Genesis 27

1And it cometh to pass that Isaac [is] aged, and his eyes are too dim for seeing, and he calleth Esau his elder son, and saith unto him, ‘My son;’ and he saith unto him, ‘Here [am] I.’

2And he saith, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have become aged, I have not known the day of my death;

3and now, take up, I pray thee, thy instruments, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and hunt for me provision,

4and make for me tasteful things, [such] as I have loved, and bring in to me, and I do eat, so that my soul doth bless thee before I die.’

5And Rebekah is hearkening while Isaac is speaking unto Esau his son; and Esau goeth to the field to hunt provision — to bring in;

6and Rebekah hath spoken unto Jacob her son, saying, ‘Lo, I have heard thy father speaking unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7Bring for me provision, and make for me tasteful things, and I do eat, and bless thee before Jehovah before my death.

8‘And now, my son, hearken to my voice, to that which I am commanding thee:

9Go, I pray thee, unto the flock, and take for me from thence two good kids of the goats, and I make them tasteful things for thy father, [such] as he hath loved;

10and thou hast taken in to thy father, and he hath eaten, so that his soul doth bless thee before his death.

11And Jacob saith unto Rebekah his mother, ‘Lo, Esau my brother [is] a hairy man, and I a smooth man,

12it may be my father doth feel me, and I have been in his eyes as a deceiver, and have brought upon me disesteem, and not a blessing;’

13and his mother saith to him, ‘On me thy disesteem, my son; only hearken to my voice, and go, take for me.’

14And he goeth, and taketh, and bringeth to his mother, and his mother maketh tasteful things, [such] as his father hath loved;

15and Rebekah taketh the desirable garments of Esau her elder son, which [are] with her in the house, and doth put on Jacob her younger son;

16and the skins of the kids of the goats she hath put on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck,

17and she giveth the tasteful things, and the bread which she hath made, into the hand of Jacob her son.

18And he cometh in unto his father, and saith, ‘My father;’ and he saith, ‘Here [am] I; who [art] thou, my son?’

19And Jacob saith unto his father, ‘I [am] Esau thy first-born; I have done as thou hast spoken unto me; rise, I pray thee, sit, and eat of my provision, so that thy soul doth bless me.’

20And Isaac saith unto his son, ‘What [is] this thou hast hasted to find, my son?’ and he saith, ‘That which Jehovah thy God hath caused to come before me.’

21And Isaac saith unto Jacob, ‘Come nigh, I pray thee, and I feel thee, my son, whether thou [art] he, my son Esau, or not.’

22And Jacob cometh nigh unto Isaac his father, and he feeleth him, and saith, ‘The voice [is] the voice of Jacob, and the hands hands of Esau.’

23And he hath not discerned him, for his hands have been hairy, as the hands of Esau his brother, and he blesseth him,

24and saith, ‘Thou art he — my son Esau?’ and he saith, ‘I [am].’

25And he saith, ‘Bring nigh to me, and I do eat of my son's provision, so that my soul doth bless thee;’ and he bringeth nigh to him, and he eateth; and he bringeth to him wine, and he drinketh.

26And Isaac his father saith to him, ‘Come nigh, I pray thee, and kiss me, my son;’

27and he cometh nigh, and kisseth him, and he smelleth the fragrance of his garments, and blesseth him, and saith, ‘See, the fragrance of my son [is] as the fragrance of a field which Jehovah hath blessed;

28and God doth give to thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and abundance of corn and wine;

29peoples serve thee, and nations bow themselves to thee, be thou mighty over thy brethren, and the sons of thy mother bow themselves to thee; those who curse thee [are] cursed, and those who bless thee [are] blessed.’

30And it cometh to pass, as Isaac hath finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob is only just going out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother hath come in from his hunting;

31and he also maketh tasteful things, and bringeth to his father, and saith to his father, ‘Let my father arise, and eat of his son's provision, so that thy soul doth bless me.’

32And Isaac his father saith to him, ‘Who [art] thou?’ and he saith, ‘I [am] thy son, thy first-born, Esau;’

33and Isaac trembleth a very great trembling, and saith, ‘Who, now, [is] he who hath provided provision, and bringeth in to me, and I eat of all before thou comest in, and I bless him? — yea, blessed is he.’

34When Esau heareth the words of his father, then he crieth a very great and bitter cry, and saith to his father, ‘Bless me, me also, O my father;’

35and he saith, ‘Thy brother hath come with subtilty, and taketh thy blessing.’

36And he saith, ‘Is it because [one] called his name Jacob that he doth take me by the heel these two times? my birthright he hath taken; and lo, now, he hath taken my blessing;’ he saith also, ‘Hast thou not kept back a blessing for me?’

37And Isaac answereth and saith to Esau, ‘Lo, a mighty one have I set him over thee, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants, and [with] corn and wine have I sustained him; and for thee now, what shall I do, my son?’

38And Esau saith unto his father, ‘One blessing hast thou my father? bless me, me also, O my father;’ and Esau lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.

39And Isaac his father answereth and saith unto him, ‘Lo, of the fatness of the earth is thy dwelling, and of the dew of the heavens from above;

40and by thy sword dost thou live, and thy brother dost thou serve; and it hath come to pass when thou rulest, that thou hast broken his yoke from off thy neck.’

41And Esau hateth Jacob, because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau saith in his heart, ‘The days of mourning [for] my father draw near, and I slay Jacob my brother.’

