Page:Legends of Old Testament Characters.djvu/225

XXVII.] "Before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee;" but whenever she went before an idol temple, Esau became excited, and desired to come forth. When Esau was born, he had on his heel the likeness of a serpent, and his name indicates that he was closely connected with Satan (Sammael); for, says the Rabbi Isaiah, if you write the name Sammael in Hebrew characters, you will find it to be identical with that of Esau; for the four letters of Esau turned one way make Sammael, and turned another way make Edom. Esau had also a serpent in his inside coiled in his bowels. Esau was called Edom, or Red, because, say some, he sucked his mother's blood before he was born; or, say others, because he was to shed blood; or again, because he was born under the ruddy planet Mars; or again, because he liked to eat his meat underdone and red; but the Targumim say that Esau had red hair over his body like a garment; therefore he was called Esau. The lads grew; and Esau was a man of idleness to catch birds and beasts, a man going forth into the field to kill, as Nimrod had killed, and Anak, his son. But Jacob was a man peaceful in his works, a minister of the school of Eber, seeking instruction before the Lord. And Isaac loved Esau, for words of deceit were in his mouth; but Rebekah loved Jacob. On the day that Abraham died, Jacob dressed pottage of lentiles, and was going to comfort his father. And Esau came from the wilderness, exhausted; for in that day he had committed five transgressions—he had worshipped with strange worship, he had shed innocent blood, he had pursued a betrothed damsel, he had denied the life of the world to come, and he had despised his birthright.

And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me now taste that red pottage, for I am faint." Therefore he called his name Edom.

And Jacob said, "Sell to me to-day what thou wouldst hereafter appropriate—thy birthright."

And Esau said, "Behold, I am going to die, and in another world I shall have no life; and what then to me is