A Stolen Blessing

Genesis 27:1-40

“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. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 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.” (Genesis 27:1-4)

Isaac was a hundred when Esau got married. Jacob had apparently shown no interest in marriage for several more years. Probably about the time he was a a hundred and thirty, he began losing his eyesight. While not blind, he could no longer distinguish people’s features. Though he would live to be a hundred and eighty, he got concerned that things needed to be taken care of before his death. Modern doctors would probably say he developed cataracts and became depressed over the loss of his sight.

While he had always favored him, as his sight worsened, Esau’s hunting stories became even more interesting, giving him something to think about. He instructed Esau to make a trip especially for him, with the promise that after enjoying his favorite food, he would bestow a blessing on him.

The blessing was a prophetic statement of what they expected and hoped the recipient would achieve in life based on what they knew of the child’s nature and sometimes special things God revealed to them. Like the expression of confidence by a parent today, it could be a tremendous source of comfort and encouragement in times of difficulty, and also provide a goal to strive for. How many successful people of today credit much of their success to a parent or teacher who expressed their belief in them?

“And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. 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: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.” (Genesis 27:5-10)

While it is quite common, and even encouraged in some cultures, favoring one child causes conflicts between the children. It can also result in the spouse trying to protecting the less favored, causing conflict between spouses. It was exactly the situation that existed in Isaac’s home. Rebekah set out to deceive Isaac to obtain favor for Jacob because she knew Isaac would favor Esau.

“And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 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.

And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. 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: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.” (Genesis 27:11-17)

Knowing his father favored Esau, Jacob was concerned that he would incur his fathers’s wrath if the subterfuge was discovered. As a man of spiritual power, Isaac might well utter a curse in his anger that God would honor. Rebekah had already thought of what would be required and was prepared to take the blame and the penalty should he be found out, so Jacob followed her plan.

Just as Abraham and Sarah had tried to make God’s promise happen by having a child by Hagar, Rebekah was trying to fulfill God’s promise in Genesis 25:23 by deceiving Isaac. Her efforts, like Abraham and Sarah’s, will result in a lot of unnecessary conflict and sorrow.

“And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.

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.

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.

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. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 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.” (Genesis 27:18-25)

Rebekah didn’t dare wait too long because it was impossible to predict how long it would take Esau to find a deer. Isaac was suspicious when Jacob showed up so soon, but Jacob lied about how he had gotten the meat, and careful preparation ensured he wouldn’t be able to taste the difference. Isaac recognized the voice was different than that of esau, and asked for more identification, in the form of touch. Again, Rebekah’s planning paid off, and Isaac was deceived.

“And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. 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: Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 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.” (Genesis 27:26-29)

The final proof, as far as Isaac was concerned was the smell of Esau’s clothing. Jacob had washed off his natural smell and changed into Esau’s clothing even though his father wouldn’t be able to see it. It was this attention to detail that made the deception succeed. The blessing he received was just an expanded version of what God had promised him in Genesis 25:23.

“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. 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.” (Genesis 27:30-31)

It was a good thing Rebekah had rushed getting Jacob in because Esau wasn’t very much longer, arriving just moments after Jacob left his father, with his food already prepared.

“And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

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.

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.

And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing.” (Genesis 27:32-35)

The sound of Esau’s voice removed any doubt in Isaac’s mind that he had been tricked. It had to have been Jacob who had been there before.

“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?” (Genesis 27:36)

Esau considered how fitting that Jacob’s name meant a ‘supplanter’ or ‘usurper’ of some one else’s position. He then blamed Jacob for having taken away his birthright, although it had only happened with his own consent. What he had dismissed as unimportant suddenly assumed gigantic proportions. Esau then begged for any blessing Isaac might have reserved for Jacob.

“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?

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.

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; 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.” (Genesis 27:38-40)

Once Esau had sold his birthright, there was no way he could get it back, and much as he and Isaac wanted to stop it, the birthright included the blessing. While Jacob was wrong in obtaining it that way, it was rightfully his.

Finally Jacob blessed Esau with the promise that he would live in a rich country, enjoying the blessings of the soil and surviving by military might. While his descendants would be subjects of Israel, they would eventually break free.