau I have determined that Brothers stories are one of childhood ignorance and desire to obtain everything. Once adolescence has turned to adulthood, brothers seem to reform there ways toward each other due to the realization that you don't need to have everything to obtain happiness. In book 4 of the Bible the first brother story takes place. It is one of deceit and competition over receiving better blessings from God.

This is the story of Cain and Abel. Cain, being the older brother, felt that God was favoring his younger brother Abel. He then acted by killing his brother and was exiled the gift of tiller of the ground and was deemed to be a fugitive. He also bore a mark that nobody who came in contact with him would kill him. This signifies that as people are young they will make mistakes and by just punishment will realize that they were wrong. Cain now had a lifetime to think about his murder.

Another brother story in the Bible is that of Esau and Jacob. The prophecy of these brothers was that the younger would rule the elder. Esau was a hairy man that was skillful in the hunter - gatherer ways and Jacob was somewhat of a "mamas boy". One day while their father Isaac was dying he told Esau that he would bless him. Jacob then deceitfully went into the place of his father and was blessed as if he was Esau. When Esau returned he was very upset and was going to kill his brother.

Jacob fled and was out of touch with his brother for a long time. Then Jacob sent word to meet his brother again and heard that Esau followed by 400 men were coming to him. Afraid and distressed about what Esau might do, Jacob had a dream in which he wrestled with God and was there blessed. With the new name of Israel he met his brother Esau and gave him many gifts.

Esau came to his bother in open arms not needing any gifts because the only gift he wanted was to see his brother. Again united Esau and Israel showed that being brothers was more important than any childhood feud. These stories show that something about brothers during adolescence make them more susceptible to being in competition with one another rather that cooperating together. This competition between brothers shapes them for the struggles that will occur in adulthood. Therefore, a realization occurs that brothers fighting are actually brothers teaching.