Genesis 27:21
New International Version
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.”

New Living Translation
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you and make sure that you really are Esau.”

English Standard Version
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau, or not?”

King James Bible
And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

New King James Version
Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, so that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

NASB 1995
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

NASB 1977
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”

Amplified Bible
But Isaac [wondered and] said to Jacob, “Please come close [to me] so that I may touch you, my son, and determine if you are really my son Esau or not.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau or not? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau or not?”

American Standard Version
And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

Contemporary English Version
"My son," Isaac said, "come closer, where I can touch you and find out if you really are Esau."

English Revised Version
And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come over here so that I can feel your skin, Son, [to find out] whether or not you really are my son Esau."

Good News Translation
Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come closer so that I can touch you. Are you really Esau?"

International Standard Version
So Isaac told Jacob, "Come here, my son, so I can feel you and know for sure whether or not you're my son Esau."

Majority Standard Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, ?Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau, or not??

NET Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Come closer so I can touch you, my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau."

New Heart English Bible
Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Isaac said to Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou art my very son Esau, or not.

World English Bible
Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Isaac says to Jacob, “Please come near, and I feel you, my son, whether you [are] he, my son Esau, or not.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Isaac saith unto Jacob, 'Come nigh, I pray thee, and I feel thee, my son, whether thou art he, my son Esau, or not.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Isaak will say to Jacob, Come near, now, and I shall feel thee, my son, if thou this my son Esau or not.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Isaac said: Come hither, that I may feel thee, my son, and may prove whether thou be my son Esau, or not.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Isaac said, “Come here, so that I may touch you, my son, and may prove whether you are my son Esau, or not.”

New American Bible
Isaac then said to Jacob, “Come closer, my son, that I may feel you, to learn whether you really are my son Esau or not.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then Isaac said to Jacob his son, Come near me, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are my son Esau or not.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Isaaq said to Yaquuv, his son, “Come near; now I shall feel you my son, if you are my son Esau or not.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Isaac said unto Jacob: 'Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Isaac said to Jacob, Draw night to me, and I will feel thee, son, if thou art my son Esau or not.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Isaac Blesses Jacob
20But Isaac asked his son, “How did you ever find it so quickly, my son?” “Because the LORD your God brought it to me,” he replied. 21Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come closer so I can touch you, my son. Are you really my son Esau, or not?” 22So Jacob came 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.”…

Cross References
Genesis 25:23
and He declared to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”

Genesis 25:28
Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Genesis 27:1-4
When Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he could no longer see, he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” “Here I am,” Esau replied. / “Look,” said Isaac, “I am now old, and I do not know the day of my death. / Take your weapons—your quiver and bow—and go out into the field to hunt some game for me. ...

Genesis 27:22-23
So Jacob came 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.” / Isaac did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he blessed him.

Genesis 27:33
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!”

Genesis 27:35-36
But Isaac replied, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.” / So Esau declared, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? 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?”

Genesis 25:29-34
One day, while Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the field and was famished. / He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.) / “First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied. ...

Genesis 28:1-4
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. “Do not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” he commanded. / “Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel, and take a wife from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. / May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples. ...

Genesis 32:24-30
So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak. / When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. / Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ...

Genesis 33:1-4
Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming toward him with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. / He put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the rear. / But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. ...

Hebrews 11:20
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.

Romans 9:10-13
Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac. / Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, / not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ...

Hebrews 12:16-17
See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright. / For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.

Romans 9:6-8
It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. / Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” / So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

Romans 9:14-16
What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! / For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” / So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.


Treasury of Scripture

And Isaac said to Jacob, Come near, I pray you, that I may feel you, my son, whether you be my very son Esau or not.

Come.

Psalm 73:28
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Isaiah 57:19
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

may feel.

Genesis 27:12
My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.

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Genesis 27
1. Isaac sends Esau for venison.
6. Rebekah instructs Jacob to obtain the blessing.
14. Jacob, feigning to be Esau, obtains it.
30. Esau brings venison.
33. Isaac trembles.
34. Esau complains, and by importunity obtains a blessing.
41. He threatens Jacob's life.
42. Rebekah disappoints him, by sending Jacob away.














Then Isaac said to Jacob
This phrase introduces the pivotal moment of interaction between Isaac and Jacob. Isaac, the patriarch, is portrayed as a man of faith, yet here he is vulnerable due to his blindness and old age. The Hebrew root for "said" (אָמַר, 'amar) often implies not just speaking but also a declaration or command. Isaac's words carry the weight of authority and expectation, setting the stage for the unfolding of God's providential plan, despite human deception.

Please come near
The request for proximity is significant. The Hebrew word for "come near" (קָרַב, qarab) suggests not only physical closeness but also an invitation to intimacy and trust. In the ancient Near Eastern context, physical touch was a means of verification and blessing. Isaac's request underscores his desire for certainty in a moment clouded by doubt, reflecting the human need for tangible assurance in spiritual matters.

so I can touch you, my son
Touch, in biblical times, was a powerful means of connection and confirmation. The Hebrew word for "touch" (מָשַׁשׁ, mashash) implies a careful examination. Isaac's reliance on touch due to his blindness highlights the limitations of human senses and the potential for deception. Yet, it also foreshadows the tactile nature of faith, where believers are called to "feel" their way through spiritual discernment, trusting in God's guidance.

to know whether you are really my son Esau or not
The quest for knowledge here is profound. The Hebrew root for "know" (יָדַע, yada) encompasses more than intellectual understanding; it implies experiential and relational knowledge. Isaac's doubt about Jacob's identity reflects the broader biblical theme of discerning truth from falsehood. This moment serves as a reminder of the importance of spiritual discernment and the consequences of deception, urging believers to seek God's wisdom in all things.

(21) Come near . . . that I may feel thee.--Besides the answer, in a style very different from Esau's way of thinking, Isaac was surprised at the short delay in bringing the savoury meat; for the game had to be sought at a distance away from the cattle-pastures. Though, too, the voices of the twins had a certain degree of similarity, yet they would also have their peculiarities, and Isaac detected the difference. But the artifice of the kid-skins fitted, no doubt, cleverly to Jacob's hands and neck saved him from detection; for after Isaac had passed his hands over him, his doubt entirely vanished.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Isaac
יִצְחָק֙ (yiṣ·ḥāq)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3327: Isaac -- 'he laughs', son of Abraham and Sarah

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶֽל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Jacob,
יַעֲקֹ֔ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

“Please
נָּ֥א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

come closer
גְּשָׁה־ (gə·šāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5066: To draw near, approach

so I can touch you,
וַאֲמֻֽשְׁךָ֖ (wa·’ă·muš·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 4184: To touch

my son.
בְּנִ֑י (bə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Are you
הַֽאַתָּ֥ה (ha·’at·tāh)
Article | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

really
זֶ֛ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

my son
בְּנִ֥י (bə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Esau
עֵשָׂ֖ו (‘ê·śāw)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6215: Esau -- oldest son of Isaac

or
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

not?”
לֹֽא׃ (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no


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OT Law: Genesis 27:21 Isaac said to Jacob Please come near (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 27:20
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