Esau had despised the blessings of the covenant. He had valued temporal above spiritual good, and he had received that which he desired. It was by his own deliberate choice that he was separated from the people of God. Jacob had chosen the inheritance of faith. He had endeavored to obtain it by craft, treachery, and falsehood; but God had permitted his sin to work out its correction. Yet through all the bitter experience of his later years, Jacob had never swerved from his purpose or renounced his choice. He had learned that in resorting to human skill and craft to secure the blessing, he had been warring against God. From that night of wrestling beside the Jabbok, Jacob had come forth a different man. Self-confidence had been uprooted. Henceforth the early cunning was no longer seen. In place of craft and deception, his life was marked by simplicity and truth. He had learned the lesson of simple reliance upon the Almighty Arm, and amid trial and affliction he bowed in humble submission to the will of God. The baser elements of character were consumed in the furnace fire, the true gold was refined, until the faith of Abraham and Isaac appeared undimmed in Jacob.

Esau havde foragtet pagtens velsignelser. Han havde sat timelige over åndelige goder, og han fik det, han ønskede. Det var ved sit eget frivillige valg, at han blev skilt fra Guds folk. Jakob havde valgt troens arv. Han havde søgt at opnå den ved list, bedrag og falskhed; men Gud sørgede for, at Jakobs synd blev straffet, og rettet, og gennem alle Jakobs bitre erfaringer senere hen i livet var han aldrig afveget fra sit mål og havde ikke fortrudt sit valg. Han havde gjort den erfaring, at han havde kæmpet mod Gud ved at tage sin tilflugt til menneskelig forstand og list. Jakob var et nyt menneske efter den natlige kamp ved Jabbok. Selvtilliden var fuldstændig fjernet. Fra nu af så man ikke noget til listigheden fra hans yngre år. I stedet for list og bedrag udmærkede hans liv sig nu ved ligefremhed og sandhed. Han havde lært at støtte sig til den Almægtiges arm i enfoldig tillid, og midt i prøvelser og modgang underkastede han sig ydmygt Guds vilje. Karakterens slagger blev fortæret i ildovnen, og det ægte guld blev renset, indtil Abrahams og Isaks tro skinnede med ufordunklet glans hos Jakob.