Isaac Blesses Jacob
(Hebrews 11:20)

1And it came to passe, that whe Isahac waxed olde, & his eyes were dimme, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest sonne, & saide vnto hym, my sonne? And he sayde vnto hym: here am I. 2And he sayde: Beholde, I am nowe olde, and knowe not the daye of my death. 3Nowe therefore take I pray thee thy weapons, thy quyuer and thy bowe, and get thee to the fielde, that thou mayest take me some venison. 4And make me well tastyng meates, such as I loue, and bryng it to me, that I may eate, that my soule may blesse thee before that I dye.

5But Rebecca hearde when Isahac spake to Esau his sonne: And Esau wet into the fielde to hunt venison, and to bryng it. 6And Rebecca spake vnto Iacob her sonne, saying: Beholde, I haue hearde thy father talkyng with Esau thy brother, and saying: 7Bring me venison, and make me daintie meate, that I may eate, and blesse thee before the Lorde, afore my death. 8Nowe therfore my sonne heare my voyce in that which I comaunde thee. 9Get thee to the flocke, and bryng me thence two good kyddes fro the goates, and I wyll make of them pleasaunt meates for thy father, such as he loueth. 10And thou shalt bryng it to thy father that he may eate, and that he may blesse thee before his death. 11Then said Iacob to Rebecca his mother: Beholde, Esau my brother is a heary man, and I am smoothe: 12My father shall peraduenture feele mee, and I shall seeme vnto hym as though I went about to begyle hym, and so shall I bryng a curse vpon me, and not a blessyng. 13And his mother sayde vnto him, Upon me be the curse my sonne: only heare my voyce, and go and fetche me them. 14And Iacob went, and fet them, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made pleasaunt meate, such as she knewe his father loued. 15And Rebecca fet goodly rayment of her eldest sonne Esau, whiche were in the house with her, and put them vpon Iacob her younger sonne: 16And she put the skynnes of the kiddes vpon his handes, and vpon the smoothe of his necke. 17And she put that pleasaunt meate and bread, whiche she had prepared, in the hande of her sonne Iacob.

18When he came to his father, he sayde: my father? And he aunswered, here am I: who art thou, my sonne?

19And Iacob sayde vnto his father: I am Esau thy eldest sonne, I haue done accordyng as thou baddest me: aryse I pray thee, syt, and eate of my venison, that thy soule may blesse me. 20And Isahac said vnto his sonne: how commeth it that thou hast founde it so quickly my sonne? He aunswered: the lorde thy God brought it to my handes. 21Then sayde Isahac vnto Iacob: Come neare, and I wyll feele thee my sonne, whether thou be my very sonne Esau, or not. 22Then went Iacob to Isahac his father, and he felt hym, and sayde: The voyce is Iacobs voyce, but the handes are the handes of Esau. 23And he knewe him not, because his handes were heary as his brother Esaus handes: and so he blessed hym. 24And he asked him: art thou my sonne Esau? And he sayde: that I am. 25Then sayde he: Bryng me, & let me eate of my sonnes venison, that my soule may blesse thee. And he brought hym, and he ate: and he brought hym wine also, and he dranke. 26And his father Isahac said vnto him: Come neare, and kysse me, my sonne.

27And he went vnto him, & kyssed him, and he smelled the sauour of his rayment, and blessed hym, & saide: See, the smell of my sonne, is as the smell of a fielde which the Lorde hath blessed.

28God geue thee of the deawe of heauen, and of the fatnesse of the earth, and plentie of corne and wine.

29People be thy seruauntes, and nations bowe to thee: be lorde ouer thy brethren, and thy mothers children stowpe with reuerence vnto thee: cursed be he that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Esau’s Lost Hope

30Assoone as Isahac had made an ende of blessyng Iacob, & Iacob was scarse gone out from the presence of Isahac his father, then came Esau his brother from his huntyng. 31And he also had made a pleasaunt meate, and brought it vnto his father, and saide vnto his father: let my father aryse, and eate of his sonnes venison, that thy soule may blesse me. 32Then his father Isahac sayde vnto hym: who art thou? He aunswered: I am thy sonne, thy first borne Esau. 33And Isahac was greatly astonied out of measure, and sayde: which is he and where is he then that hath hunted venison and brought it me, and I haue eaten of al before thou camest? and haue blessed hym, yea & he shalbe blessed. 34When Esau hearde the wordes of his father, he cryed aloude & bitterly, aboue measure, and sayde vnto his father: blesse me, I also am thy sonne O my father. 35Who aunswered. Thy brother came with subtiltie, and hath taken awaye thy blessyng. 36And he said agayne: Is not he rightly named Iacob? for he hath vndermyned me nowe two tymes. First he toke away my birthright: and see, nowe hath he taken away my blessyng also. And he sayde: hast thou kept neuer a blessyng for me? 37Isahac aunswered, and sayde vnto Esau: Beholde, I haue made hym thy Lorde, & all his brethren haue I made his seruauntes: Moreouer, with corne and wine haue I stablished him, what shall I do vnto thee nowe my sonne? 38And Esau sayde vnto his father: hast thou but that one blessyng my father? blesse me, I am also thy sonne O my father. So lyfted vp Esau his voyce, and wept.

39Then Isahac his father aunswered, and sayde vnto hym: beholde, thy dwellyng place shalbe the fatnesse of the earth, and of the deawe of heauen from aboue.

40And through thy sworde shalt thou liue, and shalt be thy brothers seruaunt: and it shal come to passe, that thou shalt get the maisterie, & thou shalt loose his yoke from of thy necke.

41And Esau hated Iacob, because of the blessyng that his father blessed hym withall. And Esau sayde in his heart: The dayes of sorowyng for my father are at hande, then wyll I slaye my brother Iacob. 42And these wordes of Esau her elder sonne were tolde to Rebecca: And she sent, & called Iacob her younger sonne, & saide vnto him: Beholde, thy brother Esau as touchyng thee doth comforte hym selfe full purposyng to kyll thee. 43Nowe therefore my sonne heare my voyce: make thee redy, and flee to Laban my brother at Haran, 44And tary with him awhyle vntyl thy brothers fiercenesse be swaged, 45And vntyll thy brothers wrath turne away from thee, & he forget the thinges which thou hast done to hym: then wyll I sende and fet thee away from thence: why should I be desolate of you both in one day?

46And Rebecca spake to Isahac: I am weery of my lyfe for the daughters of Heth. Yf Iacob take a wyfe of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the lande, what good shall my lyfe do me?