The Theft of Esau’s Blessing

1Eventually, Isaac grew so old that he could not see.a One day, he called his eldest son Esau. “My son,” he called out to him. 2“Look how old I am! I could die any day now,b 3so go find your weapons, take your bow and arrows, go outside, and hunt some game for me. 4Then prepare some food, just the way I like it, and bring it to me so that I can eat and bless you before I die.”

5Now Rebekah overheard Isaac while he was speaking to his son Esau. When Esau had gone out to the field to hunt and bring in some game, 6Rebekah gave these instructions to her son Jacob: “Quick! Pay attention!” she said. “I heard your father talking to your brother Esau. He told him, 7‘Bring me some game and then prepare some food for me so I can eat and bless you in the presence of the LORD before I die.’ 8So now, my son, listen to what I have to say and pay attention to what I’m about to tell you. 9Go to the flock and bring me two healthy young goats. I’ll prepare some delicious food for your father, just the way he loves it. 10Then you are to take it to your father so that he can eat and bless you before he dies.”

11“But look!” Jacob pointed out to his mother Rebekah, “My brother Esau is a hairy man, but I’m smooth skinned. 12My father might touch me and he’ll realize that I’m deceiving him. Then, I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.”

13“My son,” she replied, “let any curse against you fall on me. Just listen to me, then go and get them for me.” 14So out he went, got them, and brought them to his mother, who then prepared some delicious food, just the way his father liked it.

Rebekah and Jacob Deceive Isaac

15Then Rebekah took some garments that belonged to her elder son Esau—the best ones available—and put them on her younger son Jacob. 16She put some goat skins over his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17Then she handed the delicious food and bread that she had prepared to her son Jacob, 18who went to his father and said, “My father…”

“It’s me!” he replied. “Which one are you, my son?”

19“I’m Esau, your firstborn!” Jacob told his father. “I’ve done what you asked, so please sit up and eat what I caught, so you can bless me.”

20“How did you get it so quickly, my son?” Isaac asked.

Jacobc responded, “…because the LORD your God made me successful.”

21So Isaac told Jacob, “Come here, my son, so I can feel you and know for sure whether or not you’re my son Esau.”

22So Jacob approached his father, who felt him and said, “It’s Jacob’s voice, but Esau’s hands.” 23He didn’t recognize Jacob,d because his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau, so Isaace blessed him.

24He asked, “Are you really my son Esau?”

“I am,” Jacobf replied.

25“Come closer to me,” Isaac replied, “so I can eat some of the game, my son, and then bless you.” So Jacob came closer, and Isaac ate. Jacob also brought wine so his fatherg could drink. 26After this, Jacob’s father Isaac told him, “Come closer and kiss me, my son.” 27So Jacobh drew closer to kiss him. When Isaaci smelled the scent of his son’sj clothes, he blessed him and said,

“How my son’s scent is the fragrance of the field

that the LORD has blessed.

28May the LORD grant you dew from the skies,k

and from the fertile land;

may he grant youl

abundant grain and fresh wine.

29May people serve and bow before you;

may you be master over your brothers;

may your mother’s sons bow before you;

may anyone who curses you be cursed;

and may anyone who blesses you be blessed.”

Esau Learns of Isaac’s Deception

30Just after Isaac had finished blessing Jacob and Jacob had left his father Isaac, Jacob’sm brother Esau returned from hunting, 31prepared some delicious food, brought it to his father, and told him, “Can you get up now, father, so you may eat some of your son’s game and then bless me?”

32But his father Isaac asked him, “Who are you?”

“I’m Esau, your firstborn son,” he answered

33At this, Isaac began to tremble violently. “Who then,” he asked, “hunted some game and brought it to me to eat before you arrived, so that I’ve blessed him? Indeed, he is blessed.”

34When Esau realizedn what his father Isaac was saying, he began to wail out loud bitterly. “Bless me,” he cried, “even me, too, my father!”

35Isaaco replied, “Your brother came here deceitfully and stole your blessing.”

36Then he said, “Isn’t his name rightly called Jacob?”p Esau asked. “He has circumvented me this second time. First,q he took away my birthright, and now, look how he also stole my blessing.” Then he added, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”

37In response, Isaac told Esau, “Look! I’ve predicted that he’s goingr to become your master, and I’ve assigned all his brothers to be his servants. What then can I do for you, my son?”

38Then Esau implored his father, “Don’t you have even one blessing for me, my father? Bless me, even me too, my father!” Then Esau lifted his voice and wept bitterly.

39At this, his father Isaac replied to him,

“Look! Away from the fertile land will be your dwellings;

away from the dew of the skies above.

40By your sword you’ll live;

but you’ll serve your brother.

But when you’ve become restless,

you’ll break off his yoke from your neck.”

41So Esau harbored animosity toward Jacob because of the way his father had blessed him. Esau kept saying to himself,s “The timet to mourn for my father is very near. That’s when I’m going to kill my brother Jacob.”

42Eventually, what Rebekah’s older son Esau had been saying was reported to her, so she sent for her younger son Jacob and warned him, “Look! Your brother is planning to get even by killing you.u 43Son, you’d better do what I say! Get up, run off to my brother Laban in Haran, 44and stay there with him a few days until your brother’s fury subsides.v 45After that happensw and he has forgotten what you’ve done to him, I’ll send for you so you can return from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”

46Rebekah also told herself,x “Heth’s daughters are making me tired of living. If Jacob marries one of Heth’s daughters, and she turns out to be just like these other local women,y what kind of life would there be left for me?”