Genesis 27

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27:1 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.
27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 27:4 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.
27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
27:9 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: 27:10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 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.
27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
27:15 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: 27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: 27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 27:19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
27:20 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.
27:21 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.
27:22 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.
27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
27:24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
27:25 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.
27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27:27 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: 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 27:29 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.
27:30 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.
27:31 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.
27:32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
27:33 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.
27:34 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.
27:35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
27:36 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? 27:37 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? 27:38 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.
27:39 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; 27:40 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.
27:41 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.
27:42 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.
27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away; 27:45 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? 27:46 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?

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King James Bible:Genesis

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 27

Overview:
Isaac sends Esau for venison. (1-5) Rebekah teaches Jacob to
obtain the blessing. (6-17) Jacob, pretending to be Esau,
obtains the blessing. (18-29) Isaac's fear, Esau's importunity.
(30-40) Esau threatens Jacob's Life, Rebekah sends Jacob away.
(41-46)

1-5 The promises of the Messiah, and of the land of Canaan, had
come down to Isaac. Isaac being now about 135 years of Age, and
his sons about 75, and not duly considering the Divine Word
concerning his two sons, that the Elder should serve the
younger, resolved to Put all the honour and power that were in
the promise, upon Esau his eldest son. We are very apt to take
measures rather from our own reason than from Divine Revelation,
and thereby often miss our way.

6-17 Rebekah knew that the blessing was intended for Jacob, and
expected he would have it. But she wronged Isaac By putting a
cheat On him; she wronged Jacob By tempting him to wickedness.
She Put a stumbling-block in Esau's way, and gave him a pretext
for Hatred to Jacob and to religion. All were to be blamed. It
was one of those crooked measures often adopted to further the
Divine promises; as if the End would justify, or excuse wrong
means. Thus many have acted wrong, under the idea of being
useful in promoting the cause of Christ. The answer to all such
things is that which God addressed to Abraham, I am God
Almighty; walk before me and be thou perfect. And it was a very
rash speech of Rebekah, "Upon me be thy Curse, my son." Christ
has borne the Curse of the Law for all who take upon them the
Yoke of the command, the command of the Gospel. But it is too
daring for any Creature to say, Upon me be thy Curse.

18-29 Jacob, with some difficulty, gained his point, and got
the blessing. This blessing is in very general terms. No mention
is made of the distinguishing mercies in the Covenant with
Abraham. This might be owing to Isaac having Esau in his mind,
though it was Jacob who was before him. He could not be ignorant
how Esau had despised the best things. Moreover, his attachment
to Esau, So as to disregard the mind of God, must have greatly
weakened his own Faith in these things. It might therefore be
expected, that leanness would attend his blessing, agreeing with
the state of his mind.

30-40 When Esau understood that Jacob had got the blessing, he
cried with a great and exceeding Bitter cry. The Day is coming,
when those that now make Light of the blessings of the Covenant,
and sell their title to spiritual blessings for that which is of
No value, will, in vain, ask urgently for them. Isaac, when made
sensible of the deceit practised On him, trembled exceedingly.
Those who follow the choice of their own affections, rather than
the Divine will, get themselves into perplexity. But he soon
recovers, and confirms the blessing he had given to Jacob,
saying, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. Those who
part with their Wisdom and Grace, their Faith and a good
Conscience, for the honours, wealth, or pleasures of this world,
however they feign a zeal for the blessing, have judged
themselves unworthy of it, and their doom shall be accordingly.
A common blessing was bestowed upon Esau. This he desired. Faint
desires of happiness, without right choice of the End, and right
use of the means, deceive many unto their own ruin. Multitudes
go to Hell with their mouths full of good wishes. The great
difference is, that there is nothing in Esau's blessing which
points at Christ; and without that, the fatness of the Earth,
and the plunder of the Field, will stand in little stead. Thus
Isaac, By Faith, blessed both his sons, according as their Lot
should be.

41-46 Esau bore malice to Jacob On account of the blessing he
had obtained. Thus he went in the way of Cain, who slew his
Brother, because he gained that acceptance with God of which he
had rendered himself unworthy. Esau aimed to prevent Jacob or
his seed from having the dominion, By taking away his Life. Men
may fret at God's counsels, but cannot change them. To prevent
mischief, Rebekah warned Jacob of his danger, and advised him to
withdraw for his safety. We must not presume too far upon the
Wisdom and resolution, even of the most hopeful and promising
children; but care must be taken to keep them out of the way of
evil. When reading this Chapter, we should not fail to observe,
that we must not follow even the best of men further than they
act according to the Law of God. We must not do evil that good
may come. And though God overruled the bad actions recorded in
this Chapter, to fulfil his purposes, yet we see his Judgment of
them, in the painful consequences to all the parties concerned.
It was the Peculiar privilege and advantage of Jacob to convey
these spiritual blessings to all nations. The Christ, the
Saviour of the world, was to be born of some one family; and
Jacob's was preferred to Esau's, out of the good pleasure of
Almighty God, who is certainly the best Judge of what is fit,
and has an undoubted right to dispense his favours as he sees
proper, Ro 9:12-15.