Genesis 27:13-46

13 So Rebekah said to him, "If your father puts a curse on you, I will accept the blame. Just do what I said and go, get the goats for me."

14 So Jacob went out and got two goats and brought them to his mother, and she cooked them in the special way Isaac enjoyed.

15 She took the best clothes of her older son Esau that were in the house and put them on the younger son Jacob.

16 She also took the skins of the goats and put them on Jacob's hands and neck.

17 Then she gave Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

18 Jacob went in to his father and said, "Father." And his father said, "Yes, my son. Who are you?"

19 Jacob said to him, "I am Esau, your first son. I have done what you told me. Now sit up and eat some meat of the animal I hunted for you. Then bless me."

20 But Isaac asked his son, "How did you find and kill the animal so quickly?" Jacob answered, "Because the Lord your God helped me to find it."

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I can touch you, my son. Then I will know if you are really my son Esau."

22 So Jacob came near to Isaac his father. Isaac touched him and said, "Your voice sounds like Jacob's voice, but your hands are hairy like the hands of Esau."

23 Isaac did not know it was Jacob, because his hands were hairy like Esau's hands, so Isaac blessed him.

24 Isaac asked, "Are you really my son Esau?" Jacob answered, "Yes, I am."

25 Then Isaac said, "Bring me the food, and I will eat it and bless you." So Jacob gave him the food, and he ate. Jacob gave him wine, and he drank.

26 Then Isaac said to him, "My son, come near and kiss me."

27 So Jacob went to his father and kissed him. When Isaac smelled Esau's clothes, he blessed him and said, "The smell of my son is like the smell of the field that the Lord has blessed.

28 May God give you plenty of rain and good soil so that you will have plenty of grain and new wine.

29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. May you be master over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. May everyone who curses you be cursed, and may everyone who blesses you be blessed."

30 Isaac finished blessing Jacob. Then, just as Jacob left his father Isaac, Esau came in from hunting.

31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. He said, "Father, rise and eat the food that your son killed for you and then bless me."

32 Isaac asked, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am your son -- your firstborn son -- Esau."

33 Then Isaac trembled greatly and said, "Then who was it that hunted the animals and brought me food before you came? I ate it, and I blessed him, and it is too late now to take back my blessing."

34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he let out a loud and bitter cry. He said to his father, "Bless me -- me, too, my father!"

35 But Isaac said, "Your brother came and tricked me. He has taken your blessing."

36 Esau said, "Jacob is the right name for him. He has tricked me these two times. He took away my share of everything you own, and now he has taken away my blessing." Then Esau asked, "Haven't you saved a blessing for me?"

37 Isaac answered, "I gave Jacob the power to be master over you, and all his brothers will be his servants. And I kept him strong with grain and new wine. There is nothing left to give you, my son."

38 But Esau continued, "Do you have only one blessing, Father? Bless me, too, Father!" Then Esau began to cry out loud.

39 Isaac said to him, "You will live far away from the best land, far from the rain.

40 You will live by using your sword, and you will be a slave to your brother. But when you struggle, you will break free from him."

41 After that Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing from Isaac. He thought to himself, "My father will soon die, and I will be sad for him. Then I will kill Jacob."

42 Rebekah heard about Esau's plan to kill Jacob. So she sent for Jacob and said to him, "Listen, your brother Esau is comforting himself by planning to kill you.

43 So, my son, do what I say. My brother Laban is living in Haran. Go to him at once!

44 Stay with him for a while, until your brother is not so angry.

45 In time, your brother will not be angry, and he will forget what you did to him. Then I will send a servant to bring you back. I don't want to lose both of my sons on the same day."

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am tired of Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of these Hittite women here in this land, I want to die."

Genesis 27:13-46 Meaning and Commentary

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.