Genesis 27
27
Jacob’s Deception.#The chapter, a literary masterpiece, is the third and climactic wresting away of the blessing of Esau. Rebekah manages the entire affair, using perhaps her privileged information about Jacob’s status (25:23); Jacob’s only qualm is that if his father discovers the ruse, he will receive a curse instead of a blessing (vv. 11–12). Isaac is passive as he was in chaps. 22 and 24. The deception is effected through clothing (Jacob wears Esau’s clothing), which points ahead to a similar deception of a patriarch by means of clothing in the Joseph story (37:21–33). Such recurrent acts and scenes let the reader know a divine purpose is moving the story forward even though the human characters are unaware of it. 1When Isaac was so old that his eyesight had failed him, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” he replied. 2Isaac then said, “Now I have grown old. I do not know when I might die. 3So now take your hunting gear—your quiver and bow—and go out into the open country to hunt some game for me. 4Then prepare for me a dish in the way I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you#I may bless you: Isaac’s blessing confers fertility (vv. 27–28) and dominion (v. 29). The “dew of heaven” is rain that produces grain and wine, two of the principal foodstuffs of the ancient Near East. The “fertility of the earth” may allude to oil, the third basic foodstuff. The full agricultural year may be implied here: the fall rains are followed by the grain harvests of the spring and the grape harvest of late summer, and then the olive harvest of the fall (cf. Dt 11:14; Ps 104:13–15). before I die.”
5Rebekah had been listening while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. So when Esau went out into the open country to hunt some game for his father,#Gn 25:28. 6Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Listen! I heard your father tell your brother Esau, 7‘Bring me some game and prepare a dish for me to eat, that I may bless you with the Lord’s approval before I die.’ 8Now, my son, obey me in what I am about to order you. 9Go to the flock and get me two choice young goats so that with these I might prepare a dish for your father in the way he likes. 10Then bring it to your father to eat, that he may bless you before he dies.” 11But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “But my brother Esau is a hairy man and I am smooth-skinned!#Gn 25:25. 12Suppose my father feels me? He will think I am making fun of him, and I will bring on myself a curse instead of a blessing.” 13His mother, however, replied: “Let any curse against you, my son, fall on me! Just obey me. Go and get me the young goats.”
14So Jacob went and got them and brought them to his mother, and she prepared a dish in the way his father liked. 15Rebekah then took the best clothes of her older son Esau that she had in the house, and gave them to her younger son Jacob to wear; 16and with the goatskins she covered up his hands and the hairless part of his neck. 17Then she gave her son Jacob the dish and the bread she had prepared.
18Going to his father, Jacob said, “Father!” “Yes?” replied Isaac. “Which of my sons are you?” 19Jacob answered his father: “I am Esau, your firstborn. I did as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may bless me.” 20But Isaac said to his son, “How did you get it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “The Lord, your God, directed me.” 21Isaac then said to Jacob, “Come closer, my son, that I may feel you, to learn whether you really are my son Esau or not.” 22So Jacob moved up closer to his father. When Isaac felt him, he said, “Although the voice is Jacob’s, the hands are Esau’s.” 23(He failed to identify him because his hands were hairy, like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.) 24Again Isaac said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And Jacob said, “I am.” 25Then Isaac said, “Serve me, my son, and let me eat of the game so that I may bless you.” Jacob served it to him, and Isaac ate; he brought him wine, and he drank. 26Finally his father Isaac said to him, “Come closer, my son, and kiss me.” 27As Jacob went up to kiss him, Isaac smelled the fragrance of his clothes. With that, he blessed him, saying,
“Ah, the fragrance of my son
is like the fragrance of a field
that the Lord has blessed!#Gn 22:17–18; Heb 11:20.
28May God give to you
of the dew of the heavens
And of the fertility of the earth
abundance of grain and wine.
29#Gn 25:23; 49:8; Nm 24:9. May peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you;
Be master of your brothers,
and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be those who curse you,
and blessed be those who bless you.”
30Jacob had scarcely left his father after Isaac had finished blessing him, when his brother Esau came back from his hunt. 31Then he too prepared a dish, and bringing it to his father, he said, “Let my father sit up and eat some of his son’s game, that you may then give me your blessing.” 32His father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?” He said, “I am your son, your firstborn son, Esau.” 33Isaac trembled greatly. “Who was it, then,” he asked, “that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it all just before you came, and I blessed him. Now he is blessed!” 34As he heard his father’s words, Esau burst into loud, bitter sobbing and said, “Father, bless me too!” 35When Isaac said, “Your brother came here by a ruse and carried off your blessing,” 36Esau exclaimed, “He is well named Jacob, is he not! He has supplanted me#He has supplanted me: in Hebrew, wayyaqebeni, a wordplay on the name Jacob, ya‘aqob; see Jer 9:3 and Gn 25:26. There is also a play between the Hebrew words bekorah (“right of the firstborn”) and berakah (“blessing”). twice! First he took away my right as firstborn, and now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not saved a blessing for me?”#Gn 25:26, 29–34; Hos 12:4. 37Isaac replied to Esau: “I have already appointed him your master, and I have assigned to him all his kindred as his servants; besides, I have sustained him with grain and wine. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38But Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me too, father!” and Esau wept aloud.#Heb 12:17. 39His father Isaac said in response:
“See, far from the fertile earth
will be your dwelling;
far from the dew of the heavens above!#Heb 11:20.
