Each JWL lesson has a collectable card alongside high-quality character images and a colouring page that links to each lesson. Click on the images below to see a larger version. Save the images by right click + ‘save image as’ (computers) OR long press + ‘save image’ (mobile).
These images are NOT copyright free.
These resources are provided for personal/classroom use only. Use can use them for teaching, games, publicity, decor, big screen presentations, flannelgraphs, stickers, or any other non-commercial activity in your church, school, home, or organised group. You may not use them in products you are going to sell – both printed and digital, or to upload the original images online, on websites, social media or in YouTube videos. Any questions, please reach out to me using the contact page link at the end of the page.
Jacob and Esau may not be the best picture of brotherly love but rash decisions, silly tricks and family promises make this story utterly believable. These games will work for one child or many. Use the key to identify the best game for your group.
Under the stew – stick some pictures to the inside base of some bowls. Using dry goods like beans, corn, or flour cover the picture. Have the child move the ‘stew’ around to guess what picture it hides.
This story of Jacob and Esau, of the developing family of God, show that God’s plan already being shaped by more than just offspring and inheritance. The plan is being molded by the characters and traits of those who make up the successive generations. This stark encounter shows how seemingly insignificant moments can rewrite entire histories.
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
Isaac had Rebekah, and they built their lives together, but no children came. So Isaac prayed that God would keep the promise he had made to his father about Isaac becoming a great nation. God heard Isaac, and soon Rebekah’s tummy grew so huge, far too big for just one baby.
There must be two babies, Rebekah told Isaac, I can feel them fighting with each other. Rebekah was right, two baby boys were born. The first red and hairy, the second smaller and holding his brother’s heel. They named them Esau and Jacob.
Time passed, and the brothers grew so very differently. Jacob was like his mother, he liked to stay by the tents, he was patient and calm. His big brother, Esau, was much more like his father, his long hair always full of dirt and leaves, his time spent with the animals, he was impatient.
Isaac grew ever older and Jacob came to realise that one day Esau would own everything his father had because Esau was the oldest son. It was his birthright, by being born just a few seconds before his brother Esau got everything and Jacob would have nothing. It made Jacob mad, and he started to look for an opportunity to change it.
One day his brother left early and forgot to take his food bag. All-day, Jacob waited for his brother to return, but he didn’t come. As the sun started to go down, Jacob was sitting by the fire eating a huge bowl of red lentil stew when he spotted his brother slowly walking towards home. He looked exhausted.
“Give me some of that stew.” Esau said, as he got near.
“No” replied Jacob. “I’ve spent a long time on this food and this is the last bowl.”
“I’ve not eaten all day, please, I’m starving, I’ll die if I don’t eat soon.”
“What will you give me for it?” replied Jacob
“What do you want?” said Esau, getting annoyed
“Your birthright, sell it to me”
“What good is my birthright if I die from hunger right now? Take it”
“Promise me I can have it and the stew is yours”
“Fine, I promise, now give me that stew”
And so Jacob handed Esau the stew.
It wasn’t until Esau ate, that he realised what a huge mistake he’d made.
The star in this story is no so much either brother and their dim-wittedness or cruel bargain, but a lumpy bowl of red lentil stew. Make your won bowl of stew in this 3 dimensional papercraft. You could make it extra authentic by sticking some lentils inside.
Jacob and Esau have this strange little passage in Genesis where the birth-right is sold for something as insignificant as a bowl of stew. It’s got all the hallmarks of a family ‘in-joke’ and yet this odd little conversation of two young men handing over birth-rights like a candy bar will echo down thought Jacob and Esau’s story. This very simple papercraft captures the moment it happens.
