Genesis 27

1Isaac was old, and his eyes were so weak that he could not see. Isaac called his older son Esau. Isaac said: My son. Esau answered: Here I am.

2Isaac said: I am old now. I do not know the day I will die.

3Take your bow and arrows, and go out to the field. Hunt some wild animal for me.

4Make me the tasty food I love, and bring it to me. I will eat it, and then I will bless you before I die.

5Rebekah heard Isaac speaking to his son Esau. Esau went out to hunt wild meat for his father.

6Rebekah said to her son Jacob: I heard your father speaking to your brother Esau.

7Isaac said: Bring me some wild meat and make me tasty food to eat. Then I will bless you in front of the LORD. I will do this before I die.

8Now, my son, listen to me and do what I tell you.

9Go to the flock and bring me 2 good young goats. I will make tasty food for your father, just the way he loves it.

10Then you will take it to your father to eat. He will bless you before he dies.

11Jacob said to his mother Rebekah: My brother Esau is a hairy man, and I have smooth skin.

12My father may touch me. Then he will know I am tricking him. I would bring a curse on myself, not a blessing.

13His mother said to him: My son, let the curse fall on me. Only do what I say. Go and bring the goats to me.

14So Jacob went and got the goats and brought them to his mother. Rebekah made tasty food, just the way Isaac loved it.

15Rebekah took the best clothes of her older son Esau. They were kept in the house. She put them on her younger son Jacob.

16She covered Jacob's hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goat skins.

17Then Rebekah gave Jacob the tasty food and the bread she had made.

18Jacob went to his father and said: My father. Isaac answered: Here I am. Who are you, my son?

19Jacob said to his father: I am Esau, your oldest son. I have done what you told me. Please sit up and eat my wild meat. Then you can bless me.

20Isaac asked: How did you find it so quickly, my son? Jacob answered: The LORD your God helped me find it.

21Isaac said to Jacob: Come close so I can touch you, my son. I want to know if you are really my son Esau.

22Jacob went close to his father Isaac. Isaac touched him and said: The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23Isaac did not know who Jacob was, because Jacob's hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So Isaac blessed him.

24Isaac asked: Are you really my son Esau? Jacob answered: I am.

25Isaac said: Bring me the food. I will eat my son's wild meat. Then I will bless you. Jacob brought the food, and Isaac ate. Jacob brought wine, and Isaac drank.

26Then Isaac said to Jacob: Come close and kiss me, my son.

27Jacob went close and kissed Isaac. Isaac smelled Esau's clothes. Then Isaac blessed Jacob. Isaac said: The smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.

28May God give you rain from heaven and a rich land. May God give you plenty of grain and new wine.

29May peoples serve you. May nations bow down to you. Be the master of your brothers. May your mother's sons bow down to you. May anyone who curses you be cursed. May anyone who blesses you be blessed.

30Isaac finished blessing Jacob. Jacob had just left his father when Esau came in from hunting.

31Esau also made tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau said: Father, please sit up and eat my wild meat. Then you can bless me.

32Isaac asked him: Who are you? Esau answered: I am your son, your oldest son, Esau.

33Isaac shook with fear. Isaac said: Then who hunted and brought me food? I ate it before you came. I blessed that person. Yes, that person will be blessed.

34When Esau heard his father's words, Esau cried out loudly and bitterly. Esau said to his father: Bless me too, my father.

35Isaac said: Your brother came and tricked me. He took your blessing.

36Esau said: Jacob is the right name for him. He has cheated me 2 times. He took my birthright. Now he has taken my blessing. Esau asked: Have you saved no blessing for me?

37Isaac answered Esau: I made Jacob master over you. I gave all his brothers to him as servants. I gave him grain and new wine. What can I do for you, my son?

38Esau said to his father: Do you have only 1 blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father. Then Esau wept loudly.

39Isaac said to Esau: You will live far from a rich land. You will live far from the rain of heaven.

40You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But you will fight to be free. Then you will break his control off your neck.

41Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing Isaac gave Jacob. Esau said to himself: The days of mourning for my father are near. Then I will kill my brother Jacob.

42Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said. She sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him: Your brother Esau plans to kill you.

43Now, my son, listen to me. Run away to my brother Laban in Haran.

44Stay with Laban for a while, until your brother's anger goes away.

45When Esau is no longer angry and forgets what you did, I will send for you to come back. Why should I lose both of you in 1 day?

46Rebekah said to Isaac: I am tired of living because of these Hittite women. If Jacob marries a Hittite woman like these, what good is my life?