Despite her advanced age, Sarah was able to breast-feed him, and when he was weaned a great party was held. During it, something happened that brought the simmering quarrel between Sarah and Hagar to a head.

As a result, Isaac's older half-brother Ishmael was ejected into the desert to die (though he did not) and Isaac became the undisputed heir to his father Abraham.

Some years later, Abraham received a message from God instructing him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. Isaac knew nothing of this until the moment approached for his death - but when he did know, he seems to have accepted the idea with fortitude, not quarreling with his father's intention to kill him. Abraham tied his son him with a rope, placed him on the altar they had built together, and raised the knife to cut Isaac's throat.  Fortunately the boy was saved from death by an angel, who instructed Abraham to sacrifice a ram instead - one being conveniently caught in a thicket nearby. Writers seem to gloss over the horror of this incident and the permanent psychological damage it must have done to Isaac.

When it came time for Isaac to marry, his father Abraham decided (as was the custom) that Isaac should marry a cousin. This practice kept power and wealth in the hands of the tribe's ruling family. Abraham sent to his brother Laban in Mesopotamia, who had a grand-daughter called Rebecca. A trusted  messenger was sent, offering marriage to Isaac. When Rebecca met the messenger she offered water not only to the man but to his thirsty animals, showing a gracious hospitality that impressed him. The go-between introduced himself and told her of his mission, Rebecca agreed to the match, and she and Isaac were duly married.

They were happy, but for quite awhile there were no children. Rebecca seemed to be barren. But then she became pregnant, and after a difficult nine months she bore twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Isaac preferred the older twin, Esau, a real man's man and an excellent hunter. Rebecca begged to differ. She loved Jacob, the quiet one, the one who thought before he acted.

Esau, being the elder of the two, would inherit more of his father's goods than Jacob - that was his birthright. One day he came in hungry and tired from a day in the fields. Jacob was cooking a stew, and Esau demanded some of it. He was famished. But Jacob withheld the food. He asked Esau for something in exchange - his birthright as older brother. Did he say it jokingly? There is no way of telling. Esau certainly took it as a joke. 'Just give me the food' he said. 'What use is a birthright to me if I die of hunger?' Jacob still withheld the food. 'Swear to me' said Jacob, and Esau swore the oath giving his birthright to his younger brother. Jacob handed over the food, Esau ate, and the birthright was Jacob's.

The Christian Counter