Genesis Chapter 27
Isaac Blesses Jacob
1 When Isaac grew old, his eyesight was bad. He called for his older son Esau.
“Yes?”
2 “I’m getting old, and I don’t know how long I’ll live. 3 Take your bow and quiver, and hunt game for me. 4 Make the kind of dish I like and bring it to me so I can eat it and bless you before I die.”
5 Rebekah overheard it. When Esau went out into the countryside to hunt, 6 she told Jacob,
“I overheard your father tell your brother, 7 ‘Bring me some game and make me a tasty dish. I’ll bless you in Yahveh’s presence before I die.’ 8 Listen, son. 9 Bring me two choice kids from the flock so I can make a dish your father likes. 10 Then take it to him so he can bless you before he dies.”
Gen 27:1-10
11 “I’m not hairy like Esau. 12 My father may feel me. I’ll be a liar in his mind and bring a curse on myself, not a blessing.”
13 “That curse be on me. Just do what I’m telling you. Go get them.”
14 He got them and she made a meal Isaac liked. 15 Then she took Esau’s best clothes, which were in the house, and put them on her younger son. 16 She put the kids’ skins on his hands and neck, 17 and gave Jacob the tasty food and bread she’d made. Gen 27:11-17
18 He went to his father and said, “Father.”
“Yes, who are you, son?”
19 “Esau your firstborn. I’ve done like you said. Sit up and eat my game so you can bless me.”
20 “How did you get it so quick?”
“Yahveh our God helped me.”
21 “Come here so I can feel if you’re really Esau.”
22 Jacob went up to him, and he felt him, “It’s Jacob’s voice but Esau’s hands.” 23 He didn’t recognize him because his hands were hairy like Esau’s; so he blessed him. 24 “Are you really Esau?”
“Yes.”
25 “Bring it to me, and I’ll eat your game so I can bless you.” He took it to him, and he ate it. He took him wine to drink too. 26 Then he said, “Come and kiss me, son.” 27 He went and kissed him. When he smelled his clothes, he blessed him,
“You smell like a field Yahveh has blessed.
28 Now may God give you dew from the sky,
fertility from the ground,
and abundant grain and new wine.
29 May nations serve you;
may they bow to you.
Have authority over your relatives;
may your mother’s sons bow to you.
Cursed be the ones that curse you;
blessed be those who bless you.”
Gen 27:18-29
30 No sooner had Isaac finished blessing him and he’d left than Esau came in from hunting. 31 He made delicious food too and took it to his father, “Sit up, Father, and eat your son’s game so you can bless me.”
32 Isaac said, “Who are you?”
“Esau, your firstborn.”
33 Isaac shook terribly “Then who was it that hunted game and brought it to me to eat and I blessed him? Yes, and he’ll stay blessed.”
34 When Esau heard it, he let out a bitter cry, “Bless me too, father!”
35 “Your brother came and deceived me and took your blessing.”
36 Esau said, “Isn’t ‘Jacob’ a good name for him? He’s ‘usurped’ my position twice. He took my birthright; now he’s taken my blessing. Haven’t you kept a blessing for me?”
37 “I’ve put him over you and given him his relatives as servants. I’ve sustained him with grain and new wine. What’s left that I can do, son?”
38 “Don’t you even have one blessing for me, father?” Esau cried out loud.
39 Isaac said,
“You’ll live away from fertile ground
and dew from the sky.
40 You’ll live by your sword
and serve your brother.
But when you break free,
you’ll break his yoke from off your neck.”
Gen 27:30-40
41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because his father had given Jacob the blessing. He said under his breath, “The days for mourning my father’s death are coming. Then I’ll kill Jacob.”
42 When his threat reached Rebekah, she called Jacob,
“Your brother is consoling himself with the thought of killing you. 43 Run off to my brother in Haran. 44 Stay with him 45 till your brother’s anger wears off. Then I’ll send for you. Why should I mourn for both of you the same day?”
46 Rebekah told Isaac, “I’m as grieved as I can be over these Hittite women. If Jacob marries a woman like them, what good will my life be to me?”
Gen 27:41-46