Genesis 27

Rebekah Schemes with Jacob to Steal Isaac’s Blessing

As Isaac grew older, he grew blind and couldn’t see. He called in his older son, Esau, and said,

“Look, I’m an old man now and could die any day. Please bring your bow out to the field, hunt some game, and cook me my favorite dish. Then bring it here for me to eat so I can bless you before I die.”

Rebekah overheard their conversation, so when Esau went out into the field, she told Jacob, 

“Guess what! I just heard your dad tell Esau to make him his favorite meal so he can bless him before he dies. So here’s what you need to do—listen closely: go to the livestock and bring me two of our best young goats so I can prepare your dad’s favorite dish. Then bring it to him so that he eats it and blesses you before he dies.”

Jacob said,

“But Esau is really hairy and I’m not. If we even touch each other then he’ll realize it’s me being deceptive. That would bring a curse on me instead of a blessing.”

His mother said,

“Your curse will fall on me, my son. Just listen to me and go get those animals for me.”

So he fetched the goats, and his mom made Isaac’s favorite dish. Then Rebekah found Esau’s best outfit in the house and had Jacob put them on. She put the goat skins on Jacob’s hands and neck and then handed him the meal. 

Isaac Blesses Jacob

Jacob went to his dad and said,

“Hey Dad.”

Isaac replied,

“Yes? Who are you, my son?”

Jacob said,

“I’m Esau, your oldest son. I finished doing everything you requested. Please sit up and eat so you can bless me.”

Isaac said,

“How did you do that so quickly, my son?”

Jacob said,

“Because the Existing One your God brought it about.”

Isaac said,

“Please, come closer so I can touch you and know whether or not you really are Esau.”

So Jacob got closer to his dad. Isaac felt him and said,

“Your voice sounds like Jacob’s, but you hands feel like Esau’s.”

He didn’t realize it was Jacob because his hands felt hairy like Esau’s, so he blessed him. Then he asked,

“Are you really my son, Esau?”

Jacob said,

“I am.”

Isaac said,

“Bring me the dish so I can eat your food and bless you.”

So he gave him the food with some wine, and Isaac ate and drank. Then Isaac said,

“Please come here and kiss me, my son.”

When he went kiss him, Isaac could smell Esau’s clothes, so he blessed him, saying,

“My son, you smell like that field which the Existing One blessed.

“Now… may God give you dew from heaven and the best part of the earth. May he give you an abundance of grain and new wine. May other people groups work under you, and may entire countries bow down to you. May you lead your brothers, and may they bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.”

Esau Infuriated

As soon as Isaac finished blessing Jacob, Jacob had barely walked out of the room when Esau got back from hunting. Esau prepared the dish, brought it to his dad and said,

“Sit up, Dad, so you can eat this game and bless me.”

Isaac asked,

“Who are you?”

He said,

“It’s me! Your oldest son, Esau!”

Then Isaac trembled forcefully and said, 

“Then who just served me game just a moment ago? I blessed him, and now he’s the one who will receive the blessing.” 

When Esau heard that, he yelled out a bitter cry at the top of his lungs and said,

“PLEASE, bless me too, dad!”

But Isaac said,

“Your brother tricked me and stole your blessing.”

Esau said,

“Well isn’t Jacob just the PERFECT name for him then? [Jacob means “heel holder” or “usurper.”] He’s undermined me TWICE now! First, he took away my rights as your firstborn, and now he’s stolen my blessing!

“You didn’t save any blessings for me??”

Isaac answered,

“I designated him to be your ruler. And I ascribed that all his relatives would work under him. I laid grain and new wine over him. What else is left for me to establish for you?”

Sobbing loudly, Esau said,

“Can you only give one blessing, Dad?? Even though you already gave it, bless me with something too! PLEASE, Dad!”

Isaac Blesses Esau

So Isaac responded and said, 

“You will live somewhere other than the best part of the earth, and you won’t receive heaven’s dew… but you’ll live your life using your sword. You’ll work for your brother, but you’ll eventually grow restless and break free from the yoke he’ll have around your neck.”

Jacob Flees Esau’s Rage

So Esau kept a grudge against Jacob for stealing his blessing and said to himself,

“Soon we’ll be mourning the loss of my father, but after that I’m gonna KILL my brother Jacob.” 

When Rebekah heard about Esau’s plans, she called Jacob over and said,

“The way Esau is comforting himself is by planning to kill you! So listen to me, my son: run away to Haran where my brother Laban lives. Stay with him there for a few days until your brother calms down and forgets about what you did to him. When it’s safe, I’ll send someone to come get you. I can’t lose both of my boys in the same day!”

Rebekah Doesn’t Want Jacob to Marry a Local Girl

Rebekah told her husband Isaac,

“The local Hittite women make my life so difficult! If Jacob were to marry one of them, what would even be the point of living?”