27
1 And it came to pass after Isaac was old, that his eyes were dimmed so that he could not see; and he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him, My son; and he said, Behold, I am here. 2 And he said, Behold, I am grown old, and know not the day of my death. 3 Now then take the weapons, both your quiver and your bow, and go into the plain, and get me venison, 4 and make me meats, as I like them, and bring them to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you, before I die. 5 And Rebecca heard Isaac speaking to Esau his son; and Esau went to the plain to procure venison for his father. 6 And Rebecca said to Jacob her younger son, Behold, I heard your father speaking to Esau your brother, saying, 7 Bring me venison, and prepare me meats, that I may eat and bless you before the Lord before I die. 8 Now then, my son, listen to me, as I command you. 9 And go to the cattle and take for me thence two kids, tender and good, and I will make them meats for your father, as he likes. 10 And you shall bring them in to your father, and he shall eat, that your father may bless you before he dies. 11 And Jacob said to his mother Rebecca, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I a smooth man. 12 Peradventure my father may feel me, and I shall be before him as one ill-intentioned, and I shall bring upon me a curse, and not a blessing. 13 And his mother said to him, On me be your curse, son; only listen to my voice, and go and bring them me. 14 So he went and took and brought them to his mother; and his mother made meats, as his father liked them. 15 And Rebecca having taken the fine raiment of her elder son Esau which was with her in the house, put it on Jacob her younger son. 16 And she put on his arms the skins of the kids, and on the bare parts of his neck. 17 And she gave the meats, and the loaves which she had prepared, into the hands of Jacob her son. 18 And he brought them to his father, and said, Father; and he said, Behold I am here; who are you, son? 19 And Jacob said to his father, I, Esau your firstborn, have done as you told me; rise, sit, and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me. 20 And Isaac said to his son, What is this which you have quickly found? And he said, That which the Lord your God presented before me. 21 And Isaac said to Jacob, Draw near to me, and I will feel you, son, if you are my son Esau or not. 22 And Jacob drew near to his father Isaac, and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 And he knew him not, for his hands were as the hands of his brother Esau, hairy; and he blessed him, 24 and he said, Are you my son Esau? and he said, I am. 25 And he said, Bring hither, and I will eat of your venison, son, that my soul may bless you; and he brought it near to him, and he ate, and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26 And Isaac his father said to him, Draw near to me, and kiss me, son. 27 And he drew near and kissed him, and smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of an abundant field, which the Lord has blessed. 28 And may God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and abundance of corn and wine. 29 And let nations serve you, and princes bow down to you, and be you lord of your brother, and the sons of your father shall do you reverence; accursed is he that curses you, and blessed is he that blesses you. 30 And it came to pass after Isaac had ceased blessing his son Jacob, it even came to pass, just when Jacob had gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 And he also had made meats and brought them to his father; and he said to his father, Let my father arise and eat of his son's venison, that your soul may bless me. 32 And Isaac his father said to him, Who are you? And he said, I am your firstborn son Esau. 33 And Isaac was amazed with very great amazement, and said, Who then is it that has procured venison for me and brought it to me? and I have eaten of all before you came, and I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed. 34 And it came to pass when Esau heard the words of his father Isaac, he cried out with a great and very bitter cry, and said, Bless, I pray you, me also, father. 35 And he said to him, Your brother has come with subtlety, and taken your blessing. 36 And he said, Rightly was his name called Jacob, for behold! this second time has he supplanted me; he has both taken my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing; and Esau said to his father, Have you not left a blessing for me, father? 37 And Isaac answered and said to Esau, If I have made him your lord, and have made all his brethren his servants, and have strengthened him with corn and wine, what then shall I do for you, son? 38 And Esau said to his father, Have you only one blessing, father? Bless, I pray you, me also, father. And * Isaac being troubled, Esau cried aloud and wept. 39 And Isaac his father answered and said to him, Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above. 40 And you shall live by your sword, and shall serve your brother; and there shall be a time when you shall break and loosen his yoke from off your neck. 41 And Esau was angry with Jacob because of the blessing, with which his father blessed him; and Esau said in his mind, Let the days of my father's mourning draw near, that I may kill my brother Jacob. 42 And the words of Esau her elder son were reported to Rebecca, and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, Behold, Esau your brother threatens you to kill you. 43 Now then, my son, hear my voice, and rise and depart quickly into Mesopotamia to Laban my brother into Charran. 44 And dwell with him certain days, until your brother's anger 45 and rage depart from you, and he forget what you have done to him; and I will send and fetch you thence, lest at any time I should be bereaved of you both in one day. 46 And Rebecca said to Isaac, I am weary of my life, because of the daughters of the sons of Chet; if Jacob shall take a wife of the daughters of this land, therefore should I live?
* 27:38 Heb. — Isaac being troubled.