(M53) Abraham married again, and had five sons by Keturah; but, in his
life-time, he gave all he had unto Isaac, except some gifts to his other
children, whom he sent away, that they might not dispute the inheritance
with Isaac. He died at a good old age, 175 years, and was buried by his
sons, Isaac and Ishmael, in the cave of Machpelah, which had been
purchased of the sons of Heth. Isaac thus became the head of the house,
with princely possessions, living near a well.

(M54) But a famine arose, as in the days of his father, and he went to
Gerar, and not to Egypt. He, however, was afraid to call Rebekah his wife,
for the same reason that Abraham called Sarah his sister. But the king
happening from his window to see Isaac "sporting with Rebekah," knew he
had been deceived, yet abstained from taking her, and even loaded Isaac
with new favors, so that he became very great and rich--so much so that the
Philistines envied him, and maliciously filled up the wells which Abraham
had dug. Here again he was befriended by Abimelech, who saw that the Lord
was with him, and a solemn covenant of peace was made between them, and
new wells were dug.

(M55) Isaac, it seems, led a quiet and peaceful life--averse to all strife
with the Canaanites, and gradually grew very rich. He gave no evidence of
remarkable strength of mind, and was easily deceived. His greatest
affliction was the marriage of his eldest and favorite son Esau with a
Hittite woman, and it was probably this mistake and folly which confirmed
the superior fortunes of Jacob.

(M56) Esau was a hunter. On returning one day from hunting he was faint
from hunger, and cast a greedy eye on some pottage that Jacob had
prepared. But Jacob would not give his hungry brother the food until he
had promised, by a solemn oath, to surrender his birthright to him. The
clever man of enterprise, impulsive and passionate, thought more, for the
moment, of the pangs of hunger than of his future prospects, and the
quiet, plain, and cunning man of tents availed himself of his brother's
rashness.

(M57) But the birthright was not secure to Jacob without his father's
blessing. So he, with his mother's contrivance, for he was _her_ favorite,
deceived his father, and appeared to be Esau. Isaac, old and dim and
credulous, supposing that Jacob, clothed in Esau's vestments as a hunter,
and his hands covered with skins, was his eldest son, blessed him. The old
man still had doubts, but Jacob falsely d