Genesis 27

1 Forsooth Isaac waxed eld, and his eyes dimmed, and he might not see. And he called Esau, his more son, and said to him, My son! Which answered, I am present. (And Isaac grew old, and his eyes dimmed, and he could not see. And he called his elder son Esau, and said to him, My son! And he answered, I am here.)

2 To whom the father said, Thou seest that I have waxed eld, and I know not the day of my death .

3 Take thine arms (Take thy weapons), (an) arrow case, and a bow, and go out; and when thou hast taken anything by hunting,

4 make me a stew thereof, as thou knowest that I will, and bring it to me that I eat, (so) that (afterward) my soul (can) bless thee before that I die. (make for me a stew out of it, as thou knowest that I like, and bring it to me so that I can eat it, and then I shall bless thee before that I die.)

5 And when Rebecca had heard this thing, and he had gone forth into the field that he fulfill the behest of his father,

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

7 Bring thou to me of thine hunting, and make thou meats, that I eat, and that I bless thee before the Lord before that I die. (Bring thou to me some of thy hunting, and make thou for me some stew, so that I can eat it, and then I shall bless thee before the Lord, before that I die.)

8 Now therefore, my son, assent to my counsels,

9 and go to the flock, and bring to me twain (of) the best kids, that I make meats of those to thy father, which he shall eat gladly; (and go to the flock, and bring me two of the best goat kids, so that I can make thy father's favourite meal out of them, which I know that he shall gladly eat;)

10 and (so) that when thou hast brought in those meats, and he hath eaten, he (shall) bless thee before that he die.

11 To whom Jacob answered, Thou knowest that Esau my brother is an hairy man, and I am smooth;

12 (so) if my father shall touch (me), or draw me to him, and feel me, I dread lest he guess that I would scorn him, and he bring in cursing on me for blessing (and I bring in a curse upon myself, and not a blessing).

13 To whom his mother said, My son, this cursing be in me (My son, any curse shall be upon me); only hear thou my voice, and go, and bring that that I said.

14 (And so) He went, and brought it, and gave it to his mother. She made ready meats, as she knew that his father would have (And she prepared the meat, in the way that she knew that his father would like it),

15 and she clothed Jacob in [the] full good clothes of Esau, which she had at home with herself (which she had there at home with her).

16 And she wrapped his hands about with little skins of (goat) kids, and covered the nakedness of his neck;

17 and she gave to him the stew (and then she gave him the stew), and betook (to) him [the] loaves, which she had baked.

18 And when these were brought in, he said, My father! And he answered, I (am) here; (but) who art thou, my son?

19 And Jacob said, I am Esau, thy first begotten son. I have done to thee as thou commandedest to me; rise thou up, and sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul bless me. (And Jacob said, I am Esau, thy first-born son. I have done for thee as thou commandedest me; rise thou up, and sit, and eat my venison, and then afterward thou can bless me.)

20 Again Isaac said to his son, My son, how mightest thou find (this) venison so soon? Which answered, It was God's will, that this thing that I would, should come soon to me. (And Isaac said to his son, My son, how mightest thou find this venison so soon? And Jacob answered, It was God's will, that what I desired, should come so soon to me.)

21 And Isaac said, My son, come thou hither, (so) that I (can) touch thee, and that I prove whether thou be my son Esau, or nay.

22 (And) Jacob nighed to his father; and when Isaac had feeled him, he said, Soothly the voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands be the hands of Esau.

23 And Isaac knew not Jacob, for the hairy hands showed the likeness of the elder son. Therefore Isaac blessed Jacob (And so that is why Isaac would soon bless Jacob),

24 and (so he) said (again), Art thou my son Esau? (And) Jacob answered, I am.

25 And Isaac said, My son, bring thou to me meats of thine hunting, that my soul bless thee. And when Isaac had eaten these meats brought (to him), Jacob brought also wine to Isaac, and when this was drunken, (And Isaac said, My son, bring thou to me the meats of thy hunting, and then afterward I shall bless thee. And when Isaac had eaten the meat brought to him, Jacob also brought him some wine, and when he had drunk it,)

26 Isaac said to him, My son, come thou hither, and give to me a kiss.

27 Jacob nighed, and kissed him; and anon as Isaac feeled the odour of his clothes, he blessed him, and said, Lo! the odour of my son as the odour of a plenteous field which the Lord hath blessed. (And Jacob came over, and kissed him; and when Isaac smelled the aroma of his clothes, at once he blessed him, saying, Lo! the aroma of my son is like the aroma of a plentiful field which the Lord hath blessed.)

28 God give to thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of [the] earth, (and of the) abundance of wheat, and of wine, and of oil; (May God give thee the dew from heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and an abundance of corn, or of grain, and wine, and oil;)

29 and (may) peoples serve thee, and lineages worship thee; be thou lord of thy brethren, and the sons of thy mother be bowed (low) before thee; be he cursed that curseth thee, and he that blesseth thee, be he [full-]filled with blessings (be they cursed who curse thee, but let those who bless thee, be filled full with blessings).

