Genesis 27

1 When Isaac had grown old, his eyes were so dimmed that he could not see. And he called Esau, his older son, and said to him, “My son.” And he said, “Look — here I am.” 2 And he said, “See, I have grown old, and I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now take your weapons — your quiver and your bow — and go out into the open country and hunt me some game, 4 and make me a dish the way I like it, and bring it to me to eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5 Now Rebekah was listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. And Esau went off to the open country to hunt game for his father. 6 And Rebekah said to Jacob, her younger son, “Listen — I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau, saying, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare me a dish, so that I may eat and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now, my son, listen to me, and do as I tell you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two young goats, tender and good, and I will make them into a dish for your father, the way he likes it. 10 Then you will take it in to your father, and he will eat — so that your father may bless you before he dies.” 11 And Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, “My brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 What if my father feels me? I will look to him like a man playing him false, and I will bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing.” 13 And his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son. Only listen to my voice — go and bring them to me.” 14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother made a dish, the way his father liked it. 15 Then Rebekah took the fine clothes of her older son Esau, which she kept in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son, 16 and she wrapped the skins of the young goats around his arms and over the bare part of his neck. 17 And she put the dish, and the loaves she had baked, into the hands of her son Jacob.

18 He brought them in to his father and said, “Father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, son?” 19 And Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Rise, sit up, and eat of my game, so that your soul may bless me.” 20 And Isaac said to his son, “What is this you found so quickly, son?” And he said, “The Lord your God set it before me.” 21 And Isaac said to Jacob, “Come near, and let me feel you, son — whether you are my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob came near to 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 did not recognize him, for his hands were hairy like the hands of his brother Esau. And he blessed him. 24 And he said, “Are you my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.” 25 And he said, “Bring it here, and I will eat of your game, son, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. 26 And Isaac his father said to him, “Come near and kiss me, son.” 27 And he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his clothes, and blessed him, and said,

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing his son Jacob — the very moment Jacob left his father Isaac’s presence — his brother Esau came in from his hunting. 31 He too had made a dish, and he brought it to his father and said, “Let my father rise and eat of his son’s game, so 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 struck with very great amazement, and said, “Who was it, then, who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate from all of it before you came — and I blessed him. And blessed he shall be.” 34 When Esau heard his father Isaac’s words, he cried out with a great and very bitter cry, and said, “Bless me — me also, father!” 35 And he said to him, “Your brother came with deceit, and took your blessing.” 36 And Esau said, “Rightly was his name called Jacob — for look, this is the second time he has tripped me by the heel. He took my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing.” And Esau said to his father, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me, father?” [a] 37 And Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him your lord, and made all his brothers his servants, and strengthened him with grain and wine. What then can I do for you, son?” 38 And Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, father? Bless me — me also, father!” And as Isaac was stricken with grief, Esau cried aloud and wept. 39 And Isaac his father answered him, [b]

41 So Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had blessed him with. And Esau said in his mind, “Let the days of mourning for my father come soon — and then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were reported to Rebekah, and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said to him, “Listen — your brother Esau is threatening to kill you. 43 Now, my son, hear my voice: rise and flee at once to my brother Laban, to Haran in Mesopotamia. 44 Stay with him for a while, until your brother’s anger 45 and rage turn away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you back from there. Why should I lose you both in one day?” 46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of the daughters of the sons of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of this land — why should I go on living?”