Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing from Their Father Isaac

27:1-29

27 Then it happened, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, then he called Esau, his older son, and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Behold me.” 2 Then he said, “Behold, please, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 So now, please take your weapons, your quiver, and your bow, and go out in the field and hunt game for me. 4 Then prepare tasty food for me such as I love, and bring it to me so I can eat it, so that my soul can bless you before I die.”

5 And Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Then Esau went to the field to hunt game to bring it back. 6 Then Rebekah said to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speaking to Esau your brother, saying, 7 ‘Bring game for me and prepare tasty food for me so that I can eat it and I can bless you in the presence of Yahweh, before my death.’ 8 So now, my son, listen to my voice, to what I command you. 9 Please go to the flock and bring to me from there two good kids of the goats so that I will prepare from them tasty food for your father such as he loves. 10 Then you take it to your father, and he will eat it, so that he will bless you before his death.”

11 Then Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth man. 12 Suppose my father touches me? Then I will be in his eyes as a deceiver, and I will bring a curse on me and not a blessing.” 13 But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Just listen to my voice, and go get them for me.” 14 So he went and got them and brought them to his mother. Then his mother prepared tasty food such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best clothes of Esau her older son that were with her in the house and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put the skins of the kid goats over his hands and over the smooth part of his neck.

17 Then she gave the tasty food and the bread that she had made into the hands of Jacob her son, 18 and he went to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Behold me. Who are you, my son?” 19 Then Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please get up, sit and eat some of my game, so that your soul will bless me.” 20 Then Isaac said to his son, “How is this you were quick to find it, my son?” And he said, “Because Yahweh your God caused it to happen before me.”

21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, so that I can touch you, my son, and know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went close to Isaac his father, and he touched him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 So he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like the hands of Esau his brother, and he was about to bless him. 24 But he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring the food to me, and I will eat some of my son’s game, so that my soul will bless you.” Then he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought wine to him, and he drank.

26 Then Isaac his father said to him, “Please come close and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he went close and kissed him. And he smelled the smell of his clothes, so he blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son

is like the smell of a field

that Yahweh has blessed!

28 And may God give to you from the dew of the heavens

and from the fatness of the earth,

and an abundance of grain and wine.

29 May peoples serve you,

and may nations bow down to you.

Be master over your brothers,

and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.

May those who curse you be cursed,

and may those who bless you be blessed.”