Genesis27

Isaac, old and blind, intends to bless his eldest son Esau after eating venison. Rebekah, overhearing, orchestrates a deception, helping Jacob impersonate Esau to receive the patriarchal blessing. Jacob successfully deceives Isaac, gaining the blessing of dominion and prosperity. Upon Esau's return, the deception is revealed, leading to Esau's bitter lament and hatred, prompting Rebekah to send Jacob away for his safety.
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Isaac Plans to Bless Esau

1
And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. ​
2
And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:
3
Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;
4
And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. ​
5
And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

Rebekah and Jacob Plot Deception

6
And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, ​
7
Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. ​
8
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
9
Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
10
And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
11
And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
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. ​
13
And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. ​
14
And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
15
And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: ​
16
And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: ​
17
And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

Jacob Deceives Isaac and Receives the Blessing

18
And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?
19
And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. ​
20
And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me. ​
21
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.
22
And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. ​
23
And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
24
And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
25
And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
26
And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27
And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: ​
28
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: ​
29
Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee. ​

Esau Returns; The Deception Is Revealed

30
And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31
And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.
32
And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
33
And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. ​
34
And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. ​
35
And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. ​
36
And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? ​
37
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? ​
38
And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39
And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; ​
40
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. ​

Esau Vows Revenge; Jacob Flees

41
And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. ​
42
And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
43
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; ​
44
And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;
45
Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? ​
46
And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? ​

Study Notes for Genesis 27

Verse 1

Isaac, now old and blind, decides to bestow the patriarchal blessing, a solemn and legally binding transfer of authority and covenant promises, before his death. Blindness often symbolizes human inability to fully perceive God's will.

Verse 4

The ceremonial meal was necessary to accompany the blessing, symbolizing communion and confirmation. Isaac’s request for ‘savoury meat’ highlights his preference for Esau, the hunter.

Verse 6

Rebekah heard Isaac’s instructions. She acts decisively, believing she is fulfilling the divine prophecy given before the twins’ birth (Gen 25:23), though she uses deceptive means.

Verse 7

The phrase 'before the LORD' underscores that this is a covenantal act, invoking divine authority and making the blessing irreversible once given.

Verse 12

Jacob is fearful of being discovered and receiving a curse, not primarily concerned with the sin of deception itself. This reveals a pragmatic, self-interested motivation.

Verse 13

Rebekah takes responsibility for the potential curse, demonstrating the depth of her commitment to ensuring Jacob receives the blessing, even through manipulation.

Verse 15

Rebekah dresses Jacob in Esau’s 'goodly raiment'—likely his best clothes, perhaps carrying the scent of the field—to complete the sensory deception, as Isaac could no longer see.

Verse 16

The skins of the kids of the goats mimic the hairiness of Esau, addressing Jacob’s primary concern (v. 12). The deception required a coordinated assault on Isaac's remaining senses: smell, touch, and hearing.

Verse 19

Jacob’s threefold lie begins: identifying himself as Esau, claiming to have completed the hunt, and demanding the blessing.

Verse 20

Jacob compounds his lie by invoking God’s name, claiming divine intervention for his quick success. This is a striking example of using religious language to justify deceit.

Verse 22

Isaac remains suspicious, noting the mismatch between the voice (Jacob’s) and the hands (Esau’s, due to the disguise). The deception nearly fails.

Verse 27

The smell of Esau’s clothes (v. 15), representing the fertility of the land, finally convinces Isaac. The blessing connects Jacob’s future prosperity directly to the promises made to Abraham.

Verse 28

This blessing promises material abundance ('dew of heaven,' 'fatness of the earth') and economic prosperity, crucial elements of the covenantal promise.

Verse 29

The blessing grants political supremacy: Jacob will rule over his brother and nations will serve him. This fulfills the prophecy of Genesis 25:23, though accomplished through human manipulation.

Verse 33

Isaac’s 'exceedingly' great trembling signifies his realization that he has attempted to thwart God's will (which favored Jacob). Crucially, he affirms the blessing: 'yea, and he shall be blessed.'

Verse 34

Esau’s 'exceeding bitter cry' shows the magnitude of his loss. The patriarchal blessing was the source of tribal identity and future destiny.

Verse 35

The word 'subtilty' (*mirmah*) means deceit or fraud, accurately summarizing the plot carried out by Jacob and Rebekah.

Verse 36

Esau bitterly connects Jacob’s actions to his name (*Ya’aqov*, 'supplanter'). He identifies this as the second time Jacob has usurped him, following the purchase of the birthright (Gen 25:29-34).

Verse 37

Isaac confirms the scope of the blessing given to Jacob: it is comprehensive, giving him lordship and prosperity, leaving nothing comparable for Esau.

Verse 39

Isaac grants Esau a secondary blessing, which mirrors Jacob’s in geographical terms but lacks the promise of political domination.

Verse 40

Esau's destiny is predicted to be one of violence and subservience to Jacob, but with the hope of future rebellion. This prophecy foreshadows the long conflict between Israel and Edom (Esau’s descendants).

Verse 41

Esau’s grief quickly turns into murderous intent. The familial conflict escalates immediately into a life-and-death threat, forcing Jacob to flee the land of promise.

Verse 43

Haran is the home of Rebekah’s brother, Laban, where Abraham’s family originated. Jacob’s flight marks the end of his life as a settled tent-dweller and the beginning of his journey toward maturity.

Verse 45

Rebekah fears the loss of both sons: Jacob to murder, and Esau to the blood avenger, a consequence mandated by ancient law.

Verse 46

Rebekah gives Isaac a different, acceptable reason for Jacob's departure—the fear of him marrying a local Canaanite woman—thus maintaining the secrecy of the deception and appealing to Isaac's desire for covenant purity.

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