1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that
he could no longer see, he called for Esau his older
son and said to him, "My son."
"Here I am," he answered.
2 Isaac said, "I am now an old man and don't know
the day of my death.
3 Now then, get your equipment—your quiver and bow—and go out to the
open country to hunt some wild
game for me.
4 Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it
to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing
before I die."
5 Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to his son
Esau. When Esau left for the open country to hunt
game and bring it back,
6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard
your father say to your brother Esau,
7 'Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food
to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the
presence of the LORD before I die.'
8 Now, my son, listen carefully and do what I tell you:
9 Go out to the flock and bring me two choice young
goats, so I can prepare some tasty food for your
father, just the way he likes it.
10Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may
give you his blessing before he dies."
11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "But my brother
Esau is a hairy man while I have smooth skin. 12 What if my father touches me? I would appear to be
tricking him and would bring down a curse on myself
rather than a blessing."
13 His mother said to him, "My son, let the curse fall on
me. Just do what I say; go and get them for me."
14 So he went and got them and brought them to his
mother, and she prepared some tasty food, just the
way his father liked it.
15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older
son, which she had in the house, and put them on
her younger son Jacob.
16 She also covered his hands and the smooth part of
his neck with the goatskins.
17 Then she handed to her son Jacob the tasty food
and the bread she had made.
18 He went to his father and said, "My father." "Yes, my son," he answered. "Who is it?"
19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told
me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that
you may give me your blessing."
20 Isaac asked his son, "How did you find it so quickly,
my son?" "The LORD your God gave me success," he replied.
21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come near so I
can touch you, my son, to know whether you really
are my son Esau or not."
22 Jacob went close to his father Isaac, who touched
him and said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but
the hands are the hands of Esau."
23 He did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy
like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to
bless him.
24 "Are you really my son Esau?" he asked. "I am," he replied.
25 Then he said, "My son, bring me some of your game
to eat, so that I may give you my blessing." Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought
some wine and he drank.
26 Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here,
my son, and kiss me."
27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac
caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.
28 May God give you of heaven's dew
and of earth's richness—an abundance of grain and new wine.
29 May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed."
30 After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had
scarcely left his father's presence, his brother Esau
came in from hunting.
31 He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to
his father. Then he said to him, "My father, please
sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may
give me your blessing."
32 His father Isaac asked him, "Who are you?" "I am your son," he answered, "your firstborn,
Esau."
33 Isaac trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then,
that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just
before you came and I blessed him—and indeed he
will be blessed!"
34 When Esau heard his father's words, he burst out
with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me—me too, my father!"
35 But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and took
your blessing."
36 Esau said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? This is
the second time he has taken advantage of me: He took my birthright, and now he's taken my
blessing!" Then he asked, "Haven't you reserved any
blessing for me?"
37 Isaac answered Esau, "I have made him lord over you
and have made all his relatives his servants, and I
have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what
can I possibly do for you, my son?"
38 Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one
blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!"
Then Esau wept aloud. 39 His father Isaac answered him, "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above.
40 You will live by the sword
and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless,
you will throw his yoke
from off your neck."
Genesis 27:1-40