30 Scarcely Isaac had filled the word, and when Jacob was gone out, Esau came, (Scarcely had Isaac finished speaking, and Jacob had gone out, then Esau came in from his hunting,)

31 and brought in meats sodden of the hunting to the father, and said, My father, rise thou, and eat of the hunting of thy son, that thy soul bless me. (and he brought in boiled meats for his father, and said, My father, rise thou up, and eat of thy son's hunting, and then afterward thou can bless me.)

32 And Isaac said, Who art thou? Which answered, I am Esau, thy first begotten son. (And Isaac said, Who art thou? And Esau answered, I am Esau, thy first-born son.)

33 Isaac dreaded with a great astonishing; and he wondered more than it may be believed, and said, Who therefore is he which a while ago brought to me venison taken, and I ate of all things before that thou camest; and I blessed him? and he shall be blessed. (And Isaac dreaded with great astonishment; and he wondered more than it can be imagined, and he said, Then who was it, who just a short while ago, brought me the newly caught venison, and I ate all of it before that thou camest in; and I blessed him? and yea, he shall be blessed.)

34 When the words of the father were heard, Esau roared with a great cry, and was astonished, and said, My father, bless thou also me. (And when he heard his father's words, Esau roared with a great cry, and was astonished, and said, My father, thou must also bless me!)

35 Which said (And Jacob said), Thy brother came prudently [Thy brother came (be)guilingly], and took (away) thy blessing.

36 And Esau added, Justly his name is called Jacob, for lo! he [hath] supplanted me (yet) another time; before he took away my first begotten things, and now the second time, he [hath] ravished privily my blessing. And again he said to the father, Whether thou hast not reserved a blessing also to me? (And Esau added, His name is rightly called Jacob, that is, the Heel, or the Supplanter, for lo! now he hath supplanted me the second time; first he took away my birthright as the first-born son, and now he hath cheated me out of my blessing. And again he said to his father, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?)

37 Isaac answered, I have made him thy lord, and I have made subject all his brethren to his servage; I have stablished him in wheat, and wine, and oil; and (so), my son, what shall I do to thee after these things? (Isaac answered, I have made him thy lord, and I have made all of his brothers to be in servitude to him, that is, to be his slaves; I have established him with corn, or with grain, and wine, and oil; and so now, my son, after all these things, what is left that I can do for thee?)

38 To whom Esau said, Father, whether thou hast only one blessing? I beseech thee, that also thou bless me. And when Esau wept with great yelling, (To whom Esau said, Father, hast thou only one blessing? I beseech thee, that thou also bless me. And when Esau wept with great yelling,)

39 Isaac was stirred, and said to him, Thy blessing shall be (not) in the fatness of [the] earth, and in the dew of heaven from above; (Isaac was stirred, and said to him, Thy dwelling shall be far from the fatness of the earth, and far from the dew of heaven above;)

40 thou shalt live by (the) sword, and thou shalt serve thy brother, and (then the) time shall come when thou shalt shake away, and unbind his yoke from [off] thy nolls.

41 Therefore Esau hated evermore Jacob for the blessing by which the father had blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning of my father shall come, and (then) I shall slay Jacob, my brother. (And so Esau hated Jacob even more for the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father shall come, and then I shall kill my brother Jacob.)

42 These things were told to Rebecca, and she sent, and called (for) her son Jacob, and said to him, Lo! Esau, thy brother, menaceth to slay thee (Lo! Esau, thy brother, hath threatened to kill thee);

43 now therefore, my son, hear thou my voice, and rise thou up, and flee to Laban, my brother, into Haran (and flee to my brother Laban, in Haran);

44 and thou shalt dwell with him (for) a few days, till the strong vengeance of thy brother rest, and his indignation cease,

45 and till he forget those things which thou hast done against him. Afterward I shall send, and I shall bring thee from thence hither. Why shall I be made sonless of ever either son in one day? (and until he forget those things which thou hast done against him. And then afterward I shall send for thee, and I shall bring thee back here. For why should I be deprived of both sons in one day?)

46 And Rebecca said to Isaac, It annoyeth me of my life for the daughters of Heth (I am weary to death of the daughters of the Hittites); if Jacob take a wife of the kindred of this land, I will not live.

Genesis 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

Isaac sends Esau for venison. (1-5) Rebekah teaches Jacob to obtain the blessing. (6-17) Jacob, pretending to be Esau, obtains the blessing. (18-29) Isaac's fear, Esau's importunity. (30-40) Esau threatens Jacob's life, Rebekah sends Jacob away. (41-46)

Verses 1-5 The promises of the Messiah, and of the land of Canaan, had come down to Isaac. Isaac being now about 135 years of age, and his sons about 75, and not duly considering the Divine word concerning his two sons, that the elder should serve the younger, resolved to put all the honour and power that were in the promise, upon Esau his eldest son. We are very apt to take measures rather from our own reason than from Divine revelation, and thereby often miss our way.

