Genesis 27

1 Now Isaac was old, and his eyes were cloudy, and so he was not able to see. And he called his elder son Esau, and he said to him, "My son?" And he responded, "Here I am."

2 His father said to him: "You see that I am old, and I do not know the day of my death.

3 Take your weapons, the quiver and the bow, and go out. And when you have taken something by hunting,

4 make from it a small meal for me, just as you know I like, and bring it, so that I may eat and my soul may bless you before I die."

5 And when Rebekah had heard this, and he had gone out into the field to fulfill his father's order,

6 she said to her son Jacob: "I heard your father speaking with your brother Esau, and saying to him,

7 'Bring to me from your hunting, and make me foods, so that I may eat and bless you in the sight of the Lord before I die.'

8 Therefore, now my son, agree to my counsel,

9 and go straight to the flock, and bring me two of the best young goats, so that from them I may make meat for your father, such as he willingly eats.

10 Then, when you have brought these in and he has eaten, he may bless you before he dies."

11 He answered her: "You know that my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am smooth.

12 If my father should lay hands on me and perceive it, I am afraid lest he think me willing to mock him, and I will bring a curse upon myself, instead of a blessing."

13 And his mother said to him: "Let this curse be upon me, my son. Yet listen to my voice, and go directly to bring what I said."

14 He went out, and he brought, and he gave to his mother. She prepared the meats, just as she knew his father liked.

15 And she clothed him with the very fine garments of Esau, which she had at home with her.

16 And she encircled his hands with little pelts from the young goats, and she covered his bare neck.

17 And she gave him the small meal, and she handed him the bread that she had baked.

18 When he had carried these in, he said, "My father?" And he answered, "I'm listening. Who are you, my son?"

19 And Jacob said: "I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you instructed me. Arise; sit and eat from my hunting, so that your soul may bless me."

20 And again Isaac said to his son, "How were you able to find it so quickly, my son?" He answered, "It was the will of God, so that what I sought met with me quickly."

21 And Isaac said, "Come here, so that I may touch you, my son, and may prove whether you are my son Esau, or not."

22 He approached his father, and when he had felt him, Isaac said: "The voice indeed is the voice of Jacob. But the hands are the hands of Esau."

23 And he did not recognize him, because his hairy hands made him seem similar to the elder one. Therefore, blessing him,

24 he said, "Are you my son Esau?" He answered, "I am."

25 Then he said, "Bring me the foods from your hunting, my son, so that my soul may bless you." And when he had eaten what was offered, he also brought forth wine for him. And after he finished it,

26 he said to him, "Come to me and give me a kiss, my son."

27 He approached and kissed him. And immediately he perceived the fragrance of his garments. And so, blessing him, he said: "Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord has blessed.

28 May God give to you, from the dew of heaven and from the fatness of the earth, an abundance of grain and wine.

29 And may the peoples serve you, and may the tribes reverence you. May you be the lord of your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down before you. Whoever curses you, may he be cursed, and whoever blesses you, may he be filled with blessings."

30 Scarcely had Isaac completed his words, and Jacob departed, when Esau arrived.

31 And he brought his father foods cooked from his hunting, saying, "Arise, my father, and eat from your son's hunting, so that your soul may bless me."

32 And Isaac said to him, "But who are you?" And he answered, "I am your firstborn son, Esau."

33 Isaac became frightened and very astonished. And wondering beyond what can be believed, he said: "Then who is he that a while ago brought me the prey from his hunting, from which I ate, before you arrived? And I blessed him, and he will be blessed."

34 Esau, having heard his father's words, roared out with a great outcry. And, being confounded, he said, "But bless me also, my father."

35 And he said, "Your twin came deceitfully, and he received your blessing."

36 But he responded: "Justly is his name called Jacob. For he has supplanted me yet another time. My birthright he took away before, and now, this second time, he has stolen my blessing." And again, he said to his father, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me also?"

37 Isaac answered: "I have appointed him as your lord, and I have subjugated all his brothers as his servants. I have reinforced him with grain and wine, and after this, my son, what more shall I do for you?"

38 And Esau said to him: "Have you only one blessing, father? I beg you, bless me also." And when he wept with a loud wail,

39 Isaac was moved, and he said to him: "In the fatness of the earth, and in the dew of heaven from above,

40 will your blessing be. You will live by the sword, and you will serve your brother. But the time will arrive when you will shake off and release his yoke from your neck."

41 Therefore, Esau always hated Jacob, for the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And he said in his heart, "The days will arrive for the mourning of my father, and I will kill my brother Jacob."

42 These things were reported to Rebekah. And sending and calling for her son Jacob, she said to him, "Behold, your brother Esau is threatening to kill you.

43 Therefore, now my son, listen to my voice. Rise up and flee to my brother Laban, in Haran.

44 And you will dwell with him for a few days, until the fury of your brother subsides,

45 and his indignation ceases, and he forgets the things that you have done to him. After this, I will send for you and bring you from there to here. Why should I be bereaved of both my sons in one day?"

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob accepts a wife from the stock of this land, I would not be willing to live."

Genesis 27

Isaac Blesses Jacob

1When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2He said, “See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me. 4Then prepare for me savory food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.”

5Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father say to your brother Esau, 7‘Bring me game, and prepare for me savory food to eat, that I may bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. 9Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare from them savory food for your father, such as he likes; 10and you shall take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a man of smooth skin. 12Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.” 13His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my word, and go, get them for me.” 14So he went and got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savory food, such as his father loved. 15Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; 16and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17Then she handed the savory food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob.

18So he went in to his father, and said, “My father”; and he said, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” 19Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me.” 20But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands; so he blessed him. 24He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25Then he said, “Bring it to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said,

“Ah, the smell of my son

is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.

28May God give you of the dew of heaven,

and of the fatness of the earth,

and plenty of grain and wine.

29Let peoples serve you,

and nations bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers,

and may your mother's sons bow down to you.

Cursed be everyone who curses you,

and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

Esau's Lost Blessing

30As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31He also prepared savory food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father sit up and eat of his son's game, so that you may bless me.” 32His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your firstborn son, Esau.” 33Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all#27.33 Cn: Heb of all before you came, and I have blessed him?—yes, and blessed he shall be!” 34When Esau heard his father's words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, me also, father!” 35But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob?#27.36 That is He supplants or He takes by the heel For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37Isaac answered Esau, “I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also, father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39Then his father Isaac answered him:

“See, away from#27.39 Or See, of the fatness of the earth shall your home be,

and away from#27.39 Or and of the dew of heaven on high.

40By your sword you shall live,

and you shall serve your brother;

but when you break loose,#27.40 Meaning of Heb uncertain

you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

Jacob Escapes Esau's Fury

41Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. 43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, 44and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away— 45until your brother's anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

46Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women such as these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

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Genesis 27

Genesis 27