Esau’s Lost Hope

As soon as Isaac had finished blessing [him] and Jacob had left his father’s presence his brother Esau returned from the hunt. 31 He too made some tasty food, brought it to his father, and said to [him],“My father, sit up and eat of your son’s game, so that you may bless me.”

32 

But his father Isaac replied“Who are you?”

“I am Esau, your firstborn son,” he answered.

33 

Isaac began to tremble violently and said,“Who was it, then, who hunted the game and brought it to me? Before you came in, I ate it all and blessed him — and indeed, he will be blessed!”

34 

When Esau heard his father’s words, he let out a loud and bitter cry and said to his father,“Bless me too, O my father!”

35 

But [Isaac] replied,“Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.”

36 

So [Esau] declared,“Is he not rightly named Jacob?[fn] For he has cheated me twice He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing.” Then he asked,“Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?”

37 

But Isaac answered Esau:“Look, I have made him your master and given him all his relatives as servants; I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?”

38 

Esau said to his father,“Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, O my father!” Then Esau wept aloud

39 

His father Isaac answered him:

“ Behold, your dwelling place shall be

away from the richness of the land,

away from the dew of heaven above.

40 

You shall live by the sword

and serve your brother.

But when you rebel,

you will tear his yoke from your neck.”

41 

Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. And Esau said in his heart,“The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

42 

When the words of her older son Esau were relayed to Rebekah, she sent for her younger son Jacob and told him,“Look, your brother Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you. 43 So now, my son, obey my voice and flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. 44 Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides—45 until your brother’s rage against you wanes and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send for you and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

46 

Then Rebekah said to Isaac,“I am weary of my life because of these Hittite women.[fn] If Jacob takes a Hittite wife from among them, what good is my life?” 28