Last night I listened to the entire KJV of Genesis. It is just as confusing as I remember it always being whenever I try to read it. Is it me or is it the case that there is always a choice between two boys, an older and a younger, whereby God always seems to favor the second born male. What's the meaning of that. And of those boys that are rejected, I feel so badly for them. They want love and approval and they get denied that. I understand why they might react with anger and jealously. So, what am I missing?
Welcome to CC, MMarie...
I suspect that part of the confusion you feel stems from an unfamiliarity with the culture of that day. The oldest son was typically given the bulk of the family assets; he was the "strength" of the family; their future. The second and other sons were naturally given something, perhaps just "gifts", depending on the number of sons. The sons would have expected this, having grown up in the culture.
When we inadvertently try to apply 21st-century values to stories that took place in a vastly different culture, we are likely to view those events with confusion, suspicion, or even derision. Remember also that God's purposes in those early years were different than His purposes for His church today.
If you haven't read the entire Bible, don't try to understand Genesis by itself. If you have, also look for materials that give you a better sense of the cultural context. Your statement that God "doesn't show favouritism" might need some reconsideration as well. Allow the Bible to inform your understanding of its culture, rather than imposing your cultural values on it.
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