42And the words of Esau her elder son are declared to Rebekah, and she sendeth and calleth for Jacob her younger son, and saith unto him, ‘Lo, Esau thy brother is comforting himself in regard to thee — to slay thee;

43and now, my son, hearken to my voice, and rise, flee for thyself unto Laban my brother, to Haran,

44and thou hast dwelt with him some days, till thy brother's fury turn back,

45till thy brother's anger turn back from thee, and he hath forgotten that which thou hast done to him, and I have sent and taken thee from thence; why am I bereaved even of you both the same day?’

46And Rebekah saith unto Isaac, ‘I have been disgusted with my life because of the presence of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, like these — from the daughters of the land — why do I live?’

B'resheet (Gen) 27

1In the course of time, after Yitz’chak had grown old and his eyes dim, so that he couldn’t see, he called ‘Esav his older son and said to him, “My son?” and he answered, “Here I am.” 2“Look, I’m old now, I don’t know when I will die. 3Therefore, please take your hunting gear — your quiver of arrows and your bow; go out in the country, and get me some game. 4Make it tasty, the way I like it; and bring it to me to eat. Then I will bless you [as firstborn], before I die.”

5Rivkah was listening when Yitz’chak spoke to his son ‘Esav. So when ‘Esav went out to the country to hunt for game and bring it back, 6she said to her son Ya‘akov, “Listen! I heard your father telling ‘Esav your brother, 7‘Bring me game, and make it tasty, so I can eat it. Then I will give you my blessing in the presence of Adonai, before my death.’ 8Now pay attention to me, my son; and do what I tell you. 9Go to the flock, and bring me back two choice kids. I will make it tasty for your father, the way he likes it; 10and you will bring it to your father to eat; so that he will give his blessing to you before his death.” 11Ya‘akov answered Rivkah his mother, “Look, ‘Esav is hairy, but I have smooth skin. 12Suppose my father touches me — he’ll know I’m trying to trick him, and I’ll bring a curse on myself, not a blessing!” 13But his mother said, “Let your curse be on me. Just listen to me, and go get me the kids!” 14So he went, got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared them in the tasty way his father loved. 15Next, Rivkah took ‘Esav her older son’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on Ya‘akov her younger son; 16and she put the skins of the goats on his hands and on the smooth parts of his neck. 17Then she gave the tasty food and the bread she had prepared to her son Ya‘akov.

18He went to his father and said, “My father?” He replied, “Here I am; who are you, my son?” 19Ya‘akov said to his father, “I am ‘Esav your firstborn. I’ve done what you asked me to do. Get up now, sit down, eat the game, and then give me your blessing.” 20Yitz’chak said to his son, “How did you find it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Adonai your God made it happen that way.” 21Yitz’chak said to Ya‘akov, “Come here, close to me, so I can touch you, my son, and know whether you are in fact my son ‘Esav or not.” 22Ya‘akov approached Yitz’chak his father, who touched him and said, “The voice is Ya‘akov’s voice, but the hands are ‘Esav’s hands.” 23However, he didn’t detect him; because his hands were hairy like his brother ‘Esav’s hands; so he gave him his blessing. 24He asked, “Are you really my son ‘Esav?” And he replied, “I am.” 25He said, “Bring it here to me, and I will eat my son’s game, so that I can give you my blessing.” So he brought it up to him, and he ate; he also brought him wine, and he drank. 26Then his father Yitz’chak said to him, “Come close now, and kiss me, my son.” 27He approached and kissed him. Yitz’chak smelled his clothes and blessed Ya‘akov with these words: “See, my son smells like a field which Adonai has blessed. (vi) 28So may God give you dew from heaven, the richness of the earth, and grain and wine in abundance. 29May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be lord over your kinsmen, let your mother’s descendants bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

30But as soon as Yitz’chak had finished giving his blessing to Ya‘akov, when Ya‘akov had barely left his father’s presence, ‘Esav his brother came in from his hunting. 31He too had prepared a tasty meal and brought it to his father, and now he said to his father, “Let my father get up and eat from his son’s game, so that you may give me your blessing.” 32Yitz’chak his father said to him, “Who are you?” and he answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, ‘Esav.” 33Yitz’chak began trembling uncontrollably and said, “Then who was it that took game and brought it to me? I ate it all just before you came, and I gave my blessing to him. That’s the truth, and the blessing must stand.” 34When ‘Esav heard his father’s words he burst into loud, bitter sobbing. “Father, bless me too,” he begged. 35He replied, “Your brother came deceitfully and took away your blessing.” 36‘Esav said, “His name, Ya‘akov [he supplants], really suits him — because he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and here, now he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?” 37Yitz’chak answered ‘Esav, “Look, I have made him your lord, I have given him all his kinsmen as servants, and I have given him grain and wine to sustain him. What else is there that I can do for you, my son?” 38‘Esav said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Father, bless me too!” ‘Esav wept aloud, 39and Yitz’chak his father answered him: “Here! Your home will be of the richness of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above. 40You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you break loose, you will shake his yoke off your neck.”

41‘Esav hated his brother because of the blessing his father had given him. ‘Esav said to himself, “The time for mourning my father will soon come, and then I will kill my brother Ya‘akov.” 42But the words of ‘Esav her older son were told to Rivkah. She sent for Ya‘akov her younger son and said to him, “Here, your brother ‘Esav is comforting himself over you by planning to kill you. 43Therefore, my son, listen to me: get up and escape to Lavan my brother in Haran. 44Stay with him a little while, until your brother’s anger subsides. 45Your brother’s anger will turn away from you, and he will forget what you did to him. Then I’ll send and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you on the same day?”

46Rivkah said to Yitz’chak, “I’m sick to death of Hitti women! If Ya‘akov marries one of the Hitti women, like those who live here, my life won’t be worth living.”

Choose your language

Genesis 27

B'resheet (Gen) 27