Hittite war chariot — B.C.E. 9th century basalt relief from Sam'al, Turkey (Mu­se­um of the Ancient Orient, Istanbul Ar­chae­o­log­i­cal Museums; photo Karen Barrett-Wilt)

When Ei•sauꞋ was 40 years old, he took as his woman Yᵊhud•itꞋ Bat-Bᵊeir•iyꞋ, the Khit•iyꞋ, and Bâ•sᵊm•atꞋ Bat-Eil•ōnꞋ, the Khit•iyꞋ; and Ei•sauꞋ's two Khit•imꞋ women, who were molding their children, were sources of spiritual acrimony to Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ and Ri•vᵊq•âh.

Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ Grows Old, Follows Convention

Inheritance To Eldest Son (Ei•sauꞋ): Blessing Conferring Family Patriarchate + Double-Portion

When Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ aged and his vision grew dark,¹ he called his greatest son, Ei•sauꞋ. "Bᵊn•iyꞋ!"

"Here I am!" Ei•sauꞋ responded.²

"Look, I'm getting old," Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ continued. "I could die any day now. So get your hunting gear – your bow and quiver – and go out in the field and hunt some game for me. Make one of your delicious Middle-Eastern curried steak⁴ dinners for me, fixed the way I love it, and bring it to me. Then, after a fantastic meal, my nëphꞋësh will be in a good mood to bless you before I die."

Ri•vᵊq•âh's Plan To Preserve Core Family Proto-Tor•âhꞋ

But Ri•vᵊq•âh overheard Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ's discussion with his son, Ei•sauꞋ. Then Ei•sauꞋ went out in the field to hunt game.

Then Ri•vᵊq•âh told her son, Ya•a•qovꞋ, "Look, I heard your father talking with Ei•sauꞋ, your brother, saying, 'Bring some game and make me a Middle-Eastern curried steak dinner so I may eat it and bless you before ה' before I die.'

"So now, my son," Ri•vᵊq•âh continued, "Listen to what I command you. Now go to the tzon and take from them for me two good goat kids and I will prepare from them a Middle-Eastern curried steak dinner for your father like he loves. Then you bring it to your father and he will eat it for the purpose of blessing you before he dies."

Ei•sauꞋ — One Hairy Guy

"But Ei•sauꞋ, my brother, is hairy, and I, myself, am smooth-skinned." protested Ya•a•qovꞋ to Ri•vᵊq•âh. "Perhaps my father may grope my arm? Then he'd know it was me and, in his eyes, I would be a swindler, bringing upon myself a curse rather than a blessing."

"Your curse be on me, my son!" Ri•vᵊq•âh replied. "Now, just listen to me. Go get it for me!"

So he went and got it and brought it to his mother, and she made a Middle-Eastern curried steak dinner like his father loved. Then Ri•vᵊq•âh took some purified³ clothes of the greater of her twin-darlings, Ei•sauꞋ, which were with her in the house, and dressed Ya•a•qovꞋ, her lesser twin, in them. And she made sleeves from the hide of the kid for his arms and the smooth-skin of his neck. The she gave the Middle-Eastern curried steak dinner and flatbread that she had made into the hand of Ya•a•qovꞋ, her son.