Verses 6-17 Rebekah knew that the blessing was intended for Jacob, and expected he would have it. But she wronged Isaac by putting a cheat on him; she wronged Jacob by tempting him to wickedness. She put a stumbling-block in Esau's way, and gave him a pretext for hatred to Jacob and to religion. All were to be blamed. It was one of those crooked measures often adopted to further the Divine promises; as if the end would justify, or excuse wrong means. Thus many have acted wrong, under the idea of being useful in promoting the cause of Christ. The answer to all such things is that which God addressed to Abraham, I am God Almighty; walk before me and be thou perfect. And it was a very rash speech of Rebekah, "Upon me be thy curse, my son." Christ has borne the curse of the law for all who take upon them the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. But it is too daring for any creature to say, Upon me be thy curse.

Verses 18-29 Jacob, with some difficulty, gained his point, and got the blessing. This blessing is in very general terms. No mention is made of the distinguishing mercies in the covenant with Abraham. This might be owing to Isaac having Esau in his mind, though it was Jacob who was before him. He could not be ignorant how Esau had despised the best things. Moreover, his attachment to Esau, so as to disregard the mind of God, must have greatly weakened his own faith in these things. It might therefore be expected, that leanness would attend his blessing, agreeing with the state of his mind.

Verses 30-40 When Esau understood that Jacob had got the blessing, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry. The day is coming, when those that now make light of the blessings of the covenant, and sell their title to spiritual blessings for that which is of no value, will, in vain, ask urgently for them. Isaac, when made sensible of the deceit practised on him, trembled exceedingly. Those who follow the choice of their own affections, rather than the Divine will, get themselves into perplexity. But he soon recovers, and confirms the blessing he had given to Jacob, saying, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Those who part with their wisdom and grace, their faith and a good conscience, for the honours, wealth, or pleasures of this world, however they feign a zeal for the blessing, have judged themselves unworthy of it, and their doom shall be accordingly. A common blessing was bestowed upon Esau. This he desired. Faint desires of happiness, without right choice of the end, and right use of the means, deceive many unto their own ruin. Multitudes go to hell with their mouths full of good wishes. The great difference is, that there is nothing in Esau's blessing which points at Christ; and without that, the fatness of the earth, and the plunder of the field, will stand in little stead. Thus Isaac, by faith, blessed both his sons, according as their lot should be.

Verses 41-46 Esau bore malice to Jacob on account of the blessing he had obtained. Thus he went in the way of Cain, who slew his brother, because he gained that acceptance with God of which he had rendered himself unworthy. Esau aimed to prevent Jacob or his seed from having the dominion, by taking away his life. Men may fret at God's counsels, but cannot change them. To prevent mischief, Rebekah warned Jacob of his danger, and advised him to withdraw for his safety. We must not presume too far upon the wisdom and resolution, even of the most hopeful and promising children; but care must be taken to keep them out of the way of evil. When reading this chapter, we should not fail to observe, that we must not follow even the best of men further than they act according to the law of God. We must not do evil that good may come. And though God overruled the bad actions recorded in this chapter, to fulfil his purposes, yet we see his judgment of them, in the painful consequences to all the parties concerned. It was the peculiar privilege and advantage of Jacob to convey these spiritual blessings to all nations. The Christ, the Saviour of the world, was to be born of some one family; and Jacob's was preferred to Esau's, out of the good pleasure of Almighty God, who is certainly the best judge of what is fit, and has an undoubted right to dispense his favours as he sees proper, ( Romans 9:12-15 ) .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 27

In this chapter we are informed, that Isaac, being old and dim sighted, sent for Esau to get him venison, that he might eat of it, and bless him before he died, Ge 27:1-4; that Rebekah hearing of this formed a scheme for Jacob to get the blessing before him, which she communicated to Jacob, to which he at first objected, but afterwards complied, Ge 27:5-17; and also how that he succeeded in the attempt, and got the blessing from his brother, Ge 27:18-29; and that this was confirmed to him by his father, even when his mistake was discovered upon Esau's coming, Ge 27:30-33; which occasioned a most bitter cry in Esau, a severe reflection on his brother, and an earnest expostulation with his father for a blessing, which he obtained, Ge 27:34-40; the consequence of this were hatred in Esau to Jacob, and an intention to kill him, which Rebekah hearing of, advised Jacob to flee to her brother Laban, Ge 27:41-45; and to facilitate this, complains to Isaac of Esau's wives, and suggests, that should Jacob marry among the same people, it would add to the distress of their lives; and therefore hints it to him, that it was necessary and proper he should go to her family for a wife, Ge 27:46; and whether Isaac sent him, as the following chapter shows.