Chapter Twenty-Seven
Time for the Blessing
27:1 When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”
Even godly men do not always do as God instructs. Here, in spite of knowing God’s instruction regarding Jacob to be the one to receive God’s blessing (see Genesis 25:23) and in spite of his knowledge of Esau’s blatant disregard for anything related to God, Isaac was determined to give his oldest son his blessing. We learned earlier that Isaac was motivated by his love of the meat that Esau hunted and prepared (see Genesis 25:28). Is it possible for an apparently spiritual man to promote the love of meat over what he knows God wants him to do? The answer to that question lies deeply in the carnal nature of mankind, lusts can take on many forms. Mankind too often has, and continues to, succumb to the flesh (including physical appetites). Thanks be to God that through Jesus Christ we are offered forgiveness!
So Isaac, thinking that he is near death, decides that it was the right time to give his blessing to Esau, even though it should have gone to Jacob. Perhaps the fact that he didn’t even tell Rebekah about his plan, is a clue that he really knew what he was about to do was wrong; Rebekah only happened to overhear the conversation. Since Issac was blind, Rebekah came up with a plan. It is interesting to note that Isaac was not as near death as he thought, since he died at the age of 180 years (see Genesis 35:28), he was 40 when he married Rebekah (see Genesis 25:19) and was 60 when the boys were born (see Genesis 25:26), it is not likely that Esau was 120 years old at this time.
A Mother’s Deception
27:5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves.
In a sense, Rebekah was just as guilty as Isaac was in not trusting God when they entered Gerar. She knew that God’s plan would prevail, but much like Isaac, she acted on her own without guidance from God. So, she comes up with a plan to deceive Isaac that would result in Jacob receiving the blessing that he intended to give Esau. Her plan was to fool her husband in thinking that Jacob was Esau, since Isaac was already blind, it was only a matter of fooling his touch, smell, taste, and hearing. Rebekah, knowing that Jacob probably would not willingly agree to such a deceptive plan, told him to, “obey my voice as I command you.”
Phase one of the plan entailed Jacob killing two young goats and Rebekah preparing and cooking the goats the way Isaac likes his meat. Rebekah apparently knew a way to cook the goats in such a way that would smell and taste like wild game.
In order for us to fully recognize the intensity of Rebekah’s commitment and beliefs, we need to understand that she was willing to sacrifice all of her relationships with her family. If Isaac or Esau found out about this scheme, she risked being alienated from both of them. Even if everything went as planned and Jacob received Isaac’s blessing, there could be ramifications from Esau. That is how much Rebekah believed that Jacob would be the recipient of Isaac’s blessing. The biggest question at this point would be, how would Isaac react? Would he see the error of his plan? Would he seek God’s forgiveness?
27:10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” 14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
Now for phase two of the plan, Jacob had to pretend he was Esau. Jacob reminded his mother that Esau was a hairy man, and he was not. If Isaac chose to feel him to confirm he was Esau, Jacob feared that his father would think he was mocking him and ultimately curse him instead of giving a blessing. Rebekah then reassured him that would not happen, if caught, she would take the blame and the full brunt of any curse. Once again Rebekah tells him to obey her, so he went out and killed two goats and brought them back to her. She cooked and prepared the meat just as Isaac loved, phase one was done. Then Rebekah took some off Esau’s finer garments and put them on Jacob. For the final touch, she took the skins of the goats and attached them in some manner on Jacob’s hands and neck. Phase two was now ready to implement, the rest was up to Jacob. However, one big question remained, could Jacob sound like his brother?
27:18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the LORD your God granted me success.” 21 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.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.
Undoubtedly, Jacob tried to sound like his brother, however, when he was asked who he was, he probably got a lot more nervous. The smell was right, but the voice was not. Immediately Isaac questioned the identity, wanting to feel if it was truly Esau. Did he suspect that Jacob would try to deceive him? Apparently, yes, too many things were starting to be suspicious. First was the short time to successfully hunt, which Jacob gave a brilliant, but equally deceptive, response. Next was Jacob’s voice, so Isaac asked for a closer inspection. Whatever method Rebekah used to fashion the goat skins on Jacob apparently worked well enough for Issac to only have one last question, “are you really my son Esau?” It must have disturbed Jacob to deceive his father this way, but he managed to answer, “I am.” The deception worked; Isaac then ate the food.
