Mom's Books: Jacob Faced Esau

My mother, Helen Walsh Folsom, was an incredible writer and person. 

When she “retired,” she decided to write full time but only on a subject that would never tire her. That turned out to be Ireland and Irish history.

Helen Walsh Folsom, Author, represented the Irish-American at ethnic festivals.

She had seven books published, both fiction and non-fiction, and her readers immensely enjoyed her work. (The books can be found on Amazon.com in both paperback, Kindle, and most in audio.)

But another subject my Mom loved to write about and share was the Bible. She taught Sunday School at a nursing home for 28 years. It began as a church ministry. However, even after the church was no longer active in the mission, my Mom kept up the work and was asked several times to officiate at end-of-life celebration services for her “students.”

Over the years, she had all her Biblical stories written down and gave some of them in the form of a homemade book to family members who loved reading. She had a style of her own, writing these biblical stories that expressed the in-depth humanity of the characters and brought them even more to life in a modern fashion! 

I hope you will enjoy one of the many of her biblical anecdotes. 

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Genesis 32-33, Jacob Faced Esau

Jacob gathered up his big family and all the livestock he had earned working for his father-in-law (Uncle) Laban. He headed back home to Hebron to see his father, Isaac, who was still alive. 

He didn’t know what his brother Esau was going to do when he got there. Remember, Jacob had tricked Esau into giving away his inheritance and, with Rebekah’s help, Jacob had tricked old Isaac into laying his hands and blessings on him instead of Esau. 

When Jacob took off, Esau had sworn he was going to kill his younger brother!

So, when the caravan got closer to Isaac’s land, Jacob sent a couple of guys on ahead to see how it was with Esau. 

When they came back, they told Jacob, “We told your brother that you had done real well while you were gone and you wanted to apologize for what you did and ask him to forgive you.”  

Jacob asked, “What did he say?”  

The guys said, “He didn’t say anything. He just called together 400 of his men to ride with him to meet you on the trail!”

Four hundred men! Esau was coming with an army! What should Jacob do?

He hurried up and separated his stock into two herds, one for him to keep and one to try to make Esau happy. Two hundred of his nanny goats and sheep, 30 camels, 40 cattle, and 20 little donkeys, all with babies, he got together for Esau. 

Then Jacob prayed, “Lord, you told me to go back home, and You promised me that everything would be alright. Now, PLEASE save me from Esau’s hot temper and hate!”

He sent the livestock on ahead in separate herds with drovers. He told the men that, when each group met up with Esau and his men, tell him that the animals were a present from his brother, Jacob. He said that if Esau killed the first drovers, the next group could run off and save their lives. But he hoped that it would soften up his big brother.

Finally, the 400 appeared riding over the hill ahead. Jacob was scared to death! He told each of his wives to take and keep their children close. Then Jacob bowed to the ground and waited.

What happened?  Esau jumped off his horse and ran to meet his brother! The big red-haired, hairy guy grabbed Jacob and gave him a big bear hug! He even kissed the little man! And both brothers broke down in tears! It was great!

Then Esau looked up and asked, “Who are all these little kids?”  

Jacob said, “These are my children that God has given me,” and he called his wives to bring their kids up to meet Uncle Esau. 

After good-natured fussing over the children, Esau asked, “Why did you send all that livestock ahead?”  

“Those are my gifts to you.”  

Esau said, “Keep them yourself, Little Brother. God has blessed me, and I’ve got plenty of my own. Now I will escort you home.”

Jacob was so relieved, however, he insisted his brother keep the gifts.

He said, “These kids and the babies in the herds can’t move very fast. You go on ahead, Brother, and I will take my time, and we will get there pretty soon.”

So, Esau took his 400 men, the gifts, and headed back home, happy that he had forgiven his brother after all. And Jacob was utterly relieved that the horrible fate he expected for himself and his family didn’t happen. He was grateful to the Lord Almighty!

Remember, God answers our prayers, and God keeps His promises.