Esau was a skilled hunter, known for his brute strength as well as for being particularly hairy. Jacob, on the other hand, was cunning. He snagged his brother's birthright by being crafty and deceitful, rather than demanding it at the point of a sword. And it was Jacob, not Esau, who changed his name to Israel and became the first official Jew.
What does it mean to get 'jewed'? Which of Isaac's sons reminds you more of a 'Shylock'? If Esau had become Israel instead, would Jews be sterotyped as athletes, rather than money lenders?
Obviously this is just a stereotype, and no more accurate than the one about Africans being good at sports, or Asians being good at math. Anyone who actually thinks these are valid seriously needs to get out more.
Never the less, the stereotype does exist. Which do you suppose came first, the stereotype or God's preference for Jacob?
2006-06-05
11:53:38
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9 answers
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asked by
abram.kelly
4