27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed! 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”
With the smell of Esau’s garments on Jacob, the presence of the outdoors, the final “smell” test was convincing enough for Isaac, so he began to bless Jacob. The blessing was essentially the same as God had given Abraham and later reiterated to Isaac. The part about him being lord over his brothers would have been more related to the birthright, which Jacob had already obtained. Interestingly there is no mention regarding his own personal property. The ending mirrors the wording of the blessing that followed the line of the Messiah and then on to the nation of Israel, even through today, being a portion of the eternal covenant originally given to Abraham (see Genesis 12:3).
Considerations
A blessing could be offered by a father regardless of a son’s birthright. As discussed earlier a birthright could be revoked or changed by the father (see Considerations under Genesis 25:27-35 regarding “Birthright”). However, the promise cannot be contrary to God’s desire or any of His previous promises. Many confuse Isaac’s blessing with God’s covenant promise to Abraham. Even though the ending mirrors much of the wording of the covenant promise originally given to Abraham (see Genesis 12:3), the blessing would have been only effective if it matched God’s previous promises to Abraham (see Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:5-21; 17:1-14) and Isaac (see Genesis 26:15), since only God has the authority (or those He chooses to represent Him) to make divine promises. In other words, Isaac’s blessing that was given to Jacob would have been meaningless if it was given to Esau. God Himself will later reiterate the promise made with Abraham to Jacob (see Genesis 28:12-15).
At first glance, or perhaps if you read this story a little too quickly, Jacob may appear to be a schemer, a liar, and possibly a con man. Many commentators have written about Jacob being an unethical and mischievous man whose only interest in life was to make a profit. If that is how you have interpreted Jacob so far, please take the time to reread Genesis 25:19-34 and Genesis 26:33-27:29, now, did you read the word ‘integrity’, instead of ‘quiet’ in Genesis 25:27 this time? Still not convinced? Note that the Bible never records a single criticism of Jacob. Every time God spoke to Jacob, it was a message of blessing and promise, not even one rebuke (God will later reconfirm Abraham’s blessing to Jacob, see Genesis 28:13-15). Of course, that is not to say he was perfect, just like all men, Jacob had the tendency to fall back to worldly thinking and temptations on occasions.[1]
Many have asked the question why did God chose Jacob instead of Esau? We were given an opportunity to examine Esau’s character in Genesis 25:29-34 and Genesis 26:34-35, and it was not healthy towards God. While some may not think Jacob as being worthy, we need to remember, as discussed earlier, God uses ordinary people, flaws and all.[2] Only God knows what is on someone’s heart, which should remind us that when it comes to understanding the characters of any Bible story, regardless of what we think, God’s opinion is the only one that counts.
Many people have problems with Jacob telling several lies in this story, including one that claimed God had brought him the game quickly, and to “top it off,” he used God’s own name in telling the story! So why did God not rebuke Jacob, or for that fact, Rebekah? From our perspective, we may never fully understand. Perhaps one way to view this sequence of events would be to conclude that whatever may have been wrong with Rebekah’s plan, the sins of Esau and Isaac were more of a serious nature. However, we must avoid the idea of “weighing sins,” as any disobedience to God is a sin, regardless of what we might think as being more grievous.
Of course, this story is not suggesting that lying is okay, God does not approve of lying. Some may say, there are times when lying is not only acceptable, but also necessary. They feel that it would have been unacceptable for Isaac to convey God’s promises to a man who had no use for God. While it is true that there are several stories in the Bible, like this one, that involve some form of lying by godly people (for a few examples, see Exodus 1:15-20; Joshua 2:3-6), we need to also avoid considering them as “exceptions to the rule.” The sad truth is that all people have lied and will continue to lie, because all people are sinners. To use a modern-day analogy, it’s part of our “human operating system.” Lying seems inevitable in a fallen world, especially when someone does not seek God’s guidance and wisdom. God never endorses someone lying (the Bible clearly endorses telling the truth, for example see Exodus 20:16; John 8:44; Colossians 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:9-11; Revelation 21:8), but one might find themselves lying when doing what they believe God wants them to do, therefore we see these stories that seemingly rely on the act of lying to be successful and thereby justified, but that is only from our limited and sinful perspective.
