Genesis 27
Genesis 27 tells the story of blessings and deception within Isaac’s household. When an elderly Isaac wants to bless his firstborn son Esau, Rebekah devises a scheme to help Jacob. Jacob disguises himself as Esau and receives Isaac’s blessing, and afterward Esau becomes greatly enraged. Through this process, a complex story unfolds where expectations between family members, deception, and God’s will intersect.
1verseWhen Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, “My son?” He said to him, “Here I am.”
2verseHe said, “See now, I am old. I don’t know the day of my death.
3verseNow therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and get me venison.
4verseMake me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”
5verseRebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
6verseRebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, “Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,
7verse‘Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before the LORD before my death.’
8verseNow therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.
9verseGo now to the flock and get me two good young goats from there. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.
10verseYou shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death.”
11verseJacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
12verseWhat if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.”
13verseHis mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me.”
14verseHe went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.
15verseRebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.
16verseShe put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.
17verseShe gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
18verseHe came to his father, and said, “My father?” He said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?”
19verseJacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me.”
20verseIsaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He said, “Because the LORD your God gave me success.”
21verseIsaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.”
22verseJacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.”
23verseHe didn’t recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him.
24verseHe said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.”
25verseHe said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless you.” He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.
26verseHis father Isaac said to him, “Come near now, and kiss me, my son.”
27verseHe came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD has blessed.
28verseGod give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.
29verseLet peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.”
30verseAs soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
31verseHe also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, “Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that your soul may bless me.”
32verseIsaac his father said to him, “Who are you?” He said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.”
33verseIsaac trembled violently, and said, “Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed.”
34verseWhen Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, my father.”
35verseHe said, “Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing.”
36verseHe said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing.” He said, “Haven’t you reserved a blessing for me?”
37verseIsaac answered Esau, “Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. What then will I do for you, my son?”
38verseEsau said to his father, “Do you have just one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father.” Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
39verseIsaac his father answered him, “Behold, your dwelling will be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of the sky from above.
40verseYou will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you will shake his yoke from off your neck.”
41verseEsau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.”
42verseThe words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. 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.
43verseNow therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran.
44verseStay with him a few days, until your brother’s fury turns away—
45verseuntil your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?”
46verseRebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?”
Main Contents and Structure
- Isaac’s decision: Isaac, whose eyesight is failing, says he will bless Esau if Esau brings him game prepared from the field.
- Rebekah and Jacob’s plot: Hearing this, Rebekah advises Jacob to receive the blessing in place of Esau, and helps carry out the plan.
- Jacob’s deception: Jacob puts on Esau’s clothes and covers his hands and neck with goat skins in an attempt to deceive Isaac.
- The passing on of the blessing: Isaac, despite his doubts, ultimately gives the blessing for the firstborn to Jacob. Jacob receives the blessing promised to Abraham.
- Esau’s anger and Isaac’s second blessing: Later, when Esau learns the truth, he becomes furious and demands his own blessing; Isaac then gives him only a limited blessing.
The Overall Meaning of This Chapter
This chapter unfolds amid tension between human weakness (Isaac’s favoritism, Rebekah and Jacob’s deception) and God’s promise. God had chosen Jacob long ago, yet the members of the family either carry out God’s will in their own ways or resist it. Even within the imperfect choices and actions of humans, it becomes clear that God’s promise is fulfilled—the larger theme that runs throughout.
Reflection Points
- Trust and deception: You can reflect on what it means for truthfulness before God.
- Human plans and God’s will: You can think about how human plans and schemes sometimes meet God’s plans—and how they may work differently as well.
Personal Application
- In my life, reflect on what mistakes I keep repeating when I try to accomplish God’s will by my own power.
- Check which parts require a decision to live honestly while placing trust in God.
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