40By your sword you will live,
and your brother you will serve;
But when you become restless,
you will throw off his yoke from your neck.”#2 Kgs 8:20, 22; 2 Chr 21:8.
41Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. Esau said to himself, “Let the time of mourning for my father come, so that I may kill my brother Jacob.”#Wis 10:10; Ob 10. 42When Rebekah got news of what her older son Esau had in mind, she summoned her younger son Jacob and said to him: “Listen! Your brother Esau intends to get his revenge by killing you. 43So now, my son, obey me: flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, 44and stay with him a while until your brother’s fury subsides— 45until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back. Why should I lose both of you in a single day?”
Jacob Sent to Laban. 46Rebekah said to Isaac: “I am disgusted with life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob also should marry a Hittite woman, a native of the land, like these women, why should I live?”#Gn 26:34–35.
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Genesis 27: NABRE
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Genesis 27
27
1And it came to pass, that when Yitz’chak [Laughter] was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called ‘Esav (hairy) his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, [here am] I.
2And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
3Now therefore take, I pray youi, youri weapons, youri quiver and youri bow, and go out to the field, and take me [some] venison;
4And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring [it] to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless youi before I die.
5And Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) heard when Yitz’chak [Laughter] spoke to ‘Esav (hairy) his son. And ‘Esav (hairy) went to the field to hunt [for] venison, [and] to bring [it].
6And Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) spoke unto Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) her son, saying, Behold, I heard youri father speak unto ‘Esav (hairy) youri brother, saying,
7Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless youi before the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) before my death.
8Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command youi.
9Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for youri father, such as he loves:
10And youi shall bring [it] to youri father, that he may eat, and that he may bless youi before his death.
11And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) said to Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) his mother, Behold, ‘Esav (hairy) my brother [is] a hairy man, and I [am] a smooth man:
12My father perhaps will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
13And his mother said unto him, Upon me [be] youri curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me [them].
14And he went, and fetched, and brought [them] to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
15And Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) took goodly clothing of her eldest son ‘Esav, which [were] with her in the house, and put them upon Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) her younger son:
16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:
17And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of).
18And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here [am] I; who [are] youi, my son?
19And Ya’akov said unto his father, I [am] ‘Esav (hairy) youri firstborn; I have done according as youi bade me: arise, I pray youi, sit and eat of my venison, that youri soul may bless me.
20And Yitz’chak [Laughter] said unto his son, How [is it] that youi hast found [it] so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) youri God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] brought [it] to me.
21And Yitz’chak [Laughter] said unto Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), Come near, I pray youi, that I may feel youi, my son, whether youi [be] my very son ‘Esav or not.
22And Ya’akov went near unto Yitz’chak [Laughter] his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice [is] Ya’akov’s voice, but the hands [are] the hands of ‘Esav (hairy).
23And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother ‘Esav’s hands: so he Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) him.
24And he said, [Are] youi my very son ‘Esav? And he said, I [am].
25And he said, Bring [it] near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless youi. And he brought [it] near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
26And his father Yitz’chak [Laughter] said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) him, and said, See, the smell of my son [is] as the smell of a field which the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous):
28Therefore God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] give youi of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:
29Let people serve youi, and nations bow down to youi: be lord over youri brethren, and let youri mother’s sons bow down to youi: cursed [be] every one that curses youi, and Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) [be] he that blesses youi.
30And it came to pass, as soon as Yitz’chak [Laughter] had made an end of blessing Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of), and Ya’akov was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Yitz’chak [Laughter] his father, that ‘Esav (hairy) his brother came in from his hunting.
31And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that youri soul may bless me.
32And Yitz’chak [Laughter] his father said unto him, Who [are] youi? And he said, I [am] your(i) son, your(i) firstborn ‘Esav (hairy).
33And Yitz’chak [Laughter] trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where [is] he that has taken venison, and brought [it] me, and I have eaten of all before youi came, and have Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) him? yes, [and] he shall be Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous).
34And when ‘Esav heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, [even] me also, O my father.
35And he said, youri brother came with subtlety, and has taken away youri blessing.
36And he said, Is not he rightly named Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of)?!? for he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he has taken away my blessing. And he said, Have youi not reserved a blessing for me?
37And Yitz’chak [Laughter] answered and said unto ‘Esav (hairy), Behold, I have made him youri lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto youi, my son?
38And ‘Esav said unto his father, Have youi but one blessing, my father? bless me, [even] me also, O my father. And ‘Esav lifted up his voice, and wept.
39And Yitz’chak [Laughter] his father answered and said unto him, Behold, youri dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40And by youri sword shall youi live, and shall serve youri brother; and it shall come to pass when youi shall have the dominion, that youi shall break his yoke from off youri neck.
41And ‘Esav hated Ya’akov because of the blessing which his father Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) him: and ‘Esav said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Ya’akov.
42And these words of ‘Esav her elder son were told to Rivkah: and she sent and called Ya’akov her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, youri brother ‘Esav, as touching youi, does comfort himself, [purposing] to kill youi.
43Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee youi to Lavan (to be white; white guy) my brother to Haran [mountaineer] (Mountaineer or Mountainous);
44And wait with him a few days, until youri brother’s fury turn away;
45Until youri brother’s anger turn away from youi, and he forget [that] which youi hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch youi from there: why should I be deprived also of youi both in one day?
46And Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) said to Yitz’chak [Laughter] (laughter), I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Het (terror): if Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) take a wife of the daughters of Het (terror), such as these [which are] of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
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