Jacob Steals Esau’s Blessing from Their Father Isaac

27:1-29

27 One day when Isaac was an old man and he could no longer see, he sent for his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” Esau answered him, “Yes, sir?” 2 Then Isaac told him, “Please listen closely: I am an old man now and I do not know when I will die. 3 So then, get your bow and arrows, go out in the open country and hunt some deer meat for me. 4 Next use the meat to cook a delicious meal for me the way that I like it, and bring it to me to eat so that I can bless you before I die.”

5 Rebekah overheard what Isaac said to his son Esau. So after Esau had gone out to the open country to hunt, 6 she said to her son Jacob, “Listen, I just overheard your father tell your brother Esau 7 to get him some deer meat and use it to cook a delicious meal for him to eat. Then before he dies, he wants to bless Esau with Yahweh as his witness. 8 So then, my son, listen to me and do what I tell you to do. 9 Please go out to our flock of goats and get for me two of the best young goats. I will use the meat from them to cook a delicious meal for your father, just the way that he likes it. 10 Then you can take the meal to your father to eat, so that he will bless you before he dies.”

11 But Jacob responded to his mother, “As you know, my brother Esau has hairy skin, but I have smooth skin. 12 What if my father feels my skin? He will recognize me and realize that I am trying to deceive him. Then he will curse me instead of blessing me.” 13 But his mother replied, “If that happens, may God curse me instead of you, my son. Just listen to me, and go get two goats for me!” 14 So Jacob went to the flock and selected two goats and took them to her. Then she cooked a delicious meal the way that his father liked it. 15 She also got her older son Esau’s finest clothes that she had in the house and had her younger son Jacob put them on. 16 And she used the goat skins to cover Jacob’s arms and the part of his neck that had no hair on it.

17 Then she handed the delicious meal to Jacob, including some bread that she had baked. 18 He took the meal to his father and said, “Father.” His father answered, “Yes? Which of my sons are you?” 19 Jacob replied to his father, “I am Esau, your oldest son. I have done what you requested me to do. So now please sit up and eat some of the deer meat that I have cooked for you, so that you can bless me.” 20 But Isaac asked him, “How were you able to find the deer so quickly, my son?” Jacob answered, “Yahweh, who is the God who takes care of you, helped me to succeed.”

21 Then Isaac said to him, “My son, please come here so that I can feel you and make sure that you are really my son Esau.” 22 So Jacob stepped closer to his father Isaac, and his father felt him and thought to himself, “Hmm, his voice sounds like Jacob’s voice, but his arms feel like Esau’s arms.” 23 So Isaac was not able to identify who Jacob was because his arms felt hairy like his brother Esau’s. Isaac was about to bless Jacob, 24 but first he wanted to be completely sure, so he asked him, “Are you really my son Esau?” Jacob answered, “Yes, I am.” 25 So Isaac said to him, “Serve me the meal so that I can eat some of your deer meat and bless you.” Then Jacob served the meal to his father and he ate it. Jacob also served him wine and he drank it.

26 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27 So Jacob went over to his father and kissed him on the cheeks. As he did that, his father recognized the fragrance of Esau’s clothes, so he blessed him and said,

“Ahh, my son, you smell wonderful

like the fragrance of a field

that Yahweh has caused to flourish!

28 I ask God to provide you and your descendants plenty of rain from the sky for your crops and animals

and riches from the earth,

including abundant harvests and much wine.

29 I also ask God to cause nations to serve

and honor you and your descendants.

You will rule over your brother’s descendants,

and they will submit to you and bow down to you.

Whoever curses you God will curse,

but whoever blesses you he will bless.”