Reality Hits
27:30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.”
With the timing similar to a Hollywood movie, the antagonist of the story steps into the room no sooner than the protagonist left. Esau was probably not prepared to hear his father ask who he was, as he did everything he had earlier asked for. But, when Isaac heard that it was Esau, it all came together in his mind. He had been deceived by Jacob and undoubtedly at the same time he realized that he made an error in judgment regarding the idea of blessing Esau. He responded by saying, “Yes, and he shall be blessed,” referring to Jacob.
27:34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. 40 By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.”
The worldly Esau was outraged, not aware of what was really going on, and probably not aware of God’s selection of Jacob over him, all he knew is that he was missing out on some form of blessing. When he learns that his father was deceived by his brother, he accuses Jacob of being appropriately named, referring to the secondary meaning of his name being a supplanter,[3] recalling how he took his birthright (conveniently forgetting that he despised it) and now he has taken his blessing. Esau then could not understand why his father could not and would not bless him as well. Isaac, probably shaking like one who has been caught doing something wrong, did not know how to explain why he couldn’t to Esau, just the fact that he was deceived. Isaac knew he could not change the outcome, even if he wanted to. His words did not matter, however, God’s selection did. The author of the book of Hebrews offers this insight on Esau’s pleading: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:15-17)
Isaac responded to Esau with what might be best described as a curse, being essentially the opposite of the blessing given to Jacob: “You will live away from the richness of the earth, and away from the dew of the heaven above. You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck.” (Genesis 27:39-40, NLT) Each of these prophetic points became true. The Edomites, the descendants of Esau, were a plundering people, who were conquered by the Israelites (see 2 Samuel 8:14; Obadiah 18-21) and then later broke free (see 2 Kings 8:20-22) relocating to southern Judah (Negeb region) only to be later known as the Idumeans. Neither Idumea nor Edom exist today.
27:41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”
Esau, rather quickly transformed from a care-free man-of-the-land to a vindictive and hateful person. Was it the fact that he was swindled or did was the thought of Jacob having dominion over him simply unacceptable? Regardless, in his anger he decided that he would murder Jacob as soon as his father died, probably thinking that Isaac would die soon. Rebekah heard about Esau’s desire to kill Jacob, who then told Jacob to again obey her and go at once to her brother Laban in Haran and hide there long enough for Esau to cool down, at which point she would send for him. Some translations use the phrase “a few days” (KJV, NKJV, NASB, etc.), the Hebrew word used here is ‘yā·mîm’ (plural), ‘yôm’ (singular), and as discussed in the Considerations under Genesis 1:2, the word can also refer to an undefined period of time, especially when not associated with a number. So the use of the phrase, “a while,” is appropriate. We will see that in reality the period is over twenty years, a sad truth since, according to the text, Rebekah never saw Jacob again after sending him away. Recognizing that her involvement in this deception probably would result in Esau leaving, she did not want to see Jacob gone as well.
27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”
Rebekah tells Isaac that she abhors the Hittite women where they live, suggesting to him that if Jacob marries any one of them, she would be very unhappy. Understanding her role in bringing up Isaac’s family, she wants Isaac to recognize the need for someone, other than the local Canaanite women (who were undoubtedly pagan worshiping women), to raise Jacob’s family. She was not saying that her life would be over if Jacob married a local, she was asking what good her influence on Jacob was if he didn’t marry a godly woman. Was this a way to influence Isaac into officially sending Jacob to Haran, covering up the real reason to protect Jacob from Esau, or was it actually God’s desire? In either case, Isaac agrees.
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[1] See Considerations under Genesis 32:32 regarding "The Name of Israel."